An Inauspicious Start

2006 didn't start particularly well. I woke up on the morning of the 31st with a dreadful head cold. One of those that makes you wonder why people say "It's just a cold." If it's "just" anything then why do I feel as if my head is the size of (and is as full as) Boston Harbor and why does my voice sound like it's being dubbed by Golum? So, I called my friends and told them I would not be coming in for Boston's First Night.

Well, shit. This was not what I had planned. Not in any way shape or form. I had turned down several invitations in order to do First Night with these people. And here I was, at home, alone and sick.

And! To make matters worse, I had no lemon juice. Hot lemon water is my all time favorite cold remedy. So I threw my favorite winter pajamas into the laundry and went to the store. Found lemon juice. Oooo ~ and a cheese ball. I do love cheese balls and it's New Year's Eve, after all, and I'm at home, alone and sick. And there are those chocolate covered shortbreads I like so much. Those are my favorite crackers to eat with cheese ~ especially cheese balls. Then here, in this aisle, next to the decongestant for some odd reason but thank goodness, are movies for sale. And they're even on sale. 2 for $11. Sabrina, Waiting to Exhale, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and The Full Monty.

Because, afterall, I'm (say it with me) at home, alone and sick on New Year's Eve.

I felt pretty lousy from the shoulders up but the decongestant helped. And if I sounded more like Golum than the public speaker I am, you know what? I didn't have to talk. And the hot lemon water felt and tasted really good. I even served my cheeseball and crackers to myself on my grandmother's crystal platter. Lit my candles, snuggled down under an electric blanket, in my favorite pajamas (that were still warm from the drier) and watched the movies.

At midnight, my not-ex-friend called. I could hear the fireworks in Boston going off as clearly as I could hear the Worcester ones exploding. When we got off the phone ~ quickly because I couldn't yell above the noise he was dealing with ~ I went out onto my balcony. It was snowing. And the fireworks were lighting up the sky, reflecting off the snow on the ground and in the air. It was beautiful.

And I realized something... I was having a really, really nice night. It was no where near what I had been planning. No where near any New Year's Eve I have ever had. And...it was lovely. It was, dare I say it? Fun. My neighbors were out in their yard, laughing and shouting "Happy New Year!" I croaked "Happy New Year!" back at them and we all waved and laughed at being caught by the other. I lifted my head, letting the snow fall around me ~ just for a moment before being sensible and taking my sick butt back inside ~ and realized it was a happy new year, even if it wasn't the one I had expected.

So maybe it wasn't as inauspicious as I had originally thought. Maybe the whole year will be just like the night that started it: different than expected but still good. Who knows. Certainly I don't. But I'm looking forward to finding out.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.