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We went to our first New Year’s Eve party in a good while. I never really liked New Year and recently have usually preferred to stay in and sometimes not even stay up til midnight. But some parents from school were having a small gathering in the next village and as I don’t drink there was no need for a cab and we were bringing the kids who I assumed would flake out by 9.30. So there were escape routes if needed.
It was a good call - the kids all ran wild and the adults drank and chatted in the kitchen. The other parents were a little bamboozled by my not drinking and offered me champagne a few times, as if that wouldn’t count. They were more concerned I think, that they would look like drunken ninnies whilst I remained sober, but I am used to this disconnect and it’s not really a problem for me. I haven’t been to many social engagements in the last two years and usually have to get home before people get properly squiffy, but the worst it gets if you hang around is that people get a bit repetitive and a iht and it was relaxed and fun. I was flagging by 11pm after a 5am start with Ernie, but remarkably the kids were still pretty wired and wide awake. One of the smaller girls fell asleep at about 11.30, which was a relief as it meant it wouldn’t be embarrassing if I did the same thing.
We saw the New Year in with Jules Holland which inevitably reminded me of the times when
I was lucky enough to be at that party and also of the time that a sad, lonely me watched myself seemingly having a great time as the New Year came in.
One of the dads asked me what my highlight of 2022 had been and I couldn’t really think of anything. I suppose the fact that I got through it all without dying of cancer was good, but there was no career highlight. I seemingly won Taskmaster C of C this year, but we actually recorded that in 2021 (TV is all just a lie, as the Hootenanny should tell you). My main work memory of the year was the Fringe which I did not enjoy. I did get to do a couple of fun job though and being on Gone Fishing was cool. In the end I think my highlight was probably repeatedly going down the Wild River ride at Centre Parcs with Catie and the kids and everyone happy and loving it. Which isn’t so bad.
The world continues to spiral down the plughole, but I think that personally speaking 2022 was slightly better than 2021, but then I was lucky enough to get cancer in 2021 which makes it easier for the subsequent non-cancery year to be an improvement.
Ernie finally conked out at about 20 seconds after midnight, but Phoebe was still excited about being awake and keen to stay up all night. I am glad that she is more of a party animal than me. I have always liked sleeping too much to pull an all nighter (I must have managed one at some point, but can’t think go when that was).
As midnight struck I completed a double dry Jancember. Two years since my last drink (
whilst apparently doing a jigsaw, which probably sums up my transition from cool party animal to boring old codger). I wasn’t tempted to go back. I don’t know if I will ever be going back.
But as I told the kids - enjoy the last 15 minutes of 2022. Once it's gone we can't go back. It's gone my friends. It's gone.
