New Year’s Eve

 When I was younger I used to make New Year’s Eve a special time, just for myself. I would go outside (it’s summer here then) and sit somewhere and contemplate the past year’s events and experiences that happened to me during the past year, and think about plans for the coming year and wonder about what changes might happen in my life and the lives of my family and friends.

One year, the year I was to turn 21 and was to leave home and was planning to travel New Zealand then the world, I was on a caravan holiday in the South Island with Mum and Dad, so on New Year’s eve I sat on a rock beside a river alone to contemplate all of this.

I was planning to break up with my girlfriend of two years so that I could carry out my travel plans, was feeling like a heel but knew it had to happen.

It was peaceful watching the river flowing past and I was wide awake and able to think and plan clearly. The past year had been good for me. I was about to complete my electrical apprenticeship and intended to leave Hamilton to go to Wellington in the south of the North Island. I planned to live and work there for a while and earn some money before going to the South Island to travel around taking jobs as they came up.

Well, I guess life’s not always predictable. I did leave home and go to Wellington. I had a few jobs and while enjoying one of them I met Jill, and that ended my plans to travel further.

The rest is history. We are happily married with a grown-up family and grandchildren, and now living back in Hamilton. So much for my planned world travel!

But I don’t miss it. I’m glad we married and settled down and had a family.

I no longer sit outside and contemplate on New Year’s Eve. Instead I am probably in bed sound asleep before the clock strikes that magic hour.

Our New Zealand Christmas Day
Here is our family and the lovely Christmas food Jill made for our mid-day meal. Three generations are featured in the family photo -  the oldest being Jill's sister Rayna and the youngest being our grandson Alex.

As we celebrate Christmas in summer here our food consists mainly of cold meats and salads with hot boiled or baked potatoes. Also included but not shown here is desert, this year consisting of chocolate log, pavlova, strawberries and cream. Also with wine, beer and soft drink.

Our grand daughter Stephanie is now twenty and she has a steady boyfriend called Daniel who also joined us for Christmas lunch. He took the family photo above for us.

I know it's a bit late now but I found this joke today and thought it was worth repeating here:

It was the day after Christmas, and the pastor glanced out the window at the crèche in front of the church and noticed that the baby Jesus was missing from among the figures. When he went outside to investigate he saw a little boy pulling a red wagon up the street, and in the wagon was the missing baby Jesus.

So the pastor hurried to catch up and said, “Well where did you get your passenger, little guy?”
The little boy replied, “I got Him back there at the church. I was going to put him back.”
“But why did you take Him?”
Then the little boy explained, “I had to. I really wanted a red wagon for Christmas, so I prayed to the little Lord Jesus and asked Him to help me get one. And I promised Him that if I got one I would give Him a ride around the block in it.”

Happy Christmas to All.