A New Life: Great Expectations! 2024 – 38

2024, a Whole Long New year!

We will have one extra day in this year! It is a Leap Year, he Year of the Dragon, and so February has 29 days.

We had a very peaceful end of the year. Our daughter from Canada Facetimed and our daughter from California called and both of them texted. Dennis was away to the mountains, so we were home alone. Just because of that, I rented the movie Home Alone and it was a hit! Mike liked it and could follow it well. After that we switched on the scene at Times Square but turned it off right away. What an awful way – in our opinion of course – to spend those precious last hours of the year. Instead, we sampled the bonbons I had received for my birthday from a neighbor. The Ferrero Collection. Three different wrappings, gold, brown and white. We tasted one of each, mmm…And for good measure, we had one more of our favorite. We could have finished the whole box if I had not come to my senses. It was so special that Mike was my partner in crime, because he really never eats sweets or cookies. We indulged and loved every minute and every bonbon. Just missed midnight by half an hour.

We started the new year with a breakfast of Christmas bread, pumpkin bread and fruit, and coffee of course. The day was full because I was the sole caregiver again, but after dinner we watched another movie, BIG, which was another hit. It was a welcome change from the concerts of Andre Rieu.

We were happily surprised by a text from our California grandson and his girlfriend to thank us for their Christmas presents and to let us know that there was a delivery at the front door, a lovely bouquet of flowers! I arranged them in a suitable vase (I have vases of all sizes and shapes because I love flowers) and sent a picture back to them with a thank you note. It brightened our day.

63 years!

We celebrated our 63rd Anniversary in many ways. In the morning, Dennis came to clean up our patio border; he took out all diseased (not to be confused with deceased!) plants and put them by the street. The border looks wonderful, ready for new spring planting soon. Then we had surprises: cards, flowers, and a cheesecake. And I had invited seven neighborhood friends to come at 7:00 p.m. for a dessert party. Our second dessert party! At our age, I guess that is the thing to do. No fuss with what wine to serve, people our age do not drink wine anymore (due to too many medications) Two of our guests wanted tea and two coffee.

Our house has always had an open door, and we had parties. When the children were little and teenagers, in Pasadena, California, we had pool parties and sleepovers. We had costumed Halloween parties, a surprise party for Mike’s 50th, hot tub parties and more. In Hawai’i, we were introduced to potluck parties. When we were in a rental in Prescott, Arizona during the time our house was built, we invited the people in the street for a potluck, and that was so well received, that they had street potlucks in other homes long after we had left. Our newly built dream home lent itself well for potlucks, and we had many in the fifteen years we lived there. Also, to celebrate December 5th with the Dutch club, Sinterklaas and Black Peter came to our home, and with the balmy weather we could branch out to our large deck.

After Arizona, we moved to a cottage on the grounds of a nice retirement resort. We made friends and had pizza parties. There was always something to celebrate. And now, in our own home again, we already had one impromptu desert party for Mike on his birthday, and a desert celebration for our Anniversary. If you ever have a dessert party, order a Tuxedo chocolate mousse cake from Costco! It serves twelve people and it is more than delicious.

May you enjoy many celebrations in the new year!       Until next time,

Ronny