Three beautiful things from the final week of 2015:

1. The past week has been chock full of time with family and friends. Because of a last-minute job opportunity for Rudi, I got to spend a few extra days longer than initially planned with my parents. My aunt, uncle, and cousin joined us for Christmas dinner, and I got to spend wonderful afternoons with Karen and her children (when we discovered a new-to-us hiking trail) and Laura. Tonight, Sarah and I will ring in the New Year together, because it’s good to begin the year as you mean to go on — in this case, with good friends (and, hopefully, laughter).

2. Because Rudi’s ski school had temporarily relocated to Vermont (no snow in Pennsylvania right now), he needed our car to go north. Luckily, he found me a cheap flight home, so I took a fast route back to D.C. (As a bonus, there were no lines in Hartford and everyone there was very pleasant.)

3. This has been an abnormally warm December, so it was nice to wake on Tuesday to the ground coated in white, even if it was from an ice/sleet storm. It wasn’t a real hassle to push-shovel, although I’m glad my parents have a tractor for their 1/4-mile-long driveway.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world during these final days of the year?

I know, I know. We’re down to the last day of the year. But I figured I had some things I’d like to do before it’s over:

1. Sleep.
2. Deal with the two Groupons that expire tomorrow. (One is transferring money onto my Starbucks card, so that’s easy.)
3. Finish one last book. (We’re into the final 50 pages or so of a mystery, and I actually don’t know who the murderer is OR who the PI works for. Shocking!)
4. Complete one last knitting project. (I’ve just got a couple rows to finish, plus two thumbs to knit on my Christmas fingerless mitts that it’s been too warm to wear this year.)
5. Pay the phone bills.
6. Send out the last of the Christmas cards. (I like real mail no matter when it arrives. I assume other people will, too.
7. Unpack. (My carry-on is jam-packed.)
8. Compose a three beautiful things post.
9. Go to the movies with Sarah. (We’ve got a trio of films we’re planning to see as this year transitions out and 2016 moves in.)
10. Call Rudi to wish him a happy new year before he goes to bed. (He’s coaching up in Vermont and likely will be asleep by the time Sarah and I get out of the theater.)

How about you? Are you trying to finish anything up before the clock strikes twelve and the calendar flips over?