Last night was a standard New Year's Eve at my in-laws, complete with a nap in the middle of it. We didn't wake up until around 2:00pm yesterday, and that was just to come down and sit at the table for another two hours. By the time we knew it, it was 5:00pm and Wife suggested I go cut my hair as I was starting to look a little "grandpa cave-man," with all my grey/white hair. By the time I shaved and we all showered and collected at the house, we found ourselves leaving around 7:00pm. Boy had said he would be following us because he was taking his GF and friend. At first I was thinking whatever, but then we heard the news and it was going to be sketchy late at night, and we always drive back late at night. At the last minute we decided to all go together in my Excursion, since they still all fit comfortably, shoot, we could have added another two people, but anyways.
I was surprised to find myself driving and holding steady. Maybe because we have been sleeping so much lately, I managed to get us there without yawning once and keeping the conversation going with Wife. There was a pit stop at the HEB in New Braunfels to gas up, and gas has been coming down in cost, it was only $1.75/gallon, which was awesome for the wallet. Getting to my in-laws, it keeps getting harder and harder to find parking as everyone in the street seems to have company. We had a choice of parking between two houses about halfway in the block, or between the start of the block and the first house. I felt I was too close to the intersection, but I got through the night without a ticket.
All the food offerings were about the same as usual, starting with a hearty bowl of menudo (which I find a little gross, but everybody loves), tamales, sausages, pigs in a blanket, meatballs, cheese dip, spinach dip, some fruit trays, cookies, cake, brownies, empanadas (applebutter and pineapple), and other stuff I can't remember. The highlight was probably trying some "coquito", which I just heard about recently, but I guess everybody has their own recipe. It's got coconut, rum, and maybe milk to make it a white color, but also some spices so it isn't just a pina colada. I kept getting a little glass with less than a finger's depth to it which was annoying, just tilting it back to taste finished it, but then they put the bottle on the table and I poured myself a healthy glass. Wow, it was yummy and probably set me on the path to a nap at 11:00pm.
There was good conversations with my brother in law about watches, we both love looking and talking about them, I talked with Wife's brother about how we should buy a vacation home together, but he just got back from Florida and he wants one over there, I want one waterfront, here in Texas. We were even asked about what our secret to such a long and successful relationship we've had by a new gal who showed up as best friend's to the daughter of my brother in law. Wife and I told her it's because I have been on nights for twenty two years, and now because she works three hours away, jokingly. Honestly, I think we work because we talk about everything, we don't let stuff fester too long to become a problem.
We accidentally mentioned my secret, but nobody was the wiser for it. Wife said to her cousin who was pretty much in all my classes, from Kinder until we graduated about getting me a wallet with a shark, which you know why... She looked puzzled, I mentioned that of course, you met me as a human boy and you also believe I am but the same age as you. In reality, I was a Merman for three hundred years, and I was responsible for keeping the Gulf of Mexico's shark population under control. She just made a goofy sound in disbelief, and I said good, my secret identity is safe.
All kidding aside, we rang in the New Year, I ended the old one with a 15 minute nap, and was up in time to stand next to Wife and drink her little champagne glass and eat her grapes, and even a spoonful of black eyed peas. We hung out for another hour, which I spent mostly laying down, maybe it was the alcohol, but I felt hot and sweaty, yet outside was freezing. It was comfortable in front of the fan laying on my in-law's bed. Wife woke me and we took off within a matter of minutes. I found me texting my mom at 3:30am that we were home OK. I just remember getting in the SUV and sleeping the whole way home. Everyone else was up late when we got home. They had wanted Whataburger but it was backed up a ways, so they heated up frozen pizzas and whatever else they could find. I kind of woke up and talked with Wife as she watched a show or two. She finally came to bed at 6:00am.
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