A new year

  I wanted to write something new and creative to post in these last few moments of the year, but my brain is not cooperating. I'm tired and scattered, and the sake we drank with dinner a few hours ago is probably not helping.
  Still--I wish for all of us a year of satisfying work, of strength in adversity and in monotony, of joy in unexpected places, of love given and received.
  I hear the first firecrackers going off...a little early, but sort of exciting, nonetheless. In a few minutes, we'll open the front door to welcome in the new year. Just before we completely shiver ourselves to pieces, we'll close the door, turn off the lights, and crawl into a nice warm bed.