Personally, it was a year that ended up better than it started.  The year began with a new job and physical therapy for my sprained LCL.  

I worked two skating competitions and a test session.  I also skated in three competitions (which was nice) and by June my knee was feeling much better and I had lost my limp.

Over the summer was much camping and I experimented with several different recipes in my cast iron dutch oven (some turned out better than others).  

Pennsic was lots of fun altho by my third day my hands were incredibly sore from too much drumming and I was effectively out of commission after that bit of over-exertion.  Once again, I put my big mouth to work as a cry herald.  It's something I enjoy and I'm good at it (and there's no ass-kissing involved).

We got our new manager in June and that turned out much better than I had even dare hope.  The exact polar opposite of my former do-nothing, cowardly, back-stabbing c*nt of a manager.  I despise that woman (the HAG).  

When I heard that our new manager was going to be a woman, I was nearly in tears.  But she (S) has turned out to be one of the best managers I've had.  "S" totally sticks up for us and tells us exactly what's going on and why.  None of this "guess my priority" bullshit that I put up with from the Hag.  

Now I have to say I'm dreading the day "S" will leave (and I know she will - she's on her way up).  So I try not to think about it too much.  There's really no point.

The fall saw me try my hand at fermenting cider.  My first experiment went horribly wrong - the supposedly "unpreserved" cider wasn't and the potassium sorbate killed my yeasties.  

My second attempt, however, was YUMMY!!  Just a very little over-cloved but as it has aged, it has mellowed out considerably to the point where one could SWILL it until it hit back.  

The third attempt was less cloves and more cinnamon.  My parents and my brother like this version but I rather like the over-cloved version myself.  Nobody who has tried it has complained and believe me, they would.  

I gave a few bottles away as Christmas gifts and everyone was suitably pleased.  I've still got about 3 gallons left that I plan to ration out over the summer until next apple harvest when I can make more.  It's all about the apples that go into it as far as I'm concerned.

My mead turned out ok.  I was more impressed with the cider, I must admit.  My two mead kits were so alcoholic nobody could hardly stand it (think vodka with a honey color).   But I quickly discovered how to back-add sugar which helped out considerably.  The mead recipe is so-so but the cider is DEFINITELY a keeper.

The 'rents and I were in Vegas again and that was ok.  I spent waaaayyy too much money but wtf.  Live a little every now and then.

I also started taking violin lessons (I should practice tonight before I sit down and start reading).  I'm hopeful that by the time Pennsic rolls around next year I will be able to play at least one or two songs at the haflas.  There are plenty of drummers but never enough melody instruments.  Besides, my great ambition is to play some serious Russian and Rom music.

I also picked up a recorder just because it was cheap and I still remember a few songs.  I can play a few more but I should practice some dance music, too.  Just in case.

The biggest change for me this year was getting Molly.  I had always wanted a dog but didn't think my hours and comings/goings would be ok for the dog.  Then I realized that plenty of people have dogs and work full time with no hardship to the animal.  

To make myself feel better about leaving her, I have a potty pad on the floor.  She's never used it and I'm usually home at a decent hour to take her out.  But *I* know it's there in case she needs it.  And she doesn't have the horrible separation anxiety that The Creature has.

He screams and cries like he's being beaten to death when you leave him.  He's used to somebody being with him 24/7 for the past 14 years so when you leave, he just doesn't know what to do with himself.

So I had a lot of anxiety about getting a dog because I didn't want it to have a "bad" life or cause it "trauma" by leaving it to go to work.

But Molly is just about everything I could have asked for.  I don't know why the thought never occurred to me that I could adopt a dog from a rescue that would be an adult and be happy to have a good home.  I just didn't.

Then one night when I couldn't sleep I was up surfing - but I've told this story before.  I sent in a donation for her and her foster mom wrote me back.  Suddenly, we were corresponding and I became Molly's "big dog" on December 6th in a big-ass snowstorm.

We walk for about 1- 2 hours a day which is good for me!  I imagine we will be out more as the weather gets nice.  

She's laying in the floor right now snoring like a drunken sailor.  That's taken some getting used to and she can still wake me up when she gets going snoring.  

Looking forward to next year - I'm going to pay off the credit card (that was my resolution for this year and I'm over 1/2 way there so I just have to finish it off), play a song or two either on the violin or recorder at every event I go to (with the drums coming with me as back-up).  I'd like to take Molly to a socialization class to get her used to other dogs and find out exactly what her allergy is so I can treat it.

Her fur is really coming in much better but she still chews her left foot and rubs her little face on the carpet.  

I'm also looking to maybe buy a house since the time is right.  I'm supposed to go see three houses this week altho I'm a bit torn.  I really like my current place but I have this feeling that it's time to get a house.  Time for ME to get a house (not necessarily that the housing market is going to start back up).  

I've listed my place FSBO but I might end up going with a Realtor but we'll see.  If I do end up selling it and getting a house I'm probably going to cry like an idiot eventho it's my choice.   It's hard to let go of some things that have nice memories attached to them, even if it IS time.