Happy New Year, Welcome 2010

Whatever are we going to call this decade? The last ten years were problematic enough: calling something the "oughts" (or the noughts?) always reminded me of my Dad's old joke about the otter, sitting on the top of the waterslide, wondering whether he 'otter', or whether he 'otter' not...

It sounded to me like a decade when you should probably not be up to much.

Calling the coming decade the 'tens' makes me tense just thinking about it. I'm so used to being tense, when I'm calm, it makes me nervous. But still...

It will all work out, I'm sure. The year came sailing in under disappointingly cloudy skies here. Behind those clouds, and just occasionally peeping through the clouds to watch the crowd playing 'street hockey' in our parking lot -- lit up by the yard light and car headlights to give it that authentic touch -- was a beautiful bright full moon: a Blue Moon. Two nights before, however, Kathy got some beautiful photos of this Blue Moon, both lighting up their igloo, and shining over Nancy's house.

It's worth paying attention. First of all, we only get a blue moon, that second full moon within a month, about every two and half years. But more impressive is that we won't get another blue moon with a partial lunar eclipse for another century. If you thought staying up to see midnight was hard, just wait until you find yourself waiting for that blue moon eclipse! I'm sure there were places around the planet that were cloud free, and had a good view of the eclipse. Our cousins in Australia, for example...

Like the fireworks that are traditionally set off at New Years to scare away 'bad spirits', may this rare and beautiful moon set the tone for you all to enjoy a rarely beautiful year in 2010!