New Years

New Years...it's always a mix of blessing and, well, not-so-blessed...

My first-born child, my only son, was born at 12:52 a.m. on January 1. We had to drag the doctor away from his New Year's Eve party to come to the hospital to deliver him. I'll never forget the nurses telling me not to push...the doctor will be here soon! I was already 2 1/2 weeks overdue, I missed out on my income tax deduction for 1981, I had to pay my insurance deductible for 1982 now...forget the doctor, I thought, I'm not waiting for him to be done partying! That was the best New Year's I've ever had.

Most, however, have been the other kind. My husband, self-employed business owner, stressing about year-end...working himself to a frazzle trying to get things wrapped up for one year before heading into the next...every. stinking. year. for the last almost 30 years. This year is no different. No coming home early. No spending extra time with the grandson, um, not to mention, the wife. These are the times when I hate being self-employed; when everyone else is getting off work early, and he's staying late, snapping every time the phone rings, the office staff swirling around him...he's busy! too much to do! year end!

bah humbug...oh wait, wrong holiday.