Ringing in the New Year

I stepped off the plane at Reagan tired, cranky, and already late for work. I had taken the morning redeye back to the grind while Seth stayed in North Dakota for another few days of sleeping in and drinking beer and ice fishing. I was a tad disgruntled about this inequity, to say the least.

But at least it was warmer in DC. About 40 degrees warmer, in fact. That cheered me up a little as I wriggled into my uniform in the parking lot and inched along the parkway in late morning traffic. And I already had plans for an old school slumber party at Mom and Dad’s, since Missy was in town for the week.

And so went the week, that week between Christmas and New Year’s that is always a chaotic jumble of the residue of one holiday, the buildup to another, and the sad fact that there are still workdays in the middle. I shortened my work schedule as much as I could and raced around town trying to catch a bit of the Walters family fun I was missing: stalking Mom in the pool, drinking beer over pass the pigs after work, and once even meeting Missy and Mom in uniform partway up the Billy Goat Trail. (I got a few stares, but also a nice hike on a weekday!) I did steal Missy for a quick trip to Charlottesville on Saturday, and we had a blast. We hiked up to Monticello in embarrassingly beautiful 60 degree weather, had soup and beer on the downtown mall, and met Mom and Dad for amazing pizza in Sperryville after their epic Shenandoah hike. Annddd we somehow found time for facials and wine and Christmas lights- always a win.

Seth made it back from the great white north in time for New Year’s Eve, the Niemans having previously decided against fighting the outrageous traffic and crowds and parking hell endemic to the DC bar scene on a holiday. Instead, Seth spent all day smoking platters and platters of various meats, and we had the family and Michelle and Josh over for games and champagne and a carnivorous feast. Oh, and a little crossbow shooting. A good time was definitely had by all, the vicious Walters family tradition of writing new year’s resolutions for each other notwithstanding.

And then, a little unceremoniously, the holidays were over and Missy was gone and the rest of us headed back to the salt mines. (Well, except for Seth, who was giving himself a holiday “grace period” consisting largely of hunting-- but I’ll give him that putting up with me on solo back-to-work-week probably earned him some solitary treestand time.) We were beat, totally unwilling to deal with taking down Christmas decorations or writing thank yous, and already way over our unoriginal new year’s resolutions (drink less, work out more, blah).

Inspired by mine and Michelle’s annual tradition of celebrating holiday survival with pedicures and wine, we embarked on a weekend getaway to the mountains instead. Although I learned the hard way that “relaxing couples time” is not to be had in a resort with a casino when one has a card-playing husband, we came home feeling rejuvenated after a snowy walk in the woods (clad in orange and toting heavy weaponry, of course), another NDSU national championship win, and a trip to the nation’s first hot springs. Rested, massaged, and even contemplating Christmas light removal, we’re officially ready to tackle 2014.

The photo of the week has to be Missy at the “Nieman Family New Year.” Crossbow and all. (Although the one just above is also pretty cool- at George Washington's own personal hot springs "bathtub" in Berkeley Springs, WV.)

Oh, and one more. Seth wanted me to add this one of his culinary masterpieces from New Year's Eve.