Happy New Year, I hope......

2010 started with a CRASH, BOOM, BANG. 

Not the traditional fireworks or ball sliding down a pole.

It rained a TON last night. Dumped and dumped and dumped. So much water fell from the sky, that Mother Earth rang in the New Year around here in a most unusual way.

A whole section of our hillside fell down - taking a tree with it. I guess the ground can only get so super-saturated before it cuts loose!

Honestly, I'm surprised to see this section fall. It "seemed" pretty secure all this time. But, Ty started clearing this section of all the under-brush and small, natural shrubs last year. NOW, I'm really nervous about clearing this side of the house for the recommended 100' fire break. We've got a whole big mountain up there - it's not flat!

I'm deathly afraid of forest fires, but I don't want to have the house full of mud either!!!

Oh, the "good-life" in the Pacific Northwest. Earthquakes. Forest Fires. Drought. Mud Slides. What's next? Locusts???? (I had to throw that last one in 'cause that's what Phillip said last night while driving home on the WATER-LOGGED freeway!) Snow. Ice. Wind. Flooding. Locusts..... We're off to a good start for a Happy New Year!!! 2009 was a great year, so I hope this isn't a sign of what's to come in 2010.......

I know ONE thing that WILL happen around here this year is getting rid of STUFF!

Our garage and my treasure-hunting-finds storage room got flooded too! Too much water. Most of my treasures were in totes or sitting on top of totes, so not much got soaked - thank goodness.

I have to admit though, that at 2 a.m. in the morning, as I was in there moving things out of the water, I was inclined to get rid of everything in the room. Making a mental promise to myself. A resolution, so to speak. That's one of my goals this year. GET RID OF STUFF!!! 


So, that's my New Year's Resolution! Make some changes around here regarding STUFF!!!

All you fellow junkers out there, wish me luck! Really, I'll need it. I feel like I'm drowning.......