Favorite Things - 2008

It's a snowy, snowy weekend here in Boston.  We are digging out of 16 + inches of snow.  I've been fortunate enough that my brother, Paul, has been here and he has taken over the majority of the shoveling duties.  I am so grateful for that.  Thanks, Paul!

So, while being in the house for long periods of time, I got to thinking.  Some of us are preparing for the beautiful holiday this week.  And we are all preparing for the close of another year and the welcoming of 2009.  I am not a fan of re-caps, and countdowns and 'looking back' programs.  I like to focus on what's ahead.  But I am breaking a bit with my usual m.o., and wanted to share a couple of favorites of mine in 2008. Here's my list, based on the five senses:

1.) Sound

I attended a few concerts this past year that I truly enjoyed and loved every sound I heard. I loved hearing the sounds of summer.  I was aware of and comforted on many occasions by the whistle of the commuter train as it rode through town.  But there was one particular sound that keeps coming back to me.  When I was visiting Betsy and her family in November, she and I took a long ride one afternoon, checking out the neighborhood and the ocean beach.  Wil of course was with us, and while Betsy and I chatted away in the front seat, Wil was holding court with his legion of angels in the back seat.  So cute.  He wasn't looking for his mother's attention and he wasn't looking for mine either.  He was just looking out the window and reporting to his friends about...um, well...whatever it is that babies report back to the angels.  Gabbing away.  I loved hearing his baby-speak and have chosen it as my favorite sound of 2008.

2.) Sight

This past summer I traveled a bit more than I usually do.  It was great.  I hadn't been on an airplane in years and it was cool to get back into it.  Flying across America is such a treat.  I had a window seat on one of my flights, and flying into Denver, CO, on a beautiful summer day provided many nice sights from the window.   Seeing the patches of land that make up the Midwest was a memorable sight for me.  And even flying back into Logan Airport in Boston at 11:00 at night provided a wonderful light show as we landed.  Seeing the Midwest and Boston from the window seat, (11E), American Airlines, ranks as my favorite sight of 2008.

3.) Taste

Okay - this choice even to me is a little off - I mean over an entire year??  I can't help but choose a meal I had about a month ago at a local restaurant.  I met a dear friend of mine for dinner, a woman I used to work with years ago.  She and I keep in touch and are sure we have dinner often.  We went to The Chateau restaurant in Norwood and we each had the Chef's Special.  It consisted of bread to start, a salad, and the main meal - grilled shrimp, steak tips, chicken strips with rice and squash.  We could barely talk about anything but the meal!  We've been sharing the experience with everyone. I rank the Chef's Special at The Chateau in Norwood as my favorite taste of 2008.

4.) Smell

This one was hard to come up with.  But I've decided on the smell of fresh, crisp, cool air. That's not too easy to come by when you are living in the city.  But I truly love that first crisp fall day and that first crisp, cool - cold - winter day.  Stepping outside and breathing in that air brings with it the smell of those seasons.  Change is good.  And when both seasons make their appearances, I am hopeful.  I rank the first crisp, cool, cold days of fall and winter as my favorite smell(s) of 2008.

5.) Touch/Feel 

5a) Touch:  a co-worker of mine brought her three-month old baby to work the other day. When Mac was born, he and his Mom came by work to visit.  I missed that visit and was bummed.  Last week she had daycare issues and in came Mac with his Mom to work.  She came upstairs to my office and introduced me to him.  Laura held him first, then passed him off to me.  He smiled, giggled, & laughed as I took hold of him.  He nuzzled his head into my shoulder, gnawed at my shoulder, drooled all over my shoulder.  It was so sweet to hold him, rub his little back and watch him alternately laugh at Laura and his Mom.  Holding Mac was a plus for 2008.

5b.) Feel: technically not a sense, but I was "touched" in this way as well. My favorite feeling in 2008 has been the warmth of friendships, new or renewed, virtual or otherwise.  It's been a wonderful year for friendships.  I am grateful I had the opportunities to make new friends, and I have loved continuing the cultivation and warmth of old ones.  Thank you all.  Lets spread the love in 2009!

Merry Christmas to everyone!  And may all your New Years bring many favorites to you.

Love & Peace,