happy new year!

Happy New Year! I opted this New Years Eve  not  to go out and karaoke this year. I stayed in where it's warm and safe, and watched movies on Netflix. Also, my new 'guilty pleasure' series is The Glades, set in Florida, the land of my birth. Over several days, I watched all the episodes of the first two seasons, which are all that are available. Finished the updates to the website, http://www.flamingeaux.com/2012/ and also wrote the holidays/new year letter to forward to family and friends.

My mom had a 'spell.' We all worry about her having a recurrence of stroke, so we pay special attention when she experiences symptoms out of the ordinary. She had been having severe headaches, so I spent several hours with her at the hospital, getting an MRI, blood tests, and having an IV with replacement fluids, treating for dehydration. During all the down time between tests and consultations, I read to her from my Billy Graham e-book, Nearing Home. Nothing better than the inspiration that the great evangelist can deliver.

Since I wasn't able to see Les Miserables on Christmas Day, I made time this first week of 2013 to see it.  What an amazing production. Unlike some folks, I don't compare apples to oranges, so I didn't set any expectations based on the times I've seen the staged production of this musical. I thought all the performances were very compelling, and was not disappointed by any part of it. I was positively weeping at the end, and needed the entire length of credits to dry my tears and compose myself.

The first wild card games were played on a Saturday, so I was at my mom's taking care of her, and we watched the two games together. I was glad that the Texans could win the early game, but really wanted the Vikings to win the second one. Got a bunch of mending done for my mom in between plays and during commercials. Sunday's games were more important, and I was (sort of) happy that the Ravens won the first game - happy for Ray Lewis and his final game of his football career. He is quite an inspirational character, and I look forward to see what he does with his second career opportunity. Of course, if the Ravens make it to the SuperBowl and we do too, it could be a Har-Bowl! Sadly, the second game didn't go the way I wanted it to ... I would have preferred that the Redskins would have won.