Starting Off The Year With a Flush

Howdy, y’all! Happy belated 2013 to you!

I know, I know. It’s January 12 and you’ve not heard from me in two weeks.

First, remember how in 1993, I went to the most amazing New Year’s Eve party ever? It was a rave called Resolution held in Maryland and it was an amazing night. 6,000 people in a huge warehouse with a side room that had some of the most amazing house music I’ve ever heard. Just amazing. I use the word “amazing” a lot to describe that party, because that’s the only way a person CAN describe that party. No one wanted it to end!!

So, cut to 2012. No, it wasn’t off the chain like 1993, but it was pretty darn awesome. The kids wanted to stay up until midnight, just like last year. We had my grandmother come over for the night as well. We played lots of Rummikub which is like playing the game Rummy, only with tiles instead of cards. I think we played at least six times that night. The kids played many a round of “Just Dance 4” (sidebar: why on earth does JD4 have Europe’s “The Final Countdown” on it? It’s not a good song, nor can one really dance to it.). We flipped the TV through the various broadcasts showing the festivities in New York City.

Everyone was doing great, and then it happened. At 11:45 p.m., with a mere 15 minutes to go, CootieBoy fell asleep. And not just a little bit – he was IMPOSSIBLE to wake up. I poked and prodded and called his name, but he wasn’t budging. I finally got him to mumble an assent to being taken up to his bed, and I carried him up and without hesitation he snuggled under his blankets and drifted off again.

11:58 p.m. Denis has poured the champagne as we await the final countdown (heh – see what I did there?). GGma says, “I have to go to the bathroom.” I responded, “There’s no way – can you not hold it? There’s no way you’ll be done in time for the ball drop.” She declared she couldn’t hold it, so I helped her get to the bathroom.

11:59:45 – she’s still in the bathroom and the other three of us were laughing at the ignominy of being caught in the bathroom when the clock strikes midnight.

12:00:01 – we drink our champagne, calling out Happy New Year to GGma, who is still behind closed door.

12:02 – GGma comes out of the bathroom chuckling to herself, and says, “How embarrassing is that – to spend your New Year’s Eve on the pot?”

By 12:30 a.m. we party animals headed to bed for the night. We all slept in (GGma slept until after 10 a.m.!) and then had french toast for brunch.

It was no Resolution, but it was a fun night. As I took GGma home that afternoon she commented on how much fun she had had even though she rang in the new year in the bathroom.

And isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be? Ringing in the new year with those you love, enjoying the little things that make you a family?

Happy new year, everyone!