Ebbie, I'm sure nothing stops you from singing, even if it's around the house or in the car, accompanied by the radio or whatever. Washing the dishes seems to be the time when I really let it fly.

Well, this year is my first Christmas flying solo. Not flying, but feet on terra firma. Strange, Thanksgiving was tough, but so far so good during this holiday season. I feel a lot of support around me from friends, family--even though they are far away--and I sure get a kick out of this idiosyncratic internet community. I am very grateful for the friends I have made here.

At the beginning of the year, when my whole world was falling apart and I had no idea how I would support myself and keep everything afloat and in one piece, I said that I would be happy if I just got by this year. Well, so it has come to pass. On the material level I just barely squeaked by, but the squeaking little phoenix dusted off a few of the ashes and that's a good thing. On other levels, it's been an amazing time of growth, of finding inner resources that I didn't know were there, from profound to pragmatic (such as getting in touch with my inner plumber). Also, outer support has appeared, the kindness of strangers, little blessings and synchronicities that whisper, 'all you have to do is put one foot in front of the other. Only think about one foot right now--you don't even have to think about the other just yet.'

Lest this sink too far into the maudlin, I will end these ruminations here. Thanks for all the coffee, the hiding place under the table to escape catbox brawls elsewhere, the food for thought, the laughs, the community, the fun of learning to recognize your distinct voices, the sharing of your lives.

And one of these days, when wabbits fly, Fudd will get his hundredth post!

Happy Holidays, y'all,

Elmer