Happy New Year

It's been 2 years since I found blip and I would like to thank everyone who comments and stars my photos.
One of the pine warblers landed on a branch in the planter today and I was able to get a photo.
New Years Eve is often a time for memories and reflections. On December 26, 2009 a good friend of mine passed away from cancer, he's part of the past now and I remember the good times we had together.  I said goodbye to him on Dec 30. I didn't feel up to going out anywhere on New Years Eve so I stayed home watching movies, much like I did tonight. Around 9:30 that evening a girlfriend from the valley called, just to check to see how I was doing. We ended up chatting for a couple of hours on the phone. She was home by herself too. Before we knew it, it was around 11:30 pm. We decided to stay on the phone with each other till midnight. At the time I was living in Middle Sackville, renting the main floor of a house. It also overlooked a lake. A couple of people on the other side of the lake set off some fireworks at midnight. I was also watching the fireworks display on TV that the city does each year. The people across the lake had a much better display than the city had.
The following year, for the first and only time, I was downtown with friends, watching those same fireworks in person. Then for several years I had an open house at my place, told friends to drop by for an hour or stay for an evening. In 2019, when I had so many family issues to deal with I didn't have the open house. In 2020 Covid started and we were not allowed to do much. That's when my more solitary life started. A friend still continues to keep herself shut away in her house most of the time. Another friend who is like me, needs to get out of the house and have some form of social contact on a regular basis. Karen and I formed a bond at that time. We would go for a drive together once a month. She came to the brunches more often, since going to church at that time was very limited. Today, her and I went out to brunch together. Tomorrow I go out with the brunch group.
Life has changed so much over the past few years. I've learned a lot about myself. My landscaping business has grown, from having 3 workers in 2019 to having a total of 9 workers this season. The brunch group has remained a constant in my life, and will remain so, as long as Alan is alive. My interest in photography has grown and many people comment on how much it has improved. I enjoy watching the birds in my back yard and appreciate having a place where I can feed them.
What the next year holds, who knows. What will be, will be.
Thanks for reading my rambling tonight.