Pages

Monday 31 December 2012

Gelukkig Nieuwjaar

Oh all right then, Happy New Year.

I know, no-one likes a smarty pants.

It's just that I finally received a Christmas card from my Dutch friends today......delivered by car at around 5.00pm!

I suspect it had been mis-delivered and they had just remembered to put it through my letter box in time for New Year.

Since the husband had been very seriously ill, I had been imagining all sorts of awful scenarios and it was a tremendous relief to get the card, however late, and discover all is well with them.

Have I said before that I love receiving cards.  My late father and I used to compete as to whom had the greatest number each year.  He always won and now I can't remember what his usual total was.  Mine is an absolutely staggering 76 this year.  I didn't know I knew that many people.

I hang them on gold coloured elastic cords and are the only Christmas decoration I use these days.  Had toyed with the idea of getting a small tree this year, but in the end decided not to bother.

While it has been quite a pleasant Christmas I don't anticipate ever going in for big celebrations again, either for Christmas or New Year.

I was reading a blog from someone who is considering her options about making resolutions for 2013, and gave it some thought myself before deciding that this coming year will be one where I force myself to go out more, cinemas, theatre etc. for the good of my soul (and sanity).

Apart from a trip to a panto two years ago, I haven't set foot in a theatre for over 40 years, and, amazingly, the same goes for the cinema.

It will take an effort of will to take the initial steps but it will happen.

I don't appear to be unusual in that I do not celebrate New Year, which let's face it, will happen with or without me, and have noticed that most of my neighbours appear to have gone to bed.

There are occasional bursts of fireworks happening from quite a distance away, and I know from previous years that as the hour strikes there will be a huge amount of noise, so can't even think of going to bed yet.

At least for  those who are outdoors at present it has at last stopped raining (for a while), so the fireworks should be spectacular.

I wish all who read this (and all who don't), as happy and healthy and joyful a New Year as possible.

Blessings one and all.  (and no, I'm not Tiny Tim).

14 comments:

  1. Happy New Year Ray. I applaud your resolve to go out more. I am in danger of becoming reclusive and am having to force myself out. Hopefully you will enjoy your outings more this year!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, the proof of the pudding........We'll see!
    They are going to be solitary excursions, at least initially, so it will be a bit daunting, but hopefully that may change as the year wears on.
    In your case Jean, I would not attempt to force myself to do anything. The passage of time will let you know when you are able.
    A blessed New Year.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy New Year, Ray! I also applaud your resolve. There's a lot of good stuff out there just waiting for you to enjoy it.

    I don't really like New Year's Eve, either (it seems like forced fun), although our next door neighbors invited a bunch of neighbors over last night for soup and games and it was quite fun. I may skip the New Year's Day party tonight, though.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy new Year Penny. Yes I know there is indeed "a lot of good stuff out there", it's just that I have to try to regain my appetite for it.

    Forced fun, is a good description and chimes well with my own attitude to celebration for celebration's sake.

    Hopefully from tomorrow life will return to what passes for normal in my bewildering universe.
    BlessingsX

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy New Year to you Ray. re cinema- if you ever fancy going let me know I love cinema- so long as there are aliens in the film I will watch it, ha ha!! Constantina XXX
    Ps QISmaS DatIvjaj 'ej DIS chu' DatIvjaj
    Meand happy Xmas and Happy New year in Klingon

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'll just take your word for it shall I Constantina? I don't 'do' Klingon. (Well, not deliberately anyway)
    Re cinema, will talk when I see you next.
    Happy New year (Oh by the way, that's English)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Before you know it we'll be travelling to MK for the next sci fi festival in costume lol

    ReplyDelete
  8. You might. I'll be the one in the cat basket.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy New Year Ray. I have been suffering from insomnia for two weeks now and am utterly exhausted. How are you doing?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy New Year to you Jane. I'm sorry to hear about your insomnia, hope it relents soon. My almost 2 weeks break from the need to get up every morning has meant I have been able to catch up on sleep between 6 and 9 am if the night has been a bad one. So all in all am feeling well rested.

    ReplyDelete
  11. A belated Happy New Year to you, Ray. I too applaud your resolve as I'm a bit of a home bird wherever I happen to be. However DS dragged us out to a Christmas play in Oxford which we both thoroughly enjoyed. New Year's Eve didn't happen for us as DD was still recovering from flu, but the year managed to start without us. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy New Year to you both Perpetua. preferably one with no flu this time.
    When (I nearly said if) I start my cinema/theatre trips I will inevitably blog/brag about them. Just at this minute looking at the grey sky I feel like hibernating till around May.
    There will be some sun in May won't there???

    ReplyDelete
  13. A very belated 'Happy New Year' from the Murray's here in Canada Ray. I have become very reclusive since moving here. I think I should follow your example & make 2013 the year of trying to get out & meet new people more.

    It reminds me of that joke about the man praying to win the lottery & God eventually speaking to him about actually going to buy a ticket. I can't expect new friends to just walk up my drive to see me :-)

    I must just quickly share our new year with you, we went up a local mountain, Mt Seymour, where they had an early countdown at 9pm for families with young children. It was amazing, such a clear night, we could see all of Burnaby & Vancouver twinkling far below us. We stood & toasted marshmallows around fire pits, flew down the mountain side on sledges & then watched a beautiful fireworks display at 9. An amazing way to end our first year here.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Happy New Year Shona to you and all the family.
    Your New Year's eve sounds lovely, and very different.
    Let's hope this year is a good one for all of us.
    Love from a deep-frozen Aylesbury. X

    ReplyDelete