2006: So far, so good

I rang in the new year with a gaggle of fun people, including my pals the CIB (a.k.a UnionGrrl) and Superfrankenstein at their condo on lower Queen Anne Hill in Seattle. The evening included many spiritous libations and some down-home good eats (including various hors d'oeuvres, a huge ham, black-eyed peas, collared greens that I did not eat, and almond cake) selected for their good luck in the new year. The entertainment included making sure each guest had voted for A.H.O.Y. '05 (balloting open until Jan. 8).

At midnight, we all gathered on the terrace and watched the Space Needle fireworks just a few blocks away. Although the nearby buildings obscured some of the lower pyrotechnics, there was still quite a show.

The only sour spot of the last day of 2005 dealt with my car, of course, just like so many car troubles dominated the year's pitfalls. The window is stuck in the down position, and, unable to get the window back up, I was forced to cover the opening with plastic sheeting and seal it with duct tape. It looks pretty bad, yet the fix did hold the entire trip over two mountain passes back to Wenatchee tonight.

So 2006, the Chinese Year of the Dog, has opened with plenty of socializing and some relaxation, hopefully both harbingers of the year to come.

-- Wenatchee, Wash.