Rich for 2006

"My friends are my estate."- Emily Dickinson

What I lack in financial abundance is multiplied infinitely within my circle of friends. For me, this is more satisfying than material riches [although I would welcome those as well :0) ]. I live, as I have said, in a small, beach town and am married to a native of the area. His family has deep roots in this area and I am fortunate to live in one of the older homes in the community. The house (providing the backdrop for the picture of Hubby's grandparents) is at least 85 years old and, interestingly enough, portions of the house (the original sections) were built with timbers from ship wrecks. Numerous renovations and additions have been made over the course of the years in order to accommodate the various family members who have made this house a home. Hubby and I have lived here for 13 delightful years, adding our own personal touches....enlarging the kitchen, adding an interior staircase so the second level would be part of the living space, remodeling the bathroom, sheetrocking bedrooms, painting, etc. We have weathered many storms, including being flooded in 1993 by Hurricane Emily. It is somewhat challenging to live in an older home at times: lack of closet space, uneven floors, walls that are not square, but we embrace these charming characteristics and are proud to be able to reside in a home with such heritage, especially with the incredible number of mammoth homes being built to support the tourist industry. Many older homes have been razed so that "outsiders" can build and rent extravagant homes on the properties where only memories of these homes now exist. We are devoted to our home and plan to preserve it throughout our lifetime. We hope that we are able to instill the same amount of pride in our children so that they will understand the uniqueness of our home and do whatever they can to continue to preserve this part of their heritage for future generations as well. Lofty goals, to say the least. In addition to our home, we are blessed with an incredible circle of friends. Enter the quote cited at the beginning of the post. My cozy home is never more charming and radiant than when it is filled with our friends and family. It is when we are entertaining that our humble abode morphs into a true estate, filled with tantalizing food, a cacophony of laughter, the wildness of the many children we have, and the warmth of genuine friendship. No, at this house we do not entertain on the level of Martha Stewart. In fact she would be quite horrified to see the paper plates and plastic utensils that are the standard for our get-togethers. These get-togethers are often impromtu and require more cleaning than I would like (I am not June Cleaver by any means), but yield the greatest of outcomes. On New Year's Eve Eve Hubby and I, not having any plans, decided to assemble the group for a "laid back" gathering at our home. Bidding farewell to 2005 and welcoming 2006 among friends in our home seemed like the perfect way to celebrate. Plans were quickly made and phoned invites were extended. The evening was just perfect. Everyone fell into their typical spots: kids dominating the front of the house, at times rushing quickly through the adult congregation in the kitchen and side porch. Ethel and Fred brought their new puppy so puppy play provided much entertainment throughout the evening. Oysters were roasted and slurped down on the porch...mostly consisting of the "men folk" while the rest of the crowd gathered around the kitchen table that was filled to capacity with a variety of appetizers. One of the highlights of the evening was when the police set up a road block in the town triangle (no, not a square) visible from my kitchen. It was our very own episode of Cops live. Please remember that we do live in a small town. Son, who is four, was found at one point yelling, "Hey, cops!" from our porch. What respect for authority at such an early age. (drip drip goes the sarcasm) Clem, Clementine, and their children had to drive through it in order to get home. With morbid curiosity we dimmed the kitchen lights to get a better view. Predicatably, the Bad Boys melody was sung as they approached the checkpoint. Fortunately they were able to pass with no difficulty. Shortly before midnight the group left the comfort of the kitchen to settle in front of the tv to watch the ball drop. Fred was asleep in the recliner and his six-year-old daughter was snuggled up in slumber on the couch. The ball dropped in traditional fashion and we welcomed in the new year engulfed in the vast richness to which I have become accustomed while living in this quaint town in my massive estate created by the love of friends and family. Cheers to 2006! Cheers and love for all the friends and family that bless me with a wealth that cannot ever be equalled or surpassed by material or monetary possessions!