Saturday, December 31, 2016

LAST DAY OF THE YEAR





It's long after midnight on New Year's Eve morning. Saturday morning. I'm in the process of drinking hot tea and eating pizza. Eating any time of the day or night is one of the great benefits of living alone. A cold, quiet night - interrupted now and again by the distant clamor of coyotes.

My Friday was incredibly miserable. I had been procrastinating going to town for nearly a week. I really needed some necessary things, so I convinced myself it had to be Friday or never. 

After getting less than two hours of sleep, I forced myself out of bed (with pain and trepidation) on a miserably frigid morning. I keep re-injuring my back (spine) injury - - which is much more serious than I'd care to admit, and which has been causing many more complications than I'd want to reveal.

I hadn't realized that the Friday before New Year's Eve would be one the the worst possible days to venture into town. Traffic was bumper to bumper and the stores were more crowded than ever. I spent over twenty minutes in the checkout line at Walmart, while the old lady in front of me slowly and carefully took out the 800 items in her shopping cart. Then I waited another twenty minutes while the lethargic cashier rang up the items.

I am definitely a misanthrope with  homicidal inclinations. That's why I live in the wilderness.

By the time I made the five thousand mile drive home (slightly exaggerated), I was so wiped out from stress, lack of sleep, and no food that I felt on the verge of passing out. I left all the groceries in the car and fell asleep on the sofa, fully dressed (coat, boots, and all).

So, here I am - back in my shack in the wilderness, on the last day of 2016. Soon it will be 2017.
2017!!
It sounds like something out of science fiction. Remember the Big Hubbub over New Year's Eve 2000? My parents were still alive then, and many of my relatives. It now seems so long ago....

Rain is expected here on New Year's Eve. A slight warmup will keep snow at a safe distance. At least for awhile.
Gone are the days when I used to cook wonderfully elaborate New Year's Eve suppers. I miss those times.

My solo supper tonight will be chicken, rice, and herbal stuffing. And I've decided to bake a cake. I always bake a white cake for New Years.

I plan to write another post later tonight. Until then - stay safe, keep warm, have a pleasant day, and be assured that I truly value your company.

BTW - I'm incredibly slow at reading your blogs but I'll get there.

ALSO, I haven't seen the possum in two days, but the food that I leave out is always gone. He must be around.

 

13 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear your back is still bothering you. I had a serious tumble yesterday and am wobbling around myself with a throbbing knee. HOPEFULLY 2017 will be a year with less drama. The possum probably got wind of the fact you might have a hankering for some stew and is keeping his distance. Your CAKE sounds scrumptious. I just have the obligatory fruitcake. I have not yet gone to bed and was delighted to see your post come through. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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  2. Morning Jon. Tough day for you. Hate to be a damp squid but it sounds like you are physically very vulnerable for now, are you working on a contingency plan? MaggieB

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  3. Weird things happening there with Google..... but was trying to correct spelling above......should read squib, not squid! M x

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    1. But squids are damp anyway aren't they, Maggie? ;-}

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  4. Happy New Year, stay warm and rest.

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  5. Sorry to hear your back is so shitty at present, Jon. As a fellow back sufferer, you have my heart felt sympathy. Empathy? Whichever you prefer. Or both. I'm a touch pissed at present - that's Aussie for drunk, not angry BTW. We have our own weird language down here, but we like it.
    It will be 2017 in one hour here, and I don't really know if I care. Probably not pissed enough. *chuckle*
    I just hope you feel a whole lot better by the time you get around to reading this. Have some cyber {{{hugs}}}, they can't hurt.

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  6. I never heard of baking a white cake on New Years ... but I LIKE the symbolism!
    Suppose we'll put on a slow-cooker mess of black-eyed peas this evening. Neither of us can stand those peas, but I'm not about to take a chance with Mama Good Fortune. (... as evidenced by last year when there wasn't a can or a bowl of peas to be found in the metroplex, and what a dismal years this turned out to be!)

    I'm really concerned about your back, Jon. I know how you feel about doctors, but is acupuncture something you'd consider ... over in the Big City, perchance?

    New Year hugs!

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  7. I can totally relate to collapsing in pain and exhaustion. Sorry your back is so awful. Standing in lines is hell when your back is screaming at you. Well, everything is hard. :( :(

    Hope the possum is okay. Hope you have a better physical year ahead. (Me, too.) Happy New Year!!

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  8. Shopping before any holiday that revolves around food and/or drink is always hazardous. My sister said the grocery store was even packed on Thursday.
    Today's Pearls Before Swine comic pretty much sums up New Year's Eve activities. http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine
    I do hope 2017 will be kind to all of us and that you will find a solution to your back pain. No special cake for me - maybe I'll actually get around to baking some Christmas cookies.

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  9. 2017 does sound like out of science fiction, seeing that I should be living in another era. Here too Friday, traffic and stores were insane, but I didn't mind the farmer market, at least people there are nice and friendly. And like you I came home, had a drink and took a nap. Granted a three hour nap!!!! I will rise my glass to you tonight, and those I think of all over. Happy New Year Jon πŸŽ‡πŸŽˆπŸŽ‰πŸŽ†πŸ’‹πŸΈπŸΉ

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  10. We already sampled our peas even though I don't believe. If I thought they would help I would eat a pot of them tomorrow. Hope by some miracle your back improves in the year 2017.

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  11. Jon,
    I think that's a girl possum (the long eyelashes). 2017 DOES sound like science fiction. I remember clearly where I was New Yeat's Eve 2000 (working st the Hampton Inn). Doesn't seem that long ago. One thing I'm pretty sure of is that I won't be reminiscing about 2917 seventeen years from now. Happy new year!
    Ron

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  12. My husband and I were talking about the whole Y2K thing the other night... that is taught in the history books now. I was thinking of how at one time, 2020 seemed like something out of a science fiction movie.

    Happy New Year, Jon! Hope you get to feeling better.

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