New Year's Eve Karaoke

My brother Michael's place. They got LED blue icicle lights this year. It was very pretty and made beautiful snow flake patterns on the wall too. I like the new additional sleigh. The blow up Christmas man is always wonderful to see.










We went outside to light up some morning glory. It smokey and fun.




We had two entertainments going on at once, the XBox and Karaoke. Well, I suck at both. But it was fun to play and sing. People take this stuff serious. I can get squeezed out and left behind because I don't take it seriously or passionately. I have always been surrounded by great game player and musicians. I,...... suck at it all and I have fun anyways.

Bhel is Delicious and Nutritious

Went to Charity Focus Wednesday meditation. Rev. Heng Sure spoke this evening. He shared stories of Ven. Hsuan Hua responding to a question on "why lecture the 'Flower Adornment Sutra'?" Ven. Hsuan Hua replied, "In the past, during the time of Vairochana Buddha when who are present heard the 'Flower Adornment Sutra' made a vow to come to this world at this time to be of service and help others. Some of you made vows to be monastic. Some of you made vows to translate sutras. Some of you made vows to cook. etc...." Nipun later asked me if I have heard of this before and I have. For one, it never gets old. Plus it's not whether or not I have heard of this before, for me it is what happens each time within when I hear it. Some things clear up inside. I feel more centered and grounded. Not just for the moment but some thing bigger.

Then I helped out with assembling and serving the Gugurati dish Bhel. Mama Mehta, Nipun's mom makes it very delicious.

There was no wisdom scroll this year. I was a bit disappointed about it, I've got one from each year and have a nice collection. I see it as the fortune cookie wisdom for the year. It's pretty on or maybe I have just been making a bigger deal of it each year because it just is fun. Although I didn't get this from the event, I feel that it is my wisdome scroll for the new year.

I slept and dreamt that life was joy,
I awoke and saw that life was service,
I acted and, behold,
service was joy
by Rabindranath Tagore

Engine 2, 6 Changes, Resolutions, Changes, Vows Lifetimes

Tonight at Teance the talk was about how to set up new years resolutions and manifest it. http://6changes.com/ was highlighted. I thought it was really great and well done. Wish I came up with that, at least some one did.

Two people recently decided to become vegan recently and Engine 2 by Rip Esselstyn was mentioned. He is a fireman from Texas who has a famous doctor for a father. He turned his entire crew into vegans and dropped their cholestral level etc... his story and his current projects are worth checking out http://www.theengine2diet.com/

I'm trying to recall this next part, hope I've got it right; Resolutions is something you do, vows you make extends beyond this body this life.

Then we hung out till 2am playing with Chinese and Western Astrological signs off Facebook app and ironing out our New Year's eve party plans and back up plans. Virginia is back for vacay from teaching in Japan. Ching is back from photojournalistic work in Middle East.

Peanut Butter Doggy Biscuit

Successfully made peanut butter doggy biscuit for Rocky today. It was yummy and crunchy and flakey. I only used fresh ground peanut butter, flour and a few splashes of water baked at 375 for 7 minutes then at 200 degrees for another 15 minutes. Very simple to make much fresher than any packaged doggy peanut butter oatmeal biscuits at the dog shop on 4th Street, cheaper too, plus no additional oil not even sugar, sooo much healthier.

Reunion Zits

I missed Ly, so glad to see him back in the area with his new work. I hope he will be able to stay for good. We both have zits today, it's as if we were still in high school. Everyone else who supposedly said they were joining us flaked. But Ly and I got to catch up for the last decade and that was really nice. I think the messages to Patty is more descriptive of the friendship in this circle than anything else.

Moo Moo-Quack Quack-Oink Oink

They're back from school, so nice to see everyone, eat munchies, drink bubblelies, and laugh.

Ellie's Eight Today

Jelly Beans are a hit! All the kids wanna do is eat the jelly beans. The jumping house was fun, a lot of fun. It's quite tiring but a good workout. Even Rocky made it into the jumping house. Fun birthday!

Christmas Eve With Family

I don't know what other families do but we hang out and eat. In between it all, often involves group shopping, naps, XBox or wii, baseball, puzzels, board games, venting, and lots of love, care, nurturing.


I made vegan lunch and dessert.





























Lunch flowed into afternoon tea and flowed into dinner. Dinner my sister Helen and Brother in law Andrew put up a Japanese meal. Everything was wonderful. Then we opened the presents and then we had more dessert and tea and coffee.