31 December 2012

New Year's Eve

My husband and daughter are in the kitchen prepping diner. We are eating spaghetti tonight. No black eyed peas for us on New Year's Eve. Lola is chattering away about anything and everything while the two of them are rolling meat balls. I sit in the living room trying to type with a cat on my lap.

After diner we're having a party. We will be dressing up, playing games, and blowing our party horns, picked up at the Dollar store for the occasion. We still need to make party hats. Lola is very excited about the party and plans to stay up until midnight, although she doesn't really expect to make it that long.

This will be our second New Year's Eve in this town. If I remember correctly, it will be a nice and quiet affair for most of the night. Perhaps one or two firecrackers will be set off. I am used to so much more noise. Where I come from, this night is the big fireworks night.

When I was complaining earlier about the lack of noise on New Year's Eve, Lola sighed: "Oh mother, why can't you just enjoy your new life?" (I don't know where she gets this stuff, I very seldom complain for the record.) I tried to find some live streaming of the Dutch fireworks but no such luck. I'll just have to take her home some day for the real thing.

Well, I am off to get dressed for the party. Happy New Year, everyone! May 2013 be a peaceful and blessed year for us all.

11 December 2012

One Wish Granted

As I type this, my mother’s plane is taking off. In just a few short hours she’ll be here. I can hardly wait. I’ve got to finish up one work project, scrub a few toilets, and throw a vacuum cleaner around the house. And then I can enjoy the rest of the week off.

My mom ordered snow. Not so much that it hinders traffic. Just enough to makes things pretty. Here you go, mom! Just for you.