January –A Time for Dreaming

By Joe Bullick

January begins a fresh New Year and encourages us to fill in the blanks with projects for home and personal improvements, better known as New Year’s resolutions.  As we turn our faces to the future, January brings the best weather for skating, skiing, sledding and building snowmen.  It also sees us sipping lemon tea and chewing garlic cloves to ward off colds and flu.  As a young boy, we had no flu shots.  January was the best month for being a homebody.  I did a lot of reading then.  I had no television, computer or email.  I had to use ink and pen to keep in touch.  When the blustery weather arrived, I often wondered what the creatures of the forest did.  Did they hunker down to stay warm?

We had no heat in my bedroom, so I was under a warm quilt—all handmade by mom.   I still have the first one she made.  We always had homemade soup and bread.  As a young boy, mom always encouraged me to keep a journal or diary, but I never quite got around to starting one.  I wish I had.  It’s a great way to keep a history of your life.  As a boy, our supper table was my history room.  We talked about the news of the day, what we achieved that day at school or work, and what we planned for the next day.

The first day of the year, I always associate with the Rose Parade.  It started in 1890.  Some important people were born on January 1:  Paul Revere, J. Edgar Hoover and Xavier Cugat.  At the beginning of every new year, my dad and I would write down the five things we would like to do before the year was over.  I love horses so my first objective was to go to the Kentucky Derby.  I always wanted to ride the Orient Express, visit all the states, sink a hole in one in golf, and jump out of a plane.  However, I’ve never done any of them.  What were your dreams?  I hope whatever they are, you have a great 2009.  I leave you with this thought for parents:  Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you.  God Bless!

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Joe welcomes any ideas, suggestions or interesting stories.
Email him at northcon@nauticom.net. Please put "Town Crier" in the subject line of your email.

To contact Joe to schedule an appointment to tour his museum at McKnight Elementary School, call the Northern Connection office at (724) 940-2444 or email northcon@nauticom.net. Please put "Museum Tour" in the subject line.

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