1100: 1.1.2014

It was a quiet New Year.  #2 son was out with friends.  #3 son stayed in, fell asleep over his dissertation but woke up up in time for 'the bells'.  I watched 'Two Doors Down' - it felt a Scottish 'Abigail's Party'.  I recognised so much in that script, that could have been me reminding the man about keeping the drinks topped up and cooking the pie in my case sausage rolls) in my pinnie.

Ah well, 11.55 came and #3 son and I went upstairs and I opened the window, wide.  One of the benefits of living at the top pf a hill with a view across the city is the New Year fireworks can be seen without leaving the comfort of my own home. I'd already watched the Calton Hill Homecoming ones at 8.14 (how precise). I forgot to put the radio on for 'Big Ben' and streaming BBC1 meant the English programme, not Jackie and co.  I decided to pass on Gary Barlow.  

So we waited for the bells  The street was dead quiet, one car drove past just before 12 and that was it. A few fireworks went off prematurely to the west and then boom, it was midnight, 2014, and the sky above the Castle erupted with fireworks responding from Calton Hill.  it was an amazing view.  my contribution was 2 party poppers fired out the window.

So that was it.  we wished each other HNY and hugged and then #3 son went back to bed and I went back downstairs to have my Armagnac and text friends.  Later I lay in bed feeling a bit melancholy, haunted by the ghost of New Years past, spent with friends and family.  So different this year.  I'm home alone, Y and G are 40 miles away sat in caring for 2 injured and aged parents, C and L stayed down south as they were working till 4 yesterday and A and B are still 'up north'.  And M, somewhere out east, or south.  And G and WH far away in KL.

But later is another day.  The folks are coming for a meal so the pot roast is cooking, the apple pie is prepared and I've even done a tiny wee bit of gardening.  It was SUCH a good decision to buy this house.  I do love.  And Molly, the wonder cat, has spent the morning rushing in and out after next door's cat.  She sits on the table and scans the garden, waiting for the intruder.

#3 son is still abed, he's off to friends later and #2 son is not home.  

Sometimes it is good just to sit quietly and 'be' but now I'm off to put up some pictures.

My 1100 blip - have a great day.

(in the photos you can clearly see the lights of Minto Street, the old Longmuir Nurses' Home and in the distance the clock of the NB/Balmoral.)