The following was something I posted on Facebook the evening of 12/31/2014. My sentiments are much the same today therefore I will recycle.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. While Ryan Seacrest is no Dick Clark, I still love this NYE tradition!!! (2016 insert, yes I still love New Year’s Rocking Eve and I am looking forward to that tonight. As much as I truly LOVE NYC, I have zero desire to be in a cage somewhere along Times Square with no place to pee. Watching on the telly is the next best thing. You say, J-Dub it’s a TV not tellyJ).
We are home, safe and all toasty in flannel pjs. Sweet red wine & way too many snacks. (2016 insert, too warm for flannel pjs but comfy lounge wear is just as good. I am forgoing the sweet red wine for ginger ale, shocker I know but I’ve a bit of a head cold and ginger ale just sounds better. Instead of assorted snack type food, later on we are making Pappadeaux Oyster Fondue, copycat recipe. Out are the egg rolls that have been our staple snack because we just did that on 12/23/16).
This is how the other half lives large. Heartfelt memories of New Year’s Eves past. Missing my brother Jim my constant companion. Mom & Dad always went to the dance at Martinez Hall. So we’d be at home living large just like tonight. (2016 insert, all the same! I still miss Jimbo Pete. We always had fun! I remember one time in particular where our neighbor Mr. Gerald was trying to light his fireworks with a butane torch and almost toasted the entire neighborhood instead. He was three sheets to the wind no doubt. It was a bitterly cold winter and he was in a parka, his arsenal spread out on his driveway. He was sort of weaving around with the lit torch in hand, going from pile of fireworks to pile of fireworks. Ka-bluhy. Pop, pop, pop!!! Ka-bluhy!! We watched through the big picture window of our living room. It was quite the show. It’s only funny now looking back because no one got hurt. This year I half way thought about getting fireworks. There are several stands all set up along HWY 87. There are hawkers in yellow vests, flagging people down. Damn near had an accident they were so distracting. I passed on by like the curmudgeon I’ve almost become :))
Thankful for all our blessings. It’s still rainbows and sunshine here even when it isn’t. Be good, be kind and enjoy the simple things. Happy happy joy joy! (April 2014 was the year Billy Bob had his fall. He was in a cast until June 2014 and didn’t go back to work until August 2014. That’s why I made reference to rainbows and sunshine – 2014 sort of sucked for us but there were bright spots too. 2016 is similar, just different examples of so-called rainbows and so-called sunshine. Anyhow, so be it. You just have to play the cards you’re dealt. Wishing everyone a kick ass 2017!!!)
As always, more to come.
J-Dub's Grin and Bear It 