songbird's crazy world

The house is clean, the decorations done.  Food has been purchased and/or prepared.  Holiday music is streaming.  Soon our friends will arrive. A small, cozy gathering to ring in the new year. However you are celebrating tonight, whether at home or out with friends, enjoy.   And may the new year be filled with laughter, light and love.

 Happy NewYear. Welcome to my New Year’s Eve party. Tomorrow night we ring out the old and ring in the new, Bing Crosby is always a joy. A little ABBA    Some Johnny Mathis   Of course we include Barry Manilow    You  really need some Pentatonix    A real Scotsman to sing  "Auld Lange Syne"    Happy New Year to one and all!

 A troubled presidency but an amazing post-presidency.  A remarkable humanitarian who truly lived his faith.  America and the world are much richer for his presence among us.   Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

 So we did a trifecta …  Magic of Lights  at Jones Beach,  Holiday Lights  at the Bronx Zoo, and finally, Eisenhower Park.   The display is called  LuminoCity .  We’d never seen it, even though we live 5 minutes from the park, but thought we’d check it out.  It’s a walk-through experience, with lights and lanterns on display. This display is whimsical , fanciful, delightful. The lights start at the entrance to the exhibit. Santa greets visitors.   This one has a cut out so you can pose …    Lanterns …   This one is adorable.    Bambi?    A unicorn!    The caterpillar  And of course there’s a train. Another fun evening.

 Never thought a security camera would give me such a view of nature. The birds like my front lawn, don’t they? Night vision on my Ring …trying to figure out what’s falling from the sky … I think I’m really turning into a crazy cat lady.  I want another cat.  Shadow would love another companion, but Drew and Duchess object … I think Duchess still holds a grudge against me for bringing Shadow into her life…Drew doesn’t want to be outnumbered … After all … The artist really captured their attitude. Our get-together isn’t until Tuesday night, but Drew already put up the New Year’s decorations.  We’re both looking forward to it. I have to work Monday and Tuesday, but I’ll be working from home, so it won’t be terrible.  It’s been a slow week, I was able to catch up on tasks I’ve been putting off. I’m sure things will get busy again next month. Friday night.  Third night of Hanukkah.

  Goodbye Welcome to  Saturday: 9 . What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love to  answer the questions, however, and here is today's questions! Saturday 9: Goodbye (1969) Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it  here . This song was chosen because it's time to say goodbye to 2024.  Thanks for participating in Saturday 9 this year.  1) In this song, Mary Hopkin asks her lover not to let her sleep too late. Did you wake up this morning on your own, did someone wake you, or were you jangled awake by an alarm clock? I’m answering this in Friday, a work-from-home day.  My alarm was set, but as usual I woke before the alarm...

 They look so innocent when they’re asleep. An hour earlier they were chasing each other up and down the stairs.

 Saw two drones last night.  I looked out the living room window and there they were.  One drone went straight up, like a helicopter.  I have to wonder why they’re flying over my head ,,, So … New Year’s Eve.  We are having a small gathering, just a handful of friends.  Drew and I went to Party City for paper goods and decorations; it’s going to be a bit weird to see Hanukkah and New Year’s decor in the same place, but the holidays overlap, so …  I’ve got playlists for both holidays queued up on YouTube… We decided to order food from the Brazilian barbecue restaurant (lots of meat dishes), but I also ordered potato latkes from Bare Naked Bakery (latkes are usually made with flour or matzo meal as a thickener, so I have to get mine from the gluten free place). I will prepare a charcuterie board and get some crudités, and I’m making two appetizers — mushrooms stuffed with Boursin cheese, and kielbasa with pineapple. I’ve never made the kielbasa dish, so ...

Stereotype fulfilled.  We saw Nosferatu  at the movies Christmas Day, then went to Jani for Chinese food.   Looked at Christmas lights on the drive home. We thought this display was clever. And this house was interesting.  Came home and light Hanukkah candles. They say it’s lucky if a cat comes to visit you at Christmas. My ginger friend was back again, and this time he sat in front of my door. You can just make out the top of his head in the screen shot.  So Christmas is over, but we still have most of Hanukkah to celebrate.  And then New Year’s Eve.  Truly a season of light and love.

 This house sits on a corner lot, so that front, back and one side are visible from the street.  And the entire house, as well as detached garage, are decorated,