POST 533 - 12/31/11: OUTER BANKS, NORTH CAROLINA

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2012

2011 has been quite a year. In many ways, 2011 has been beyond my wildest imagination. Having dodged 18-wheelers by the thousands; having crossed the Rocky Mountains for the second time; having walked most of America's deserts; having discovered new vastness of our West Coast Rain Forest - continuous from the Straits Of Juan de Fuca to northern California -; having uncovered the recent demise of Lake Tulare...the ancient fresh water lake once (since ca.1890) filling the San Joaquin Valley; having confirmed that the Southern USA from San Diego to Jacksonville is nearly out of water...even the aquifers are nearly dry;

and, having found dozens of new friends from coast to coast to coast (Pacific/Gulf/Atlantic)...

this old body - 77 years in June - has not yet come close to reaching maximum performance.

I had the opportunity to share Christmas and New Years with Karen's family and friends in Columbia, North Carolina. Christmas, we did enjoy together. I felt an obligation to assist the Food Bank of Pastor Steve over New Years...a big mistake, as upon my return, the Food Bank somehow shutdown on Friday and there is apparently no New Years Eve activity planned.

So, today, I worked this morning completing DEJA VU yard clean up and spent an additional four hours policing more of Highway SR 12. It rained a few hours ago, so the roadside was particularly muddy & stinky; I went ahead anyway, grubbing out two blocks of roadside ditches full of every imaginable object. At the moment, I have removed all my muddy clothing, slipped into a warm up suit and decided to complete this blog before enjoying a hot shower in HAPPY CLAM.

Then, I plan to read my Kindle - the HISTORICAL life of Jesus...extraordinarily fascinating...; then, watch a bit of NCAA Bowl Football...even tho, I cannot imagine any game could be more exciting than the ALAMO Bowl December 29, 2011: Baylor 67; Washington 56.

Tomorrow, I plan to assist at the Food Bank in the morning and spend the afternoon picking up trash on Highway SR 12.

I wish everyone a pleasant, peaceful, and enjoyable New Years Eve. I am somewhat uncomfortable about our year 2012, but will personally tackle it with a totally positive attitude and trust we all meet again at this time on December 31, 2012.