Happy New Year's Rambling

That number really looks strange in a way ... but Happy New Year to all those that visit my blog.

I must admit I had other ideas for this blog post when I started putting it together. The past few days I have been "seasonal downsizing" as they say, deleting things, moving things around, rearranging activities during the day and trying to be more active. Yet a lot of those more active things are not blog material. 

The thoughts of stopping this blog for what seems like the "millionth time" since I started it in October 2011 was the plan when I got up this morning. It wasn't something I had spent much time thinking about, it was just a thought early this morning when the house was dark. After a cup of coffee and the brain cells lining up with logical thought, I decided it was definitely not the right thing to do.

The blog isn't now nor has it ever been monetized so the actual number of blog visitors is not important. I know some bloggers like to shout how many visitors they have had on their blog but my numbers have never been impressive enough to do that. Blogger tells me I have had over 2,000 posts and over 2,400 comments, still not that important. 

Over 13 years I have noticed some consistent data. My biggest visitor numbers come from when I am "ranting or rambling", some sort of crisis such as a dog or hound being sick or dying, and of course pouring gasoline on the fire by talking about politics. LOL I am opinionated by nature and when those come to print, at times they do cause a reaction from readers, good or bad. 

There are various reasons I like to blog and have always come back to blogging those times after I had made an announcement I was stopping pubic blogging. I like to write for one thing, even though it is not that professional when it comes to grammar, I also know from emails I have received, or comments made after I have said I am stopping, how much people enjoy the photos of the hounds and dogs. Some even enjoy my writing. 

They've enjoyed reading about the hounds and dogs as they grow and probably all the trouble they cause me. Years ago I was told by an older couple who may not be living anymore, the photos of the hounds were one of their daily highlights. In 2015 I found out there was a "secret admirer" of Winston and hated hearing the news I was going to stop blogging. I reactivated the blog after reading that. 

I have found out over the years that no matter how many or few people that see the blog, it is important and enjoyable to some, more than enough. I couldn't have imagined responses like that as I put a post together or just a paragraph before a lot of photos. 

I have tried to write different in past years while some readers were asking me to be more transparent, more open and basically write more about my true thoughts. I did that a few times, got a lot of good and bad comments and positive feedback to keep going. There was a problem for me doing that.

I am more of a private person. When I was younger I was the "life of the party" but always considered myself an introvert and still do today. So spreading those honest thoughts or opinions out there for all to see was/is hard to do. One compared blogging to like standing down on the highway in front of my house passing out a printed book of my life and activities to every passing car .. mostly strangers.

So I will be open enough to say ... I will not be writing that way. I will continue to write/post as I do ... whatever I am feeling at the time. There will be occasional rants and rambling, some will be nothing but a lot of photos and most will be a photo with related content below it. And like many suggested the last time I was going to quit blogging last summer ... just blog when I want to.

This past year more than any other time I can remember, I have what I call "felt my age". As some long time readers know, I monitor my health, heart rate, and make spreadsheets to track data on almost anything. I love spreadsheets and have time to do it.

That data in past years has also answered some questions I have had this year and it's good I can go back to any year and month to see that many times nothing has changed except the season. My weight gain is the same in December as it has been for 24 years, as well as any changes in blood pressure, the food I eat and even what my brain is filling my head with. Everything seems to be seasonal.

I know it is better than the alternative but I don't like growing old. Throw that "wisdom" stuff out the window, I'd rather trade years to be younger than just wiser. I know it's part of the game but to me it is an irritant just like winter. I may put up with it but that doesn't mean I like it.

Over the past year though I have come to finally accepting a few changes I have noticed that comes with getting older. I know I will not be motivated to do things I use to love doing. I know that small stuff may trigger an anger response whereas in past years it would not have even phased me. I know the days of eating anything I wanted are definitely over or I will have to start buying a lot of stock in the company that makes Tums.

This is where the hounds and dogs come into play. They keep me active, alert and give me a laugh here and there by what they do. I hope to be more active in 2025, hoping to take more photos of them doing things besides just sleeping or even playing in the backyard for those blog posts. Like I have mentioned before, living here I have to leash them when they walk and it is hard to take photos with one hand, keeping a camera or phone steady enough for a good photo while the other hand hangs on to the leash.

Another thing I am finally came to grips with this year in 2024 ... with hounds and dogs, my house will never be perfect all the time nor will the yard. It is what it is as they say. Believe it or not, that has been a problem for me at times even after having a hound since 1987 and at times up to four hounds at a time. I grew up with a dad that had a meticulous yard and a mom that kept the house in perfect condition. 

Oh we could build our slot car track around the family room or play football inside around footstools etc ... but as far as cleanliness ... the house was spotless at all times. The yard was the same way although we had the best wiffle ball stadium in the neighborhood, in the backyard. That age thing I speak of, started making me irritated more than normal as you may have read or noticed ... when the yard or house was messed up by the hounds and dogs.

It is not lost on me how lucky I am at my age compared to others. At 72 years 7 months old I can pull down any one of those bicycles and go riding for an hour or two, from 11 miles to 30 miles and always faster than 12 miles an hour average. I can ride up steep hills or into the wind without stopping. 

I know how lucky I am that I don't have a 'family physician" because I have never needed one. I usually don't have anything more than the annual winter cold that over the counter medicines take care of. I'm not on any required medication on a daily basis. I can still mow the .4 acres with a self propelled push mower if I want but there was a reason I finally broke down and bought the riding mower. For some reason this year I was having a breathing problem using the push mower. 

I generally eat healthy food but I know my limits. A gallon of milk will not last 24 hours in my house because I have been addicted to milk since I was young. I know which foods I eat that I will pay for later with indigestion that keeps me eating Tums to make it through the night. I know which foods are worth that misery and eat accordingly. LOL

My expenditure spreadsheet that I have kept for almost 25 years tells me a lot. I spend about the same amount of money every month give or take a few hundred due to inflation, on the same things mostly ... groceries, gas for the car and dog food. Sure I splurge on occasion but for the first time in many years I could not figure out what to buy myself this year for Christmas, so I bought nothing. 

I know that I might complain at times about the cost of living, but basically I will have enough increase in income to cover those additional costs. The MOST IMPORTANT thing I learned this year ... no matter how much damage a storm might cause and no matter how many times it happens ... in the end, everything is fixed or repaired !!! At least where I live.

I know that my insurance for the house will increase annually even if I have not filed a claim. I know my car insurance will increase every 6 months renewal and that the stupid app they have me download where they can track my driving "to save money" only covers not all but most of their policy increase. Two different companies have told me the exact same reasons for the insurance increases. So it is what it is.

I guess what I learned this year are things change. That's nothing new, as I have always known that. This year I was more aware of that and I could get back into living in the moment and not dwell on the past. Yet, you will see me blog about the past quite a bit. Nothing stays the same, nothing is going to be perfect and my mind is scattered at times. I also know and have known for decades it is only me that determines how my life is ... happy or pissed off. 

At least this past year I was able to recognize 'trigger points' that makes me want to look at cars for sale online LOL, or analyze the cost of different dog foods and their ingredients. I recognize that I may not like doing things that I use to love doing, not just like doing. I realized it is really okay if the hounds, dogs and I do absolutely nothing that day. They aren't but I am retired, so it's my schedule. 

So here's to a Happy New Year in 2025 with some luck along the way.

I may or may not stay up past midnight tonight to bring in the new year but I do know all the hounds and dogs will be out cold and snoring by 7:30pm. 

Happy New Year from "the tropics" of Southern Indiana.