Happy New Year!

The much anticipated Mummer's Parade didn't actually take place on New Year's Day as it should have thanks to nasty drizzly rain, but even without it, I had a great time visiting Carolyn for New Year's in Philadelphia. I hadn't seen her since October, when we visited a corn maze in NJ at Irene's request, so it was great to catch up. I had never seen her current apartment or met many of her Philly friends, which is such a shame because I love touring other people's worlds. This time I got to see it all though, including the apartment (huge! lots of windows! her very own washer/dryer stacking combo!) and some good friends of hers who we met up with on New Year's Eve.

We celebrated in the classic style of young people...cocktails at home while getting beautiful (the first time I've ever enjoyed gin!), cocktails at the first bar, beer at the second, fireworks at Penn's Landing, more beer back at the second bar, pizza on the street, a short visit to a strange house party and sloshing through the streets in the rain while searching for a cab at about 3 AM. We were both hung over and headachy the next day, so perhaps it was merciful that we didn't have to get up at 9 and hit the streets again for the parade.

All in all a vast improvement over last year, when I was lying in my bed in Iowa (yes, alone) watching Sex and the City so intently that I completely missed midnight. This year was definitely better. Thanks Carolyn!

A couple shots from Philadelphia:

Carolyn and her city!

Yes, we are wearing paper hats.