Welcoming in 2012!
Really, long ago the Chosen One and I celebrated New Year's Eve around other people.
Lots of noise, horn blowing and a bit of drinking. Back in my youth I could never imagine a New Year's Eve that didn't include dancing and drinking. Once we had the Beast and the Pirate we celebrated with them, going downtown to take part in the First Night party, the People's Parade and the dropping of the Acorn at 7pm..so that families could enjoy it early and be back home at a reasonable hour. The Acorn is raised back up to be dropped at midnight for the official welcome to the new year. Once the boys were in the youth group at church the Chosen One and I spent a few year's welcoming in the new year with 80 teenagers and then staying up the rest of the night at their lock in. A few years of that and we "retired". I was not forgotten though, a friend had the youth call me at midnight to tell me "Happy New Year!!"...they were more than a bit surprised that I was asleep....could BevEd really be that boring?! Most definitely! Most years I am asleep on the couch and sometimes in the bed by 11:30. The Chosen One finds this very strange since I am a night owl. Most nights I see midnight but NYE is like a sleeping pill to me. This year the Pirate is away overnight celebrating with the Beast and SweetGirl (his Pirate Girl is still in Florida :< ) After hearing our plans for the evening he referred to us as "wild and crazy kids"...possibly sarcastic @@. The Chosen One and I had steamed oysters and shrimp for dinner. We had a fire in the pit and talked about the coming year then welcomed in 2012 watching the ball drop in NYC with Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest ...I had to make sure the Chosen One was awake! He kept drifting off on the couch. Maybe it's the Coke I drank at 9pm, maybe it's the nap I had this afternoon on the couch snuggled up with the Chosen One and the boys' Santas but I welcomed in 2012 and it's 12:22 and I am still awake.
Happy New Year to each of you, may 2012 be filled with glorious days for all of us!
This story is shared as part of Storytelling Sunday hosted by Sian. Click on her name to be taken to her story and links to others. If you have a blog consider joining us on the first Sunday of each month. After you read what Uncle Dave has to say over at Sian's place you'll know you have a story to share.
It sounds as if you are pretty legendary, you must have 'retired' at just the right time!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year 'retiring' and was asleep at 9:30pm!
Happy New Year Beverly :)
Excellent stuff! I managed to stay awake until five past midnight and then I went to bed and fell asleep instantly
ReplyDeleteNice way to see in the new year, more fun than partying
ReplyDeleteI retired a fair few years ago but I think as the children get a little older I will be dragged out of retirement again lol
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of early retirement myself :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy 2012
What a great story! We have a tradition of seeing in the New Year with a group of friends we have known for over twenty years - at the beginning we stayed up almost all night and that has changed with the years so that now our children are staying up longer than us!
ReplyDeleteA Happy New Year to you and yours and thanks for joining in today
Our children stay up far longer than us!!!
ReplyDeleteA lovely story. I fell asleep on the sofa at about 11pm, but woke at five to midnight to see Big Ben chime us into the new year. Happy New Year to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteI managed to stay up till 12.15 then hit bed! Great memories Beverley
ReplyDeleteAlison xx
Wow, what a wonderful set of memories! I like the idea of reflecting on 2011 and planning for 2012 though, and the photo is really atmospheric.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Lovely to read how you spend your New Year's eve. Good time to reflect on what's past and what is to come. I had my grandchildren here (ages 5 and 3). I think they outlasted me!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Love your reflection on New Years past! Glad you made it til midnight this year!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on making it past midnight! We had our daughter's puppy to sleep over last night as she was hosting a party. Husband barely managed to stay awake until Jan 1st arrived but me and the dog sat up watching tv for a while after. However, at 2am I found myself trying to convince a supremely comfortable dog that she had to shift from the sofa to her bed in the kitchen. She was not amused!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you plan New Years just perfectly for you :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the peek into your New Year's Eve - past and present. Ours have also gone through various phases over the years. We actually went out last night AND had a lovely time (those don't always seem to go together for us on NYE).
ReplyDeleteRinda
lol at the retiring - I'm happy going to bed early but with all the fireworks etc. I usually stay up until they stop and then head to bed. Nothing boring about going to bed early I assure you :)
ReplyDeleteI managed until almost 1am, but only because we had friends staying with us! I then got up at 6.20am with The Boy Child!
ReplyDeleteWe actually managed to stay up this time although 45 minutes before it was really iffy until I told DH that there was only 45 more minutes. Your story brought back memories of how we used to spend New Years - thanks for reminding me.
ReplyDeleteWe actually managed to stay up this time although 45 minutes before it was really iffy until I told DH that there was only 45 more minutes. Your story brought back memories of how we used to spend New Years - thanks for reminding me.
ReplyDelete:o) I enjoyed your NYE story, Beverly. Funny to think back about how celebrating the new year has changed for us. We were in bed before 10 this year because Doug got up SUPER early yesterday morning to go hunting with his brothers.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and yours all the best in 2012. I'm so very grateful for the friendship we formed in 2011. ♥
Early retirement is a wise choice! Loved your story.
ReplyDeleteWe are definitely boring New Year's Eve-rs! We were on a cruise in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, and after a lovely dinner we retired to our stateroom and watched The Poseidon Adventure (that we brought with us specifically to watch then)! Then we drifted off to sleep around 10:30 pm and the new year arrived just fine without us.
ReplyDeleteI typically have no problem staying up until midnight, but we don't usually go out. Sometimes we have a small group of people over, but the older I get the less I want to do anything and would rather it just be the two of us :)
ReplyDeleteWe always stay at home for NYE too. Love your photo and wishing you a glorious 2012 xx
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you made it to midnight :) Happy New Year! xXx
ReplyDelete