Monday, January 2, 2012

Storytelling Sunday - Party Like It's 1999

This is my entry for Sian's Storytelling Sunday. And yes, I'm a day late. Because yesterday was the One Little Word Blog Hop. For more stories check here.

Do you remember New Year's Eve 1999?  The big Y2K scare? How everyone thought the Internet and our personal computers were set to self-destruct at midnight?

New Year's Eve 1999 was the first year that we allowed our girls to stay up until midnight - to usher in the new millennium.  They amused themselves with television and drawing and board games.  They drank soda and ate popcorn and chips.  We watched the ball drop on Times Square on television.  And miraculously the computer still worked the next morning!

The twelve years since then have flown by.  On New Year's Eve 2011 Rachel was working at the Piper Tavern, Sarah was at a party with friends, and Becca was home, watching television alone and lamenting spending the evening without the boyfriend who broke up with her two days before Christmas. I had a lot of opportunity to practice patience and empathy and my listening skills!  Jay and I waited up until everyone was safely home and then trudged our weary selves off to bed at 12:30 in the morning.

2012 promises to be a year of big changes in our household.  All three girls graduate - two from high school, one from college.  I have no idea what New Year's Eve 2012 will look like here.  I'm ready. But I'm suddenly feeling very nostalgic for 1999...

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love that you have a photo from 1999! I don't think I have one from a New Year's Eve with our kids though we celebrated together at a neighbor's for several years. Looks like 2012 will be a great one for you! Those girls will surely be on to something great.

Jo.C said...

I remember it well my brother worked for a credit card agency and he was responsible for ensuring the computers still worked - he put in so much overtime it was untrue. Thanks for reminding me :0)

Missus Wookie said...

I remember that new year too dh had done long long hours sorting problems in the months leading up. But thankfully didn't have to work that night. Both of ours were home safely :-)

Miriam said...

Oh yes I have lovely memories of New Year 1999! Thanks so much for that reminder! I had forgotten all about the millennium bug!
I hope you all have a wonderful 2012 and congratulations on your girls graduation, what a very special year for you all. Well done with the listening skills, a brilliant and necessary skill to have.

scrappyjacky said...

I don't have a photo....but I do remember that New Years Eve well....the computers didn't crash.....but the phone networks definately did at midnight!!

Irene said...

That's a great photograph. Hard to believe the Millennium was that many years ago and yet, the years have rolled on.
I do hope you and your family have a great 2012. Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

Jacky's firework post reminded me of that night! I remember all the extra hassle at work over the bug too. Seems a long time ago :)

Sian said...

What a great photo - funny, we were feeling nostalgic for the same year because we always meet up with the same bunch of friends. We were talking about how we had tried to get the kids to all line up for a 1999 photo and they were too young to understand and it was hard work. Now they are talking about college applications and the like!

Thanks for adding your story Cheri - it took me right back. And the linky stays open all week - so I don't think you are late at all :) A Happy New Year to you all!

Scattychick said...

I spent that new year terrified I would have to go into hospital as there were some issues with my first pregnancy and I didn't want to risk all the machines and lights going kaput whilst giving birth to NO.1 son lol. Hope 2012 brings you many great memories and new adventures for your girls :)

Melissa said...

What a cute photo.

We spent New Year's Eve reminiscing about the past 10 years (we celebrated our 10 year anniversary on Dec 27th), then watched The Poseidon Adventure on DVD (we were on a cruise!).

Happy New Year!

Lou said...

Oh yes I remember it well!! How time flies eh, great photo and story.

Thank you for leaving me a lovely comment too.

quiltingfool said...

The time has gone by far too fast! It seems like only yesterday the girls were that small, I was making them matching outfits all the time, and visiting twice a year. I miss those years! Next month I will have been retired (or really, out of work) for 8 years. I can't imagine where those years went, I accomplished nothing. I'm going to take a page from your book, and try to make 2012 a year to remember! Have a happy, healthy, and successful 2012...and keep on blogging!

Susanne said...

Oh I remember all the hub-bub at work over what might happen on Y2K, lots of worry for nothing, it turned out. And I know a little how you feel as this was the first year that my son was not with us at home for New Year's. Thanks for sharing.

debs14 said...

I remember all the 'Millenium bug' horror warnings - ATMs not working, computers crashing, power cuts etc etc and nothing happened! Thanks for the reminder. How lucky you managed to get a photo of the girls all together with the banner, great momento!

Anonymous said...

I remember that New Years Eve but more from the watching CNN every hour as they showed celebrations all over the world as New Years struck. In fact I think we might even had a DVD or tape of that. I'll have to dig it out.
Happy New Year.

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Oh, yes, I remember the scare. So funny now looking back on 1999 and how anti-climatic the new millennium was. The photo of your 2000 New Year celebration is adorable.

It would be fun to have a journal to record what you are doing every year on new year's eve. That alone would show such progression over the years. All the best to you and yours in 2012, Cheri. I'm SO happy that we "met" this past year, and I look forward to growing our friendship in the coming year. xo

Unknown said...

Love it! That picture is so great!! Y2K was the first year that I remember what I was doing for New Years - I was 11 at the time and it was so exciting to stay up until midnight! Can't believe 12 years have passed already!

Ginger said...

Yes, I will not forget Y2K!! I'm thankful I did not have to work that night as the staff in the hospital had a full list of duties they had to do, like ensure these big plastic tubs were full of water. We had extra baggers at the patients bedsides for those on ventilators in case the back up generators were not working. They could disconnect the ventilators and start bagging them!

Heather Foust said...

It goes so fast doesn't. That is why we have to always live in the moment. Happy New Year!!