In with the new

Here is a picture of me showing off my braces-free mouth. Ahahahahaaa! If you thought I had a big mouth before you should see me now.

Here is Howard.

That was last night at the New Year's Eve party at my Uncle James' house where we went last year. We took my mother over there with us. All of us watched the fireworks from Uncle James and Aunt Marce's windows.

Here we are watching the fireworks.

I am not in this picture. That is because I took it! But observe the gentleman in the red sweater. That is that Jesuit priest who was at the party last year and who I was pretty sure heard my confession on that dramatic day I went back after 20 years.

Last night he and I actually had a conversation about that. If he remembered that for sure he was the one I talked to he did not let on. But he did tell me that at St. Michael's they hear something like 20,000 or 30,000 confessions a year. I think that is what he told me. In the sober light of day that figure seems rather high, I must admit. Perhaps he meant 20,000 or 30,000 sins! There is a difference.

He was very nice and listened to me gab. Later I felt bad because I should not have been running my mouth so much. But then I thought, how often does this guy get to hear someone going on about the joys of going to confession? And at a New Year's Eve party with us both drinking champagne! Let us not be naive. It cannot be that often!

Here is another picture of the fireworks. I am proud of this one!

 

 

Here is a street view.

 

 

I had fun at the party listening to my Uncle James tell me stories of all his years as doctor to many of Buffalo's finest families. There were other almost-relatives there including Joe and Annie Deck whom I love. The Deck family are longtime friends of my Uncle James' family and also of our family. What happened was, my Uncle James and my father were lifelong close friends and years ago there was another friend, John Deck, who completed the trio. His nickname was the Baron. The Baron is gone now but Joe Deck is his brother.

The Decks are plain-spoken and you have to love that. 

Joe Deck says to me: "How come you never remember me?"

Then Annie Deck says: "How come Leonard Pennario never had a big career?"

What do you say to either of those questions?

All in all I would say we rang the New Year in with pomp and circumstance. Although one thing was, Howard and my mother and I were the first to get to the party and the last to leave! I was thinking we should leave. I kept thinking, 9 a.m. Mass tomorrow. But then at the last minute it was as if Howard and my mom double-teamed me. One of them ducked into the bathroom and the other went for another piece of pie and there I was, at the party for another half an hour.

I did not get to bed until almost 3 and this morning at Mass I sat there like this.

 

 

Not a thought in my head!

I feel a fine year is ahead of me and one thing is, I will be be keeping everyone posted.

One of my resolutions is to check in every day without fail! And sometimes twice a day.

For auld lang syne!