On the Eve of 1/1/11

New Years Eve. An odd evening in a way. A way of measuring time which is immeasurable. It seems like the end of something and the beginning of something. For many years, for me it has been a time of reflection and introspection. Time and space. Infinity and eternity. Phew.

As a kid, I can remember my folks throwing parties in the basement. It was always a big mess in the morning, which somehow I found interesting. The first time I recall really celebrating I don't recall much. It was '62-'63, I was in the army in Hawaii. I can remember walking down Kalakaua Blvd. kissing all the girls, I was quite drunk and don't think I made it to midnight.

As a young man, I can remember partying with my brothers, we all married a little later in life. It was the 70's, I had quit drinking, but there were many other choices for mood enhancers. 

After marriage and Bemidji, things toned down a bit. Many years we did a movie and dinner with friends and parted ways afore midnight to spend watching the ball drop as a couple. We might have done a party or two. One time, '95-'96 we went to Isle where Dad lived. He'd had heart troubles, and was diagnosed with prostate cancer besides. Brother John was there. I can remember Dad commenting about why one celebrates such a thing, and he was teary eyed. He died seven months later to the day on July 31.

My brothers and I had a couple of traditions we shared with our folks. We called each other at midnight, and we passed it to our children. Another was jumping in a snow drift for some reason. I remember one time when we were still single, standing out in a farm yard of a mutual friend of us all, and we sang Auld Lang Syne at the top of our lungs holding hands looking at the stars, stoned on three or four different things.

I kinda dropped the snow drift thing years ago, but last year Brother Bear lived here, and Brother Barrister was here as well. We had a great time at the Turtle Lake, and yup...I did the snow drift. This year I didn't. And for the first time ever, rather than calls at midnight, we all texted each other, brothers and daughters. Didn't plan it, it just happened. I don't know if that is sad or not. I don't know what it means if anything. Is it worth thinking about? Maybe.

This year Brother Bear is in CA with Brother Knook. Brother Barrister is in Duluth with childhood friend Mrrrr. Daughters both working. We were invited to a small party at our Bixby Buddies. They are younger, have three and sometimes four kids still at home, but now their youngest is a teen, and the oldest is not. Not sure, but this may be the first time all their kids weren't home for New Years Eve. In fact only one was home, who had a friend over. We thought-and so did they-that we would have a meal, chat a bit, maybe play a short game, and be home by 10:30. Barb might even be in bed by midnight. It was not to be. 

We had a great time. Easily in the top three New Years fun times in the past two decades. I hope that you, all my relatives and friends who bother to read these words (only a relative or friend would have read this lengthy intro) had a great New Years Eve as well, whether it was a party of two or twenty. And I wish you all peace and love and good health for 2011. Barbara and I miss and love you all.

Let's party.

Barbara's friend and former seat mate on the City Council is also good friends with our Bixby Buddies. This is the first photo of the evening by Barb. Here Roger announces that it's time to party.

Our host Derrick.

Our hostess and grand chef, Rachelle.

Barbara "Curly" Ann. No gray hair, don't seem fair.

Rachelle made what she called Italian Meat Ball Soup, in her Grandma's good china. Yummy.

Bowling. We decided to play Wii, while Roger goes wheee. It's really fun, no? Oui.

Son Alex and friend Peter join us for awhile, here he challenges his mom to some kind of slicing game. He's quite quick.

A reasonable facsimile of the Höfner 500/1 bass. This violin-shaped model is commonly referred to as the "Beatle bass." This is a clue to what is to come.

Muppet Michael

Smilin' Roger

Okay, here we go. Xbox 360 The Beatles: Rock Band. Derrick is amused as I try to hit the high notes on Lucy in the Sky.


Picture yourself on a train in a station,
With plasticine porters with looking glass ties.
Suddenly someone is there at the turnstile,
The girl with kaleidoscope eyes.

I say high, you say low
You say why and I say I don't know, oh no
You say goodbye and I say hello

Roger and Rachelle do a duo.

You say you want a revolution 
Well, you know 
We all want to change the world 

Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly 
He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller 
He got hair down to his knee 
Got to be a joker he just do what he please 

Derrick on bass, Alex on drums, and Peter on guitar while Louie Prima and Keely Smith sing Beatles.

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting 
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear 
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, 
and I say it's all right 
It's all right 

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes... 
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes... 

The Double R Duet. Roger and Rachelle. Here's a better shot of guitarist Peter. If you haven't seen this, it actually has the music for drums, guitar, bass and voice either solo or harmony. You decide either easy, medium, hard or expert and then it grades you at the end. If you're really bad it "tilts".

We would sing and dance around 
because we know we can't be found 
I'd like to be under the sea 
In an octopus' garden in the shade

Doin' it in harmony. That's Rachelle behind the mike and the Michael

Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
Cmon cmon, cmon, cmon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)

I told that girl I can start right away
When she said listen babe I got something to say
I got no car and it's breaking my heart
But I've found a driver and that's a start


Baby you can drive my car
Yes I'm gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I'll love you
Beep beep'm beep beep yeah

Barbara gives her impression of Ringo.

Something in the way she moves,
Attracts me like no other lover.
Something in the way she woos me.
I don't want to leave her now,
You know I believe and how.

I don't know why nobody told you 
how to unfold you love 
I don't know how someone controlled you 
they bought and sold you 


I look at the world and I notice it's turning 
While my guitar gently weeps 
With every mistake we must surely be learning 
Still my guitar gently weeps 

As Barbara leaves 2010 behind, her challenge, the city council she has been freed somehow. She started a blog, she writes, she takes gorgeous nature photographs, she plays games. Tryin' new things is Barb, don't think she'd have ever sang at a party, and here she takes over the drums. She scored well.

"Play Paul". Derrick does that "bass line". He "Scores"...in the high 90's.

Here comes the Sun King.
Ev’rybody’s laughing
ev’rybody’s happy.
Here comes the Sun King.

Ooh I need your love babe,
Guess you know it's true.
Hope you need my love babe,
Just like I need you,Ooo.


Hold me, love me, hold me, love me.
I ain't got nothin' but love babe,
Eight days a week.

Eight days a week

I love you.

Eight days a week

Is not enough to show I care.