A Happy And Healthy New Year To All

I suppose this will be my last post until 2008 rolls around. Can you believe that in just three days we will start a brand new year? As usual it will take two or three weeks before I stop using 2007 on my checks.

Some of the family will be present in the Clark mansion for New Years Day. I expect to have Wallie, Manny, Travis and Mary Peyton as Rob will go back to Winston-Salem on Sunday. We will miss him and wish that he could be here to help us celebrate.

The usual fare will be on the dining table -- pork roast, blackeyed peas, sweet potatoes, cabbage and probably some other goodies I may decide to have. Traditionally, one should have hog jowl, but I'm not much into that part of the pig and will substitute the pork roast. Blackeyed peas are a must as they are said to bring good luck in the new year. Something green, some say, improves the finances, so I hope that the cabbage is green enough for that.

I usually fall asleep on New Years Eve before the old clock tolls midnight. But maybe this year I can at least watch the ball drop in Times Square in New York which, of course, is 11:00 our time. Does that count?

Who knows what 2008 will bring for any of us -- my guess is that it is a good thing that we don't know -- takes all of the fun out of living.

There is so much turmoil here and abroad that one can only hope and pray that somehow we can have peace on the planet. But that is probably asking too much -- it has never happened and unlikely to happen in this new year. We can continue to pray and maybe each one of us can make some kind of difference in the hearts of our brothers and sisters who walk this old Earth.

My wish for each of you is that the new year will bring to you the spiritual joy that you may be seeking and God will bless you and your loved ones.

I'm not much of a singer, and you are fortunate there is no sound to this post (I don't know how to do that), but I would like to leave you with this to sing in your own melodious tones:

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

and days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

and never brought to mind?

Sould auld acquaintance be forgot

and days of auld lang syne?

And here's a hand, my trusty friend

And gie's a hand o' thine

We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet

For auld lang syne.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!