Ring in a New Year!

Happy New Year! Can you believe another year has come and gone?? We can hardly believe we’ve been here in Greenbelt for two months already! Where does the time go?? We keep busy with work, sightseeing, and trying to sell some of our Dept. 56 stuff on eBay. We have white-tail deer visit our campsite on occasion, and we finally got some snow! Well, technically we had snow flurries for about half an hour a few days ago, and the next morning awoke to an outside temperature of 16….brrrrr!!! But then yesterday it was 60…crazy!!

The past few years on New Year’s Eve we had either gone to watch the fireworks at Disney World, or to the corner bar around 11:30pm for a drink to ring in the New Year. So what were we going to do this year? Stay home and maybe still be awake to watch the ball drop in Times Square on TV? Go to the TGI Friday’s across the street from the park about 11:30 for that drink to bring in the New Year? Attend the New Year’s Eve party at the American Legion Post we’d seen a sign for just a mile down the road? Hmmm, what to do, what to do. Well, we stopped at the American Legion Post the day before to check out the details, and for $20 per person there was live music, a cash bar, champagne at midnight, and a buffet breakfast shortly after (you could bring your own snacks for the evening). Russ left the decision up to me, and though part of me hated to spend the money, recent events reminded me how important it is to take every opportunity to get out there and enjoy life while you can. Just a few days earlier we learned that a dear friend’s cancer had returned, and she’s our age, still in the prime of life. So Sat. morning I told Russ I wanted to go to the party. Doors opened at 7:30 but we showed up around 9, and The Bad Weather Boyz band was loud and in full swing when we walked in. There was quite a crowd, and though no one was dancing yet, that changed rather quickly and soon the dance floor was packed with people of all ages shaking their booties…even one guy using his cane to steady himself! This local band played music from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s and were rather loud for such a small room (guess it was so us old people could hear! Ha!) We found a couple of seats at a table in the middle of the room occupied by Sandy and Chris, who were happy to share their space. They live locally, and though not members of the Post, Chris knew several people as well as a couple guys in the band. We had a nice time getting acquainted and enjoyed the festivities of the evening. The balloons dropped at midnight, the band quit a few minutes later, and around 12:30 the breakfast line was opened…eggs, sausage, potatoes, and biscuits. Overall we had a good time…the band was ok, we danced a couple times, the drinks were cheap (and strong!), and at midnight we raised a glass to all our friends and loved ones…I’m glad we went.

Earlier in the week, we visited the 34th Annual Festival of Lights at Washington DC’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. There were over 500,000 lights in the trees and around the grounds of the Temple and Visitor’s Center, and an outdoor life-sized Nativity scene.

Located inside the Visitor’s Center was the International Nativities Exhibit featuring over 100 crèches from around the world as well as 16 full-size Christmas trees decorated with international themes scattered throughout the center. The tree pictured here features dolls of many nationalities keeping with the international theme. The detailed workmanship of the crèches was amazing, created of varying materials and sizes, some quite colorful while others more sub-dued and simple.

In addition there are nightly musical performances by local groups all free of charge lasting about 40 minutes. On the evening we went it was the Trifecta Jazz Ensemble playing holiday favorites featuring Mike Vance on saxophone, Regan Brough on bass, and Steve Erickson on piano, and Mike’s wife, Haleigh, joined them for a song playing violin. An enjoyable performance, and an evening of beautiful lights and Christmas joy.