New Year's Day

(or out with the old, in with the new)

         There is so much that is Exciting about a "New Year".    It's appealing to be able to start all over and give another try to getting my "life" right.

          I vow to keep the house cleaner, eat more nutritious meals, get my tax stuff together before April 1st and loose fifteen pounds.   It is good to set goals for one's self and even a couple of months of a 'better organized me' gives me a lift that will get me through the worse of winter.

          Our New Year's Eve celebrations are very simple, unstructured and relaxing.  When the kids were little, they were allowed to stay up until midnight ---although they most generally fell asleep shortly past their regular bed time, curled up near the lighted Christmas tree or snuggled under coverlets and leaning against their Daddy or me as the TV murmured.  We played television programs that were doing a count down to the New Year and watched the clock ourselves to verify the time.  At 12 o'clock, we would open the door TO LET IN THE NEW YEAR and listen to the sounds of celebration rolling throughout the city.  We lived on a bluff overlooking the Blue River Valley.  In the cold midnight air all sounds became magnified, treating listeners to an incessant cacophony made up of strings of firecrackers, the occasional deep-throated boom of a cherry bomb or M80 and nearer by, the shouts of mostly younger, hopeful voices shouting across to neighbors, "HAPPY NEW YEAR!!".

          It has been 30 years or more since we ventured forth to do our celebrating in a "partying" atmosphere.  So often, in the early years of our married life, it seemed that the weather conspired to slippery and snowy conditions and with the increased likely hood of drivers with too much alcohol and too little common sense, we very early  on decided to do our celebrating at home, or at the home of wonderful around the corner neighbors for endless pinochle games, girls against the boys, and comfortable, at-ease conversation. 

          After Gary and Mardee moved away, we began celebrating with our little family.  Since it was the family that would journey through the New Year together, that formula seemed to work best for us.   Every Year....even in 1999 and beyond....Whatever that 'Brand New' YEAR will hold is still a mystery on New Year's Eve, be it good news, happy times, hope and joy and  sometimes (being real life), problems to solve or deep sadness....We can be assured that The family---OUR family---will endure and lend the support necessary to get on with life.

          Now, of course, after  years of the  daughters having families and lives of their own, John and my New Year's Eves have changed and evolved a bit.  Some years, we provide an overnight stay for one or several of the grandchildren, so that their parents will have a chance to celebrate the kinds of   New Year's Eve that they aspire to.  Other years, it is just John and me to ring out the Old and welcome the New.  It's kind of nice to have that quite.  The hectic bustle of Christmas is a week in the past.  This Eve is, for us, a time to reflect on all that is in the past and know that tomorrow is a whole NEW YEAR.  We get plates of munchies,  turn down the lights and stare into the Christmas tree's lights and play music on a station that keeps us informed of what time it's getting to be.   I still almost always open the front door at midnight to welcome in the New Year and listen to the clamor of  celebration for a little while.  Then we shut off the tree lights and any other stray lights that are still on and head for bed, as I want to be well rested so I can start to make all of those "changes" in my life that will give me a whole new me! . 

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!

Update to December 31, 2004

          Hard to believe that another year has almost passed into history!  It has been extremely busy and much that is good has transpired in the Abbott household. 

          But it has been a harsh year for our world with so much of the populace mired in hate, mistrust and war.  The tragedies of nature and of man have left me glad that 2004 is almost over. 

          I pray that Peace will come to every corner of our World during 2005.  That our world leaders will begin looking for solutions to the issues that divide us from one another.  That all factions will learn respect for the diversity that exists throughout the lands of every nation and allow every soul upon the Earth the freedom to grow and be nurtured in Love and Care.

           I do want to wish a Wonderful Happy New Year to Each and Every One.  May this year of 2005 be the Best ever for You!   

I am sending a special New Year's Wish your way at this link.