Julia

Julia

Saturday, January 2, 2010

The New Years Eve Bash

I don't usually go out on New Year's Eve, too many memories of years gone by loves lost, tears shed, sadness endured. This year I made an exception to my rule of monastic behavior on the eve of the new year. I bought a ticket for a New Year's Eve dinner at a hotel in Progresso. I have eaten breakfast there and enjoyed it very much, so I had high hopes for the dinner. I drove down to Progresso early in the afternoon so I could get a hotel room at Casa Izadora. I got my room and took the dogs for a walk on the beach. The beach walk was very pleasant, a light breeze from the gulf and hardly anyone on the beach so I let the dogs off leash. The dogs had a wonderful time trotting to and fro along the waters edge chasing shore birds and sniffing new smells of who knows what on the sea weed and junk that washes ashore. The sea is and has been a garbage pit for man's waste for a very long time, now a days one sees an unending supply of trash on the shore and out to sea. Sad.

I went back to the hotel and had a nap, at my age naps are important if your planing a late, late dinner, it beats slumping over in your chair at an awkward moment and snoring louder than the DJ's music ....makes for a horrible scene.

I woke and got dressed, I had only one dress with me and regretted not bringing something else to wear, but this is a beach community so I figured what the heck I'll look formal with my black shoes against those wearing flip flops.

I got to the appointed party place, another hotel, and noticed right off that someone had anticipated this event and had most of chairs leaning against the tables in the time honored tradition of saving them for friends. There were few other seats available, already I was feeling a little out of place. I found a table in the corner, the traditional grandma, spinster section and had a seat and ordered a coke. The other guests arrived rather quickly and there was much ado about greeting one another; hugs and kisses and much loud talking and laughter. I felt even more out of place.

The DJ began his music and the talking got louder a couple sat one table over from me and after a while they took pity on this poor soul and invited themselves over to the table I was sharing with my coke. We made pleasant small talk and they would get up and dance to their favorite tunes.

The night wore on and eventually, for me, the big moment came when dinner was served. Everything looked delicious and I took a bit of each item so I wouldn't miss anything. My fellow guests oohed and ahhed over the food. I on the other hand found the meat impossible to chew and had to descreately remove it from my mouth behind a napkin. Either my dentures are dull, my jaw weak or the meat was tough as shoe leather. I got enough to eat even without the meat just wish I had taken more chicken. I was so proud of myself I didn't spill anything on my front or lap. I almost wanted to shout "Look No Stains This Time", but I resisted the urge.

Later came the usual midnight affair, when the count down begins and one is supposed to exchange well wishes with fellow party goers and trade kisses; once again granny came up dry I guess you have to bring your own grapes to these things.

After that there was the burning of the old man ceremony where a pinata looking like an old man was hung out on a tripod in the street and set afire and after it got going the fireworks inside started banging off to the joy of the crowed of merry makers. The first fire didn't set off all the fireworks so another was set to use up the remaning explosives. My fell0w table mates said good night at that point and I got into my car and waited for the fireworks to end so I could drive down the street, my car was to close to the merrymakers to turn around and the street was blocked. Eventually all the merryment came to an end the road cleared and went back to my hotel and bed.

So ends my New Years merry making at least the dogs got a good walk.

2 comments:

Michael Dickson said...

Did I miss something while I was traveling? Where is your better half? And I'm not speaking of the pooches.

Julia said...

Samantha,,my sister,, is back at work she works on an oil research vessel in the Gulf of Mexico. She comes and goes on an irregular basis usually 4-5 weeks out and 4-5 weeks ashore. We have decided it doesn't make sense for her to have her own apartment when she isn't there for weeks at a time and she wouldn't be able to have pets either. When she is gone I take care of her dog a shit-zo named Spencer.