I was even going to go a step further, based on some crazy news reports I've been reading about how Western Civilization will shortly consist of a few crumbling old monuments surrounded by Jersey barriers, with roving bands of guys in Nike hoodies trying to figure out what to do with their free time.
I was going to suggest that if we make any resolutions, they center on just being a little braver about what is clearly our task, namely, to hold down our little corner of peace as best we can, perhaps mustering enough energy to furnish it with discarded books that, while we might not get to reading them, will provide a future generation with something to go on as they survey the rubble.
But I couldn't get it written because I was So. Tired. The kind of tired that makes you write the above-type sentences, full of rubble and roving bands. Actually, today I'm only a little tired -- yesterday I could only vaguely wave the hands of my mind -- not my actual hands, which would have taken too much energy -- in the general direction of rubble, not even capable of mustering any nouns to describe it.
Never mind all that.
Instead, let's just look at random pictures.
The Chief and I sort of plowed ahead with some projects that we had left until our vacation, even though we were entertaining Important Guests -- to wit, the girls' fiancés. They seemed to be up for building a maple-syrup evaporator/outdoor fireplace/"refinery" (no photos of that, sorry -- I'm so lacking in commitment to take photos all the time), and for helping to bottle the beer.
If they weren't up for all that and would have rather gone sight-seeing or roller-skating they certainly weren't about to tell us.
It's a marvelous thing, this aiming to please by the prospective family members. It's a wave you just can't help wanting to ride. One's own sons do not seem equally motivated in all departments. Oh, they do some heavy lifting as well, don't get me wrong. They don't actively obstruct, being essentially good guys, and I am sure that they will, someday, appear miraculously handy in other households. But they have a more jaded view of the crazy ideas perpetrated by their parental units, choosing to appear at strategic moments only.
So we have a lot of thank-yous to John and John. And a few for Joseph and Will -- we do love you boys as well ;) And Nick -- we missed you!
As for me, I left them to it, returning at suppertime.
The evidence of work was there when I got back, in the form of some water on the floor and a few pieces of broken glass in the sink -- the remnants of some sort of strife involving the bottle capper. Everything else had been whisked away. This was the night we had pork barbecue sandwiches, oven fries, and "crunchy salad" (you know, that salad that's glorified cole slaw with ramen noodles and nuts mixed in -- leave out the MSG-laden "flavor packet," adding dried garlic and mustard powder to your dressing instead. Guaranteed to please any cole-slaw-despiser).
Naturally, this is the only photo of that meal, taken by someone else. People, I was feeding the hordes, not taking pictures. Maybe my resolution will be to do better with food posting!
So, those are my great thoughts so far for 2012. How about you?
