Happy New Year!

Well, it's 2014.  A New Year and a new opportunity to start a project I don't show enough discipline to complete.

Dammit!  One of my resolutions for this year was to be less hard on myself.  Man, I'm such a failure.  Dammit!

I'm looking forward to what 2014 might bring as 2013 ended like the denouement a few hours after a large meal.  The weather turned bitterly cold to start December with a couple days of snowfall.  The weather put a damper on any plans, such as getting a Christmas tree or getting ahead of gift shopping, because, really, who wants to go shopping in that crap?  So, although the holidays occur the same time every year, they sneaked up on us yet again.  

Fortunately, I had some vacation days saved, so I was anticipating Friday, December 20 to be my last day of work for 2013.  Alas, it was not meant to be as my last snow shoveling efforts exposed me to the flu virus.  During my peak gift-getting season (the week before Christmas), I spent two days in bed.  I could have stayed home an extra day, but I didn't want to come to work on the 30th AND the 31st, so I dragged myself into the office to finish the week.

We also had a family trip planned for the weekend prior to Christmas to visit with my wife's grandparents as my father-in-law and his wife would also be in town.  The problem was the trip wasn't as simple as over the river and through the woods; it required a 5 hour jaunt through America's Dairyland, Wisconsin.  The night before we left, the slapdash efforts I made months ago to squeeze a little more useful life from our bed frame finally gave way, so we spent the night in our living room on a thin air mattress (I actually slept on the couch).  By the time the whirlwind holidays were done, we were glad just to relax; although I did have, like so many parents on Christmas day, "some assembly required" activities, namely rebuilding the bed frame.  We should be good for a longer time, as I used longer screws, mounted a curtain rod bracket to the head board and cross beam, and wrapped the whole deal with box tape.

That should be enough of the holiday blues.  There were moments of joy among all the angst.  We had a nice round of bowling with my in-laws when we were in Marinette.  The Wifey and I may have started a new tradition of going to Costco together before Christmas and picking out things each of us would like.  G-Bug and I had a "wrap-up Christmas" excursion to the Mall of America (perhaps another new tradition) to fill in any gaps in the list of things she wanted.  Also, I got an unexpected bonus from work, which helped me fulfill my end of the new family traditions.  All things considered, I'm glad to be in 2014 now.

One of the things that really bothered me as we got to the end of the year was my inability to keep updated on this blog.  I had great intentions and a lot of good ideas and experiences to blog about, but procrastination got the better of me.  I was pretty good with taking daily pictures, but I didn't want the 365 in 365 posts to be the only things for my followers.  To wrap up 2013, here are a select group of pictures taken during the year.

When I returned from vacation, I had a business trip to Houston
and Dallas.  They say everything is big in Texas.
These are salt and pepper shakers.

I always love going to Dallas.  Such Southern hospitality.
They always make me feel so welcome!

First home game for the Minnesota Gophers football team.

Also had a business trip to Winnipeg on September 11.  Had quite
the ordeal crossing the border.

A rainy September afternoon in downtown Minneapolis.

G-Bug had a formal dance in September.  I like to say she keeps
me on my toes . . . only because I don't want her to look
taller than I do in pictures.

The first splash of Fall color at the end of September.

I had four trips to Texas in 2013.  The last one to San Antonio had
my flight go through Salt Lake City in the early, early morning.

A scene from San Antonio's Riverwalk.

A bald eagle out in the wild.  He didn't much care how close I got.

Main Street in Minneapolis in October.

Love the splash of color of the trees by the Mississippi River

A bright October day.

October 20 was The Wifey and my 6th anniversary.  We spent it
at a B&B in Stillwater.

An interesting mix of autumn color.

Is it any wonder why October is my favorite month?

What I love about this picture is the two saps in the rowboat
in the lower left corner.

St. Paul Cathedral among the fall colors.

Still had bright colors in early November.

Not like Autumn in New England, but very close.

First formation of ice on the lakes on November 12.

Full moon over the Weisman Museum at the U of MN.

Couple's night out in December to Acme Comedy Club.

Scene from the last Holidazzle on Nicollet Mall.

Me with a couple of my Christmas gifts - a new
sweatshirt and an electric screwdriver.