It's now near 9:00 on New Year's Eve. Only a few hours until 2020. Sounds like something out of science fiction.
Remember the song In the Year 2525?
Zager and Evans.
I'm not really that old....
Despite having a rather crappy morning (I'll spare the details) this last day of the year turned out fairly nice. Clear, sunny, chilly. About 40 degrees (that's Fahrenheit, for those of you in Denmark).
I had a very late"lunch". Fish and chips. Coffee and Christmas cookies.
My fancy, elaborate New Year's Eves are (sadly) a thing of the past. I'm here alone in the Tennessee wilderness, with two cats and a myriad of........challenges.
I won't call them problems. I don't want to sound depressing.
I strung up some colored lights, lit some candles, and call it a party.
I put a smoked ham in the oven and will have some later.
Since I can't get booze in this godforsaken rural purgatory, I have ginger ale and mango-cranberry cocktail juice. The mango concoction is really good.
I'm remembering when I was a kid in California and our New Year's Eve entertainment consisted of watching Guy Lombardo at the Waldorf Astoria on TV.
I made this video today in remembrance.
And just for the heck of it, I made this video of me playing As Time Goes By.
This song was written in 1931 by Herman Hupfeld, and it was immortalized in the 1942 movie Casablanca.
It was difficult to make the video with anything that compliments the music. I didn't want to rehash the Casablanca image. So, I just used clocks and time-lapsed video clips.
Have a bright, blessed, joyful 2020 - with positive endeavors, delightful adventures, and inner peace.
Warm hugs, Jon
Happy New Year, Jon. It's time to put 2019 behind us and move forward with hope. i'll be raising a glass in honor of 2020 and a better tommorrow for both of us. take care.
ReplyDeleteWell, it looks like we're the only two people who showed up for my party. I appreciate the New Year toast - - we both deserve a better year than 2019 bestowed upon us. Here's to positive thoughts and sunny days. Big hugs!
DeleteSorry for being tardy! Too much pizza and Bailey's and I was asleep before 10.
ReplyDeleteSay, I LOVE your take on "As Time Goes By." Even tho' I've never seen Casablanca, the original version always leaves me enormously melancholy. BTW, I ordered that cup off eBay; thanks so much for the link!
Great closing line. But 'inner peace'? That's a tall order for this reader.
Myra, inner peace is a tall order for me,too, but I just threw it in for the heck of it.
DeleteYou've never seen Casablanca??? I'm stunned. Actually, it's a good movie but perhaps overrated. The plot is rather muddled. There were too many writers, and they were all trying to figure out a plot as the movie was being filmed. Even Ingrid Bergman was getting frustrated.
BUT it's worth seeing, anyway....
I'm so glad you ordered the cup. I was really shocked when I saw the low price. It's over-sized and unique. I know you'll like it.
And I'm delighted that you liked my new year music...
Late to the party... but happy new year!
ReplyDeleteHey Lisa - better late than never. I hope you're recovering from the flu. Take care.
DeleteJust feels like it is going to be a good year, Jon! I toasted in the new year with nothing more than black coffee--but in my new thermal mug (kind of a teal green and not red, do you believe it). Perfect music to greet 2020. :) :)
ReplyDeleteBlack coffee is a very sensible way to toast the new year,Rita. I had ginger ale. At least we didn't start 2020 with hangovers. I wish Tennessee would have had snow for New Year's Eve. It was clear, cold, and quiet. I saw some 'possums in the yard.
DeleteGlad you liked the music.
Hi Jon, I am also late to this "party" but my "excuse" is that we traveled over 1,000 miles for family and friend visits between 12/25-12/31. Yes, we were a bit crazy but not next Christmas because we will definitely be 2020 holiday homebodies. Our New Year's Eve party consisted of assorted cheeses and sausage with wine (sorry it beats your concoction, and we'd share if you lived closer) and we had eganog and cookies while watching a couple of mysteries. I well remember Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians as it was always watched at my parent's home in my (much) younger days, so it brought back happy memories. Thanks for the rendition of As Time Goes By. I've seen Casablanca and its in our DVD collection, but really wasn't a "great" film. Still, it has its moments and some really memorable lines. Here's looking at you again in 2020, Jon...well not literally you know.
ReplyDeleteWow, traveling 1000 miles is grueling - especially in winter. I love cheese, sausage, and wine. And I had planned to buy eggnog but completely forgot about it. I do have a homemade recipe for eggnog, so perhaps I'll try it.
DeleteCasablanca is listed as one of the greatest films of all time - but I think it's highly overrated. And the plot is haphazard and muddled. But I like Bogey and Bergman.
I miss the good ol' days when Guy Lombardo was part of our New Year's Eve.
We had our old standby of champagne and crab legs last night. My husband fell asleep around 9 pm and I turned off the tv and lights at 11 pm. I loved your arrangement of such a classic NYE song. The clocks and hourglass were quite clever.
ReplyDeleteWishing you good things in 2020!
Champagne and crab legs sound good to me. I managed to stay up until dawn (I had several cups of coffee). I also had my ham dinner at midnight. I watched the ball drop from New York but it wasn't exciting at all. Some of those people in Times Square had been standing there for 24 hours. It sounds like TORTURE to me. I'd rather be home.
DeleteI'm delighted that you enjoyed my music. I always throw those videos together without much thought.
That concoction does sound delicious! The best in 2020 for you, hopefully improvements and better health!
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of mangoes and cranberries together before, but it was really good. I'm fairly optimistic about 2020. I'm going to try to get some important things accomplished.
DeleteHappy New Years Jon!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how happy those lights and candles look. Very festive and pretty.
I think they look festive, too. I didn't use a flash on the camera and the result looks kinda magical. Have a super New Year!
DeleteHappy New Year to you,John!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your videos very much. My two favorite New Years Eve songs. We had snacks and shrimp and Asti Spumonti. My little dog thinks New Years Eve is the best of all holidays because he gets all of the bits of the shrimp that are left in the tails. I forgot to have my pickled herring last night for good luck, so I will have some tonight.
I opened the front door to bang pans a few times and yell out Happy New Year and then closed the door again and watched out the window as my neighbors shot off
beautiful fireworks. I don't spend much time around here outside on New Years Eve because there are so many people shooting guns into the air or wherever.
Your doggie was lucky to get shrimp for New Years. My two cats didn't get anything special. I love herring, but completely forgot about it this year. I like pickled and smoked herring.
DeleteNew Year's Eve was extremely quiet here in the Tennessee boonies. When I lived in Texas many neighbors would shoot off guns for new years. It was really unnerving.
Have a great New Year!
Beautiful post, Jon, I trust&hope you have an equally beautiful new year.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Geo - I hope this new year brings us all a semblance of beauty and contentment. Take care.
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