Hello 2015

We saw in the New Year with our Mothers Group friends, as we have done for the last couple of years.  Left to myself I would have no desire to go out and party on New Years Eve (too crowded, too many drunk people) but I am more than happy to attend this gathering: it is easy and close-by, it is in the company of people I really like to spend time with, and it is always enjoyable.

 

As this is the third year running that we've celebrated this way, some traditions have now been established, and the nicest part is how much the kids like and demand the order of ceremony. They love a ritual, do kids.

The first of the evening's ritual is fairly predictable - the kids jump straight in the pool and play raucously while the adults head for the table and the delicious food and drink. If it's warm enough the adults might swim too, when the noisy, splashing kids get out to refuel. It wasn't warm enough this year, so only Fixit braved it. As always, he chucked kids around and they hung off him and demanded me next.



Later, we walk up the road to watch the 9:30pm fireworks from a local vantage point with city views.  I found out this year that Sydney gets dark before we do in Melbourne. Sydney's early fireworks were at 9pm, so we were able to watch them on telly before walking up to see ours from the hill.  I really did not know that, thinking darkness would fall at the same time for all places in the same time zone.   It's something scientific, to do with the earth's curve probably.  So I learned something in the last hours of 2014, go me. 



We usually see someone we know up on the hill.  This year we saw some of my little tap students and some staff from our local cafe. And we met up with Cherub's best friend and he and his Mum ended up coming back to Astrid's house with us.  He couldn't believe his luck.



There was fun with glowsticks this year. I assume this will be a new bit to add to the ceremony next year.  Glowcuffs.



On our walk back to Astrid's, we stop at a specific corner and light our sparklers. This is Sparkler Corner now, by appointment.  Someone generally yells out Expelliarmus at this point in the proceedings.



Then it's back to Astrid's for dessert and some night-time swimming larks.



And then another walk back up the hill at midnight for the good fireworks, where coloured sparks fly up from across the top of the CBD.  It's beautiful.  Trams ding as they trundle past us standing in the centre of the road. Then it's kisses and wishes for a happy new year, and time to walk back down the road, stopping only for another round of sparklers at Sparkler Corner. 



After all this our family gathered up some stuff and said goodbye.  We headed for home, walking through the dark to catch our tram.  Cherub was tired by then and not impressed by all the walking, but we told him it was an adventure, staying up till half-past-one.  This morning we all slept late and then I made pancakes. I'm still in my pyjamas as I wish everyone a very happy 2015.  Hope it brings peace, love, health and happiness to us all.