DottyNana: All Bright and Shiny and New

I tried reflecting on New Year's Eve, but Lottie & Sophie came over and all I could think about was what if they wake up at 6 and how I would be pitifully weak and exhausted if I didn't get more than six hours of sleep and so I insisted we go to bed NOW, minutes after watching the ball drop in Times Square. And Roger fell into a deep and heavy sleep within 15 seconds of his head touching the pillow but at 2 AM, with him snoring and snockering away, I was still awake, unable to tell him to roll over or shut up since he's had some back issues of late and it would be unkind of me to tell him to move, what with him being comfortable and all. I grabbed my duvet in a huff and left the room, thinking unprintable, non-jolly thoughts. And the girls woke up at 7! YAY! This year went as quickly as any other and each month had its share of memories. Here's my lame attempt at remembering this past year.

I just had a look at how all these pictures 'took.' They didn't. It worked for the first few months. Pictures all lined up tidily with captions...and then it just got all untidy. Captions and pictures all over the damned place. Oh well...much like my year!

January

Sophie’s Second Birthday

January Hikes. Winter in Socal suits us just fine.

February

Dear Friends, Betsy y Lee’s Going Away Dinner

They’re in Portland now, which suits them just fine but is still causing some adjustment by those they left behind!

Winter Rains Bring Color to the Canyon Which otherwise have a barren beauty

March

A Bumper Crop of Meyer Lemons on one of our trees

And fabulous produce from our local Farmer’s Market

And Easter

May

Lee’s Birthday in Portland and Uncle Colin's Visit from NY

Jane's Birthday. So wonderful to be in the same city so we can celebrate together

June

We're always celebrating something in my French class and
always with a princess cake

July

Fourth of July Watching the Fireworks

I celebrated a BIG birthday

We pimped our house, taking pictures of it from the best possible angles for
a house exchange.

August

We went to France and all the pictures
are on the other computer and I'm too lazy to get them.

But we also went to England to visit Mum.
No, she doesn't live in Canterbury

September

Charlotte’s Seventh Birthday
Wearing a Crown of Flowers from Betsy

No photos, but another September highlight was bloggity friend, GrannyP's visit. We packed a fair amount into a few days and we just finished the wonderful cardoman fig jam she brought with her from Lanzarote.

October