Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
Ring Out
Surprising no one, we convinced ourselves not to go to the party tonight. Instead we ate scalloped potatoes and ham and watched five episodes of a Yukon Quest YouTube. We could have done that tomorrow night or the night after but it seemed delicious to do it on New Year’s Eve. Don’t ask me why.
I remember going to a funeral of someone I knew and by happenstance ending up in about the third row in this huge, cavernous church and thinking I don’t belong this close to the front, not being family or knowing the deceased all that well. I was trapped, there being no place to flee, and so I let go of not belonging because it didn’t matter.
It’s unreasonable and judgmental but I think it’s dumb for dogs to wear clothing. Today, a bulldog ran up to us at the dog park wearing a hoodie. Why?
It took me all year to realize that Two Buck Chuck comes in smaller bottles than ordinary wine. This doesn’t make me like it any less since I have a dull witted palate and am very cheap but it gives me pause because it suggests that its makers think we’re idiots out here.
I only care about the New Year because it’s an election year. I’m not making any New Year’s resolutions. I’m not going to navel gaze about my 2019 life. None of that. 2020 is about the election. Period. We need a decent president, someone who doesn’t lie and believes in the Constitution. No fairy godmother is going to bring us such a president. We have to do it ourselves – vote by vote, block by block. Sort of a hand-to-hand combat kind of year. Get ready.
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Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
Okay, we are clearly the SOPHISTICATES here. It’s as clear as that magical champagne with drank out of Marilyn’s purple slippers last night. Champagne kept being poured as devoured Caviar on thinly sliced oysters. Main dinner: Choice of freshly roasted ham, mignon steak, perfectly roasted duck, lightly seared swordfish, roasted potatoes, spinach, baby green beans and – after dinner — throat clearing glass of wine. Dessert? Too many to list here.
All of that fondly remembered as we recall our REAL News Eve Dinner: Mac’n Cheese (’cause we’re still fighting that dam roto-bug. It leaves your tummy bubbling like the local Mt. Vesuvius).
No volcanic eruptions reported here on New Year’s Eve.
We chased ’19 out the door, hugging & kissing with the dogs barking around us.
They wanted treats for Auld Lang Syne.
I gave my daughter a hug and kiss because she booked her return flight to Texas on New Year’s Eve meaning we had to take her to the airport that was and hour and a half away – saving us from a Roaring 20’s party put on by good friends that would require me to come up with appropriate dress, freeze my tush off in their cold farmhouse, and mingle with drunks. Otherwise I would have had to find a reason to spend New Year’s Eve in the emergency room. I’ll do just about anything to avoid a party – and people who love parties just don’t get it.
Pat, the smaller parties are best. You can actually talk to one another. If the music is too loud, someone lowers volume on the sound system – assuming it’s not hooked up to a new cinemascope/3-D Mega-sized TV monitor that parallels the wall to wall carpeting. Or you give your little band an open bar break.
Even with my cochlear implant, I am still very uneasy at large gatherings where you are supposed to mingle and chat.
And, it would be nice to know who you’re chatting with. I fall back on MY TV news guys skills, but it is still awkward.
Pat, I attended some of those “roaring 20’s” parties long ago when I wuz in my prime.
Pat, gotta admit I had fun –after the 3rd or 4th drink. But that was then and now is now.
(ROLL CLOSING CREDITS)
Our NYE was spent watching like every other night. We did see a movie in a theatre, otherwise, it was just another night.
Your Old Year’s Eve sounds very relaxing. Mine was even quieter and duller, and I’m quite content. Christmas I love, but noisy drunken New Year’s celebrations? no thanks. I was tucked up by 10 pm and sleeping peacefully til the sun rose. Wishing you a peaceful & healthy New Year, election year or not.
Alison, agree with you about nature of the celebrations. We were low key here. Hugging & Kissing the new year in as the three dogs (night?) howled in a plea – one more treat for the old year.