The Year of Living Dangerously

Only six days into 2012 and I'm already trying to grab onto it and slow this train down, forgoodnesssake!

A rambling recap so I don't lose these memories:

Said goodbye to 2011 by viewing one of our all-time-favorite films, Stardust.

And speaking of Neil Gaiman, someone has taken his inspirational words and created this fabulous poster to guide us in 2012:

Back to the recap...

Traveled northward on the first day of January to visit extended family and to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of a Great Artist. Our original plans to visit the Legion of Honor in San Francisco  the following day were thwarted by the fact that the museum was NOT OPEN that day, so we regrouped and had a different adventure in Oakland instead. Take that, San Francisco!

Anyway, our adventures left us famished so on the way home we stopped for some tasty Chow by the fireside:



Then onward to chocolate cake with colored-flame candles, and party poppers with crowns and prizes for all, and a balloon garland to last the year strung up in the new bedroom.

The Youngish One crammed her Christmas Vacation into a couple of bags and grabbed a flight out the next day:

(This is last year's leaving, but I was not able to watch the plane take off and become a dot in the sky this year. However, my heart feels the same sweet sadness every time my loved ones go. And this picture immediately reminds me of the feeling.)

As I am sure you have divined by now, next up is some soothing for ME. Because this is my blog. And it's all about ME.

My old planner book is full, so I started this one that I have been guarding preciously for thirteen months waiting for this time:

I also obtained a Spring bag in which to carry all my precious things: 

Seems excessive, I know, following on the heels of material abundance acquired during the holiday just past. But really, Hallmark marketing pushed me into such unseemly behavior: 

I will account for good behavior in upcoming posts as I am also embarking upon Elf-Improvement and Improvement of The World Around Us in 2012. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of...

Oh My, Oma!