January 1, 2020 thought for the day: Never write what you dare not sign. English Proverb

This has turned out to be a busier day than I thought it would be. Lowell took me to visit my sister yesterday. Things look much better so I was able to start this day, the first day of the new year, on an upbeat swing. I even allowed myself to sleep-in until almost nine o’clock.

The photo of the day for December 31 was “my favorite photo of 2019". There were several I liked but this one seemed to tough a nerve when I was going through the archive for the year and brought back many tangible memories.

I was able to complete the bulletin and get it to the readers for suggestions. Add to that for my check list today was working on another one of the storage boxes. After completing some other household odds and ends, Bob and I went to lunch at Olive Garden. I was surprised at the number of people who were there. Then we stopped at Walmart for a couple of things we each needed. Traffic was relatively quiet while we were out so that was another thing that soothed my nerves.

When we got home, I tried to call Rebecca to check on Sue. I couldn’t reach her so I called Missie. She was at the hospital visiting Sue and she had taken the girls too. They were ecstatic to see her and she them. I’m sure that in itself will go a long way to improving her outlook on things right about now. I got to talk to all of them for a few minutes. All in all, under the circumstances, a good start to the new year.

Because December 31 was the end of the month, I put together my usual monthly composite of photos for that month. 

The word today is dear. This is all the inheritance I give to my dear family. The religion of Christ will give them one which will make them rich indeed, Patrick Henry. The world, dear Agnes, is a strange affair, Moliere.  Plato is dear to me, but dearer still is truth, Aristotle. Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other, Benjamin Franklin.  My dear friend, venture to take the wind on your face for Christ, Samuel Rutherford.  This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays, Ralph Waldo Emerson.  It is one of Heaven's best gifts to hold such a dear creature in one's arms, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Virtue, dear friend, needs no defense, The surest guard is innocence: None knew, till guilt created fear, What darts or poisoned arrows were, Horace.  How dear to this heart are the scenes of my childhood, When fond recollection presents them to view, Samuel Woodworth.  All things are cheap to the saving, dear to the wasteful, Benjamin Franklin.  For mother's sake the child was dear, and dearer was the mother for the child, Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 

Since my sister’s situation seems to be improving it was a little easier to find the photo theme for today, “happy”. I made several shots and chose this one as the one to show the emotion the best, a group of people sharing a meal together.

I couldn’t find much of interest in my usual news places so I picked an article from the Columbus Monthly Magazine. This article opened with “Central Ohio is more confident, vibrant and cosmopolitan than ever before....” Some of the ways we have gotten here are an “artisan ice cream maker, a politician with swagger, a philanthropic power couple....” There has been a lot of building going on in the city that have made changes to the landscape in the Short North, Scioto river front, and Franklinton. Diversity is happening in the formulation as Columbus has welcomed immigrant communities. It seems the city’s economy is in good stead too since we lead the Midwest in job and community growth. Another thing helping Columbus grow is new companies in the vicinity. Ohio State and Children’s Hospitals have grown. It has been a testing site for some companies as well as thought of by big companies like Amazon. There was a person who was gone from Columbus for a long period of time and recently returned. She was amazed with the changes and growth. With the growth there has been a bit of a down side too. Poverty, racism and police brutality was mentioned in the article. “Civic leaders” are hoping for continuing growth with affordable housing and other social growth, they say a growth that no other city has experienced.

Since we went out to spend my birthday gift from my beautiful granddaughter’s family we will be just snacking for dinner tonight.

Joy