I like New Year”s Eve. As an adult, I’ve always preferred it to Christmas. From the age of about 18, I started having parties at home, in the days when I was living with my parents and they were out for the night. It all started one year when I thought I was the only person in the world who didn’t have something planned for New Year’s Eve, so I tentatively asked if any of my friends were at a loose end. Actually, they were. Before I knew it, I had myself a small party. But then word got out, only to people I did actually know. But one by one they started arriving. school friends and half the local rugby club, Bancrofts, for whom many of my school friends played. By the time my parents arrived home with their friends, the party was in full swing. It also became an annual event until we all split up and went off to university.
The next big New Year’s Eve do’s took place in the yacht club at St Katharine’s Dock, when we lived there on our boat. They were big, fun do’s full of friends from the boats and neighbouring flats. Then there was the do we held on our floating bar and restaurant, the Wibbley Wobbley, the first and only year Martin owned it down in South Dock, Rotherhithe, where it remains to this day. it was 1990 and opposite, the new Canary Wharf tower was just being unveiled. We all stood out on the quayside at midnight and watched the fireworks across the water.
After this were the Limehouse years. We had some fantastic fancy dress parties at the headquarters of the Cruising Association (cruising as in boating, not. What you might be thinking!).
Each year someone would pick a letter out of a hat and that would be the theme for the night.
Martin really went town on our costumes and he won almost every year until one year they asked him to judge instead of always stealing prize. We’d always have at least 70 people and a great night was had by all.
The past few years, our social scene has largely moved down to Ramsgate, where we keep and race our boat, Magnum. New Year’s Eve has accordingly moved down there, to the Royal Temple Yacht Club,where invariably we enjoy a black tie do with meal and dancing to a small band.
But this year, making plans has been all disrupted. As I was to have my second session of chemo just two days before New Year’s Eve, and didn’t know how I would be feeling, I thought it was a bit risky to plan to go to Ramsgate and do the big night.
As it turns out, I feel pretty good, and could no doubt have done it in style. Part of me though, knows it was a sensible decision not to go. We have now decided to go down tomorrow, New Year’s day, to attend our friends’ annual New Year’s day party in their home, which will be pleasant, intimate and relaxing. We will stay overnight with our dear friends’ Sue and Tommy (staying on the boat would be fine but walking up to the shower block in the morning perhaps not ideal), and on Monday we will see the grandchildren and finally give them their Christmas presents.
So all should be fine. But I’m hopeless at staying in. I thought we wold go out to our local pubs at least, but Martin suggests they’ll be crowded and full of strangers and that it won’t be a good atmosphere for avoiding germs, or maybe even late night punch ups! He’ probably right, but even though I must admit to feeling a tad tired, it’s really not my idea of a fun NewYear’s Eve. I’m being a bit childish and ungrateful. Martin will cook us a nice meal. He has champagne on ice for me. We’ve invited a couple of friends up for a drink who may or may not come, and we’ll be refreshed and ready for a good day tomorrow.
But I’m a party animal, and it’s that party spirit that will get me through the next six months or so and way beyond that. So, I’ll try to accept my night in with good grace. Martin has even said that if I really want to pop out for a drink later, he’d walk me down and come and collect me. He just doesn’t fancy it. But I won’t go, I’m sure. No, I’ll sit this one night out, albeit in my lovely flat, sipping pink champagne. But I won’t be making a habit of it. Too much partying left to do!
And to all my lovely friends and family, who I won’t be with tonight, have a wonderful New Year’s Eve, a happy, healthy 2012, and just watch out this time next year! I’ll be back with a vengeance!!
Loads of love to you all! Jo Xxxxxxx
