Somebody stop this train of thought before it derails completely.

Got some catching up to do, don't we? Hope you all had a great holiday.
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We had an action-packed holiday, including a trip to Michigan to see the fam and friends. Remember last year, with the stomach flu that wreaked so much Christmastime havoc? We had some panic-filled fears of a repeat round when my nephew awoke with the flu the morning after Christmas. We all hunkered down and tried not to cry with anticipatory dismay when Chloe came down with it the next morning, but a Christmas miracle happened and no one else was stricken. Phew. Still, isn't it an odd phenomenon when you learn that someone around you has the flu, and suddenly, you don't feel so well yourself? (You, of course, dismiss the fact that you've been eating massive amounts of junkfood all day, and that could be the contributing factor to your queasiness...no, you're quite certain you're coming down with the flu, too. Until you don't actually.) My brother-in-law and sister, Steve and I--we all confessed to the same paranoia (not absolutely unfounded paranoia, I don't think, but paranoia all the same).
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It was beautiful to share in the ceremony as Steve baptized our nephew on the night of the 30th, then we hopped into the car and drove through the night to arrive in the city the morning of the 31st.

Anyone want to guess what time I called it a night on New Year's Eve?

Anyone?

Bueller?

8:30.
That's right.
New Year's Rockin' Eve hadn't even come on the TV yet.
I woke up when the thunder of the fireworks over the Statue of Liberty at midnight shook our building. I craned my neck as I looked out the window in an effort to see them, but the best I could get was their reflection on the windows. "Happy New Year to us," I thought blearily.

The next morning, we were out and about at 9:00. The streets were empty. Of people, that is.
I saw plenty of, erm, how do I say this delicately.... regurgitated merriment on the streets, which made for an interesting sidewalk obstacle course.
And I felt sorry for the lonely, discarded party favors that littered the streets.
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I was glad to see that Gristede's, the grocery store on our block, is getting on the green train.
Yesterday I picked up a few of their entirely functional yet not so attractive reusable grocery bags. Seems that going green is right up there with losing weight at the top of the New Year's resolution lists these days.
I'm happy to do my part.
Plus these bags hold a ton, which comes in handy when toting purchases back to the apartment. Good for the earth; good for me.
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And, finally.

I listened to Fergie's The Dutchess yesterday afternoon whilst preparing a meal for our evening guest.
It made me laugh out loud. I'm talking belly laugh guffaws, here.
Was that the effect the album producers had in mind, do you think?
(I danced a little bit, too).