Another year begins and not a moment too soon. I say “Good Riddance” to 2021. Yet another year of angst amongst preventable and unpreventable tragedy. I don’t have great hope for 2022 being a better year. I’m just hoping it won’t be worse. I’ll be doing my part to stay positive, to live in the moment, and to cherish each moment.
Thank you to everyone who offered condolences in the wake of Maxine’s crossing over the Rainbow Bridge.

Maxine (RIP).
These last few weeks have been rough, the house so quiet, feeling empty even with our remaining three feline friends. And yet … Life goes on. Junior, Wendy, and Raji need demand attention.
Junior stills insists on a lap in the evenings when we sit on the small sofa, where we enjoy a glass of wine before dinner or hot chamomile tea before bedtime.
In the mornings, I get up an hour or so before my husband, starting my day quietly with a large mug of hot tea (lately, it’s been Earl Grey). Usually, Raji would stretch out on the large sofa at the far side of our living room, but he’s started a new habit: curling up on a pillow beside me.

Raji taking his morning nap.
What’s not to love about this face! How can either of us be sad for long when you have this guy looking at you every day?

“I’m so cute! Gotta love me!”
In the photo above, Raji is on Wendy’s fleecy blanket, the same fleecy blanket I brought her home in eight and a-half years ago. While Raji and Junior have established a relationship, Wendy and Raji are still working on theirs. They chase each other around the house occasionally, although it’s hard to tell whether Wendy enjoys it. I do know she doesn’t like Raji on her blanket.

“Just what is THAT on MY blanket?”

“Well, maybe we can share. Maybe.”

“On second thought, no, I’m NOT sharing!”
These two were in motion, hence the blurry photo. Wendy pretty much had Raji cornered. He couldn’t get off the bed without her getting a good swipe at him. Oh, well. If it ever gets cold enough here in north Florida, they might find their way to a truce.
Speaking of it not being cold enough here in north Florida, everything is blooming. Magnolia trees, wildflowers, hibiscus, morning glories, you name it. I have a red penta that hasn’t stopped blooming for months. Our Oregon grape is bursting with yellow flowers and attracting bees.

See the bee dangling from a flower in the upper right quadrant of the photo?
Happy New Year!
Categories: life
Marie A Bailey
Writer, blogger, knitter, cat lover, and introvert.
Happy New Year, Marie to you and yours!
Wonderful photos! I’m glad you have all those other cat faces to cheer you up. And flowers, too!
It’s warm for January 1 here–but foggy and rainy.
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Happy New Year, Merril! I was just talking to my mom who lives in the country, about 30-40 miles from Albany, NY. No snow and it’s warm for this time of year. Darn climate change 😦
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Such weird weather. It’s rainy and going up to 63 today, then chance of snow and high of 30 something tomorrow!
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Our temperatures are on a roller-coaster here, but I’m happy we’re getting some cold days. Makes my walks much more brisk 😉
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😀
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Wishing you and all your fur babies a happy New Year. ♥️😺
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Thank you, Jo! I wish the same for you and your future fur babies (I’m sure there’s at least one in your future ;-)).
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Happy New Year, Marie!
What lovely photos. So full of joy and colour (even the cat-swiping one)
I shall still hope for a much better year in 2022 then we had in the last two!
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Happy New Year, Dale! I keep my expectations low (a sure-fire way to avoid being disappointed), but, in my heart, I really hope for a better year. At least a saner year 😉
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Thank you, Marie.
Oh, I’m with you on the expectation thing!
And yes, I still can’t help but hope 🙂
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Happy New Year, Marie. And wow, does time fly. I remember when you found Wendy … at a Wendy’s!
Here’s hoping 2022 surprises us all … in a good way. 🤞
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Lol, Kevin! Yup, we’ve been reading each other’s blogs for a long time. Happy New Year to you and Sue! I — we — could use some happy surprises in 2022.
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Happy New Year, Marie.
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Happy New Year, John!
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Thank you, 😁
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Happy New Year to you and Greg, Marie!
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Happy New Year, Jill! And congratulations on your latest publication. I can’t believe it’s been a year since your last one. Time flies in the blink of an eye 😉
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Thanks! Actually, my last book was released in July, so time isn’t going quite as fast…lol! Wishing you peace in the new year.
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Goodness, ever since I retired, my sense of time has been scrambled 😉
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Raji has come a long way – I mean curling up on a pillow beside you? Very cool. However he’s a bit cheeky, stealing naps on Wendy’s blankie. I bet she’s the unofficial ‘alpha’ that Raji is beginning to test!
You’ve had a lot to mourn in 2021, let this be the year for peaceful healing.
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Thank you, Laura. Every day we are amazed (and relieved) to see how comfortable Raji has become with us. He’s even taken to “talking” to us, especially when he wants to go out into the garage. He’s turning into a very special kitty. And I think you’re right about Wendy. She will be the alpha kitty. I don’t think Junior is the least bit interested and Raji is too young so that leaves Wendy 🙂
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Cats truly do rule the world!
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Happy New Year indeed! Let’s hope 2022 can’t be worse than 2020 or 2021… Take care 🙂
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I’ll be happy if 2022 isn’t worse than these last two years 🙂
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Oh Marie!
Happy New Year! I love your photos!
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Thank you!
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Hey, you’re still here. I haven’t heard from you for a while so I thought I’d check in. Too many bloggers seem to have given up and that makes me sad. Anyhoo, Happy New Year, albeit a few days late. 🥂
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Happy New Year, Ally (several days late ;-)). Yes, I’m still around but still struggling with losing Max among other things. Kind of dampened my desire to write, but I’m slowly working my way back up to sunshine.
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Thank you so much for all your help with the knitting, Marie! I got the yarn and needles. The color green is perfect–not quite that emerald green of the bridesmaid dresses; more woodsy, which she will love.
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Wonderful! I’m so happy to know that I helped ❤
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Started it. Since I cannot find my old knitting needles I had to buy a new pair and got the bamboo which they didn’t have years ago. All my old ones are plastic or metal. I hate these bamboo ones because the yarn sticks too much.
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Bamboo is rougher but some of my needles are very smooth. They have to be well finished to work well.
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Ugh. I want to find my old ones. Btw your cats are adorable.
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