Happy New Year!

Perhaps La Niña has made a resolution to go away.  The weather this New Year's Day is gorgeous - not a cloud in the sky, about 65 degrees (18.3 C), and if you ignored the stray palm tree and blooming azalea, this could be a beautiful October day in Raleigh.

Everyone must still be asleep from the revelry on New Year's Eve.  I think that some of the things they were lighting off last night couldn't even be purchased in South Carolina.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you can lay hands on major explosive things in Colombia.
This street scene is only remarkable because on any other morning at 7:30 AM, only those with suicidal tendencies would be so ambling across the roadway like the figure below.

As much as 2011 will be bemoaned for European market collapses, underwater Las Vegas housing, Super Committees that weren't so super, and the utter failure of the Red Sox in the last week of the regular season, it really was a good year for us.
I got to retire before anyone kicked me out of the practice, a new grandkid was born safely, and above all, our kids continue to behave themselves.  Paula and I have had to adapt and grow in ways that at times haven't been comfortable, but we've also seen some interesting parts of the world, and Paula said the closing prayer at a baptism yesterday - in Spanish!
We are grateful for 2011, and look forward to new growth in 2012.
Dave & Paula