2012 rolled in like a wave of joy. i was on the fence about going out at all last night but i'm so glad i did, it was a fine evening and a grand night. my housemate's band played a (yet another) gig at a local bar and the afterparty was überfun with all the drunken drama students dancing the night away. i think i got home at half six, giddy about being kissed goodbye by a very nice irishman (all innocent, like, but i still felt all teenage-y and floaty. them irishmen are something else, let me tell you, some serious charm there...) who was so delightful to talk with and gave me a lot of insight into the celtic psyche.
i woke into sunshine after five hours of sleep, half-tipsy still. had some hearty miso-seaweed-egg soup for breakfast and played with the cat until awakening to the fact i had plans to go to the beach. as soon as i got down the hill the skies turned gray and poured down, and for a moment i thought that was the new year saying "gotcha!" but once i got to the river it was all good again, windy but warm, skies clearing.
and good it was by the sea as well, dock cove was packed with tourists but gorgeous. the light was amazing with the sun slowly setting behind the bank, all pale blue and golden and turquoise. i got the best shot of someone's dog, one of those happy accident snapshots again. too bad i can't show the owners but i'll show you... i envy the careless abandon with which that animal ran across the sand, and the energy.
when i finally left the beach, some kid in shorts went swimming. brrr. it was warm enough, but not that warm.
the trip got its cherry on top in the form of chocolates i found in my pocket, given to me when leaving the party. my goodness how i love discovering candy i've forgotten about! walking homewards along world's end, freshly fueled by cadbury's caramel, i spotted a sea monster i think i've had a dream about, and, curiously, a hobby horse washed ashore by the tides.
did i mention i also saw a rainbow? a year that begins like this can't be that bad... not even a hangover (yet), despite drinking homemade salmiac vodka all night long. oh my... i have since switched to ginger-hibiscus ice tea, here's to a splendid new year! sláinte!
