We're just going to our friend's house next door, as we've done for decades. We'll have snacks and drinks, maybe play a game, and struggle to stay awake until midnight.

This always seems to be a good night to avoid driving with all the drunks on the road. However, with the current temp at near zero, walkways and driveways are icy and slippery so even walking next door could be an adventure.

Karen

Staying home and watching the Chiefs game right now. Will be trying to stay up until Midnight then will hit the sack shortly after since I have to work tomorrow.

Same thing I always do. Give my dog Jack medication to help him cope as much as possible with the fireworks. Then sit with him glued to my legs. If it gets bad we curl up on the floor under comforters and wait for the fireworks to run out.

Staying off the road is a good idea tonight. My husband used to call it "Amateur Night" because people who think they know how to drive add drinking and...well.

All I'm doing is laying on the couch with my cat... I've been sick since Christmas with a very bad cold. Hope everyone has a happy & a healthy new year! Be safe.

Feel better soon, Debbie. It's horrible to be sick over Christmas and your birthday.

Are y'all kidding? Doing something on New year's eve? No way. Haven't gone out for New Year's Eve for decades. Not safe anymore. Was only 'safe' when I was young and crazy.

I'm going to make stir fry.

Worked today and working tomorrow. plus it is only 3 degrees out. So staying home and will be asleep by midnight. Hoping that these temps will keep the fireworks to a minimum.

Had a bit of excitement here on New Year's Eve.

Was sitting quietly with the poor frightened dog. I was kind of cold so I pulled my hoodie and put the hood on my head. Nice and warm.

Wondering where the other two dogs were, I slipped quietly out of the room and went to check.

I peeked ever so carefully to see if the other two dogs were sleeping.

As I parted the curtain and peeked in...All heck broke loose!!! The dog George did not recognize the evil stranger who had entered his house and room!! He jumped up and chased me around the house, snarling and barking. Sheesh. Whoever said a 27-pound dog cannot protect a house was totally wrong. The big dog joined the chase as I ran for cover.

Had to remove the hoodie completely to get George to calm down. Of course, all this caused poor old Jack to wake up and...here we go again.
Another nice calm relaxing evening at home.

Anyone who thinks I don't know how to have a good time is welcome to spend next New Year's Eve at my place.

Oh my, those scary hoodies sure caused a circus at your house.

We haven't gone out on NYE in years, tonite is way below zero bitter cold weather that causes black ice much safer staying off the roads.

@Greene,

Your house sounds as nutty as mine. They only difference is I have seven cats (three are brothers and real hooligans). I bought them 15" "sticks" filled with catnip for Christmas and the biggest troublemaker, Chip, is AFRAID of it.

It's a wonder your dogs didn't ask for ID. Poor Jack

Meanwhile, my sister and I are quietly celebrating her birthday (but NOT the number). We have enough trouble with sober people running red lights and stop signs although come to think of it, they probably aren't sober so tonight would be like any other day on the road-no thanks.

Gayle

Okay, folks. It's that time of night.
The local idiots seem to be running out of fireworks. They have now switched to shooting guns.
For safety, gonna head to the interior room of the house for the remainder of the evening. Might just pull that hoodie back over my head.

Stay safe everyone!! See you next year.

I forgot to mention that I'm too old for any of the TV "ball dropping" shows. They get on my nerves big time. No entertainment, all ads. I thought I would never say this but I would consider watching old reruns of Guy Lombardo with all the drunk people dancing around the ballroom. I can't believe I'm waiting to see if Mariah Carey will be able to redeem herself after the fiasco last year with no music and she couldn't sing (or the lip sinking was off). She's due to sing close to midnight. I'll probably be asleep.

All the best to everyone -health, happiness, good gardening- for 2018!

Gayle

I remember the one time I made it to Times Square for the ball drop. Sardines in a can have more room than we did standing there. The excitement in the air was incredible. It was a pain in the butt taking the train there and back to where I lived in Long Island... Which is why I never did it again. Got Tigger purring in my lap, some hot tea to soothe my throat and got some Gene Kelly movies playing (that the sweet boyfriend got me for my birthday). I'm pretty happy.

Love Gene Kelly. What talent. Oh, dear. Now I'm going to have watch the famous dance scene where he's singing in the rain. That's one nice thing about YouTube — someone somewhere has somehow managed to upload just about everything you can think of. And plenty more.

Tea sounds good, too.

My favorite Gene Kelly scene is when he dances with the dog. You can skip to minute 3 in this video clip; that's where the singing stops and the dancing begins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

I forgot to say that last night while I was comforting my dog Jack, I was not completely idle. I had bought two packages of carne picada and had them going in the slow cooker all night. This morning I added a bag of frozen peas and carrots. After those are tender I will thicken the mixture with plain rice cereal. Don't panic. I'm not gonna eat it. It's for the dogs.

Get well soon, Deb. It's terrible to be sick any time, but seems especially bad over the holidays.

I could never tolerate either the crowd nor the cold in Times Square on New Years Eve. I hate the cold weather! It was 1° here this morning.

We had fun at our neighbor's house last night. We played Cards Against Humanity. What a game! We laughed our heads off. We had drinks and snacks and were home by 12:45. I didn't sleep well either. I'll be dragging all day.

Speaking of drinking and driving, UBER is always a great option. Even though we don't drink that much, sometimes it's just more convenient too. It seems many older people (our friends) are reluctant to even try it, but we like it.

Karen

tx_flower_child said:Love Gene Kelly. What talent. Oh, dear. Now I'm going to have watch the famous dance scene where he's singing in the rain. That's one nice thing about YouTube — someone somewhere has somehow managed to upload just about everything you can think of. And plenty more.

Tea sounds good, too.

I really think that Donald O'Connor should have gotten alot more recognition for his dancing. He was equally as talented. I forgot which movie it was, but in one of Kelly's movies, he tap dances on roller skates. O'Connor does it too on YouTube. Truly amazing. I found a video on YouTube of Kelly & Astaire doing a number together called 'The babbitt and the bromide'. Loved it. Makes me want to start taking lessons again. (I've taken several years of lessons, but it gets costly).

Karen, thank you. I think it's time I go to the doctor and get antibiotics. I've been sick for almost 2 weeks and it's not much better. The cough wrecked my voice where I need to bring a pad & pen with me everywhere I go to be able to communicate with anyone.

ChefDebbie said:
...I think it's time I go to the doctor and get antibiotics.

@ChefDebbie,
My friend's entire family got sick at Thanksgiving, didn't see a doctor and are still sick today - that's more than a month!! Yes, please, go get some medical help. Whoever catches this thing that's going around is in for the long haul if they don't seek help.

(Note: I am not a doctor nor did I ever portray one on television. Just a concerned mother. )

Thank you. My throat is so raw from coughing. I have my mother begging me to go to the doctor, and my father telling me to ride it out and I don't need a doctor. Wow. I've been dealing with this for a long time. It always turns out to be bronchitis... And with my asthma, I am so uncomfortable. I think my dad is going senile.

Debbie -- Yes, go to the doctor but don't tell her (note I said 'her') that you want antibiotics. Let her (did it again) decide the best medicine. Too many people, and am not saying that you're one of them, automatically ask for antibiotics and their doctors automatically prescribe antibiotics, and suddenly we got a whole lot of trouble in River City if you catch my drift as well as the movie reference. Having said all of that, maybe you do need antibiotics. Just get yourself to a doctor. And yes, it sounds like your dad is going senile.

Totally agree about Donald Oconner. So many of his dance scenes are mind blowing. I've read that he'd go improv and the stage crew would have a hard time figuring out where to move some of the props around. I think he didn't get as much credit as Kelly because he never got cast as the leading man and never got the girl.
Haven't looked at your link yet else I would be more specific.