From Us to You

It's that time of year, Patrick and I wish everyone a happy & healthy 2025.

We hope that it will be a good year for All

"Auld Lang Syne" is famously associated with a song popular on New Year's Eve.  The title, translated literally into standard English, is "Old Long Since." The words can be interpreted as since long ago or for old times' sake.

The song is based on a poem written by Robert Burns, national poet of Scotland, who claimed he didn't write the song but that the words were taken from an old man’s singing. Burns was the first to put it on paper in 1788, and the poem didn't appear in print until after his death in 1796. It was popular in Scotland and was sung at weddings and other occasions. With its emphasis on friendship, reminiscence and parting,“Auld Lang Syne” expressed the essence of Hogmanay (Scots word for the last day of the year) by bidding farewell to one year so that another could begin.

Guy Lombardo, Mr New Year's Eve

Canadian-born bandleader Guy Lombardo and his band, the Royal Canadians made “Auld Lang Syne” a New Year’s Eve tradition in North America. Lombardo heard the tune when he and his brothers, as teenage musicians, toured rural areas around his hometown of London, Ontario, which had been settled by Scots. It was played in a series of popular radio (and later TV) broadcasts that began on December 31, 1929 and continued to 1976.

Variety magazine called Lombardo “the only Canadian ever to create an American tradition.” According to Life magazine, if Lombardo failed to play “Auld Lang Syne” the American public wouldn't believe that a new year had arrived. 

Lombardo died in 1977, and while 2025 will arrive without him, it won't quite the same. He and his band hosted an annual New Year's Eve celebration at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC from 1966 to 1976, traditional viewing at my parent's home.

Our plans are to celebrate at home in NH. However, you will usher in a New Year and whatever memories you will share, we hope they are full of good times and special memories. 

Auld Lang WHAT?

It's that time of year when you hear this tune, especially today, New Year's Eve. 

Why it it typically heard only then. What does it mean?

We're not New Year’s Eve celebrants. Our get together will be at home watching movies that include New Year's Eve festivities and some include this tune — Auld Lang Syne. 

And, like us, you may not be the only one(s) curious about its history. Some may recall this exchange in the final scene of the 1989 rom-com film, When Harry Met Sally. It's when Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, as Harry and Sally, reunite at yet another New Year's Eve party.

Harry: [about Auld Lang Syne] What does this song mean? My whole life, I don't know what this song means. I mean, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot'. Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances? Or does it mean that if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot 'em?

Sally: Well, maybe it just means that... we should remember that we forgot them, or something. Anyway, it's about old friends.

It’s a classic film and a wonderful way to spend New Year’s Eve. It's on our watch list along with An Affair to Remember. 

Fellow blogger David G. asked what makes a movie a classic and who decides and also what makes a film epic? So, of course, I did some research, there's a lot more info online.

According to some critics, criteria for what makes a movie classic or epic varies and can be a matter of personal opinion. A Classic film is considered one that has passed the test of time with lasting power over the years and decades (Casablanca, Gone With the Wind, Citizen Kane). These films often deal in emotional issues that people identify with, no matter how much time has elapsed; many contain lines that are remembered and quoted. An Epic film (Ben Hur, Star Wars) typically include spectacular settings, specially designed costumes, perhaps a sweeping musical score and ensemble cast. These are considered the most expensive films to produce. 

About Auld Lang Syne

Robert Burns

Credited to Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland, this oft-sung tune is set to a traditional Scottish folk melody. Burns never claimed the song as his own. In the latter years of his short life (he died aged 37), Burns had become an avid collector of Scottish folk songs and ballads. He described the words to the now classic tune as having been taken from fragments of a tune sung by a "old man." In collecting and writing songs to provide words for traditional Scottish airs, Burns regarded his efforts as service to Scotland. He never claimed Auld Lang Syne, which he described simply as an old fragment he had discovered.

In 1788, Burns transcribed and embellished the lowland song, but the poem didn't appear in print until shortly after his death in 1796. It's since become a timeless classic in the English-speaking world. Every year it's the tradition tune ringing in the New Year; sung, but not fully understood, by party goers worldwide.

The title, translated literally into standard English, is Old Long Since, which loosely translated from Scotish means ‘in remembrance of old times. The words have been interpreted as since long ago or for old times’ sake. The lyrics tell a tale of old friends who have parted and then meet again celebrating their long friendship with a drink. They reminisce and recall adventures and memories from long ago. Ironically, there is no specific reference to the New Year.

Guy Lombardo 

As Scots immigrated around the world, they took the song with them, and it's believed that's how it became known worldwide. 

The version sung today was popularized by Canadian bandleader Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians band. Their performance of Auld Lang Syne was broadcast nationally from the Roosevelt Grill in NYC every New Year’s Eve from 1929 to 1976. Variety named Lombardo the only Canadian to create an American tradition and Life wrote that if Lombardo failed to play it, the American public would not believe that a New Year had arrived.

Additionally, the song was used in films as early as the 1920s. As our plans include watching movies that include New Year's Eve, this post has a New Year's Eve Trivia Quiz

Spoiler Alert — this quiz is a bit harder than the Christmas song trivia quiz earlier. It's all fun, no prizes, just braggin' rights. Answers below, you can see how well you fared (no peeking).

Movie Trivia — New Year's Eve 

1. What movie and its sequel (starring Renée Zellweger) begins and ends on New Year's Eve, both times with a blank diary? 

2. What 1972 disaster movie involved a luxury cruise ship capsized by a rogue wave on New Year's Eve? 

3. What 1936 film had a married couple, based on characters by Dashiell Hammett, who wind up solving a mystery on New Year's Eve? What were their names and who played them?

4. What film has a woman seemingly stop aging beyond 29? She attends various New Year's Eve parties throughout the years; January 1 is her birthday in the film. 

5. This 1957 classic had two main characters (Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr) engaged to others, kiss on New Year's Eve and agree to meet up six months later atop the Empire State Building. Years later, it inspired a 1993 film with a similar theme that referenced this one. (Bonus points if you name both films.)

6. The plot of this Sandra Bullock rom-com begins on Christmas Day, and reaches a climax on New Year's Eve.

7. What classic musical film celebrates every holiday, including New Year's Eve? (Hint, it's the one in which White Christmas was introduced.)

8. This 1995 movie has a female cast that included Whitney Houston and Angela Basset. It starts and ends on New Year's Eve and follows four women dealing with deal with love, life, and friendship over the year.

9. This rom-com film features two women (played by Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet) who  find love when least expected. Considered a holiday film, the final New Year's Eve is one of the movie's best parts (and a favorite of ours).

10. Both the 1960 and later 2001 remake of this film involve a casino heist on New Year's Eve.

11. This classic silent film starring Charlie Chaplin included a New Year's Eve party. Starring as The Lone Prospector who welcomes in the New Year by sitting on the streets alone listening as excited crowds sing Auld Lang Syne at a party.

12. The 1989 sequel of this popular film is partially set on a New Year's Eve when NYC citizens come together and sing Auld Lang Syne to banish evil from the city. 

13.This comedy (1983) starring Eddie Murphy spans Thanksgiving to year end. One of the film's crucial scenes happens on a train during a New Year's Eve party. (Hint: it involves switched identities between Murphy and Dan Ackroyd.)

14. A Christmas movie classic has the entire town singing a tune usually associated with New Year at the movie's end. (Hint: think Bedford Falls.)

15. This 2011 film wasn't a box office hit, but has a large ensemble cast and a title that befits the evening. It was entirely shot in NYC and directed by Garry Marshall and features stories of a number of New Yorkers on the celebrated night.  

16. This film, set in a fictional CA hotel, has interlocking tales that occur on New Year's Eve. A bellhop in his first night on the job has four different encounters. (Actor Bruce Willis is uncredited. He violated SAG (Screen Actors Guild) rules by acting free as a favor to director Quentin Tarantino. SAG agreed not to sue Willis if his name was omitted from the credits.)

Movie Trivia Answers

1. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001 and 2004), 2. The Poseidon Adventure, 3. After the Thin Man (Nick & Nora Charles, played by William Powell & Myrna Loy), 4. The Age of Adaline (2015), 5. An Affair to Remember, Sleepless in Seattle, 6. While You Were Sleeping (1995), 7. Holiday Inn (1942), 8. Waiting to Exhale, 9. The Holiday, 10. Oceans 11 (1960 and 2001), 11. The Gold Rush (1925), 12. Ghostbusters II (1989), 13. Trading Places (1983), 14. It's a Wonderful Life (1946), 15. New Year's Eve (2011), 16. Four Rooms (1995)

How did you do and are you planning to watch any films this weekend?

🎉Best wishes to Everyone for 2024🎊 

Thanks from Patrick (aka Grenville) for your comments regarding the New England village. He appreciated all and wanted to share that it will remain through mid-February should anyone be in Nashua, NH, and want to see it.

Word(s) to Live By ?

At least for this year and possibly longer.

A number of bloggers, and other folks, often select a word for the year, perhaps similar to a mantra, and then share with others online or privately. It's one they plan to live by for the year.

While I've never purposefully done so, this year I considered what word to select. 

Instead of one, there were three for me to consider. So, in no particular order, they are:

Connect — Learn — Choose

One of my New Years goals/intentions was to stop reaching out to folks who never respond. At first glance this may have sounded a bit harsh, so let me explain. 

Connect applies to my plan to connect with myself instead of reaching out to those in my present or past who too often are neglectful at the courtesy of a return reply by phone, mail, email or text. In many ways, I plan to become selfish of my time and how it's spent. 

That said, I will set aside time to connect and read posts of fellow bloggers and comment at least on a weekly basis.

Learn, of course, applies to many things and this year for me its signing up for UniversalClass courses. The Nashua Public Library here offers library users the opportunity to sign up for these courses which offer online continuing education through an online catalog of over 500 classes, best of all there's no cost to participate and while exams are offered, courses can be audited. Perhaps, your local library does the same. This seems like a great opportunity for a new year. 

Choose applies to many things, including being more mindful of purchases and valuing quality over quantity. I often research a future purchase extensively. However, I also admit to falling into the consumer trap of having bought something on the cheap. After some regretful decisions, I've learned that paying a bit more for quality can sometimes work out better.

Whether or not, I will stay true to these words or perhaps select others is uncertain now, but at least it's a start. 

Rain & fog comprised last week's first 2023 views from our apt window

All of our first week of 2023 was spent indoors as we both recovered from colds (just a common cold). Outdoors the weather was rain nearly every day with accompanying fog on a couple of early mornings. Yesterday, the indoor Christmas decorations were taken down and put back in storage. We always enjoy decorating much more, somewhat expected after the anticipation and excitement of the holidays have passed. Do you feel the same?

It's That Time (Again) . . .

To make plans for a new year. 

Notice that I didn't say the "R" word, resolutions, because as many of us well know, there are the standard ones that are prone to failure within a few weeks.

According to statistics, as many as 80% of folks do not keep their New Year's resolutions by February. Only 8% of people successfully stay with them for the entire year. 

While most folks start strong, studies have shown that almost one out of four quit within the first week of a new year. Most quit before the end of January blaming failure to fulfill resolutions on a lack of time, resources, or motivation. 

There's always a core group of resolutions plans. Among the top ones are: exercise more, eat healthier, lose weight, save more and spend less. 

These are followed by a few more:

Get organized

Learn a new skill or hobby

Enjoy life to the fullest

Spend time with family 

Contact friends more often

Take care of mental health

Pursue a new interest

Be more environmentally aware

Look for a new job

In recent years, there's been more unusual ones: Get your photo taken in five interesting places, learn a decent party trick, break a record, make a new friend a month, learn something not learned in childhood, try a new food each week, and make the usual "unusual" (my favorite).

While I haven't written any 2023 goals (again not the R word), here's a few I've been considering in no particular order:

Turn off the PC at least 1 day each week

Stop contacting folks who never respond

Walk around the neighborhood

Dine out weekly with Grenville

Listen more, talk less

Sort through photos

Back up my PC monthly

Consider a bucket list 

Say thank you often

Compliment often

Do something nice daily

Buy flowers randomly

Read more nonfiction

How about you — any goals, plans, resolutions for 2023?

Speaking of saying thanks, BIG thanks to all who left comments on our recent holiday posts. Grenville and myself read and appreciated all of them, but more so, all our blogger friends.

Happy New 2023

Our best wishes to all our blog friends for a happy and (hopefully) healthy New Year.

We're still in the holiday mood here in NH.

Thanks for another year of your blog friendships , we look forward to 2023.

Dorothy & Patrick

Love At the Movies

Our New Year's Day was spent at home wearing comfy clothes, snacking on leftovers from our New Year's Eve dominoes playing with friends, and watching binging on three films with a similar theme (mentioned in my last 2021 post). In short, we had a wonderful start to 2022. 

Several bloggers named a couple of the movies. Braggin' rights to Kathleen (Eggs In My Pocket) for naming all: Love Affair (1939) with Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne, An Affair to Remember (1957) with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, Sleepless in Seattle (1993) with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Coincidentally, the first two films directed by Leo McCarey, 18 years apart, followed a nearly identical plot and dialogue. (McCarey, who had taken a trans-Atlantic cruise with his wife, said that when he devised the storyline after seeing the NYC skyline on entering the harbor.)

Only the first two films are alike. Sleepless in Seattle was in no way identical or even similar to the earlier ones. Instead, it was a tribute to the 1957 version by director Nora Ephrom. Clips and mentions in her film lead to subsequent viewings and sales of the 1957 film. 

The 1994 Love Affair film (Warren Beatty and Annette Benning) while modeled after the 1939 and 1957 films, wasn't quite the same or as well done. In it, the couple meet on a plane vs. ship. There's an aunt vs. an elderly grandmother. Beatty's character isn't a playboy, but ex-football player.

What stayed the same in all versions was the name and career of the female lead: Terry McKay was a singer in all. However, the name of the male lead differed. In 1939, Boyer was Michel Marnet; in 1957, Grant was Nick Ferrante; in 1994, Beatty was Mike Gambril. In all three films, the lead characters were engaged to or involved with someone before the meet-cute. (In film and TV, it's when a future romantic couple meet for the first time, often under unusual, humorous, or cute circumstances.)

Love Affair (1939) with Charles Boyer Grant & Irene Dunne

Here's a synopsis of the 1939 film; watch it first and you'll know all about the 1957 film right down to the lines: French playboy Michel Marnet (Boyer) meets American singer Terry McKay (Dunne) aboard a transatlantic cruise. Both engaged to others, Marnet to an heiress, McKay to a businessman, they flirt and dine together and efforts to remain discrete don't go unnoticed by others. Stopping in Madeira, they visit Michel's grandmother, Janou, who tells Terry he's a talented painter who destroys paintings when they don't meet his standards. Disembarking in NYC, the couple plan to reunite at the observation deck atop the Empire State Building in July if they've ended other relationships. Michel says it will let him see if he can pursue painting. Terry continues a nightclub singing career. 

The date arrives, both head to the meet-up. In a crash scene, heard but unseen in both films, Terry is hit by a car. Told she may never walk again, she declines to contact Michel who had gone to the rendezvous, waited until closing and left. She begins therapy and teaches music as an orphanage (a school in the 1957 version). His grandmother dies, Michel returns to Europe. He's given a white lace shawl Terry had admired and which his grandmother wanted her to have.

Back in NYC, it's Christmas Eve and Terry's first outing since the accident. They meet after a theater performance both attended ends. She remains seated until he leaves and a wheelchair is brought out. Learning her address, he visits her apartment where she's reclining on a couch, legs covered. He brings up their failed meeting and asks if she went, lying that he did not. Terry evades the topic and never gets up. He gives her the lace shawl and getting ready to leave, tells her he painted her wearing it, and instructed the gallery owner to give it away (and was told he gave it to a woman in a wheelchair who admired it. Finally realizing why Terry has remained seated, he checks the apartment and finds the painting. Embracing her after realizing she was the woman in the wheelchair he asks: Why didn't you tell me? If it had to happen to one of us, why did it have to be you?

She replies: Oh, it's nobody's fault but my own! I was looking up... it was the nearest thing to heaven! You were there... followed by the famously remembered final line by a sobbing Terry: Don't worry, darling, if you can paint, I can walk.

Were those last few lines a tad overdone? 

You bet they were, but often quoted.

Were they favorites of movie goers then and now? 

Sure enough and they can buy the shirt too!

In 1940, Love Affair received 6 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Original Song (Wishing) song by Irene Dunne in the 1939 film. 

Unfortunately, it was in competition with other notable films, that year: Gone With the Wind, Goodbye Mr. Chips, The Wizard of Oz, Wuthering Heights. It was beat out by Gone With the Wind for best picture. The Wizard of Oz won for best song with Over the Rainbow.

An Affair to Remember (1957) with Cary Grant & Deborah Kerr

Director McCarey's 1957 remake, An Affair to Remember, is considered one of the top romantic films according to the American Film Institute. I read that it was renamed due a copyright on the original title. Unlike the 1939 version in which Dunne sang, Kerr's vocals was done by Marni Nixon, a “ghost singer” who didn't receive onscreen credit for her singing in famous musicals: Getting to Know You from The King and I, I Feel Pretty from West Side Story and I Could Have Danced All Night” and The Rain in Spain from My Fair Lady. 

An Affair to Remember (1957) with Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Cathleen Nesbitt

Comparing both films some 65 years later, the 1957 film is the hands-down favorite. Grant was considered more likable than Boyer as a romantic bachelor; Kerr's character, Terry McKay, was considered feisty and feminine. And, unlike the 1939 B&W film, this one was in full color CinemaScope. Further contributing to the film’s popularity was its popular Academy Award nominated theme, An Affair to Remember or Our Love Affair sung by Vic Damone at the beginning of the film. It didn't win and was beat out by All The Way from The Joker Is Wild.

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

The 1993 film, Sleepless in Seattle, Meg Ryan (Annie Reed) and Tom Hanks (Sam Baldwin) focuses on what happens after a widowed man's son (Jonah) calls a Seattle radio talk show on Christmas Eve to discuss his father's depression. The show host persuades a reluctant Sam to talk on air about how he misses his late wife (Maggie).

Thousands of women hear the program and write to Sam including Annie, newly engaged to Walter but unsure of their relationship. After watching An Affair to Remember, she writes to Sam suggesting they meet atop the Empire State Building on Valentine's Day. Jonah, who reads Annie's letter, likes it but fails to persuade his father to do it, so Jonah replies to Annie as Sam and agrees to meet. Finding Jonah gone, a distraught Sam boards a flight and finds Jonah on the observation deck. Meanwhile, Annie in NYC with fiancé Walters sees the skyscraper from where their dining, ends their engagement, and rushes to the Empire State Building arriving moments after the elevator door closes with Sam and Jonah heading down. The deck is empty, she finds Jonah's backpack, pulling out teddy bear, Howard. Sam and Jonah emerge from the elevator to retrieve the backpack and they meet. Sam offers his hand to Annie, all three enter the elevator, the doors close with Jonah smiling; film ends. (A personal opinion is that Hanks isn't as good a romantic lead as Grant or Boyer.)

Love Affair (1994)

The 1994, Love Affair, has Warren Beatty (as ex-football star Mike Gambril) and Annette Benning (once again singer Terry McKay). They meet on a flight from New York to Sydney, Australia and, after an emergency landing, wait for repairs to be done. The couple visit Mike's elderly aunt Ginny, played by Katherine Hepburn in her last film role film role at 86. To shorten the tale, they fall in love, agree to meet in NYC, and split with their partners. She finds work as an advertisements singer. He quits his job as an LA sports announcer, becomes a school coach, returns to painting and paints Terry . . . you can figure out the rest of the movie.

Admittedly, I only saw clips and read online synopsis of this version, which were more than enough for me. I'm not a fan of either Beatty or Benning. This version wasn't well received by moviegoers. Its poor box office receipts seemed to reflect that the public's reaction was somewhat similar to my views. 

Your Turn — If you've seen one or more of these films, what's your favorite ?

This is a (very) long-ish post for the start of 2022 in keeping with my tendency to expand on a topic. We'd seen a couple of these films before. It was our first viewing of the 1939 Love Affair. Re-watching An Affair to Remember after, it was enjoyable to see the same storyline with two different actors, an updated setting and in color. Sleepless in Seattle, a romantic-comedy, is hardly on the same level. The Beatty-Benning film held no interest to watch entirely; however watched (too) many online clips and read several reviews, some favorable, others not-so-much.

This week, I'll be catching up on your end of 2021and/or start of 2022 posts. Grenville and myself hope it's a better year for everyone than the previous ones.

(Still) In the Mood

It's a new year, but we're still in the mood, the Christmas mood. Unlike many others, who may have taken advantage of the past holiday weekend to take down outside and inside decorations, our tree remains up. We're still enjoying the multi-colored lights nightly. How about you — any holiday decos still up?

Most likely, once everything is put away (probably this weekend) we won't have to wait until the end of 2021 to see holiday decos again. That's because they start appearing earlier and earlier in retail and Christmas in July seems more of a reality than just fanciful thinking.

The New Year was ushered in as low-key as Christmas for us. We happily spent the day at home, didn't most folks? Our day started with a long-standing tradition of cinnamon buns which, as you can tell, were thoroughly enjoyed. A can is always kept in the back of the fridge for "special" occasions and this day certainly was one of those. Grenville's smile shows his enjoyment.

We also kept with another long-standing tradition of going for a New Year's Day hike, which (almost, but not quite) justified our breakfast treat. In past years, we drove to Silver Lake State Park in Hollis, NH, for a First Day hike. This year, we walked closer to home going to Mine Falls Park in Nashua, which is within walking distance of the mill apts and a favorite walk spot.

Trees decorated by previous walkers greeted us along the way. We wondered if they had been the work of one group since all had a bright red ribbons, garland, and colorful balls. These were a cheerful sight and, hopefully, will remain decorated for a while longer.

An alien watched from a tree as we walked by. Most likely it had been lost by a child and put there for its owner to hopefully reclaim. Surprisingly, there was a lack of wildlife, human or otherwise, along most of our hike. Once home, the rest of the day was spent in comfy clothes and later, we dined on a meal of shrimp scampi and home made baguettes (first time attempt) and wine. No need to worry about being out on the roadways.

During the week between the two holidays, we received some post-Christmas family photos. Both great nieces, Autumn Rose (L) with friends and Savannah Marie (R) with parents celebrated at home in NJ and FL, respectively.

Plaid was in as seen in a Christmas pose of youngest granddaughter Lilliana seen with her mom, Coleen, and as Santa's helper in decorating their PA tree. Matching plaids were worn by cousins David, Dennis and their son, William, in NY. This threesome were the only family members who wore identical PJs. Did any members of your family do the same?

While inside our apt is still in the holiday mood, the exterior received a makeover earlier this week. A group of snowmen have settled in for a long winter's visit. We hope there will be some snow this season so they won't melt of boredom.

Their penguin and frog friends also have a couple of snow companions.

In the Mood is the name of a popular big band-era jazz standard recorded by American bandleader Glenn Miller in 1939 and featured in the movie Sun Valley Serenade. The composing credit goes to Joe Garland and the first recording was released by Edgar Hayes & His Orchestra in 1938.

Best Wishes to all for a better and happ(ier) 2021. It's the most we can all hope for now. 

Resolver or Not?

This post could have been titled "Resolved or Not?" but, it refers to the one doing the resolutions, so it is aptly named.

After posing the question on my 1st post of 2020, many bloggers replied that they no longer make New Year's resolutions. Like most who commented last week, neither do I. That's not to say, I don't have some non-resolutions. Many were started this week, which is why blog posting and reading has lagged a bit.

Here's a few of my intentions, not resolutions. 
Since posting and reading comments from some fellow bloggers, I've added a few more.

Continue to halt unsolicited junk/donation requests. Easier said than done, many of you are thinking, but it can be done, only if you're willing to invest some time, here's HOW I do it. Whenever we receive a mailing or catalog from a place we haven't donated to/bought from, I call the customer service number (or any other number in the mailing) and politely and directly request (no yelling/threatening) that my/our names and address not only be removed from their mail lists but never to be provided to any other organization, no matter HOW worthwhile its cause; we prefer to select our own organization to donate to and prefer local ones. 

Does this work? Yes, it does, and it may take persistence with repeated follow-ups that come with a standard reply of: it will "take a few weeks until your name is removed. My just-as-polite response is: That's fine, unwanted materials will be recycled until they stop. And, trust me most of ours have stopped. We do not receive much junk mail, aside from ones addressed to Occupant/Residential Customer. (If anyone knows how to stop those, please share.)

Delete unused apps and podcasts from my phone/tablet. It may have seemed like a good idea when these were downloaded, but if I'm using/listening to certain ones now, delete works very well and gives me more time to focus on the ones that remain.

Read a magazine or paper within 2 days after it is brought into our home, then recycle it. No more letting them pile up until the next month's issue.

Call or write long-distance friends more often, and not wait until a month or so has gone by. It doesn't matter who was in contact the last time.

Keep photo albums current. Today, many rely on social media and don't order photo prints, or put them in photo albums. I still do both as online sharing isn't the same will never do for me. 

Backup photo and document files regularly, at a minimum of once a month. This week, all files on my desktop and laptop PCs were backed up to external drives. All photo files were then backed up to separate external drives. 

Discard old statements, once a current one is received as file space is limited and we need to organize paperwork for 2019 tax filing.

Check out/download only 1 book at a time and read it instead of checking out several books at one time. If the single checkout isn't to my liking, I can return it and check out another. The local library is within walking distance and has a LOT of (free) choices.

Clean the oven on a monthly process. Yes, it's a self-cleaning model, which makes it so much easier than years ago. No self-cleaning ovens then and I used those foul-smelling chemical sprays.

Deodorize the dishwasher every couple of weeks. This appliance isn't used daily as we often hand wash and air dry dishes and utensils. Consequently, it can have a foul odor when opened. Vinegar and baking soda are easy "fixes" and no scrubbing is required, just run 2 separate cycles with an empty dishwasher.

Statistics have shown that many who make popular resolutions (loss weight, exercise, save money, spend less, etc.) have an expected failure rate of up to 80 percent within 6 weeks.

As for me, I'm not planning on becoming a statistic, since I don't have any resolutions. 
And you?

Thanks for your comments on the view in the first 2020 post. We never tire of looking at the Nashua River from our apartment windows. 

Here's a different view taken on a walk around the mill apts this week. The series of reflections intrigued me on a day filled with cloudy skies and snow flurries.

Welcome 2020

We wish everyone a 2020 New Year full of all that brings you happiness with our thanks for your blogger friendship. 

This was the view from our apt window today. Mother Nature didn't provide a 2019 White Christmas, but we had a snowy 2020 start. (No, this view never gets old to us.)

How did you spend the 1st day of this New Year — any resolutions ?

Resolved or NOT?

By definition, a New Year's resolution is a tradition in which someone resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior, to accomplish a personal goal, or otherwise improve his/her life.

Sounds ambitious don't you agree? Most of us have made resolutions in the past. Many of us or at least some of us have actually stuck to a few during years past, myself included. By the same token, some of us, myself also included, have not. If thinking about them counts, then I've mentally succeeded; however most of those have not been kept for even a month week.

What is it about these New Year's Resolutions that dooms many to failure? Maybe there are too many to keep within a year or maybe it's the "title" that's a bit daunting or unnerving and dooms many to fail not follow through.

I'm sure you know about many "standard" ones that repeat annually, such as: lose weight, exercise more, sleep more, eat healthier, read more, spend less, save more, pray more, think positive, enjoy life, spend time (with family/friends) and so on. It seems that many (if not all) of these should be done without fail. Years ago the list also included stop smoking, but that goal is not as prevalent these days.

For 2019, here's my short to-dos, more or less, as above.

• write more
• listen more
• look more
• talk less
• finish projects

Short is good and maybe more do-able too.

How about you — made any to-dos of your own ?

Starting the New Year

We started the New Year by walking in Mine Falls Park here in Nashua, NH. There's an entrance close to our mill apartment.

The morning after a snowfall is always beautiful viewed from our 5th floor window. The Nashua River is not yet frozen over, but there's still a lot of winter weather to come.

Walking in the park after a fresh snowfall is a wonderful experience. Some folks had been out earlier than we were as evidenced by their footprints. Grenville is in the lead here.

This was a wet snowfall and there was a lot of snow left on trees along the path.

Just some fun with a fish eye effect that's part of the built-in features of the camera being used, an Olympus Stylus Tough.

More special effects, this time using the soft focus setting.

We hope that 2017 will be a year of good things for everyone. 

Year-End Thanks to ALL

Dorothy & Pat (aka Beatrice & Grenville) wish everyone all the best for the coming New Year with a big HUGE Thank You to everyone for the visits and comments on our blog.

We appreciate them and ALL of you very much. 

Happy New Year from Our family to Yours

That's all folks — see you in 2017

First Day Hike

First Day Hikes are part of a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks to encourage people to get outdoors. The hikes are held on New Year’s Day as states throughout the U.S. sponsor free, guided hikes in their state parks to encourage adults and children to get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of a natural resource.  

While I didn't see any estimates on this year's First Day Hikes, last year nearly 28,000 people rang in the New Year by collectively hiking over 66,000 miles throughout the country.

In our home state of NJ, there were not only numerous First Day Hikes, but a selection of state parks to choose from; however, choices were more limited when we lived in a small VA eastern shore town. Now, the situation has changed and we have a choice of NH state parks, several less than an hour driving time away.

That's why on New Year's Day 2016, we put on our walking hiking shoes and joined over 75 people at Silver Lake State Park in Hollis, NH, for an walk that went through woods, an apple orchard, and a small tree farm. 

As you can see, we also had snow on the ground thanks to a snowfall (first of the season) two days earlier. Christmas was unseasonably warm here in New England as in many other states, but all that changed here within a few days. And, while the going was a bit sloppy and slushy at times, it was fun to be outdoors hiking in the snow — at least for us.

We hiked through wooded areas and yes took some selfies enroute.

We followed paths that went around an apple orchard, which looked quite forlorn with the fruit long gone.

Still being holiday time, I found natural ornaments there — still red apples.

And in some years to come, these trees may be ready for Christmas time.

It was a quite overcast during most of the walk which made this old barn all the more dramatic. It was monochromatic even before I altered it to become a B&W image.

As we neared the end of our walk, which as about 2 miles, the skies cleared and presented me with some dramatic skies.

Afterwards, we explored some backroad areas by auto. However, by late afternoon we found that outdoors hiking builds up an appetite, so there was only one thing to do . . .

We found a local tavern that served good burgers (and sweet potato fries) to satisfy our appetites. We also each received a hat to mark our hiking experience.

Just wondering — How did you spend the 1st day of this 2016 New Year?