Are We There Yet??

I like a new year. I really don't much like New Year's. For one thing, there's that whole "resolution" thing, but I've said all I have to say about that. For another thing, there's that artificial pressure to have "plans". Not just, "a nice dinner and movie at home" plans, but big, fancy, expensive, capital-letter"Plans". And of course, you're expected to stay lively until the stroke of midnight, which is approximately 1.2 hours past my bedtime, and 3.6 hours or more past my dear hubby's "bed" time. (I use "Bed" loosely here. He normally falls asleep in his recliner) So as the magic hour approaches, we're grumpy and tired. And what am I supposed to wear? Don't even get me started. After all, I've been eating my way through the holidays and I have picked up a festive 15 pounds or so. Deck the halls, deck my butt, etc. And NOTHING FITS!! At least, nothing that looks remotely celebratory.

But the thing that makes me crazy is the fireworks. For those of you who aren't lucky enough to live in SC (and I mostly am not being sarcastic) it is perfectly legally for anyone who can reach the counter to purchase actual, gun-powder-infused FIREWORKS in SC. Now I've lived here most of my life, and I love my fellow South Carolinians, and I mean no harm when I say this, but ... (lean in close while I whisper) ....we ain't the sharpest knives in the drawer. So it kind of gives me pause that just any of my neighbors can go buy explosive devices for their amusement. And the good stuff isn't cheap, so mostly, my neighbors just buy stuff that is REALLY LOUD.

I could even get past that, except that for some reason, my explosive neighbors like to drag out the celebration. So here I sit, 2 days after the big night, listening to random, loud explosions. This scares the crap out of my dog. Literally. I've cleaned up 2 piles since New Year's Eve.

So Happy New Year. Yay, 2009. Can we stop celebrating yet?