New Year's Day

First day of the new year... and a little too early to be up and typing after such a late night out, but ShadowBaby woke me up, then AngelBoy woke up. Once the cats are up, the day has begun.

Dinner at Babbo Bruno last night was great... a limited menu because of the crowd but everything was delicious. Every table was filled there ... a mixture of familiar faces and people we'd never seen there before. I'm sure a lot of their customers are 'regulars' who tell everyone they know about this gem of a restaurant.

I brought the favors that I made... small-sized champagne bottle-candles and candy (so the New Year will be bright and sweet)..... I fancied them up with ribbons.... one for each couple, and I made one for the owners of the restaurant. Can't have a party without favors... the unwritten rule.

Warm night last night... so I didn't get to wear my long velvet dress. I've had that dress for over five years now... and it's never been cold enough on a holiday night to wear it. I'll try again next year.

My Aunt Dolly called late yesterday afternoon to wish us a Happy New Year. My aunt will be 93 this year. She's like the little pink Energizer Bunny... she does everything in her house, can't stand people doing things for her unless she truly cannot do them herself. I always thought my Aunt Dolly looked like Loretta Young, and she still does. My dad's sisters all seem to be ageless. When they're all dressed up and made up for a night out, you'd think each one was at least 20 years younger than they really are.

My aunt asked me what I was wearing for New Year's Eve, and I told her I was following her Rule #1 for dress-up: "You can go anywhere in a black skirt, a pretty top, a little jacket, and the best shoes and purse and jewelry you can afford." My Aunt Dolly always said to wear simple, classic clothes and never fall for the 10-minute trends. My husband's mom used to say "Wear the clothes, don't let the clothes wear you." Two very classy, classic ladies.

I called my cousin T out in Arizona yesterday. The 2005 birthday calendar (that he puts together each year) arrived in yesterday's mail. I called to tell him that maybe he shouldn't be listing everyone's ages on the birthday calendar every year. Can all of us cousins really be over 50 now? T said the same thing... and said that "wasn't it just last week when we were all in Grandma's porch playing Monopoly?"

And Grandma's porch is still the same... Aunt Dolly now lives alone in Grandma & Grandpa's house and is preserving the past. Grandpa built that house in 1921 and it's been the family home ever since. No one knows what will happen with the house after Aunt Dolly is no longer there to take care of it. I don't think anyone else will want to live there. The neighborhood certainly isn't what it used to be, and I can't think of anyone in the family who would go there to live. I'm sure the house will be sold to another family... who might have their own children playing Monopoly in the front porch.

Well, let's not get started on a march down Memory Lane. Happy New Year to all....