Celebrate!

This year for New Years Eve, I am almost for certain celebrating alone. No, I'm really not all that torn up about it. And darn, just now I realized we don't even have grapes for New Years Eve! But the point is with the Hubby on the other side of the world, the goal is to get through the holidays. To ensure the kids are happy. So I haven't put a whole lot of focus on me.

I got it stuck in my head that I must get a bottle of wine for my celebration. This way I could have something to dull the nonsense of the sappy made for TV movies I am sure to be watching.

The dilemma was not in whether or not this was a good idea, but rather in how do I make this a reality? See I live in a tiny country town that has liqueur stores but many don't like kids under 18 in them. So I was trying to figure out who I could ask to watch my kids.

The scenarios were cracking me up.

Hmm my Dad? No, that would be bad, especially since he is constantly nagging me about the state of my kidneys and how many stones may be hiding in them. There is also the "Never consume alcohol at all" An example that was very well set by my grandparents. So yes, this option was out.

Then today I was thinking maybe my new friend? But she said she didn't drink, plus we had three kids.

I knew I could drive to the store leave the kids in the car because that was sure to make headlines. But what if I took the van? It does have tinted windows?

Oh come on tiny town just pass the wine in grocery stores bill already!!! I mean come on don't you realize the benefits to being able to grab a bottle of wine as your kids are whining and people you don't know are talking to you about your cousin's grandma who had a friend whose boyfriend knew a girl.....

See where I am going with this?

I found my solution. My new friend lived only a couple of miles from my sister. I shoot her a text message and ask her if it's okay to stop in. In true introvert fashion she tried her best to discourage me, especially since I had my kids and hers were at Gran's house.

I did roll up in her driveway. And I was greeted by an overly rude introvert in jammies with all of her techie stuff piled up next to her on the couch. She tried every grouchy overture in the introvert guidebook, but my sweet kids gave her lots of hugs and won her over.

Then came the task of convincing her that she should really go out with me and sit in my van with my kids while I go purchase wine that she wouldn't be consuming with me. The fact that she was hungry was a bonus for me. I was able to convince her to come in her jammies and I would purchase her some tacos. My son wanted a cheese roll up anyway so it would work out.

Now once I walked in this really nice liqueur store I was overcome with how pretty the bottles were displayed. It almost reminded me of the store that I used to visit with my husband and kids. The one that would have great wine samples that my husband would encourage me to partake of.

So I am wandering the aisles looking at everything. The feeling of missing my husband was so overwhelming. I found exactly what I was looking for. The Sangria.

This was introduced to me at Philippians house when the family invite my husband and kids and I down to eat Lumpia. So this wine is special to me. My hubby would sometimes bring it home for me. I drank a glass while he drank a beer.

But then I saw the Kahlua and I just reached out and grabbed the bottle without thinking. Last year at my Comadre's Christmas she served Kahlua and evaporated milk with a lot of ice. A very smooth drink without a lot of punch.

So now I have both. Maybe someone will show up and justify the purchase of the Kahlua. That was kind of a special drink for my husband and I. We would drink it while watching a movie lying in our dark bedroom cuddled close. But that is a story for a different time.

B. Alwildia Garcia

December 30, 2015