Happy New Year everyone. We had a very nice time, me and four friends. No drinking, but lots of eating. Watched the movie Wake Up Dead Man, didn't watch the ball drop but had a countdown, then had ice cream and played games til 2:00. Back at the friend's where I'm spending the night, tomorrow we shall sleep late and then eat bagels and lox. Eventually I'll go home and probably take a nap.
My Hogmanay was very noisy (four of my sister's grandchildren, with whom we "took in" the new year at about 8:30 pm and then they went to bed), very late (finally turned in about 5:30) and very alcohol-fuelled (no idea how much fizz I necked in the course of the evening).
But a good time was had by all, and I don't feel nearly as fragile as I should!
A quiet New Year’s day in chez S: cool & cloudy with morning rain. Sat around & nattered with # daughter; she made an excellent chicken soup which we had for v late dinner & I baked 3 more smallish Xmas cakes. One will go to nephew who lives in NYC & is visiting soon, one to organist friend who lives in Little Rock Arkansas & is home visiting family and 1 to friend on the other side of the Bass Strait which will necessitate a schlep to the PO next week.
Son & partner on the way home from UK; they report it’s snowing in Istanbul🥶; they’ll land tomorrow afternoon. It wil be good to catch up.
Well, I fell asleep 10 minutes into Graham Norton's show and only woke because a small boy was having a bit of a cry. I hope I squeaked in under the radar for the celebrity death pool ... 🤞
I'll be cleaning the house and working on my research, as usual. I hope the Vietnamese superstition doesn't hold true--namely, that what you do on the New Year you will do all year!
My mother said the same. A year ahead of walking the dog for sure. If you pay no bills on New Year's Day, does that mean you will have none in the new year? Guess not.
Went to bed shortly after midnight and wishing Happy New Year to Ms. Marsupial (who had already sort of gone to bed). In keeping with his usual practice, our male cat woke me up promptly at 7:00 for breakfast. It’s about -10 out today but will try to do my usual New Year’s walk regardless.
The bloke next door invited me round to see the New Year in with his new lady friend. They'd already been to the pub.
He only had cans of fizzy Spanish lager and some white wine in the fridge (I would not have objected to the latter) so I bobbed home and brought round some bottles of lovely Wincle Brewery ales.
That was more like it.
He'd prepared a lamb hot-pot.
I did offer them a nip of my duty-free Ardbeg single-malt but they declined so all the more for me on another occasion - mwa ha ha ha ha ...
I had intended to attend the Liturgy today for the commemoration of the Circumcision of Christ and of St Basil.
I didn't wake up in time. Whoops!
So I'm pottering around, reading and sending New Year messages to family and friends.
I did basically nothing for Hogmanay. This afternoon we walked down to the Anglican cathedral where they had laid out their replica of the Chartres labyrinth for people to walk and pray. Well, I prayed. Then we walked home and I went to the gym. Now I'm home again and everyone else seems to be napping.
The 'party' my friend threw for most of our church homegroup plus a few other random friends, was going well with loads to eat and drink and silly games ... until she suddenly felt ill with something like a migraine, so she retired to bed about 11pm, which put rather a damper on the celebrations, but her partner continued to host. We all trooped outside clutching glasses of bubbly at midnight to witness local fireworks, which were rather good, then most people drifted away. I stayed over as planned, and helped a bit to clear up in the morning, but she was still ill and had been sick during the night. Such a shame when she'd been the one behind it all. Since then I've had a quiet day at home, now finally looking forward to some decent telly as new series of The Traitors starts tonight. Have watched pretty much nothing over Christmas except Kings Speech and Call the Midwife, its been dire!
I have a filthy cold - so mainly lay about covered in cats and then went to bed early, but I did cook myself a nice roast dinner (I could almost taste most of it!)
We stayed up to watch the London fireworks last night, while playing games online. Today we lazed around most of the day and this afternoon went for a nice long walk in the grounds of a local national trust property. Tea was red Thai pheasant curry (leftover meat from yesterday) with sticky rice.
We are cleaning the old refrigerator that is to be donated to a Good Cause. I didn't think this through when we made the offer... The Augean stables come to mind as we reach the lowest levels.
Having watched Jools Holland last night whilst devouring popcorn and drinking a rather nice Hook Norton Double Stout special (matured 18 months and coming in at 8%!); @Sandemaniac went to bed about 1.20. I managed to fall asleep over a book after that and finally got to bed at 3am. Today has been spent doing bitty things, including tidying the top shelf of the wardrobe!
This evening however, we drove out to the Ridgeway to see The Beam shining up from Harwell. It was brilliant - and it changed colours, which isn't mentioned in the article.
New Years Day. We watched the inaugural speech of Mamdani, the NYC mayor. Now we are watching the Rose Bowl. Indiana is winning for now. We will have our neighbors over at 5. Have ham, scallop potatoes, and honey roasted carrots. Neighbors bringing salad. Desert will be blueberry crumb with ice cream.
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But a good time was had by all, and I don't feel nearly as fragile as I should!
All the best for 2026 everyone! 🍾🙂
Son & partner on the way home from UK; they report it’s snowing in Istanbul🥶; they’ll land tomorrow afternoon. It wil be good to catch up.
Bo**ocks. Missed the deadline 😢
Actually looking at it, your post was before Sipech's one announcing the start, so I don't see why your list shouldn't be in.
Saw friends for coffee this morning and having some other friends over to a meal this evening.
My mother said the same. A year ahead of walking the dog for sure. If you pay no bills on New Year's Day, does that mean you will have none in the new year? Guess not.
He only had cans of fizzy Spanish lager and some white wine in the fridge (I would not have objected to the latter) so I bobbed home and brought round some bottles of lovely Wincle Brewery ales.
That was more like it.
He'd prepared a lamb hot-pot.
I did offer them a nip of my duty-free Ardbeg single-malt but they declined so all the more for me on another occasion - mwa ha ha ha ha ...
I had intended to attend the Liturgy today for the commemoration of the Circumcision of Christ and of St Basil.
I didn't wake up in time. Whoops!
So I'm pottering around, reading and sending New Year messages to family and friends.
Family came over for a lunch of ham, Hoppin’ John, collards and cornbread today. That’ll be my collards for 2026.
I'm resigned to sitting out this year.
This evening however, we drove out to the Ridgeway to see The Beam shining up from Harwell. It was brilliant - and it changed colours, which isn't mentioned in the article.