Sarah Vs. The Bear

A funny thing happened on the way to Alamosa from Denver one August morning. 
I hit a bear with my car. 

Yes, you read that sentence correctly. 65 mph collision with a bear in the middle of the road. Grab a drink, pull up a comfy seat, sit back and get ready for a story like you have never heard before.

My dear friend Amanda decided to buy a car while she was home for the summer in New York. She asked me if I would fly out and then drive back with her so she could have her car at college. Yes please! My first time to travel to the east and also to drive that far in a car. It was my chance to see parts of the country that I hadn't seen before.

I very much enjoyed my time in New York and was able to travel to Maine for the day to see the Atlantic Ocean and body surf. We packed as much in as we could before we had to head west.

Due to the fact that we were college students and not very smart, we were going to leave eastern New York Saturday night after Amanda's cousin's wedding and be in class on Monday morning in southern Colorado. That meant driving straight from point A to point B. As you can imagine, my parents weren't real excited about this plan. This was before everyone and anyone had a cell phone, so they sent theirs with me along with several tips and pointers for a safe trip. One of them (repeated) was to pay attention to mile markers. Didn't think too much about this at the time, but did as I was told.

We arrived in Denver at about two o'clock in the morning on Monday where I then got in my car and she followed me. I knew that this was going to be the hardest part of the trip since we had been driving for so long and we were no longer together in the same car. I found a bag of snacks and energy drinks in my car left by someone in my family so I partook in said snacks and drinks. This is where I place blame of the whole debacle. If I hadn't had that drink, I think we would have sailed right through.

I don't know if it actually kept me awake other than the fact that it made me have to go to the bathroom about every ten minutes. I think we stopped on the side of the road three times in the next two hours. 

We were driving along, me singing along to the radio at the top of my lungs at about four at this point, in the middle of nowhere in the mountains. All of a sudden 

I didn't even see him until I hit him. I didn't see his head, or his behind, just his side as I smashed into it. Everything in the car went flying forward and the air bags deployed. I some how had the state of mind to pull my car off to the side of the road and to a stop. The car was filled with smoke from the air bags, the horn was going off and the hood was smashed with smoke pouring out of it. 

This is where all logical thought left me. I got out of my car and walked back to meet Amanda. I no longer had my parents' phone (I left it at their house when I got my car) and I wanted Amanda's to call my dad. She still had her mind about her and didn't really want to get out of her car in case there was an angry hurt bear hanging around. I remember wanting to sit down and she wasn't moving fast enough so I was just going to sit down on the ground unaware that it was the middle of the road. I thought we were far enough to the side. Thankfully she caught me on my way down and put me in the car. 

By an act of God we had cell service and I was able to call my dad. I don't remember much of the phone call other than telling him that I hit a bear with my car and him asking me if I had killed it. At the time I thought this was the stupidest question ever asked. I replied with, "I don't know, want me to go back and look?" He quickly told me no! Everyone else, but me, was thinking about an angry bear wanting to take on whatever just disturbed his leisurely stroll. I figured he was experiencing fight or flight, he lost and now he was flighting away!

Dad calmed me down, gave me instructions to call 911 and get someone out there. This is where the advice of paying attention to mile markers would have been handy, but since I was in familiar territory, I hadn't been paying attention to them anymore. I knew that we were almost to the next town and the name of the highway we were on, which was a miracle in itself. The dispatch told me that they were having a hard time finding me, which was also silly to me. We were the only one's on the stretch of the highway for miles and one car was demolished. Didn't seem that hard to me.

So finally, the state patrol showed up along with the ambulance. They took me to the nearest hospital with the fear of internal damage in my abdomen. I had burns on my arms from the air bag and a spot on my stomach from either the steering wheel, seat belt or the air bags. Amanda followed us in her car and I never saw my car again.

I was looked over by the doctor in the ER and set free. Amanda drove us the rest of the way into Alamosa and the small victory was that we made it in time to go to class! I didn't go though. I thought I had a pretty good excuse for not making it and so did my prof. 

My dad, step-mom and sister left our house in Hotchkiss shortly after they hung up with me, drove the four hours to Salida to clean out my car, then another two to Alamosa to see me and make sure I was ok, then four hours back to Denver. 

Once everyone knew that I was ok, that's when the teasing began and hasn't stopped since! My cousin informed me that I am the only one in the world that has ever hit a bear with my car. He isn't correct on this but he just says that I am the only one he knows. It has been several years since this has happened but still a fun story to laugh about with friends and family.

What is the strangest animal you have had a run in with?

This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post. The sentence is "A funny thing happened on the way to..." brought to you by Finding Ninee.

Because of Winn-Dixie I Got a *Heart Flutter*

This week (and it is only Wednesday) and I haven't gotten along very well. If you are wondering how the week is truly going, ask one of my students. I am sure they will tell all.

I have been trying really hard to figure out what is going a miss and what I need to do to fix it. Pretty much I got nothin. I don't know if it is the really nice weather where I have the doors and windows wide open and then the next day my nose hairs freeze when I step outside. I don't know if it is just the traditional January sludge that happens every year. It's something.

While trying to figure out what is going on, I have tried (even if not very hard) to find some positives in each day. Today I made myself write a list of things that made me smile. I figured I would share the top moment of the day with you all.

Kate Dicamillo happens to be one of the most incredible authors of all time. In fact, this week she was honored with the highest honor in children's literature with the 2014 Newbery Award for her newest book Flora and Ulysses, this being her second win. Because of Winn-Dixie won the Newbery Honor a few years ago, so as you can see, her work is award winning.

Earlier in the year I read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane to my class and they adored the story and one boy was upset for days that it was over. Today I fnished reading Winn-Dixie with a novel study group and I got the same results.

Once the last word was read one boy said, "I love this book. I just love this book. It is just so amazing. It is in my top ten most favorite books." The look on his face as he was professing his love of the book was priceless and what I hope to see on every students face. I asked him why he loved it so much and he had a few points, but mostly, "I just loved it!"

Of all the moments today where I wasn't prepared, the words wouldn't come out and I lost my patience, I did one thing right. I put a book into a child's hands and watched it change his world ever so slightly, just like India Opal's life changed because of Winn-Dixie.

Have you read any Kate Dicamillo books? I can't wait to get my hands on Flora and Ulysses.

P.S Kate did not ask me to write this, but if she did, that would be cool. That would mean that we were friends. All the opinions in this post are mine and if you know me at all, you know blurt out my opinions to anyone who might listen! ;0)

TTT~ Random Survey Questions

Can it be Tuesday already? I feel like I just wrote my Top Ten Tuesday post. Oh yeah, I did, a week ago.

Anyway, I once again didn't like the topic for the week (next week I do, so stay tuned) so I found some random questions to answer. They remind me of the email surveys that you share with your friends. I liked those, so why not? I found these ten here.

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.
• reading my secret thoughts, Miss Boland held up her (Soup on Ice by Robert Newton Peck)
2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can, What can you touch?
• the VCR remote control
3. Before you started this survey, what were you doing?
• cleaning the bathroom
4. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
• Watching Ellen right now, last thing was the Grammys (Did you see P!nk?!)
5. Without looking, guess what time it is
• 6:35
6. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
• 6:58
7. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
• the dishwasher going
8. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
• About 45 minutes ago and I shoveled a path for my landlord to walk down
9. Did you dream last night?
• I dream every night
10. Do you remember your dreams?
• Usually, but not always all the details

Well there is my super random Top Ten Tuesday. I already have my list made up for next week, so check back in next Tuesday!

Do you have any suggestions for Top Ten Tuesdays topics when I don't care for the given topic?

Sweet Summer Fling Januray Update

I got the email from Bookish saying it was time to review the month and how we were doing on our challenge. Does that mean that January is over already? Fraid so friends. There is still a little under a week left, but let's face it, we all round up. Plus with all the Valentine's stuff in the store, it is hard not to think that February is already here.

I am pleased with my start to the challenge and am still trucking along. I figured that I need to read at least three books a month and a few extra this summer to make it. Right on schedule!

So far I have crossed off two books from the list and hope to finish or get close to finishing the third this weekend while I recover from snowshoeing with my class yesterday in Estes Park. Who knew that it was a full body sport?

Here is what book candy I consumed this month:

Before I Die  by Jenny Downham was my first book of the year. I gave it three stars on Goodreads, but now that I have finished it, and read another book, I kind of want to change it to a two.

True Colors by Kristin Hannah had a lot of mixed reviews on Goodreads so I was a little worried. I read it quickly and had a hard time putting it down. Lots of drama and if something could go wrong it did. I found myself thinking about this one long after it was finished, and wondering about the characters. It too was given a three and I don't want to change its rating. I again enjoyed Kristin's style of writing and look forward to the other two books by her on my list.

Current read and third book of the month:

Speaking of not good reviews on Goodreads. This one seems to have taken a beating. I already know that it isn't going to be as good as the first two or three Anne books, but I am still finding the little joys that I get from L. M. Montgomery. I just have to know that the story of Anne is nearing an end and her story continues with her children. It reminds me of the Love Comes Softly series by Jeanette Oke. I am still an Anne fan until the end.

Not a bad start! Although I thought I was a fast reader, but the more I explore from other participants in the challenge, I am slow!

Here's to bookmances in February!

What books did you cross of your TBR pile this month?

TTT~ Ten Things I Am Looking Forward To

It is once again Tuesday, even though it feels like Monday. I love three day weekends, but they sure do cause some confusion! I like to participate in Top Ten Tuesday over at The Broke and the Bookish, but I can't come up with anything for the topic for this week, so I turned to another source.

A year ago, my sister, Ali, got each of us girls this book. I have done an ok job of keeping up and filling it out. This second year has been fun because I can look back at what I answered last year. Imagine what it is going to be in five years!

Anyway, I decided to turn today's question into my TTT topic. 

What are you looking forward to? 

Last year's answer: my massage tomorrow and hiking this summer.

Today's top ten answers:

~Summer break (this is a really bad one since we are only in week three after Christmas break)

~Going to Alabama with Jane over spring break

~Meeting my cousin's little boy in April

~My dad to get home from working in Kansas

~"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" the play

~Seeing "The Book Thief"

~St. Patrick's Day 5k

~Making my sister's Valentine's gift

~Starting a new journal

~My hair being long again

What are YOU looking forward to?

Three Day Weekend Happiness

This couldn't be farther than the truth! I enjoy three day weekends immensely even though it throws my week off a tad, it is well worth it. Plus this week is going to be a little off at school anyway!

It has been a lovely weekend, filled with *heart flutters* everywhere.

Saturday I spent most of the day reading True Colors by Kristin Hannah while doing laundry and catching up on some other cleaning. Later that evening I had dinner with my OMM, Sarah and Alex. Nice and relaxing.

Sunday brought the epic win from the Broncos. I watched the game at the ranch. We actively watched the Bronco game, but did our own thing, (me reading) during the San Francisco/Seattle game. It was a nice day to just be and relax. This is the best part about Sunday...

Sitting on the porch with a book in a t-shirt!
Thank you Colorado.

Now for the extra day of the "weekend" I ended up staying the night at the ranch and getting up early to go with Jane to run some errands. We both forgot all of our money, so we had to make two trips (that part wasn't so fun,) but once we got going things picked up from there!

I started a blanket for a graduation gift  in November and ran out of yarn.  I didn't think this was going to be a problem, since gray is a common color right? Nope. I went to three different stores (one of them being Hobby Lobby) and NO ONE had gray yarn. I was able to find one skein at Michael's today, but need more than that. At this point I was trying to figure out what else I could do with this blanket to get it finished when Jane suggested checking Jo Ann Fabrics. Jackpot! They have the best selection of yarn I have seen in a long time. I was able to get the yarn I needed to finish my project and the knowledge of where to get my yarn from now on!

Another exciting thing on the crafting front is that I got the supplies to make what I hope is the coolest Valentine for my sister! I can't wait to get started!

Since we had some time to kill before Jane's doctor appointment, we went to a book store that we both had a gift card to. Do you think I was able to find the books I wanted? Nope. If I didn't have the gift card, every book I wanted would have been there. Oh the irony. They did have some of the JFic books I want to read, but they were all in hardback and I refuse to pay twenty dollars for a kids book! None-the-less, I did finally find a book that is on my list and got Meg Cabot's Size 12 Is Not Fat.

Over all, it was a very relaxing and happy weekend. Like I said earlier, it is going to be a crazy week, so hopefully I will be able to blog next weekend sharing all of our adventures.

Did you get a three day weekend? What did you do with it?

Ten Best Reason to Share a Room with Your Best Friend

Friday. What a glorious word! I was having a hard time thinking of how to participate in Finish the Sentence Friday, but wanted to blog, so I headed over to my trusted writing prompt web site. My cursor landed on #319: Ten Best Reason to Share a Room with Your Best Friend. I got to do this!

For three years, I shared a room with my best friend Kari. Probably the best person I ever shared a room with!

Zapata Falls

• Open closet policy
• Sadly, I did not benefit from this as much as Kari did. I couldn't fit into her clothes or shoes, but she sure could fit into mine! Many times she would walk in wearing a shirt of mine and usually looked better in it!
• Falling asleep talking
• She usually fell asleep first
• Staying up late talking
• Well, until she fell asleep mid-sentence
• You get the biggest room in the house
• Only makes sense
• If they don't clean, you don't feel guilty not cleaning
• It was a good thing that we had similar house keeping skills. We did get better towards the end.
• You don't have to hide your journal
• She knew everything in it anyway!
• It doesn't matter what you look like when you wake up
• If your hair is all crazy, don't worry, she looks the same.
• You can use their stuff whenever you want
• Since I couldn't wear her clothes, I took advantage of other things she had.
• Learning to compromise
• I like to fall asleep to music, Kari doesn't. With her good reason, I had to give it up. LONGEST. THREE. YEARS. OF. MY. LIFE! 
• Never being alone
• I always knew that she was there. If she wasn't, she soon would be. She was there the two months that I cried every day straight and dealt with my used tissues all over. She let me pour my heart out even though she knew that things were for the best. She was there for me when I was happy and excited. She was there.

The two of us with author Mark Ludy

Have you ever shared a room with your best friend? Do you now? What are/were the best parts?

1/14 RAOK

It's January 14th! Which means it was a RAOK (random act of kindness) day! I have been thinking about what I wanted to do for this first one, but was really struggling with what to do and to whom. I was slightly over thinking it, but also knew that some of my resources were limited this month.

Once I got to school, I had my ideas!

First, I put a note with a dollar on the pop machine. This ended up as a funny story. I forgot about it until the end of the day and asked the secretary if anyone had said anything about it. She informed me that only one person said anything and that they thought that the pop machine was broken. She didn't know that I had done this and didn't have time to go and investigate. So I went back and checked, and sure enough, it was still there and no one had bought any pop that day! Here I was trying to help someone, and end up depriving everyone from pop! So I wrote a not on the envelope and hope that someone tomorrow is blessed!

The second one I did was a note of thanks to a co-worker who has helped out everyone in the building at some point in time and always with a smile on her face. I attached a 100 Grand candy bar to the card telling her that she was worth more than 100 grand and put it in her box.

Not anything too big with only a small hiccup, but still made a *heart flutter* or two.

On a side note, my computer has been fixed!! Bring on the blog reading and writing!

TTT~ Mornings

It is Top Ten Tuesday again! I missed last week since I was having computer issues, not a *heart flutter* This week I don't really like the topic, so I am going to do my own. My house sitting adventures continue for one more sleep and hopefully it is a good sleep. I did sleep better last night which results in a better morning. I woke up refreshed and in a better mood. Even better, I got up a little bit earlier too!

I was thinking how much I really do like the mornings and decided to compile a list of ten reason I like the morning and why I wish I was more of a morning person.

• Sunrises
• What a beautiful good morning from God and His creative hand. I am reminded of His love every time I see nature's beauty. Also, probably the ONLY thing I like about winter is that you get to see the sunrises more often than I do in the summer.
• Quiet
• I love the peacefulness of the morning. Very few people/animals are stirring (except for Oscar since he is also an old man in a puppies body, asleep at five p.m and awake at four am!) Such a good time just to be.
• Promise of a new day
• One of my favorite quotes from my beloved Anne of Green Gables is Miss Stacie telling Anne that, “Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it... Yet.”  There are two other versions of this that make my *heart flutter* and they both come from Peanuts. Linus holding a blanket saying that, "Tomorrow I start over with a clean blanket," and then Snoopy on my calendar saying, "Happiness is a new day." No matter how horrible the day was, you get a new one in the morning. I find such hope in this.
• Breakfast 
• Can one really go wrong with cereal, pancakes, eggs, bacon, waffles, biscuits and gravy, breakfast burritos, peanut butter and honey on toast, and hash browns?
• Working out
• I really do like working out in the morning, but rarely do it. When I do manage to get it done, I feel more up beat and ready for the day
• Devotionals
• Similar feelings about working out. Starts the day off right and gives you something to think about and strive for during the day
• Morning DJs are cooler than the drive home DJs
• I listen to K99 and LOVE LOVE LOVE Brian, Todd and Susan, from the Good Morning Guys. If you ever see me sitting in my car in the morning outside of the school laughing, they are why. There are times when I don't even think what they are saying is funny, but they do and are busting a gut, you soon will be following! I wish I was up earlier to hear more of their show.
• Morning hot drinks
• I usually have myself a nice cup of chai, but every once in awhile I will have a well doctored cup of Joe
• Showering
• I am a fan of the shower. I take my showers in the morning with music blaring and using the shampoo bottle for a mic. How could this not be good?
• I just like it
• Lame, but couldn't really think of a better reason to make ten. ;0)

What about you? Are you a morning person? If so, what is your favorite part about mornings? 

If not, what don't you like?

Hee hee, this is my little sister!

House Sitting and Pintrest Palooza #2

Woooooo hooooo for the weekend! It has been a long week. Five full days back to school from two full weeks off, and cold temps. Now we didn't have as cold of temps as a lot of other people in the country, but we did have our heater go out, giving fourth grade two and a half days with out even the slightest amount of warmth. By the end of the week, everyone was ready to be finished and looked towards the weekend.

This weekend I find myself house sitting on the ranch again. Last time I house sat here, the place flooded. I am surprised that they let me come back!

It has been an interesting day (as they always seem to be when I am here.) I went for a walk with the dogs which I probably should have known better since when Oscar goes for a walk, he usually needs a bath afterwards. This time he needed the ultimate bath. As he took off after a cat or just wanted to sniff a blade of grass off the beaten path, he got into a burr patch and had burrs all over him. I tried to pull them out, but since he was also wet from the snow, it wasn't happening. So I got to try my hand at dog grooming today. No worries, I will not be giving up my job of teaching and going into dog grooming. When all was said and done, I had to change my clothes and texted the owners that both the dog and myself were going to need a drink after all that!

Then it was nap time. Oh how I love Saturday afternoon naps! Oscar was still mad a me for the bath, so he wasn't cuddled up with me, (he would rather lay in the chair shivering than cuddle with me) but Hobbes was laying on the floor next to me. It's nice to take a nap with friends.

For dinner (really the whole point for this post) I made crock pot chicken teriyaki. I would put a picture of at least where I got it, but it isn't my computer and I am having issues with pictures. This dinner adventure was part of my Pintrest Palooza goal for the year.

My chicken teriyaki looked nothing like the picture. It was good, but based on looks, you would think it wouldn't be very good.

The Pintrest pin didn't take you to a website with a recipe, I hate that, so I had to go by what someone had written in the description.

• put whatever typed and what ever way you want to cut your chicken into a crock pot
• 1c chicken broth
• 1/2 teriyaki or soy sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• cook it as long as you want to on whatever temp you want to

I then made some brown rice and ate up while working on a puzzle. Not a bad project, but not one that I would do again. Maybe with a different recipe.

Tonight was mostly a "I want to write" kind of night, so thanks for hanging around my ramblings. Stay tuned hopefully this next week for the first Random Act of Kindness of the year!

I am having personal computer issues, so this may cut down on my blogging for awhile.

1/40 Before I Die

I did it! I finished my first book of the year! Also my first book off of my Sweet Summer Fling list (are you tired about hearing about these? I feel as if I have talked about this a. lot.)

Anyway, since this is the first one, I am going to give my thoughts on it. I will spare you and not do this for all 40 books!

"Tessa has just a few months to live.

Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests, drugs with excruciating side-effects, Tessa compiles a list. It's her To Do Before I Die list. And number one is sex.

Released from the constraints of 'normal' life, Tessa tastes new experiences to make her feel alive while her failing body struggles to keep up.

Tessa's feelings, her relationships with her father and brother, her estranged mother, her best friend, her new boyfriend, all are painfully crystallized in the precious weeks before Tessa's time finally runs out." -- From Goodreads

I liked this book ok. There were a few things that I didn't like about it that I am not going to get into here, but overall, it was a pleasure to read. Since I am a thirty-something adult, there were some things that I didn't understand since I am not a 16 year-old girl dying. I found that Tessa's list was not a good one. There were things on her list that I felt were selfish and silly. Maybe it was her way of being angry. Her list did get better as the end came closer, but for me it was a little too late.

I enjoyed reading it until the end. I didn't like the way the end was written and was a little confusing. I didn't feel much after I closed the book and set it down. Could have been a better ending.

So, I thought that I would make a list of things I would do if I knew I only had a few months to live.

• Visit Ireland
• Spend as much time with my family and friends as I could
• Climb a mountain
• Go to the Melting Pot
• Write letters to each of my family members and close friends to tell them what they mean to me
• Eat as much of the foods I love as I can
• Visit the ocean
• Spend as much time as possible in the mountains
• Try to meet Reba 

I am sure that if the time came down to it, this list might change, but sitting on my couch, cuddled up, this is what I came up with.

What would you put on your list if you only had a few months left to live?

Blogging Goals

The other day I blogged about my personal goal for 2014 and have decided to participate in more random acts of kindness.  Over at Finding Ninee the topic for Finish the Sentence Friday is goals we have for blogging, so that's what I am going to write about!

To be honest, hadn't really thought about what my blogging goals are until I sat down here on the couch with "Big Bang Theory" playing. Still not sure if I have any.

I want to participate in Top-Ten-Tuesdays over at The Broke and the Bookish and Finish the Sentence Friday. Other than that, whatever makes my *heart flutter* I would like to maybe add more to the look of my blog, but that may have to wait until this summer when I have more time to sit down with someone who knows what they are doing!

I just want to have fun and blog what I think.

Here is to what 2014 brings in the wold filled with the little things in life!

Pintrest Palooza #1

Pintrest.

Possibly one of the biggest “time wasters” ever created. I can spend hours on that site looking at anything and everything. I have found some amazing things, including other blogs that have helped me get started in the blogging world. I love Pintrest.

Here is another thought I have about Pintrest: it is just a place to dream and where nothing ever gets done. I have over 900 pins and have only tried/done about 70 of them. I have good intentions of doing them, but I fear it is just going to be another To-Do list that gets over looked.

Soooo, I have a plan. I am starting Pintrest Palooza!  I am going to try at least once a week (or by the end of the year) completing/cooking/crafting whatever 52 of the things I have pinned.

The Urban Dictionary describes palooza as “an all-out crazy party; partying at one place with a ton of people like there's no tomorrow”

Now I doubt that there will be a ton of people, but I am going to Pintrest like there is no tomorrow for sure!

The first Pintrest Palooza event is salted caramel popcorn for book club. Since I got my fancy new popcorn popper, I thought it would be a good snack to munch on while we talk about our books.

Thanks to my OMM for helping me out with preparing for book club tonight!

I didn't take any pictures of my caramel corn, but it looked pretty close to this:

You can check out the blog I got this from
here.

First Book of the Year 2014

It is finally the new year and I can start on my Sweet Summer Fling! I have been in such a reading slump this past two weeks because I have been waiting and waiting to start this challenge, that nothing would satisfy me!

Let the reading begin!

Over at Book Journey Shelia has invited us all to join in on the “First Book of the Year” fun and I happily joined in!

I am reading “Before I Die” by Jenny Downham. I discovered this book from the preview for the movie starring Dakota Fanning. It looked good and I wondered if it came from a book so I looked it up. Success! So I ordered it from Paperbackswap and put it at the top of my TBR list.

Shelia asked for a picture of us reading our first book of the year and here is mine.

My sister thought that I looked like I had been crying and it was a depressing book. Ok fair observation, but I had already made up my mind that this was going to be my first book. Next year I will make sure that I pick a more upbeat book. Who knows, maybe this one won’t be all that sad!

Reviews of the book to follow.

What is your first book of the year?