Here it is the new year and I have no pictures of the things we did!  I'm so sorry for my lack of picture taking.  I just don't think of it in the middle of fun things.  

Friday Erin and Alice had to leave.  Jer had gotten a call the day before telling him to come in to work Friday from 8 to 8!  What a start to the work experience!  So he left at 7 to be sure to get there on time and get settled in.  He still needs to get acquainted with more of the software and learn how to finalize a return, but surely he will learn it all while he is there.

So I was responsible to get the ladies to the airport on time.  Jer was sorry to have to leave me to do it, but it worked out fine.  We left home around 10 because Erin wanted to buy Alice a couple outfits as part of her Christmas present this year.  We stopped at several stores in Atascocita and got some things that Alice loved.   Then we drove to the airport and parked in the C parking lot near Alice's terminal.  It's a big airport with 5 terminals.  I'm so happy to have gotten acquainted with it earlier when we picked up and dropped off Heather and Sasha.  Erin stayed in the car while Alice and I went in and got her to her gate.  We then had to switch gates and walk to the farthest terminal and wait for the plane to come in.  It was another hour before it finally took off.  Alice got bored and I didn't have anything fun to offer her.  I had forgotten my phone and my watch so I was pretty useless even as far as communicating to anyone what was happening.   When she finally got to leave I returned to see if Erin was still with me.  She was supposed to leave in a couple hours.  Fortunately she had managed a nap and wasn't worried at all.  She was finally able to text Alice's parents to tell them what had transpired so they would know everything went as planned but she would be landing later than expected. 

Then Erin and I went to have lunch at a restaurant nearby named Papacito's.  We enjoyed lunch there and then I took her and dropped her off at her terminal.  Then I drove home alone.  It was rainy and cold and dreary gray dusk at rush hour.  It was a long drive and it fit my mood with leaving everyone and going home alone.  I finally got home and snuggled up in the warm and bright and Jer finally got home too.  He had had a good day and felt happy with what he had been able to learn and do. 

New Year's Day
Alice did indeed stay up past midnight and we heard lots and lots of booming and fizzing fireworks!  She wouldn't come out to see them, though.  She did see some through the windows.  Erin and I ran out into the golf course and got our socks wet in the grass, but saw some really spectacular bursts that our neighbors were shooting off.  I guess it's legal here in the golf course area.  We didn't know if it was or not so we didn't buy any.  


New Year's day Jer and Alice watched the Rose Bowl parade and I made some mustard greens, black eyed peas, and CCBs to take to Barneys in the afternoon.  When Erin got up and we all got ready we went to Barneys and visited with everyone.  Lara had bought some really good tamales from the store here and had pork, chicken, and cheese/green chili tamales.  We had a delicious meal and played Clue and then Lara and Sarah and Alice went to take care of the animals they are sitting while Jer and Erin and Jon and I watched Sam play the Spiderman 2 video game he had gotten for Christmas.    Alice loved the ferret. 

When we came home we thought it was a good idea to go to bed early.  Alice was really drooping and felt a little sick so Erin took her in and lay with her for a few minutes and she said she never moved or said a word and fell fast asleep.