The end of 2006. Welcome 2007!

Only another 8 hours or so until the end of 2006 and the beginning of a new year. Hurray! This is the first year in my life when I can honestly say that I am eager to see the old year go. I had some wonderful experiences, including two trips to Haifa, Israel to the Baha'i World Center. It seems quite unreasonable to say so, but despite those trips and a wonderful family, on the whole, UGH! I think I will have to do all the various folk ceremonies to send the bad spirits away so that 2007 is better! Here in Macau, at Chinese New Year (not until February this year) we have 3 days of fireworks to scare off evil spirits and bad luck. In Japan, on Setsubun you throw dried beans while calling out, "Happiness inside, demons out!" Unfortunately that one is also not until around February. I remember being in New Mexico once for the new year and seeing the burning of the Zozobra (the accumulated misery of the year, in the form of a wood and paper mache sculpture of a pretty scary giant man). However, DH may not appreciate me burning one in the apartment. Anyone know any good ways to make sure 2007 is not like 2006? Any I can use in the next couple of hours?

On the quilting front, I think I was pretty productive in 2006. I finished

• Autumn Roads
• A wallhanging using leftover Autumn Roads blocks
• A table topper using more leftover Autumn Roads blocks
• Butterfly Dreams, for a friend's daughter
• Spring Stars, for the family
• Two Kimono wallhangings
• A landscape, Hanging Garden
• Once Upon A Time, a story telling quilt for a friend's son
• Almost Amish, for the family
  
• Still Not Amish, for the family
  
• Two wall-hanging/table toppers from leftover blocks from Almost Amish.

Not too shabby! I hope I can do as well in the coming year. I am also determined to begin exercising again and get myself into shape. Five years ago, before I was appointed to a position I currently hold, I was in great shape and exercised regularly. Over the five years, exercise has completely fallen by the wayside. Although my weight is still fine, I am definitely out of shape. Exercise is coming back on my schedule this year! Welcome 2007!

Since I have no quilty pictures, here are some from one of my trips to the Baha'i World Center. I plan to use the one of the open gates as the basis for a wallhanging someday in the future.