I'd also like to wish all of you wonderful E2 noders a happy and prosperous new year (for those that celebrate the Chinese calendar version).

I had to run around today to get a bunch of outside chores done, from blocking a newly discovered squirrel hole in my attic to bringing in a dozen bags of fuel in for my pellet stove. Being a disabled olde phart, that took a long time to accomplish those tasks. Then I paid some bills and chipped in a hundred for raffle tickets (my granddaughter does cheerleading competitions and I also pay for her classes). The tickets are to help pay for her hotel in the next competition for her cheer squad.

We're expecting a couple days of ice and snow, so I'm going to be cocooned for a bit. I'm going to go out and get some kerosene and gas for my generator just in case the power goes out. I'm hoping to get some more writing done. I did almost 110K words last month, so that's one ghostwritten sci-fi novel and a romance for one of my pseudonyms. Alexa has turned my Echo Dot ring yellow, waiting to alert me that there's a winter storm warning. I like the color so I'm not asking her to read the message.

I random-noded to A Message from Sensei and re-read it. Such a sad node, and such a sad hole in the nodegel, both from sensei and dai-un. It reminded me of several E2 friends who are no longer with us, so I'm a bit melancholy. Went to ching it but I was the second C! of 45. Perhaps you should ching it too if you haven't.

Here's to a better year, my friends.