Inevitable

Today is New Year's Eve. Unless something awfully dire happens, tomorrow will be the first day of 2011. It's the time of year for the inevitables.

I'd been thinking that this evening would be a lovely, cozy night of me, my husband and son drinking cocoa, watching some family film and feasting on lobster or seafood of some sort. The universe had other plans, however. Some genius scheduled the bowl game our university is participating in for tonight. Bye bye lobster. Hello cooked out chicken, screaming children and stepson camped out in the family room to watch the game because it's on ESPN and they don't get ESPN. I will be locked in my room sewing or watching Dexter do his thing and wishing I could do the same.

Or perhaps I could be locked in my room thinking about the things that should happen next year. Not resolutions, per se, but I love making lists of goals and projects. I could get on the computer and tart them up into some pretty fancy listings suitable for framing. Maybe embroider them.

I have a stack of books to tackle. I could bring up the portable kettle, make multiple cups of tea and finish "I Feel Bad About My Neck" by Nora Ephron, or pick up the rather depressing Wally Lamb again. Or finally get around to writing that holiday letter that's due the England and Korea family.

Or I could just go to sleep. Get some ear-plugs to block out child-noise and football game-noise, snuggle in a cat or two and sleep.

It is a rule of the universe - make plans and listen to God laugh... It's inevitable.