Reflections

New Year's Eve is always a time to reflect. I hope that this doesn't sound like a pity party because I have so much to be grateful for. I just paid my taxes and had the money to do it. My new baby welcomed me home this evening with tail wags and snorts from his soft velvet snout. I am sitting here typing on a blog, something I thought I would never do. The house is warm and I certainly have more then enough to cover not only my needs but a bunch of wants. What happened is a Lawrence Welk Show on television. Now I have never been a Lawrence Welk fan. But...There was nothing but football and paid programming. Dare I say in Wisconsin that I am not a fan of football of any type. Now, I suppose I will be run out of the State. Even the history channel had war stories. I have had enough of killing, so I thought I would listen to the music from the Welk program while working in another pair of socks for Jade. The song that came on said when we have gone our separate ways, we will have these moments to remember and it set me off into the reflective mode. So please bear with me while I think about some other New Year's Eves. Let's see, there was the night of the aluminum foil dress. I have only told a couple of people my age that I am blogging. They are the only ones that might remember. In the 60's there was a push that we would all wear disposable clothing. I had this silver foil dress. Luckily it made it through the night without ripping into shreds. That was Madison, Wisconsin. There were several welcome to the New Year in Zion, Illinois. Those were the classic ones. Out all night and breakfast in the AM before going home. One year I had this great lime green dress with a matching scarf that had a rhinestone design. My ex said that dress doesn't look bad even on someone like you. Hey, I hung in there 24 years so don't think I took it too personally. However, there are some things you don't forget. Lets see, back to Wisconsin and more going out but Illinois once again loomed in the future. Seneca would have been fondue and pinochle or subs and charades. I usually had the party at my house. That way I put the kids to bed and was feeling a bit safer then being on the road. Back in Wisconsin we had the Year of the Blizzard. Some friends came down and unknown to me they were in the other room doctoring their coffee while I was cooking. Everyone insisted we go out. The weather was terrible. I don't know why I thought it would be safer if I went along. I wasn't the one driving. (Do you remember "friends don't let friends drive drunk") that always made me so mad. Did you ever try to take the keys from a drunk that doesn't want to give them up. Good luck. Anyway away we went. Once we hit the nightspot all I wanted to do was go home. By this time the roads were closed but that didn't stop the Ex. Lucky that there was a snowmobile that found us and took us to a four wheeler that was patrolling the roads. I think that was the last News Year's we went out. That one even stopped him. There were the years in Bloomington with Harry, a friend of ours and I falling asleep before midnight and everyone else waking us to bring n the New Year. I think that happened at least twice. There were a couple of Church parties in Brodhead. I really kind of liked those. We did games and had potluck as well as a prayer to issue in the New. In Texas the parties were at my house again. Always something going on. Now, it seems strange to be alone and remember. There was always so many people. Years and Years of people. Good times and Bad. The song is right. I will have those moments to remember. Lets make this one a good memory. Happy and Bright New Year to all. May you have lots of New Year's Memories to share.