happy new year . .

when i was a little girl my mom would always set out the pot lids for us to bang together at midnight. after clanging away for a few minutes we would be silent and listen as we stood at the front door . . we always used to hear other people yelling and ringing noisemakers in the cold night air. people don't seem to do that anymore. the girls and i listen every year, but it's always silent. but i guess that's alright . . we have a good time! i still think that one year we'll hear someone . . (hello out there . . )

watching the ball drop . .

and eating shrimp and tater tots and drinking sparkling cider . .

two thousand nine

when the ball drops on the tv m and c run out of the room and grab the pots and pans by the front door and clang them together into the cold night air. this is a tradition from my childhood. in those days, after making a good loud racket for a minute or two, you would pause and listen . . and in the distance you would hear people yelling and the sound of new year party noisemakers and bells and other pot lids clapping together. when we listen these days it's very quiet . . but we still continue to yell into the night. happy new year everyone! may this year bring you joy and good health.