Here We Come A-Wassailing (and boy, was there was a lot of wassail)

 

It’s Friday night, I’ve been home for an hour or so, and I’ll just be honest here and admit I’m a little um… fuzzy.  Earlier today was my work-group’s Christmas party (oops, “End of Year Party”—that’s what our director renamed it) and in my quest to be a little more festive this year I made sure to go along.  And I’m glad I did, it was a nice time—I work with a good group of people (who also have a tendency to be goofy as hell people when the time is right).

Me with two lovely friends & coworkers, Julie & MIa

Our boss paid for the whole shebang, so after work we all rode the subway to the North Shore and met up in some tavern with a beer menu as long as my arm.  (Pineapple beer?  Really?)  I haven’t had an alcoholic beverage in over a year, so I thought ‘what the hey’ and got one.  Then Gwen (another friend & coworker) got some vodka-strawberry concoction, gave me a sip (I think it was called a ‘Christmas Joe’) and I downed six of ‘em.  Dammit!  But I’m hoping the food saved me from a hangover tomorrow—there was a hot table laden with shrimp, fried zucchini, stuffed banana peppers, meatballs and three types of chicken.  I gobbled it down like there was no tomorrow.

But I have to say, as much as I enjoyed that food & open bar (and the good company of course), my favorite part of the gathering was when I was leaving:  my boss approached me and shook my hand and said “Doug, hope you had a nice time, thanks for all the hard work this year.  You’re doing a great job.”  Wow!  Coming from Len that was a big deal--he’s a good manager, but not exactly known for handing out the praise.  (I think the last compliment I received from him was in an email from 2008 when he wrote “Keep up the good work.”  I used to pull it out and look at it when I needed a quick pick-me-up, but that only works for so long, y’know!)  Tonight’s compliment should last me to retirement.  Anyway, it was a swell way to end a long work-week.

And on that happy ending, I’d better get to bed—I feel a headache coming on and that reindeer on my bed is giving me a guilt complex.  G’night!