I’m told I had a very good time on New Year’s Eve

The New Year’s Eve party was pretty low-key this year. It was nice; the party really flips around from year to year. Some years it’s standing room only, and some years it’s more like a quiet celebration with friends. There was no fire juggling this year, thanks to the burn ban – but that didn’t stop the neighbors from setting off some fireworks (and perhaps me shouting that the drunk people down the road would like to see more of them… sigh…). There were the usual suspects, and also it was a lovely surprise to get Antony down from New Hampshire (did I mention he and Jag moved out of Boston? They’re still very close to the city, though, and drive in for work). Tim’s parents didn’t make it in time for the party – they flew in the next day and stayed until the 9th, instead – and we missed them but are glad we got to spend time with them later in the week.

Another surprise guest was my step-sister, FL, and her husband Vernon. About three of you are now thinking “oh, how sweet that they are patching things up after not seeing each other in 30 years!” and the rest of you are thinking “you have a stepsister?!”. More on that later, I have some other photos to share with that story. It was absolutely wonderful to see her and meet her husband, and I’m looking forward to not making it another 30 years before we see each other again.

Tim and I need to start thinking of houses big enough to hold this party; it may pass to us in the next 10-15 years, when Aunt Gay and Uncle Joe are ready to pass on all that prep-work and cleaning responsibility.

I missed breakfast the next day; apparently white wine and champagne in large quantities do not play well together in one’s internal areas. I think this may be my first New Year’s hangover – I’ve never missed breakfast before, and I was very sorry to. My digestive system so rebelled that I also didn’t get much of Tim’s birthday Brazilian feast the next day, but that’s another story as well…