As the end of 2021 nears, I feel it incumbent on me to review what has happened to us this past year, see where any or all of it went wrong (kidding) and hope for the best in 2022 by not repeating most of it.
January started like it usually does – cold, windy, and a little bit snowy. I started the year by thinking maybe this month would be a good time to start that diet I thought about at last year's New Year's Eve party (okay, every New Year's Eve party) while I was gorging on hors d'oeuvres, desserts, and strawberry daiquiris. Strawberry daiquiris qualify as a fruit drink so that kinda makes it healthy, right? No? Just thinking about dieting isn't the same as making a resolution since I don't make resolutions.
Anyway, I was forced to get out of bed by the fourth day (those strawberry daiquiris are sneakily powerful) to make a fancy, decorated cake for the first of many, many birthdays I'll be making in the coming year, which I love to do. The grandkids' smiles make it all worthwhile.
So I did what any hale and hearty Nana would do in a situation like this – I went back to bed. Just kidding. I got busy planning and baking our grandson a cake for his 11th birthday. The whole family celebrated while crammed into the very small dining/kitchen area. Our son made the most delicious brisket on the new smoker he received from his dad and me for his birthday/Christmas present. He could definitely open his own barbecue shop with his mad skills at the smoker.
Minutes later (or so it seemed), birthday number two appeared. At least she's a teen so the entertainment was a little bit more refined. The doctor said I should REGAIN MY HEARING SOON. The rest of the month was spent hibernating and planning the birthday cakes for...
February. Two more birthday cakes coming right up. The older girls like to come over now to help bake and decorate their cakes so if anyone comes looking for the person who made the copyrighted cake and posted it on Facebook, it wasn't me. Ha Ha
David and I also celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary this month by doing – (drum roll, please) – absolutely nothing. After 48 years, two kids, two kids-in-law, 14 grandkids, and two great-grandsons, I'd say we've celebrated enough. Now we're content to grab a bite somewhere then rush home, change into our comfy clothes, put on a movie, and promptly fall asleep in our recliners. It doesn't get any better than that. This brings us to...
March and more birthday parties. When you have 23 people in your immediate family, not including brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, etc., there are one or two birthdays (and more!) every month and I've got the waistline to prove it. Teen number two and I made a delicious (if I do say so myself, and I do) cake and celebrated with family and friends at her house. And by that I mean, she celebrated and I sat and watched. I'm already pooped and it's just getting to be...
April. We acquired yet another driving teen this month. It's getting to the point that it might be safer to just stay off the roads. Teen drivers in our family are multiplying fast. We oldsters are lucky if we can keep out of their way. States need to make teen-designated roads lined with old tires, hay bales, and mattresses or giant rubber bumpers on all the cars just like they have on bumper cars at the amusement parks. That way we could have a little fun when we stray out of our lanes without causing any real damage. Hopefully, we'll be safer in the month of...
May. No new drivers this month but we did gain two more birthdays and another teenager. It's a good thing for our son that the boys equal the girls in number in his household. The bad thing is the boys are all way younger. They don't stand a chance. Maybe it gets better in...
June. The adult birthdays outnumber the kids' this month which makes it a little easier on me, I guess. We lump all the adult birthdays into one big party and call it good. It's also warm so we can send all the kiddos to swim in my sister's pool while we adults sit under the shaded patio and have some more healthy, fruity drinks.
Next week I'll cover the last half of the year if I can remember any of it. Like I said before, those fruity strawberry drinks can be deceitfully powerful.
Here's wishing everyone a very happy & prosperous New Year from our house to yours.