We get the week between Christmas and New Year’s off from work so I didn’t set an alarm for eleven days.  For eleven mornings, it was full daylight when I woke up.

Then on Tuesday morning, it was dark outside when my alarm went off at 6:05, and I had to drag myself out of bed.

Even worse, after a balmy holiday week, it had turned bitter cold with a wind chill down in the teens, so riding my bike was not an option.  

I got to work, turned off the “out of office” message on my email, changed my vacation voice mail message and watered my drooping plants. 

Then I opened the cellophane-sealed package containing my favorite calendar. Each month is an eleven by fourteen painting by Maine artist, Dana Heacock. January, 2012 is a calico cat against a rich red background.

My New Year is underway.