January 1, 2011
There’s an element of magical thinking involved in making New Year resolutions. Somehow, just getting out your new calendar and pinning it up beside your desk is going to make it easier to lose weight, quit smoking, get a new job or (enter your favorite fantasy resolution here). It’s rather like addicts, who are always going to quit their habit…tomorrow. And since they are going to quit tomorrow, they might as well have one last good hit today, right?
Nevertheless, there is value in taking stock of the year past, giving some thought to what has been accomplished and to what plans you might have for the upcoming months. “Resolution” would be too grand a word for these thoughts, but at the end of 2009 I had in mind that I would try to get out and ride more in 2010. This notion went sadly awry before I even made it to New Year’s Eve. Sometime around Christmas in 2009, I tore a rotator cuff tendon in my shoulder. This painful injury led to ‘frozen shoulder’, a condition in which the connective tissue in the shoulder becomes inflamed and stiff, resulting in an inability to raise your arm. I ended up having physiotherapy into May just to get the arm moving again.
January 4, 2011
Fortunately, the physiotherapy was very helpful, and I was able to get to work in my garden come spring. In the end, I did get out and do a bit of riding in the last months of the year, after Ponygirl moved closer, making it easier for us to get together. Ivory and I even participated in a little stable show. Still, this year, I don’t want to tempt fate. I am downgrading to simply planning on spending more ‘quality time’ with Mousie and keeping her mane and tail tangle free!
WordPress kindly supplies bloggers with end of year statistics. I was quite amused to read their analysis in which they note that about 3 million people visit the Taj Mahal every year. If my blog were the Taj Mahal, it would take about 7 days for all the people who viewed my blog to see it! The most popular post of the year was Groundhog Day, which was actually a post from 2009. WordPress suggests I might want to post more on this subject, but I really don’t have much more to say about groundhogs! I do have views and opinions about various environmental and political causes but find such posts fit poorly with the Willow House Chronicles mandate. I hope to get myself organized to begin a new blog in 2010 that will supplement the more homespun theme of Chronicles.
January 7, 2011
Willow House Chronicles 
I love your progressive snowfall photos. The scene looks magical and artistic but very cold. We have had constantly rainy days here and elsewhere in South Africa (Cape Town) has been experiencing heat waves. It is Summer here but Cape Town has there rain in winter. Wishing you all speed ahead with all your resolutions for this year.
Every day, you can look at the same scene, and find it different. Your photos of the shed and the birdfeeders are beautiful, so full of atmosphere.
I would like to see another blog by you, focusing more on your philosophy, thoughts and ideas. Bet you could get some really good discussions going.
barefootheart — It will be interesting to read what you would put in another post. Nice that wordpress gives you the stats on your blog. I know that blogspot has gotten into the stats game for its bloggers. — barbara
Are the dates under your photos correct?
My favourite part of the WordPress review was the line, “Some visitors came searching, mostly for geoffrey chaucer, steak and kidney pie, tommy thompson park, leslie street spit, and bromelia.” Yep, there’s something for everyone on my blog.
I’m glad the physio did the trick for you. My dad underwent surgery on his rotator cuff twenty years ago; physio sounds a lot less invasive.
Thank you Momcat. It’s funny to hear of such different weather! Stay dry.
Louise, it is nice to watch the changes. Photos really help you appreciate little differences. Thanks for your words of encouragement.
Barbara, it is kinda fun to see the statistics. Thanks for your interest in a new project.
Fern…Doh! Thanks for pointing that out. I guess I’m living in the past.
LB, I guess you and your blog are well-rounded.
I did see a surgeon. He said that as long as the shoulder isn’t too painful, it’s best to avoid surgery and live with the injury. So far, so good. Thanks.