We spent Saturday wincing at all the hammering and other assorted loud noises coming from upstairs as a team of four put in hardwood floors. Totally worth it, but man, it was loud. And COLD. They had windows open up there and a saw set up on the front porch, so they had to keep going outside, meaning the door was always open. On top of that, it snowed all morning and then my car wouldn’t start, so we just huddled in the dining room with the dogs and lit a fire. And played on the internet. And read. And reshelved books.
Starting Saturday night, we became crazy people who clean. And clean. And clean. And also crazy people who walk into a mattress store and buy a new bed in less than 20 minutes. And then tie it to the roof of the car and drive home. On the coldest,windiest day of the year. (This was Sunday, I think). And then, because Monday was New Year’s Eve and we were having people over and some of them were spending the night (and this new bed was for the guest room), we became the crazy people who have to run out and buy sheets and then wash them so they can go on the bed. (This new bed that is a double, which is a size we’ve never owned before, so we didn’t have any sheets that would fit.) On the day people are actually coming over. And THEN, because I’m a crazy person who is also an idiot, I went to Wegmans on one of the four worst days of the year to go to Wegmans to get everything we’d need for these people coming over in LESS THAN FOUR HOURS. What are the four worst days of the year to go to Wegmans? The day before Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, the day before Easter, and NEW YEAR’S EVE. It was a madhouse. And they were completely out of the yummy pre-made dips made of cheesy goodness that I usually get. Otherwise, I found everything I was looking for. I just had to fight for some of it.
New Year’s Eve was fun, but as John and I were dragging our tired asses to bed at 2am that night, I came to a realization. The demographics of our little group have changed. (Okay, yes, duh – I know.) Our friends have babies, and babies mean schedules and crying and parents who leave early to put said babies to bed. All of that is perfectly understandable (and we love their babies and love to see their babies), but if half of our guests are going to go home long before midnight, maybe New Year’s Eve isn’t the best night to have our little get-together. (Also, DAMN I’m tired today. 2am is entirely too late for me.) Instead, I declare Derby Day to be our day. It’s always a Saturday (so no one has to work), it doesn’t immediately follow any other holiday (so no one’s exhausted from family and travel), it starts earlier, and there’s no obligation to make it to midnight (although people are more than welcome to stay late). And it’s fun!
(I think we should try to do a summery picnic thing on the Mall (or somewhere in DC when the weather’s nice), too. Easier for everyone to get to and also fun!)
That’s what I learned from New Year’s Eve this year. I’ll show you the screaming sheep I found tomorrow.
