Sunday 1 January 2012

“Why aren’t you at work?”

Firstly, a Happy New Year to all of you, thank you so much for popping by my blog this year, I really appreciate it and hope you enjoyed it.

New Years Eve 2002

“Why aren’t you at work?” I blearily said to Mum, she was in her uniform making a cup of coffee in the kitchen as I came in after celebrating New Year’s Eve.

“Erm, because I have finished my shift” she said with a slightly exasperated tone.

Blearily looking at the clock made things worse.....I understood what the hands said but not how it could be that time.

“Is it broken?” I wondered, (blearily) aloud.

“No”, sighed Mum.

Earlier that evening...

My best friend Lisa was home from Inverness and we had not caught up for about 2 years as we had been busy, she had travelled the world, updating me with the most amazing postcards and photos and I had married and had my first baby. So we had a lot to catch up on, we looked through photos and played with my baby. Then we put away the photos and passed over the baby and got ready and went out.

Photo for Storytelling Sunday

Disclaimer: This photo was from New Years Eve 1996 (I think)

A lovely evening in our seaside town catching up with old friends, finding out many of us were now parents, had proper jobs and were doing some fab things with our lives. Eventually we settled into a quiet-ish corner of The George & Dragon with a bottle of white and talked and talked and talked of hopes and dreams, of startling realities and a bit of good old gossip.

Eventually, tiredness overcame us and we wandered along our old haunts to home, I remember us giggling as to who was going to see who home, our parents lived either side of our local church and graveyard, we settled on half way through and shouting to each other.

…………………

“Is it broken?” I wondered (blearily) aloud.

“No”, sighed Mum....

“Well, I don’t understand....” I replied.

“You and Lisa have been out all night”

“We have not...have we?”

“Yes dear, do you want a coffee?”

“......”

Mum was a nurse and had worked the night shift, she came home at 6:30am closely followed by me. We genuinely had no idea of the time, hadn’t checked and just went with the flow. Fortunately, the baby was with my brother until lunch-time so I got a few hours shut-eye.

I will remember that night as one of the best ever New Years Eve, only beaten by the year 1999 into 2000 which as we were out watching the fireworks it occurred to me why I was feeling out of sorts and the warming spirits I had tried to consume before we went out had turned my stomach. I remember telling my husband that just maybe, by NYE 2001 there would be a new little Hart person.

And there was; my new millenium baby, Louis.

Thank you Sian for hosting Storytelling Sunday again. Perversely, I have less photos than normal. Although I think we can all agree that after seeing my sparkly silver cardigan, fringe and those bleary eyes we have had more than enough.

25 comments:

  1. Great story and a great super duper ending. My Son and his partner, started their ball rolling on Christmas day 2008

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  2. Hahaha that reminds me I had a text from my husband at 4.50am this morning saying Never again! He was up at the outlaws for a funeral and so I have no idea what the never again is but I suspect it will be something similar to your story :)
    Happy New Year x

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  3. What. Great story and a fab piccie. Heres to 2012 bring a great year for us all

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  4. Isn't it always the way that the best nights are those that didn't go quite as planned. Thanks for sharing such a lovely story.

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  5. Such wonderful memories and although you may not like the photos of yourself, they add to the nostalga.

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  6. LOVE the sparkly silver cardigan! It's so good to have a really happy night out to look back on. We have been celebrating with the same group of friends for over twenty years now and although lots of things have happened in that time we are still so pleased to see each other. It's always a good night.

    A Happy New Year to you and yours Jennie. Thanks so much for joining in again this year!

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  7. Lovely photo - a great memory - can't believe you were out all night! Happy new year to you and yours.

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  8. Great memories ....and great pic!
    Alison xx

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  9. Oh, this is perfect. I LOVE catching up with friends and it sounds like you had a wonderful night. Time flies when you're having fun!

    Happy New Year :D

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  10. Does us good to go down memory lane occasionally. Such a great story and reminds me of when I was young, oh so many years ago! I arrived home on a milk float one year and can remember my mum's face now as if it was yesterday. Love the photograph.
    Happy New Year to you!

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  11. Happy New Year! Nothing like losing track of time with old friends!

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  12. Lovely story, sounds like a perfect long night out with good friends!

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  13. What a lovely night that sounds like it was, no wonder its one of your best.

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  14. Happy New Year to you too. We visited friends in Honiton and thought that area of Devon was gorgeous - very different to London! Sounds like a lovely night - that is the only way I can stay up all night is chatting with friends.

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  15. Great story - losing track of time with good friends is the best way to spend NYE I think.

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  16. I love how being with an old friend makes all sense of time (and sometimes place) disappear. it sounds like a perfect way to welcome in a new year :)

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  17. sounds like the perfect night out xx

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  18. Happy New Year! What a great night out and if you can't wear sparkly clothes on New Year's Eve when can you???

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  19. How lovely to have spent time with friends and forgetting about what time it was. I really enjoyed reading your story, Jennie. :o)

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  20. Catching up with old friends is the best, isn't it. Happy New Year!

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  21. Brilliant story! How wonderful to have had so much confidence in your brother's baby-sitting abilities, and how kind a family to make it possible for you to have such a great night. :)

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  22. It is always nice to catch up with friends - but I've never managed to stay up all night unless forced to do so!

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  23. A lovely story and a sign that time really does fly by. Happy New Year.

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  24. Your photo reminds me of one of my own and an evening spent with two good friends. A great way to see in the New Year.

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  25. Lovely story :) Time always flies when you're catching up with good friends! Happy New Year!
    xXx

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Aren't you lovely, you have made me smile =)