2008 – Another new beginning

By NAN BROWN
As published Jan. 16, 2008

2007 has come and gone and it’s time to wipe the slate clean and start anew. That’s the great thing about a new year – it’s an opportunity for a fresh start.

It’s a well-known fact that the majority of us make New Year’s resolutions. Mine are always to be a better person, be more patient, and lose weight. I’d like to think I’m continually evolving into a better person, although Jack would probably debate the “more patient” aspect. I think I’ve previously mentioned the plate that’s displayed in our bedroom on which is painted, “Lord please grant me patience, but hurry.”

As for losing weight – well, everyone knows that’s not an easy proposition, but I’m going to really try this year. I had to laugh though when I read a column recently in our local newspaper written by a guy who was going over his resolutions, and losing weight was one of them.

Here’s a bit of background so you’ll be able to appreciate his humor. The Pennsylvania Farm Show is about to open but will be over with by the time you read this. It is a huge show held in early January each year at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA. We’ve never been there, but I’ve heard that in addition to 24 acres of farm exhibits under one roof, there’s also lots of good food.

In the column I’m referring to, the author says he has resolved to lose weight and will keep his resolution until he has his first milk shake at the Farm Show. I don’t know about you, but I can certainly identify with him. It seems like even the best laid plans, and resolutions, can go awry.

On January 1st each year we go through the pantry and toss any high calorie foods we may have accumulated over the holidays. This year our trash can wasn’t nearly as full as years past since we really tried to watch it due to my health problems.

Despite our joint resolution to lose weight though, Jack has refused to discard our leftover homemade cookies. There’s only about a dozen left, so he says he is going to ration them and have one per day. We’ll see.

We did forego one of our traditions, that being the pork and sauerkraut supper served here in Leola on New Year’s Day by the Upper Leacock Fire Company. It is a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition to eat pork and sauerkraut to ensure good luck in the New Year. This was the 41st annual supper, and we’ve attended three, but this year due to my desire to avoid as much sodium as I can, we decided to pass since the menu includes not only pork and sauerkraut but also hot dogs and instant (yuck) mashed potatoes, none of which is very conducive to a low-sodium diet.

I heard an interesting tidbit on the news concerning the dinner. The sauerkraut is always homemade by fire company members and between prior sales (it’s available for sale to the public in gallon containers every Saturday in December) and the dinner itself, seven tons of cabbage was used. That’s a lot of shredding and curing!

Instead of the fire company supper, we went to Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant on New Year’s Day where Jack got his pork and sauerkraut with mashed potatoes while I enjoyed what I hope was a lucky chicken breast and baked potato; however, Jack did share a couple of bites with me to increase my odds for good luck.

A favorite part of the New Year for me is to break out the fresh calendars whether wall, desk, or pocket. I always enjoy going through and entering important dates on each of them including birthdays and anniversaries as well as special events. It’s no small feat since we have wall calendars for the kitchen, our bedroom, and my home office. I also enter all these dates in the Advance Planner insert in my Day-Timer pocket calendar.

I compare all this calendaring to tying a string on my finger. The older I get, the more reminders I need. Remember Uncle Billy in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”? He had several strings tied on his fingers, and he couldn’t remember why he had any of them.

While we’re on the subject of forgetfulness, I also go through our checkbook and jot in 2008 on all the checks because inevitably I will write 2007 until I get used to writing a different year. I find our bank and I get along better this way.

On that note, I’ll end by wishing you a Happy New Year – may each of you be blessed with good health and happiness in 2008. Who knows, this year may be your new beginning!