The passing stream of revellers

It is New Year's Eve. It has been a beautiful sunny day, and not too hot. Our little suburb has been sealed off from the motoring world. The roads are closed and you can't get in unless you walk. Opposite our house, barriers have been erected, and filled with water to make them too heavy to move. In the main street the police are stopping and checking cars to make sure that it is only residents who can get in. Extra buses bring people in and out. 

Generally the intending revellers are walking in. Some ardent souls are using their bikes. There are a lot of places around here which give excellent views of the fireworks. The people carry in their folding chairs, their picnic food, and of course the grog. They all look cheerful and set for a good evening.

One of my nieces is in town, so I picked her up before the road blocks began, and we had coffee - it would have had two coffees but they unreasonably wanted to close at 4 pm. I drove her around so she could get a quick look at the area. I am so used to it by now that I forget how pretty it looks, and how different to Melbourne, with the steepness, all the water views and the luxuriant vegetation. She seemed impressed, anyway. She and her friends will be coming back here later to watch. One of them has already found a place and is holding it until the rest of them arrive.

Dr P prefers to watch fireworks on television, and as he can't manage walking very far, he will stay in. He thinks fireworks all look the same, and better on TV - he might have a point, but only a very miniscule one. I have not yet decided what to do, but will probably walk up to the roundabout at the pub. From there you can see the bridge, get quite a good view and share the atmosphere. The local youth and beauty will also be on display, in their skimpy low cut frocks or tops, and with their mobiles and digital cameras prominent. Should be fun to watch. There is probably no point in going to bed early as the revellers will all be walking past again, and could well be much noisier on their way out. Many will leave after the 9 pm fireworks, and get the children home to bed at a reasonable hour. But there are a lot of stayers.

The TV news is showing the crowds already gathered at the Opera House and other sites, and, I regret to say, the ever-vacuous Paris Hilton, but I've escaped upstairs again. A man is stationed opposite at one of the barriers. It does not seem like the ideal job for New Year's Eve.

2009. What will it bring? I hope it will be a happier year for me, my family, friends and many others, and that I will meet its challenges with cheerfulness, fortitude, forbearance, clearsightedness, determination and love. I hope to continue to do all the things that give me joy, and to do what I believe to be right. And I wish everyone a happy New Year.