It's a Brand New Day

New Year's Eve was very busy for me.

First, my son, and I cleaned our chimney. Well, he cleaned while I watched. hehe.

Then Trevor and I went to town to visit my Mother in Law. She is 84 and had been feeling poorly a few days prior. She is fine now and we had a nice little visit. She was telling us about the houses she'd lived in and how they had remodelled an old school house which they had bought for $300 and had it moved to town. She told us that she and her husband had had a huge fight once because she wanted to buy a washing machine on credit and he got angry and sent the appliance back to Montgomery Wards. When they moved to New Mexico in the seventies, they bought their house for cash. I can't imagine not having a mortgage and credit card bills!

Then we ran some errands and finally arrived home just before dusk.

I went out and fed my horses in their stalls. They love to race into the barn but this time they carefully picked their way in from the arena because the ground is still very slippery and muddy around the barn. I gave them each rubdowns with my gloved hands because they really like my suede gloves. I read somewhere about parted manes showing areas of stress for horses (Annie's mane has always parted 3/4 of the way up her neck) so I am experimenting by rubbing her head and neck and then traveling down her body and belly, between her legs, down her back, and around her tail. The last few days, I noticed less hair spilling over on the wrong side. Coincidence or does this effleurage really work to relax them? Then, I gave them some cracked corn and senior pellets, giving Annie her Mare Plus vitamins for the baby. I only give them a third to a half of a 2 lb coffee can, a token, really. Finally, I gave Annie and Nadia peppermints. Scout doesn't like them. Too bad for him.

Then I stopped by my neighbor Lisa's house to help her with the chickens. I actually got to collect eggs!! (thanks, Lisa) I've never been around chickens so it was very strange having them all flock around me wanting to be close to me. Lisa's chickens are so friendly!!! I was surprised how sweet they all were. I had to pick some of them up and put them in their house for the night and it felt very strange holding their feathered bodies, but not at all unpleasant. It's so crazy how little things that a person is used to doing can be so challenging for someone not familiar with the routine.

After that I went home to make dinner for Trevor and me. I had been boiling beans since the day before, so we had grilled ham, fresh baked biscuits, and beans (baby lima, kidney, red, navy, and black-eyed with bacon and pork added). You gotta have black-eyed peas for New Year's, for good luck, right? It was all so YUMMY!!!

I poured myself a drink of vodka and tonic, managing to spurt tonic water everywhere in my kitchen: counter, cabinets, floor, and myself! In the store earlier that day we had wondered about the difference between tonic water and diet tonic water. I did not know tonic water had sugar in it, did you? Anyway, I was showing him what tonic water was and how it bubbled when you shook the bottle. So, I guess it was still shook up when I opened it a few hours later. And, because I opted for the regular tonic water, my kitchen got all sticky!

I decided to visit my neighbor, Lisa @ LaughingOrcaRanch for a girl's night out. Well, "out" for me but "in" for her! She hurt her knee just one week ago, riding her horse, Baby Doll, and has been held captive in her upstairs bedroom ever since. Kind of like Rapunzel, eh?

So, around 8:00 PM, I gathered Vodka, tonic water, cut up lime, cups, gingerbread cookies, popcorn, and movies and headed down the lane. It was still so muddy everywhere that I had to wear my muck boots! My son didn't want to come and warned me not to drive if I was going to be drinking! hehee. He also made me promise to be home right after the movie so WE could watch the new zombie movie he had purchased earlier in the day and to celebrate the arrival of the New Year with him.

Lisa's family was gathered downstairs watching movies and playing Rock Star, so Lisa and I got comfy on her bed and, with drinks in hand (I made sure Lisa wasn't taking other drugs to mix with the alcohol and frankly, they were pretty weak drinks!), watched some eyecandy hunks- Johnny Depp and Aidan Quinn in the movie, Benny and Joon, one of my all-time favorites. It was so nice looking out her balcony door at the lit luminarias on her roof. We wore New Year's tiaras and had a great time, doing what bloggers do, talking and taking pictures!

Here are the results. Lisa and me on her bed. Lol, I just noticed how the cat pillow on the upper left corner looks just like Oreo.

Here's Lisa! Looks just like a princess, huh? I know, I look scary but it was a self portrait!
When the movie ended, I wished my good friend all the best and a very Happy New Year and bundled up for the LOOOONG walk home. LOL! I got there all in one piece and after we walked the dogs and threw logs in the fire, Trevor and I settled down for some scaring; watching the Zombie Diaries. I confess, I dozed a bit during the movie since zombies aren't my genre of choice. I did watch the ending and incredibly, it finished at 11:57PM. What timing! We didn't miss the New Year's celebration!

We flipped tv channels over just in time to watch New York's Times Square and the ball falling (I know it already happened but it was current time for us!). We counted down along with the thousands there and toasted and hugged each other. We saw Hillary and Bill Clinton kissing and dancing on the tv. Everyone in Times Square was kissing rather arduously; I guess it was the cold and long waits (some people lined up for more than 12 hours!!). Then we saw Robbie Knievel jump the volcano at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. Do you think anyone is really hoping that he doesn't make it??

Then it was time for bed so we threw another log in the woodstove and said our "good nights."

May this year be fabulous for all of us.

It's a Brand New Day - song: Shake it, artist: David Bowie, album: Let's Dance