A New Year’s Eve Alone.

Happy New Year!

New Year’s Eve is changing for us.

Family Christmas, one week late.

I have long since given up on parties and celebrations for New Year’s Eve. Instead, this year we celebrated our family Christmas on December 31st, as we were away on the actual holiday.

A simple, but nice, dinner of a turkey breast, corn casserole, tossed salad, store-bought tortellini, fresh strawberries, and my homemade 100% whole wheat bread. Julie tried to include a favorite dish for each family member. Then it was time to open presents that were a week overdue.

I told Julie that I didn’t want any gifts for Christmas, but some items still found their way into my pile.  Gym socks, a couple T-shirts, an apple slicer, and a new Oxo garlic press.

One daughter disappeared into her room reading, another went to a movie and then downtown with friends, my son went to a friend’s get-together. We were essentially on our own.  The first time on New Year’s in 19 years.

Scanning Netflix, there was little to offer.  A well rated movie was streamed, but turned off after 20 minutes.  Too depressing, too dark, just too.

Neither Julie nor I had the desire to search through dozens of movie icons and descriptions.  We found White Christmas and settled on it, as we had just watched Holiday Inn on the real Christmas Day, that we celebrated with the Nelson Clan a week earlier.  We thought it would be interesting to compare two movies whose theme song was the same Irving Berlin classic.

Hokey, thin plot line, and filled the optimism that the early 1950s radiated; Julie thought it slow moving, I thought it charming, in an old fashion way.

It was not yet 11 PM. and I was ready for bed.  Julie decided to stay up until the kids were safely back home.

Now it is New Year’s day.  I woke later than usual and here I sit drinking coffee and eating an apple that has been quartered (with knife, not apple slicer) and liberally spread with peanut butter… and typing this post.

2017 is here, what will it bring?  2017 is here, what will I contribute to the world this year?  2017 is here, time marches on.

Today my goal is to attempt to savor and celebrate each day in 2017, I will realize that each day is a gift that will not be given twice.

Now off I go on a walk with a DSLR on my shoulder.  Symbolic of my continued goals for the new year, for my new life.  Welcome 2017!