Happy New Year

Happy New Year! 2006 is finally here! Thank God we made it through. If you're a regular reader here, you know what a rocky year this has been.

2005 is not a year that I will look back at with undiluted pleasure. Looking back, it's hard to find much to be happy about. We attended 32 wakes and or funerals. I felt like the angel of death as every time I turned around someone else had died or was dying. My wife, Johanna was burned while cooking dinner and spent almost a month in the hospital. Johanna lost her father after his battle with cancer, fourteen months to the day from her mother's death. I was diagnosed with a bone disease and osteoarthritis in my hip and leg and now sleep on the floor on a regular basis. My cousin continues in her legal battles with her son and ex-husband. Another cousin is lying in the hospital with encephalitis after a bout of West Nile disease.

On the positive side, my nephew completed his cancer regime and is now "cancer free." My children are doing well. My daughter has found constructive ways to fill her time now that the house is empty in the afternoons. My son has taken up wrestling and is winning meets. My wife is healing and won't need surgery to correct the damage caused by the fire.

We got to spend a week with family down in central Texas. We experienced some of the best barbeque that Texas and the south has to offer. I got to cook in some barbecue contests and have built new friendships on the circuit. I was privileged to be on TV and radio talking about the sport I love - competitive barbeque. I got to add to my arsenal of BBQ pits and may be adding another shortly. And finally, I live in an area of the country that wasn't affected by this year'’s incredible weather.

2006 is beginning much like 2005 with another funeral. I don't think this is necessarily a bad omen for the coming year, but rather view it as 2005's parting shot.

Here's wishing all of you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. God knows we all deserve one.