The Official New Year's column

I was going to write about why New Year's is my favourite holiday. Then I read over the column I wrote last year and realised that I had covered that territory already. It must be an occupational hazard. When you write once a week for nearly a year and a half you will eventually repeat yourself unless you keep track of what you are doing.
Last year I talked about what we are going to graze on. We are having grazing food again, but slightly healthier grazing food. I'm making homemade chicken nuggets, a cheese ball and tuna dip. We got a small veggie tray and a small cheese and cracker tray. I have my usual bottle of Asti wine.
I also talked about my hope that we would be adopting a kitten soon. Colby has spent his first Christmas with us. He did all right except that this morning he chewed through a small cord on my Christmas tree lights. Fortunately I can splice the wire and save the lights.
Carrie will be spending New Year's Eve with her friends. I never imagined last year at this time that she would be moving in. Now she has a nice little "apartment" in the basement and seems quite content. I had breakfast with her this morning. We had baked french toast, something I've never made before, and bacon. It was good.
One of the many reasons that I like New Years is because it is like getting a clean slate. You have a new year and anything can happen. If you messed things up you have a new year to not do it again or to make things right if you can.
I am a big fan of second chances. I have long believed that anyone who honestly wants a second chance should get it. Someone who has made mistakes and makes an effort to improve themselves and live a better life should be given the chance to do better. I believe that a person's past is just that,past. It does not need to be who they are or deny them the right make a future for themselves.
If anyone had told me that I would spend part of my year giving flu shots, I would have told them to detox immediately. I went into pharmacy partly because I did not want to give shots and pharmacists didn't give shots, right? I saw a T shirt once that said, "I was told there would be no math involved." I would have had one that said, "I was told there would be no syringes involved." Not only did I find myself giving flu shots, but finding it not as scary as I thought. I gave a shot to a mentally challenged woman, who was brought in by her sister. The sister was so impressed by how I did that she called my boss the next day to compliment me on my skill. It made me feel good given how scared I was.
That seems to be a recurring pattern in my life. I say I'm never going to do something and then wind up doing it. It has happened so many time that I did a speech about it once. Oh well.. it keeps things interesting for me and I am getting better at not saying things like that. I must be learning.
It's time to get some things done. The cats' drinking fountain needs washing and I should take out the cream cheese to soften so I can make the cheese ball later.
I want to thank all of you for letting me bend your ear (or should it be eyes) once or twice a week this year. Thank you also for the comments. I read each one.
I know I said this in the last column, but I'll say it again. Happy New Year from all the Storys (C, Sophie,Colby and Scamp)