My mother-in-law loved necklaces.  Long, short, bold, elegant, colorful, interesting, subdued.  Flo loved them all and could wear them with wonderful confidence.  When Flo died, Barry and I carefully removed her necklace holder from behind her bedroom door and we took it to our home… necklaces and all.  Barry carefully attached it with its two little brass screws to the back of our hallway door, right outside our upstairs bathroom.  This way, I just nudge the door to see which necklace I choose to honor Flo with on any particular day or occasion.

Last New Year’s Day, 2009, Barry and I had just finished the coldest Polar Plunge in the history of the world… and once home and dry and warm and changed, I picked out one of Flo’s favorite necklaces to wear that day.  It is a long strand of shells and faux pearls, and it just made me think of Flo and the ocean, and how she would have so enjoyed our little plunge.  It made me feel wonderful.  During the course of the day, both Audrey and Jane, my Mom, and several other people commented on my beautiful necklace… and I told them it had belonged to Flo…

… and on many occasions since, I have found it missing, only to find it on either Audrey or Jane.  I love that they love this necklace so much.  I feel it gave New Year’s Day 2009 such a wonderful beginning and continuation.

Well, as many of you know, 2010 began with Barry and me and a Polar Plunge… but we’ve had some medical set-backs this month, prompting me to officially begin my New Year today, February 1st.  As luck would have it, the day began with a trip to New York City for Barry, Audrey and me.  Audrey had a meeting to attend, so Barry and I walked and walked and walked and had lunch and walked and walked and walked some more.  We did lots of window shopping… but something called me into one store.  One store only.  It was the only store in the wholesale jewelry district that didn’t have a sign that read:  WHOLESALE ONLY.

We went in.  There was jewelry everywhere.  High.  Low.  In-between.  Shiny.  Colorful.  Bold.  Simple.  Elegant.  I asked the salesperson who immediately handed me a little basket if we needed a wholesalers license to be there.  She said, “No, but you must spend at least $20.00.”

I thought, “OK.  I can do that.”

At that moment, my eyes landed on a beautiful necklace among the thousands of others… a necklace with shells and shiny beads that was an almost perfect replica of Flo’s necklace.  It was the only one like it.  I delicately removed it from the rack and brought it to Barry… and reminded him of the story of the 2009 New Year Necklace.  It was mesmerizing to me, especially since today is my New Year 2010…

Flo knew all along.  She knows that I’ve been caring for my Mom (who comes home this Wednesday!) and for Barry… and she knew that today is my New Year’s Day.  We bought the necklace and I put it around my neck the second we left the store.  I couldn’t wait to tell Audrey and Jane…

… and when we got home just now, I got Flo’s necklace from her jewelry holder behind my hallway door.  It was Flo all right.  It was Flo telling me that all’s well… all’s well with 2010.

So everyone… HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!  I have it on good authority from heaven that it’s gonna be a good one!