Monday, January 3, 2022

Skipping into the New Year like...

 

There's a meme going around that says don't go claiming 2022 as "your year." Instead, it says, "we're all going to walk in real slow. Be good. Be quiet. Be cautious and respectful. Don't touch anything." I get it, but the way I see it, we can't afford such reticence. There's too much at stake. We need to get out there and raise hell about the decline of our democracy, it's happening before our eyes. But while we're at it, I do believe that we also need to notice or create moments of connection and joy.

Our girl and her guy came to the city to spend New Years with the man and me. My husband rustled up many little plates of party food, including pigs in a blanket (he knows they evoke fond memories of childhood New Years Eve festivities at my uncle's house), phyllo-wrapped brie bites, two kinds of charred chicken wings, Philly cheese steak sliders, salsa, guacamole, and chips, and individual key lime pies. My girl added a tray of cupcakes and near midnight we popped open the bubbly and raised a glass to the sweetness of being able to spend New Years Eve together after such a year. When the ball dropped in Times Square, we called our son, who was at his apartment in Astoria alone, on day five of his ten-day quarantine while his love waits him out at her parents' house in New Jersey. This is the year they plan to marry. He tested positive on the PCR test he took a couple of days after getting the telltale red line on a home test a week ago. He's feeling okay again. His symptoms were light: a couple of days of body aches, a bad headache the day after, and now just a lingering cough, though we all drove by to exchange gifts and put eyes on him on New Years Day, and he didn't cough once. 

After a slow start to the first day of 2022, it was dark and raining by the time we got to his house, but we stayed outdoors, the five of us masked on the sidewalk in front of his building, chatting and catching up. He was so happy to see people he kept prolonging the visit, though he wouldn't allow any of us to hug him. "Munch is the only one who gets a hug," he announced, picking up the pup and twirling around with him. I wondered about the wisdom of a boy who had been sick standing out in the rain, but he brushed away my concerns, sharing that that he goes walking for an hour every day, rain or shine.

The whole time my girl and her guy were here, they kept getting texts from upstate about yet another family member who had just tested positive, eventually five of them, all of whom they had been with on Christmas Day. Our girl was anxious that they might have brought Covid to us, but her dad told her to relax, that he'd rather get Covid from one of his children than from anyone else, and if there was a variant to get, the relatively mild omicron might be the one. 

Honestly, we suspected that every one of us just might be positive, given how many people we know who have contracted Covid over the season, but since none of us were exhibiting any symptoms, we released worry and just cherished being together. Our girl and her love left early yesterday morning to head back to Boston, where they can get tested easily on campus, and don't have to stand in line for hours as we do in New York City. They dropped off their test samples yesterday afternoon and will let us know the results. We all continue to feel fine. I pray all of you, and your loved ones, will remain safe and healthy in 2022.

Update: Our beloveds in Boston just got back their results—both tested negative.


16 comments:

  1. Sounds like a wonderful and loving way to spend New Year's Eve. I'm so glad that you were able to gather outside with your son too, to share the first day of this New Year. Hope everyone stays safe and healthy there and gets well enough for more loving gatherings and celebrations. Happy New Year!

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  2. Your husband is an amazing cook. What a lovely way to spend New Year's Eve and I'm glad you got to see your son. Getting wet and cold doesn't make us sick, despite years of listening to our mothers telling us to put on a coat.

    Let's hope this year is better. Fingers crossed.

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  3. Oh, those girls in their dresses! I want to carry THAT image with me into 2022.
    Yes. You did New Year right. I am so very glad you got to spend it with your daughter and her love and you got to lay eyes on that boy of yours. I know he misses his life, his loves. He'll be back to all of you soon.
    This Omicron has us all rather confused, I think. Maggie's birthday is coming up and all she wants is for her friends and family to gather and yet...should we? The rates of infection here now are crazy high. Jessie just learned that the hospital where she's about to go back to work has 150 employees out with it. Two years on and we're still unsure of how and what and why.
    Meanwhile, on we go.

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  4. Very happy to read that your boy's case of Covid is not awful. It is so wonderful that your husband enjoys cooking and is good at it. That is a delightful spread of tasty treats.

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  5. Wishing you and your family all the best in the coming year.

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  6. top photo delights even the most weather worn weary. A gem!
    I am so glad that you all went to see the lad and the pup got a hug. Best thing ever. such a loving lovely family y'all are.
    NYE means nothing to us, in bed by 10:00, , just another day.

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  7. Glad to hear your son is doing well and your daughter and love tested negative once again. It struck close to home when we learned last week that one of my husband's cousins died from covid but he was seriously overweight and had other fairly bad health problems. Still it seems that so many people vaxxed and masked and distancing are still getting it. If there is any good in this it's that Omicron tends to stay in the nose and throat instead of migrating to the lungs. And you are right, be sensible, be aware, but go skipping into the new year. I just love that picture.

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  8. Such a joyful photo! Very glad to hear that your son is doing OK and that you got to see him. Your New Years celebration sounds lovely. This omicron is overwhelming. It seems that every hour I hear of someone else who has COVID. May 2022 be a brighter year for all of us.

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  9. Glorious party dresses. I wish little girls still did that. The food! Drooling on my keyboard.
    I hope you stay healthy and happy this next year. Best wishes from icy Canada ... where our idiot of a Premier is shutting us down again. Too little and too late. I am with you, get it and get it over with. Our daughter who flew in for two weeks tested negative going back. Thumbs up.

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  10. Moving ahead slowly and cautiously is very good advise. Covid continues to trouble us all and makes no exceptions. I'm glad to hear your son seems to have a mild case. At least you were able to meet up and provide some of your husband's NYE delectable menu items. I also agree, we must safeguard our democracy.

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  11. In the new year, I'm going to remember the joy of the four girls, not giving anyone the power to take their joy from them. All the best to you and your beloveds!

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  12. Yes! Let’s get out there and raise hell! That photo is pure joy. Hope your son recovers completely.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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  13. Happy New Year to you, dear woman! I'm glad ya'll are all negative and that your son is recovered. The same here -- what I really hate or feel anxious about is WAITING to inevitably get it.

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  14. Your New Years Eve feast looks fabulous! Your husband did a great job with that. Hope all get healthy and stay healthy.
    Happy New Year! Hope 2022 is filled with fun adventures and good health!

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  15. Happy belated new year! I agree about 2022 -- we need to be respectful but still show it who's boss. :)

    So glad you got to visit with your son, and it sounds like you managed the risk well. I'm thinking a positive test is ultimately inevitable for all of us. The trick is doing what we can (i.e. vaccines and boosters) to keep the effects mild.

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  16. Okay now, that top photograph just screams joy! And the array of food in the second is seriously tempting. What a good New Years eve you had. Like you, I know several now who have tested positive. Let us hope this is our last "wave." Glad to hear that you were able to see family, and have an outdoor visit with your son. We long for each other very much these days.

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