Hop-py New Year!

Chinese New Year, that is!  The new lunar year starts on February 3, 2011 and it's the year of the quiet and peace-loving RABBIT!

Chinese New Year is a 15-day celebration, culminating in a full moon and the colorful Lantern Festival. To the Chinese, it's a truly special time for friends, family, and food. The young and old, married and single, gather to wish each other a healthy and prosperous New Year. In many ways, it really is everybody's holiday!

Each lunar year is welcomed with a respective shengxiao or zodiac. There are 12 guardian animals of the Chinese zodiac. (Think multiples of 12, Tudygirls! Work that abacus!!) They were introduced by Emperor Huang Di almost 5 centuries ago. They are: the Rat (1996, 2008), Ox (1997, 2009), Tiger (1998, 2010), Rabbit (1999, 2011), Dragon (2000, 2012), Snake (2001, 2013), Horse (2002, 2014), Goat (2003, 2015), Monkey (2004, 2016), Rooster (2005, 2017), Dog (2006, 2018), and Pig (2007, 2019). Depending on your year, certain animal traits reflect aspects of your personality. Do you know your shengxiao or animal zodiac? Remember, your guardian animal offers up happiness and luck. Go ahead, look it up!

So a Kung Hei Fat Choy to one and all!  It's time to get hop-py!

How to Say Goodnight...

Losing a best friend is never easy.  So it helps when you have a little book to guide you through it.  No, this isn't a self-help book.  Say Goodnight, Gracie is a bittersweet novella by Julie Reece Deaver that's been around for more than 30 years!  And I think the reason why it's been around so long is because it really helps you understand grief and helps you deal with it.  I know this isn't the usual kind of book I like, but sometimes, Tudy Girls, you've just got to face the hard stuff!  And it's easier when you have a little go-to book like Say Goodnight, Gracie.

So read it, keep it or give it.  There may be a time you'll need to say Goodnight...  

Belated Happy Birthday, Peanuts!

Good Grief!  How could I have missed it!  Last October 2010, Peanuts, the beloved comic strip of Charles Schultz, celebrated its 60th birthday!  We all love Snoopy, and you can imagine why he's Woofy's idol!  And Kawaii only fluffs her feathers for Woodstock!  Meowry has a purring for Linus (must be that blanket!) but me?  I have a soft spot in my heart for Lucy!  Always loved her sassiness!

So better late than never!  Happy Birthday, Peanuts!  You've come a long way!