New Year’s Eve

I woke up at 2:00 a.m. on December 31 and could not fall back asleep. I tried. I really tried. But I ended up reading a book until about 6:00 a.m. That’s when I finally fell asleep.

So, I woke up again at 11:30. I had several texts and one email, asking if I was still alive.

Sidebar: That’s how you know you’re old. If I was a teenager, the response would be, “Damn lazy kid!” But at 66, everybody wonders if you died. Sigh…

So, I reassured everyone, then shaved and showered and got into the day. I had a ton of mail to go through (having put a hold on it while I was gone). Of course, many of them were Christmas cards that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. But, I want to quote one specifically, from my friend Leon:

“Thanks for the bike pictures. Still curious about the actual motor, though. Really like your Royal Enfield. Looks the way a bike should. Everything going well down here. Erin got engaged last week so figure on a spring or early summer wedding. Hope you have a merry Christmas and [a] happy new year. 

Leon, Cathy and Erin.”

Now, why did I quote this? Because Jake has been concerned that Leon would not approve of his modifications to “Leon’s” bike. But apparently, Leon is just concerned with the motor. That was the reason it was parked and stripped in the first place. It leaked oil and he tore it down to get the cylinders honed. But, the bike shop he worked at told him there was a flaw in the cylinders, so he parked it for 30+ years…

So, rock on, Jake. Just give me photos now and then so I can send them to Leon.

I also got two things I’d ordered a while back. One was a tee shirt that somehow spoke to me. I figured if anybody (with the possible exception of my brother Carl) had a savaged body, it was me!

The other were the Sriracha key chain bottles. Smallest order was nine. So, I have nine of them. Would have been nice if they got here BEFORE my trip, since I bought them as a gag gift for Carla and Jake. Now I have to figure out how to mail two of them to SC.

I finally got off my lazy butt and went to Meijer’s.  I needed some foodstuffs and wanted a scale (mine died, if you remember). Kroger’s would have the food, but not the scale.

It was seriously crowded, mostly with people buying New Year’s Eve snacks and champagne. But, I got in and out with no problem. I was back home and settled in for the night before 5:00 p.m.

I put the scale together and it said in the instructions there was a strip under the battery you had to remove before it would work. But there was no strip and the battery was dead (I guess). So, I’ll get another one tomorrow. I hope that’s the only problem and I don’t have to take it back. I HATE to take things back…

Sidebar: Yeah, its digital. Not what I wanted, but that’s all Meijer’s had in stock.

I made some sliders and shoe string French fries for dinner. I put the mini-burgers on some potato bread dinner rolls, along with two dill pickle chips and Dusseldorf style mustard. It was good, but I overcooked some of the fries.

I put the drawer face back on to check for fit and clearance. It worked!

So, since it had been more than 24 hours since I stained it, I gave it the first of the three coats of polyurethane. I cracked the window in the office and shut the door to contain the smell.

Sidebar: I am beginning to hate that smell!

I had thought briefly about staying awake to ring in the New Year, but then decided against it. Been there, done that 65 times.

So, I shut the TV off and read in bed until I fell asleep.