First post of 2008. Last year I clocked in at 104 posts.

For New Year's Eve we did nothing. We stayed home and took it easy. Actually, this was the one and only day we didn't have something planned or meet with someone else for company or eating or something like that.

For New Year's Day we got up relatively early and got all dressed up for warmth and went sledding! Cara, Leesha, Jack and I met up with the Brown family (Ben, Emily, Timmy and Suzanna) and soon after, Laura Beth arrived and finally Eric. It was loosely a small group event. It may have been a bit too cold for sledding, but that didn't stop us.

We chose a hill by one of the schools I drive for. I was a very steep incline that came to a nice flat area ending near an apartment parking lot. Down towards the end was a lip that kind of became a ramp from plowing the parking lot. It was the goal of the day to hit the jump and land on one's feet. I was afraid to try because I don't have health insurance right now. Ben tried twice and failed. Eric tried a couple of times with no success. We attempted a sled chain. I lead with the anchor weight, Ben was 2nd steering, Eric was next and even Laura Beth jumped on at the last second. However, half way down, we lost Eric and Laura Beth! Ben took little Suzanna down a couple of times, but Timmy wasn't up for it. He kept riding down the plowed snow pile with Emily and Cara. Suzanna even rode down with Eric once! Leesha tried a small train with Ben. She went flying on that run! Then one time I went down the hill. I figured on going down like normal, veering to the right to avoid the ramp. But then my mind said, heck, go for the jump and before I knew it, I was launching off of the ramp! And then I landed on my feet in a full run! First attempt and only success off the ramp and on the feet all day. We called it a day and went home shortly after that.

Cara's parents came over for homemade curry for dinner. Good food. And a game of dominoes after. David and Darlene had never played dominoes before. I caught Leesha cheating, however.

So that's how Willis East started 2008.