I don’t know how I did it, but I am caught up! I was so far behind in the growing pile of work that completely obliterated my desk every day that I was sure I’d still be working on it after the new year, but no! Somehow between the phone calls and other requests for help today I managed to get it all cleared off my desk just in time for the big pterodactyl to scream his head off. I am amazed at how these things work themselves out sometimes.

My Darling B is even luckier than I am today: It’s her Friday! State workers don’t put their noses to the grindstone tomorrow morning, on the assumption, I guess, that they’ll be too busy planning the drunken revelries they’ll be heading to that night to care about anything they’re doing to do it at all, much less well. Or am I being too harsh? In any case, she’s off scott-free tomorrow while I have to report to work at the usual hour, although my employer has seen fit to dismiss me two hours early so I can go get sloshed with the rest of the kids, too.

We have tickets to attend the New Year’s Eve bash at Harmony Bar tomorrow night. This might be the first time I’ve gone anywhere to celebrate on the night before the first of the year since my brother Pete married his lovely bride on New Year’s Eve all those years ago. I know they’ll have live music at Harmony and a buffet spread, but other than that I have no idea how normal human beings celebrate this annual event so it will be quite a treat. With any luck, there’ll be a story to tell.