The "Happy New Year Snippets" Story

It was an ordinary day. And ..... HAPPY NEW YEAR to you! The following are a few very short stories from the past with one from today thrown in. Hope to see you back often during 2012. Have to watch when you hit the keys for 2012 too fast. Fingers are still geared for the 11 at the end.

1. Our friends Pat and Dale visited us on New Year's Eve for dinner and game playing. Ate a late dinner so the time between the end of the dinner and the ball dropping in NY was as short as possible. Seems we all have trouble staying awake until midnight and if we make our evening seem shorter with a late dinner, we may be able to stay awake. Have celebrated New Year's Eve with our friends for quite a few years now, going out to eat every other year except this one. Carol decided that she wanted to make the meal this evening. Since she

loves to cook, we all agreed she should make the meal. We also enjoy watching Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve show on TV, even though we do have a hard time understanding him. Guy will go on and on forever it seems. We saw that two of his guest performers this year will be Justin Bieber and our new neighbor, Lady Gaga. Yep, Lady Gaga allegedly bought a huge home on Oak Hill Road about a half mile from our house in the gated community of Bent Creek. I bet everyone's HOA's in the community will go up after she moves in. Gonna take more than the one elderly gentleman at the front gate to keep all the people from trying to get a look at her house. I'll have to see if she puts her name in the local phone book as Lady Gaga or Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, her real name. I'll try and get her number and publish it so you can all give her a call and wish her a great big Amish welcome. And ... we all stayed awake to ring in 2012!

2. OK, another meal for Carol to prepare. First was Thanksgiving with 17 people, then last Thursday we had her friend Marg and her husband, and last night, New Year's Eve, we had our friends Pat and Dale and today we are expecting 10 for New Year's Day. And, every meal has been different and I may add wonderful! She did manage to stretch the dessert out for the first three meals, but today it will be something different. I assume all of you are having what is expected to be eaten for New Year's Day; Pork and Sauerkraut. You know it brings you good luck!! And ...... I certainly need that for 2012.

3. Al R., the yearbook rep for Jostens Yearbook Co., gave me a gift for Christmas. Book called Finish Strong: Motivational Quotes...to help you go the distance by Dan Green. Over 150 pages of motivational quotes from everyday people to ancient philosophers. Many are so very true, but the one that I felt was written for me was, "A person is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." This was written by John Barrymore and I can associate with it since I am just starting to age! ALMOST! I must keep the quote in the back of my mind when I feel like I can no longer do something and I regret that I can't do it. THAT WON"T HAPPEN! I was having trouble running, actually walking, since my back surgery in September of 2011, and after reading the quote, I tried harder and harder to recoup faster. Yesterday I actually RAN from my house to the mailbox and back again. RAN! I know it's only 10 yards, but hey, it's ten yards! Regrets will not take the place of dreams for me yet, and I hope you all feel the same for yourself, no matter what your age. May 2012 see your dreams come to fruition so you too can have no regrets.

It was another extraordinary day (and year) in the life of an ordinary guy. Photo of Lady Gaga was taken in Lancaster at the Giant near my house. I will admit I didn't take it because I would have had no idea it was her Lady ....what's her name!