Christmas Season 2025/2026 -The Eighth Day of Christmas: New Year's Day

 Thursday, January 1, 2026

Happy New Year. I gave up a long time ago saying the new year couldn't possibly worse than the last one. Maybe someday I'll be pleasantly surprised. I guess I could say the silver lining to 2025 is that I along with millions of other Americans started to push back against bullshit in a way we hadn't before. I'm planning on more of that for 2026. 

Read a version of The Night Before Christmas from my childhood. The illustrations are charming. The verse is lilting and rhythmic and its familiarity is comforting. 

Still not well enough to visit Mom in the hospital. Dale said she was feeling and looking much better. They'll be getting the ball rolling soon to get her set up for a transitional care unit. Looks like she won't be discharged until Sunday. We'll know more soon. 

Christmas Season 2025/2026 -The Seventh Day of Christmas: New Year's Eve

 Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Mom's doing marginally better. Her spirits are up. I'm hoping I'll be well enough in a couple day to visit her. Listened to the Carpenter's today. Comforting, nostalgic, familiar. Exactly what I need. 

Speaking of comforting. 

Since I'm sick I've been in my robe since Sunday afternoon. Actually got dressed today and put on my boots to be extra dressy for New Year's Eve. 

Quiche for dinner. This is the most low key NYE we've ever had. I'm exhausted from being sick and we've both been dealing with Mom being in the hospital. Today Dale visited her on his own due to my illness. She's maintaining and making respiratory progress slowly and steadily. PT came to visit her today and gingerly had her sit up and slide her legs off the side of the bed. It was taxing for her and she ended up nauseated and her blood pressure dropped so that's as much as she could do today. She was very upset that she could not do more, recognizing that progress is going to be slow and incremental. Otherwise once she got comfortable again, Dale had a nice conversation with her and her spirits perked up a bit - even got her to laugh a little. 

We were planning to spend tonight with Mike and Charisse and couldn't cuz, well, I'm sick. This was 2015.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Season 2022/2023 - 7th Day of Christmas: NYE Cigar

Friday, December 31, 2022

Back from Mike and Charisse's around 10:30 so I squeezed in a cigar for New Year's Eve. 

Was able to stay awake until shortly after midnight.

Christmastide 2021/2022 - 9th Day of Christmas: Covid Ain't Goin' Anywhere Any Time Soon

Sunday, December 2, 2021

Last day of vacation started with a bang. Actually the beginnings started last night when someone I've socialized with in the past week let me know they tested positive to Covid and has mild symptoms. 

I took the Covid quick test my school district sent home with me before going on break. I read the directions and Dale double checked them to make sure I was doing it correctly. 

Test result: negative!

John C., still in the hospital, had some new issues this morning so Dale zipped down to check in on him. He's fine, at least for now. 

A bit down today. Not sure I have the energy to face the work world and the other realities we face on this planet. 

Christmas Season 2017/2018 - Happy New Year

Monday, January 1, 2018

Christmas Season 2016/2017 - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2016

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Didn't make it to midnight this year and that's okay.

Christmas Season 2015/2016 - Odds and Ends: First Cigar of the New Year/MLK Day

Monday, January 18, 2016

Headed over to S.O.G. for my first cigar of the New Year. Mixed up a brandy Alexander before leaving home and sneaked it in  in my flask.

Have a few resolutions for this year:

1) Smoke more cigars. Last year I actually counted and made it up to 54. I'll try for 55 this year. That qualifies as more without overdoing it too much.

2) Read 24 books. My buddy Mike's goal is to read 35. Two a month for me sounds pretty reasonable.

3) Listen to more Johnny Cash. So far I've listened to his Christmas album.

My friend Steve stopped over to see me about a half hour before I had to leave for home. Good to see him. 

Happy New Year!

New Year's Day 2016 - Happy New Year!

 Friday, January 1, 2016 
Although Mike and Charisse had to leave around 11:15, Dale and I made it shortly past midnight before heading to bed. 

Looking forward to 2016.

Christmas Season 2014/2015 - Rudolph's Shiny New Year

Rudolph's Shiny New Year was on last night and I was curious to see it since it's probably been since the late 1970s that I have. The plot involved an overly cute baby with oversized ears and a bunch of other creepy looking characters. Whoa! At one point Dale said, "Whoever wrote the script for this must've been on some pretty heavy drugs. I agree. It was pretty trippy.

Happy New Year 2014

Happy New Year - Welcome 2014