Monika and I worked our asses off all of December. I was working two jobs and she was working three part time jobs. We rarely had a day off. On top of it, I was putting in 20 hours a week in retail, something I though I had given up 5 years ago when I quit Sam Ash. I even had to work on Christmas Eve Eve, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas!!
We were both desperately looking forward to a second-year-in-a-row trip to Ohio to visit Sam and Tuk, and spend the New Year with Sam for the fourth year in a row. We had a day trip to Cleveland to visit Great Lakes Brewpub, and another day trip to Falling Water, a place we’ve wanted to visit for some time now.
Well, a family emergency meant that we weren’t going to Ohio; Sam was coming to New Jersey. At least we would still get to see her, but Tuk was bound fast to work back west, and Sam was going to be busy with family affairs.
We made the best of it, though. She arrived in Atco Saturday evening just as Monika was getting out of the shower and getting ready to start the party. Here’s the annual slideshow:
custom made hat from Sam
let us all have Champagne
with my sweatered bottle of Maker's Mark
lets get this whiskey out of this bottle, already
we pose in the bar
the three of us with our Christmas Cracker hats
adorableness
at midnight, we decided to blow things up!
like a boss
i don't even know why the girls let me do it, but I guess we all love adventures
the first mortar is alight! I can't believe the cops didn't show up. These guys are REALLY loud in my hood.
it's cold, but the party continues
one of the last pix of the night
the next morning, we sat on the kitchen floor with Mimosas
New Years Day with Craig and Kat, opening another round of Christmas Crackers
Sam in the morning, on her way back to Ohio
It takes the best friends to make you smile when life has dealt you a horribly sad hand. Especially during the holidays. It’s nice to know you have some around for you when you need them.
On The Verge of Tears 