"To be up after midnight and to go to bed then, is early." (12th Night)

Can you believe it? Here it is, 2008. What's in store for us this year? Where will destiny lead us? For one thing, I do hope that we can end the war in Iraq and wherever else we are at war. Why bring misery to the families of our soldiers? Perhaps a change in our Presidency will be for the better. We could use a Washington or a Lincoln or an FDR or a JFK or a Clinton--be it male or female. Perhaps Bill will find himself in his old bed, and feed in his old kitchen. You never know. Destiny will tell us--it's in the stars.

Yesterday we went to the Isle Casino in Pompano. It's a really beautiful venue and a lot of fun--but not so much when you lose. We arranged to get there before 3pm. because they were giving away lots of money to the winners of a drawing. We got coupons in the mail to drop into a box every hour. None of the six of us heard our names called. At 5pm we all went into the Buffet and had some good food. They even had loads of shrimp and snow crab legs. If not that there were other dishes--like steak and pasta, salads, and soup. Our friends were Lou Strumlauf, President of the Computer Club and his beautiful wife, Annette; and Col. Mike Pickering and his Queen of Transylvania, Helen--but not of Troy. We left after the 7pm drawing and came back to our place where we had lots of snacks--fruit, danish, soda, candy, etc. We played an interesting card game until midnight when we drank champagne and watched the ball come down in Times Square. Then we all went out to the catwalk and watched fireworks that we could see coming from the beaches in Delray and Boynton. We finally got to bed early--about 2am-- and today I slept until one.

New Year's Day is usually a day of rest. Watch football. Have some chocolate pretzels. Pay bills, and just loll around. It's January and as I checked my calendar, there are doctors' appointments--of course; then Bonny and Sean will be here at the end of the month. On the 11th I'm giving a program on poetry in the Terrace Room sponsored by the Library Club. So, the first month of the year looks OK, and as always there may be a few surprises--perhaps emails like I got from one of my former high school students in response to my New Year wishes for her:

Wow... that's a hard New Year's wish to follow... Here's sending all of those good things back to you and Rhoda! I will raise my glass tomorrow night in honor of, and appreciation for, my good friend and lifelong inspiration, Doc Ross, who also happens to be an American hero -- and who has always been a hero in my eyes. (Debbie French)

"For last year's words belong to last year's languageAnd next year's words await another voice.And to make an end is to make a beginning." - T.S. Eliot