Here’s another visitor, SamCat. Comes by every now and then, just browsing I guess.

Lorraine and her fellow blankie-meisters stitch up small blankies (14 by 18 inches – mini-quilts, if you will) that incorporate different colors, textures, and safe embellishments. The blankies go to Alzheimer’s patients or wounded veterans, for whom the texturally stimulating blankies serve a therapeutic, calming purpose.

Lorraine’s been at it for years. She first invented the blankie to help a dear friend of hers who became an Alzheimer’s patient. Lorraine realized others could benefit from blankies as well, so a mission was launched. She started stitching up blankies, friends jumped on board to help. The group gets together each month. The blankies get delivered to nursing homes.

Therapeutic value of the blankies for wounded veterans was also recognized, so the blankie crew started making blankies with patriotic themes and fabrics as well last year. Some of those blankies even went to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington courtesy of the Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom last year.

And just lately, one particular patient, a wounded veteran with a love of Harley Davidson motorcycles, inspired a new kind of blankie – a blend of motorcycle themes with patriotic ones. Our local Harley dealer, Ray C’s, and the H.O.G. group are donating used Harley t-shirts for the blankie-meisters to cut up and use.

It’s beautiful the way Lorraine pulls others into her web of good will, whether it’s people who deliver the blankies, donate fabrics, stitch, or receive the fruits of the labor. Infinity Health Care in Lapeer is donating the use of space for the blankie meetings.

Lorraine never tires of her mission. Her enthusiasm for the project is contagious. (I know, because now she’s got me stitching a blankie up. We’ll see how that goes.)

Lorraine’s always looking for more stitchers to join in the fun. The group meets on the third Tuesday of every month.

I love stars and meteor showers. I love shooting stars. I always wish on stars. Anything’s possible. When you look up into the mysterious night sky, and ponder those sparkles up there, you just know it’s true.

Sometimes, I have this vision where Lapeer becomes this creative hub. I see these awesome galleries and studios, little coffee stops, shops with eclectic appeal. Workshops and retreats draw people here, as well as weekend performances and events. There’s outside art, too, along the walkways (yes, walkways).

It’s a very visual, kinetic place in my mind. Cool, science-y projects and events happen here. Also, some version of the performing arts center goes up – whether it’s the sweeping glassy version or the renovated White building – and it’s a revolving door, supported by the creative energy in the community…

Oh, then she wakes up. Creative energy in the community. Yeah, we need a little more of that.

The Freep’s Dzwonkowski’s recent comments relative to the Census, it reminded me of what I already know all too well. Our demographic is changing, has changed – with the exodus of young people from the state leaving an aging population.

Really, can you blame them? I look around here for what’s appealing to intelligent young adults, and frankly, there’s not much. I’m no young adult, and even I struggle to find appealing endeavors and culture in the area. Yes, I love the rural aspects of the state and region, but there’s got to be more to it than that. Young people, they definitely need more than that.

And maybe because of our demographic it’s difficult to engender that kind of energy, especially in the context of our, ahem, state mindset. Still, not impossible. Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids – those are two places that have that energy I‘m talking about, but they’re not going to carry the whole state.

Creative movers and shakers – time to come out of the woodwork.

Oh, there goes one! We can always wish.

The lavish lights, those crazy stone globes, the empty park waiting with open arms – gotta love it. And I do love Shain Park. There’s always something going on there, even when there’s not. In the summer, kids are playing the musical bench, people splash at the fountain or take pictures, others sit on the benches or lay on the grass reading…. It’s just such a pleasant, inviting urban space.

Anyway, it’s official now. 2012.

I have high hopes for twenty-twelve despite the bunch of clowns running for president, and even in spite of our president’s flourishing signature capping off 2011. Yup, it was just yesterday the president signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law despite “serious reservations.”

I find that deeply troubling. If you actually have “serious reservations,” how about, um, don’t sign it into law. This law (which was also supported by Levin, Stabenow and Miller) allows for indefinite detention of U.S. citizens by the military without trial.

How is it that this could come to pass? Where is the outrage among the citizens? For that matter, where is the concern among the citizenry?

Nor do I find much comfort in promises of “broad discretion” in its interpretation.

Okay, people. It’s 2012. Be engaged.

I have confidence in my mom’s tried and true traditions. In that spirit, I have set out my New Year’s cabbage, and scattered my silver coins about it on the table. Thus, as long as everything’s in place at midnight, I can count on both food and financial abundance in the coming year. So goes the lore with which my West Virginian mom raised us.

My mom is no longer with us, but her kids are faithful to her traditions that apparently did the trick. So there’s at least a few cabbages and quarters sitting out on tables.

When I was a kid, the thing we looked forward to more than anything else at New Year’s was our grand midnight tradition. We were always terribly excited about it. It was the one night a year when our parents not only allowed us, but encouraged us, to run outside in our pj’s to make as much noise as we could by clattering all the pots and pans together.

We raided the kitchen with abandon as mom stood smiling on at us. And once outside with as much of an assortment of cookware as we could tote, we absolutely reveled. Oh, we did carry on, despite the frigid weather, prancing around in our pajamas and boots, clanging as loudly as we could. Our lovely neighbors never complained (not even cranky Mrs. Patchett).

I do not think I’ll be outside tonight with my pots and pans. Where I live now, I usually hear at least a few people shooting guns about that time.

Nevertheless, I will have my cabbage and silver on the table, and probably something bubbly in my hand. And in my mind, I will have my resolutions. I have been carefully honing my list of 2012 objectives, and they have also been carefully drafted on paper so that I can refer to them and check them off. And I will check them off.

2012 will be a good year.

Happy New Year to you!

Work this week is an odd mix of the usual urgency with a layer of lull pasted over it. Kind of like those fuzzed out pictures. There’s nothing you can do, it’s just that way. The mind says, “Work!” and the heart says, “Dream!” And everyone, everyone is in the same boat with it.

It’s kind of a magical time, really – this odd hiatus between Christmas and the new year. It gives me sort of a sense of anticipation, possibility. And truly, anything is possible. I know that.

The question is not whether the thing can be done. The question is, “What’s the thing?”

It’s been the question for quite a while now, actually.

But here we are, on the cusp of the new year. No better time to make a resolution, eh? Time to fish or cut bait.

Gifts are no longer a significant feature of the day. We bring food and joyful hearts. And we just spend the time chatting and laughing, enjoying each other’s company while we nibble away at the edible delights.

Went over to St. Mary’s in Royal Oak for their Christmas Eve service, and it was lovely. The music was awesome. Wonderful to be in that beautiful, arching space, filled to the brim with hopeful souls. At one point, all the wee ones seemed to be of like mind, squealing as if calling gleefully to one another across that broad room. And there were many, many of the little ones.

Merry Christmas!

So Elite Feet had their Fun Run tonight to benefit the Stone Soup Food Pantry in Lapeer. Runners (and walkers) brought $5 worth of non-perishable food or a cash donation.

I called my friend Lori about an hour before the event to see if she wanted to go. We trained together this summer and I knew she wanted to do a 5k. And cool thing, even on such short notice, she was up for it!

We took off shortly after 5:30 p.m., so it was already good and dark when we started. I took my trusty little flashlight. We were running a course we already knew well, but it was totally cool to run it in the dark. And run it, we did. I was so happy to run it with Lori.

Fun to come back out of the dark onto the main drag where the white Christmas lights wound around the street poles lit up the sidewalk.

Very legit of Elite Feet to host the run for a worthy cause. Applause. A great excuse to get out and move – always worth it.

Nice run yesterday morning with Diane and Vickie and Dale. It was a little icy out, and Diane lent me one of her pairs of “cleats.” You just pull them on around your shoe. Pretty cool, and they really do the job. I was a little worried setting out on the icy stuff, but was able to run pretty comfortably. Does take a little more foot focus with the ice on the ground. We covered about four miles, alternating run/walk.

Felt great. Yeah, it was cold to start, but really not bad once we got moving.

Switches gears… Okay, here we are practically on the cusp of the Iowa caucuses, and Bachmann, Perry, and Santorum are hard at work. Old Newty’s bright shiny already seems to be wearing thin and media-fave Romney picks up the Iowa endorsement. Good Lord, this is sad commentary. From one end of the spectrum to the other, we have no leaders. There appears to be no one at all to choose from who we can really respect, look up to, have confidence in, um, trust (you can stop laughing) – you know, a leader. And at a time when we could really use one.

And to think, this is just the beginning of an entire year of what amounts to nothing more than election tripe, dished up as if it meant something. Soup to nuts.

Meantime, our worthless bunch in Congress fiddles around over payroll tax cuts, and pretends to know what they’re doing with SOPA, or any other number of topics.

Worries me, you know. You, too, I’m guessing. Wish I didn’t care so much.