A New Year's Eve, Unplanned

Happy New Year's Day to you all!  Today is a quiet one for me, packing up the beach condo and leaving for Tampa later this evening.  No lingering memories of a lovely New Year's Eve party, no gathering up champagne bottles to be recycled, no pesky stains on a favorite tablecloth waiting to be tackled--once again.  My New Year's Eve was of a different nature this year.  And it was just fine. 

Leah and Paige
(And Lucy)

My family and I spent the last of the holidays with our son and his family in Los Angeles.  Every moment of it was wonderful.  Our two granddaughters, Leah and Paige, were and are so much fun and uplifting in every way.  We reveled in being together, entertained in their beautiful new  (old) house and felt valued to have such a family.

Uncle Brian, Paige, Leah

  At the end of our time, I had a sniffle or two, but it was the holidays, after all.  Our daughter-in-law, Ali, an emergency room doctor, called in a prescription--to be sure.  And was she right!  No details, but I feel terribly sorry for the people sharing the plane with me...

As to holiday plans, they evaporated like the holidays themselves.  My husband and Louie, our Shih-Tsu and Bichon mix puppy and I sat on the sofa and watched an old film  (not quite sure Louie understood the nuances).  We opened a bottle of Prosecco, a gift from a friend, and shared it.

Louie

All this to say my New Year's Eve was a good one, even though unanticipated.  A sinus infection is just that, nothing serious or life threatening.  One recovers and moves on, and so I am blessed.  With good health, a loving family and fine and constant friends.

I wish the same happy situation for all of you.  Here's to the best of 2013!