And So 2009 Begins ...

New Year's Eve was a lot of fun. We went to The Pub, of course, and spent the evening hanging out with the regulars, my college-buddy-turned-big-brother-for-life Sully, and ... my boss.

I have a new boss who just came on board a few months ago. He moved from the south and had a friend coming up to visit his new home for the holiday break, and was looking for somewhere they could bring in the New Year. He said his friend wasn't all that into big crowds or touristy kind of stuff, so I invited them up to the pub. I was a little nervous. It's just a little weird having your fairly new boss come hang out at the place you go to blow off steam and act like an idiot! But he and his friend had a great time, and I ended up being really glad they came.

My friend Sully crashed at our place when we finally went home, and the three of us walked out in the bitter cold morning the next day to go pick up the van. We'd gotten a ride home with a sober friend rather than risk driving. The cold woke us up, and we all went and had breakfast, then we took Sully home so that he could get ready for his sister's New Years Day dinner party. As for Lee and I, we went home and vegged in front of the TV most of the day. We decided that as much fun as we had, that is definitely it on the party-time for a while. We even decided we're just gonna stay home and cook goodies for the playoff game on Sunday rather than go to the pub. Our bodies need a break from all the celebration, and it counteracts all our good efforts at the gym!

Today has been more productive. Lee got up on the roof and put down new shingles where Wednesday's wind ripped them off. We've taken down the Christmas tree and boxed up the ornaments, which makes me a wee bit sad. That just leaves the outside decorations to deal with.

Later, we have to go pick up the hearth stand I got my Grandmom for Christmas. That was the gift I had such a hard time getting because the company wouldn't let me order it without some special confirmation letter that had come with the fireplace heater my parents had gotten them. So it ended up being late and arriving a week after Christmas. Plus, even WITH the special confirmation number finally in hand, they wouldn't let me have it delivered directly to my grandparents' house. My parents had the fireplace delivered to their place, and the company wouldn't let me have the hearth stand sent anywhere else! So we have to go pick it up at my parents and take it to Grandmoms.

I guess this is the price you pay for good old-fashioned Amish hand-crafted furniture!

Other than that, no major plans. I'm just trying to stay mellow, rested and in a positive frame of mind for next week's return to the craziness of my job.