The Past is Behind us, it is gone, The Future is Ours!

Well there you have it! 2011 is GONE,gone, gone

I just watched the Fireworks in London, from the banks of the Theimes, of course (uh, I think)

Have 4.5 hours before we can say goodbye and farewell to 2011, and place all our hopes, and wishes and dreams and plans on the shoulders of baby 2012!

So, i'll take this time to wish all my new friends in the UK, Scotland and Ireland and all points in between, nothing but the best of every little thing in this New Year. The one thing we can always have and share is HOPE!

I'm thinking of each of you, I think I am getting to know each of your individual stories, your names tumble through my mind sometimes during my daily activities, when I hope you are all sleeping well. I think we do share some daylight hours, when it is early morning here and you are already in mid afternoon. If I have calculated correctly! lol I could be way off!

Happy, healthy New Year dear friends!!!

Love from the US of A

Loretta Hoy

Bellevue, Ohio

[Hidden]

Picture was taken last August, from the beach above the shoreline of the South side of Lake Erie.

My friend had taken me there as a treat for my birthday, it's our favorite spot., and has been for years. When our kids were all little, we used to take them on Sunday evenings for a picnic supper on the beach, let kids play volleyball, etc, while we all relaxed. So, so tranquil!

[Hidden]

Brilliant Loretta -It's amazing to come on an RA site and read of people's experiences across the World united by having RA. We've just come home on the stroke of midnight to find both boys out watching fireworks on the harbour and are sipping chilled white wine while the dog sprawls out on us in relief having been abandoned briefly. Felt a bit strange walking out on a Hogmanay party in full swing 30 mins away but we just wanted to be nearer to our teens and look after our dog who hates fireworks. Also I have the sorest of throats and people kept on shaking my hand prior to the kisses and I just felt both hand and throat weren't up to the job! Drove back over the hills with the moon shining down on us and lighting up the lochs and it was rather lovely with no car headlights the whole way home!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012! Love Tilda xxx

PS there's an Orkney island we look out over here called Hoy!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

You paint a beautiful picture in words, Tilda I can just see you heading home with the bright moonlight shining on the lochs and light your way home.

That's neat finding your boys sitting at the harbour, sipping white wine. Perfect New Year's Eve. I have always been drawn to the water and the shoreline and beaches. Walking along the beach in the early Spring, or early to late Fall, is just so peaceful. Rather romantic if your with the right person!

When most of the boys had left home to the Air Force or College, I used to go to the beach on my day off, take my journal, and write about what they were all doing, what I was doing, thoughts, etc.

I so loved my boys, especially when they were all home together and brought friends in who stayed for supper many times. We seldom had just us at the supper table! It was like a fraternity house. They only let me stay because I could cook! Enjoy every minute with them, they do grow up and make their own families. Which you get to spoil!

I was wondering if your sore throat had rresolved itself earlier. Guess not. And I know what you mean, shaking hands. There's a way out of that. I put my wrist splint on, have to explain the arhtritis is complaining and they don't touch me

Actually around here where most people see each other frequently, hugging is more likely.

Nice to hear from you, now do something about your sore throat, and get rested up tomorrow. I am getting horizontal immediately! Love and hugs, Loret

[LavendarLady in reply to Hidden]

Hi Tilda, so sorry about the throat - it's quite rotten when everyone else is enjoying themselves and you can hardly swallow!

Driving across the hills and lochs sound really lovely.

We don't have hills as such here in Norfolk but where I am, it is called rolling country with rising ground and the views are fantastic.

Our next big evening is Burns Night - Himself looks fantastic in full highland dress and I wear my clan sash with clan brooches etc.

Off to lunch with friends today - the fireworks on TV last night from the Thames were brilliant. We watched them at our friends house after dinner with glasses of champagne in our hands.

Hope you will soon feel better. Love LavendarLady x

[sylvi]

Lovely comments from both of you, Have a lovely new year, love to you both. Sylvi.xxxx

[Hidden in reply to sylvi]

Sylvie, I hope you took some more pain meds and went back to sleep! Let me tuck you in, sing Auld lang Zine ( I don't think that is correct spelling )

[sylvi]

Yes i did get a bit more sleep,no i didn't take any more pills. Bon has been down here as well as he had a few pains in his chest. He took his peptacs and got comfy in the chair and he's sleeping like a baby,thank goodness. I still have the pains in my chest and my fingers are swollen and sore because i haven't been able to take my mtx for two weeks.

Did you have a good new year? i went to bed as i wasn't feeling very bright and fell asleep. The tv was rubbish as usual. Its been vey poor this xmas.

Love sylvia. xxx

[Hidden]

I'd like to wish everyone on this site a very happy new year. and I hope we all have a bit less pain this year, or maybe the medics might at last find a cure, now that would be great.

I am going to try to partake a bit more here as far as replying to posts and maybe even trying the odd blog or two, who knows...

I am off to Spain again in February so for all of you who would like me to share my Spanish trips with you I'm sure I could do that.. I am going to try to get over every two months or so..

right, I'm off for a nice healthy new year breakfast maybe try to shed a few of the excess pounds I put on over the xmas period...

Catch you all later and have a great day xxxx

Jan x

[LavendarLady]

Hi Loret, we also watched the fireworks from the Thames on the TV last night as we saw in the New Year with close friends. Really good display which seemed to be synchronised with music as well. The London Eye lit up in all different colours and fireworks exploding behind Big Ben. Quite awsome.

Hope you had a really good time with family and friends as well.

With all the eating over the last couple of weeks, I think a diet is in order but it will have to wait until towards the end of January as have a number of lunches and dinners to go to until then. Love LavendarLady x

[Hidden in reply to LavendarLady]

Hi Lavendar lady! Oh my, Burn Night sounds so elegant and delightful! Hope you can have someone take your picture with your hubby so you can post it here.

It's been a long time since we had a formal event to attend. I loved it when Formal meant the long dresses, and lovely jewelry and everyone being elegant.

I didn't see the New Year in last night with anybody, except Bridget, my side-kick cat. She is always beside me. But today will be the Hoy family gathering for Christmas and New Year's. The grandchildren are growing up so fast. We have two at 21 yrs, the youngest is 13, so they are all teenagers inbetween. And one beautiful, very bright 2 yr old Great Grandson. So I will have a chance to wear my prettiest outfit, some jewelry and even my black leather heels I wore for my son's wedding in Oct. Not that the occasion is all that "dressy", but the grandaughters have gotten to expect Grandma to dress "pretty" as they used to say.

The diet of lettuce leaves and distilled water,starts tomorrow, atleast for 10 days until the next luncheon. I'm not sure if I've gained any weight, but sure have had occasions to do that. Will have to get out the scales. Maybe not the "fish" kind Enjoy the day, Love, Loretta

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I agree with Loret - LL you always sound so dashing! I've only been to two Burn's Suppers, both times with my choir who were hosting them as a fund raiser for a CD we had made of Burns songs set to choral music. All I can remember is dropping a plate of mince. clapshot and haggis on the knees of the man doing the wotsit (stabbing the haggis and making the speech with a special name?) - he being our MSP. Not very cool of me - maybe I was practicing for when my wrists and hands would become regularly useless in the near future?! Burn's nights aren't very big up here because Orkney likes to think of itself as Scandanavian/ Norse and doesn't really buy into all the Scottish National stuff much.

I've put on at least 2lbs over the last week - it's all the stilton sitting looking at me in the fridge - it just leaps onto the oatcakes before I've remembered resolutions and 10 months of carefully avoiding cheese, chocolate etc. Oh well there's always tomorrow - I'll think of you on lettuce leaves and distilled water on the other side of the Atlantic Loret! TTx

[Hidden]

Lovely pic.. Happy new year across the pond! xx

[Hidden]

Thanks ladies. We wound it all up this evening. It was lovely, and lively. Such fun to have the cousins get to see each other from 3 different locations in Ohio, and of course, the delightful activities of one charming 2 yr old Great-Grandson. He is such a tranquil little boy. Always smiling.

And I must get back to normal. I regret nothing, it was a marvelouly wonderful, delightful past month, Well, I do regret RA and how slow and impaired I have become.

Must get to horizontal immediately! Will have to peel off a couple leaves of lettuce to go with my distilled H20 first thing after coffee in the morning. Hope you all are still sleeping