Merry Xcess, err, Xmas, I mean Christmas!!!

The State of NJ is in a state of emergency this lovely December 27th due to about two feet of the white stuff.  Yessiree, the first major snow of the winter and hopefully the last of this kind for the season! (One can wish!) The wind is what is making it so wicked - crazy gusts shaking the trees right over and blowing snow everywhere.  Thankfully it is sunny, the snow was actually pretty light as we shoveled it away and I do have to admit it is really beautiful.

Christmas 2010 has come and gone - amazing how quickly time flies by.  Greg and I were very fortunate; we were able to spend much time with friends and family and look forward to doing more of the same over the next few days as we wait for 2011 to arrive.  Santa was incredibly generous to us this year, either we were very good or someone switched our names to the "nice" list... 

I was able to get a run in yesterday before the "blizzard" conditions hit and was joined by my brother Bill.  We met at my mom's and ran through the streets of Butler.  It was pretty, running through the new and still gently falling snow.  Upon returning to my mom's we all sat and admitted to the fact that although we appreciated all that we received, perhaps next year we would approach the holidays a bit different.  We discussed how blessed we all were and perhaps we could share with some folks who were not as lucky.  We threw out such ideas as buying goats and chickens through Heifer International, adopting a family through a local organization,  or buying coats and warm gloves for those in need.

While I am not sure what we will do, I have been thinking about this conversation since it occurred.  I am trying to decide what my 2011 New Year's resolution will be.  I am already committed to the Ironman race as well as the NYC triathlon.  I hate to be general as in "I'll make the world a better place" or "I will buy/eat more locally produced food".  Having a goal helps and I just cannot seem to decide on one yet. Thankfully I have a few days left to decide.  Whatever my decision , I figure that I will use my blog to track my progress - good or bad - so that when December 31st 2011 arrives, I can look back and ascertain if I was successful in my efforts.  How about you?  What will you resolve to do in 2011?

3 Nubbins

Sooo... this is what 43 feels like. (Yes, I am indulging my love of Batman by using issue #43 to commerate my own birthday...) While extremely happy to have celebrated my 43rd birthday cancer free I am once again struck by just how fast life goes by!  I mean seriously folks - wasn't I just "30something"?  How the hell did I get to be almost "mid-forties"?  Incredible.  Well, as always I see a silver lining:  once I hit age 45, my time requirement to qualify for the Boston marathon goes to 4 hours.  So technically no need to worry about running for time in 2011.  I'll spend my 43rd year preparing for my Ironman.  Stay tuned - it should be a very interesting year!

I  imagine you may be wondering what in the world the title of this post "3 Nubbins" could possibly be referring to.  Those in the know would be the Burt family but now that my Dad is retired he along with my sister Gwen have not only become writers but have also become bloggers.  For as long as I can remember (which as you know is 43 years so a verrrry long time), my father has always told stories about the "wee ones" on Cape Cod.  I will not give their story away but every year for Christmas Dad would create a scavenger hunt for the Burt kids.  Now that everyone is grown and inhabiting various areas of the country, he is using his stories about the Nubbins and counting down the days of Christmas with daily riddles.  This year the Nubbins' stories appear in a blog - so 21st century - and the link is here:  http://3nubbins.blogspot.com/.  I encourage you to read it and share it with your family.  You might learn something about the lovely land we call Cape Cod as well as spread some friendly competition among family members as everyone tries to solve the Nubbins' puzzles first!   

With only 21 more days left to 2010 there is much to do - holiday parties to attend, more shows to see (Prince, Trans Siberian Orchestra and Passion Pit), cookies to bake, presents to wrap, family to see and of course Greg and I will take our annual ride to view the local holiday lights.  I love this time of year even though it may be cold and the traffic is horrible and there is always a threat of that blasted four letter word... yes, SNOW....but I tend to look at the holidays displays, the children excited to see Santa, and the arrival of gingerbread lattes at Starbucks as all good and hope that for even a moment everyone stops, takes a deep breath and appreciates this wonderful life. Why not now?