So long, Farewell
Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye 2023
How do you end the old year and meet the new one? I have one tradition that I can’t let go of and it has to do with an old superstition about laundry. I don’t know where exactly this one comes from but my mother was very adamant about no dirty laundry being in the house to greet the New Year. The reason being, if the New Year greets you with dirty laundry, you will have dirty laundry to deal with all year long.
I spent most of Christmas Holiday with my daughter and granddaughter in the Bronx. This was a big deal Christmas, the first one where she understood that her main mission was to follow the daily instructions of her assigned elf, following all the directives right up to Christmas Eve. Her final mission was to bake her first cupcakes to leave for Santa. I helped her pour the batter in the tins. My daughter and I toasted this event by cracking open a gifted bottle of Coquito. The rest of the week, all ambitions went out the window-the daily writing, the cleaning, the lesson plans, the grading of papers etc. I sat on the couch and watched movies, played endless Barbie dolls pretend, built new Lego scenes, and had dance parties.
I only came home yesterday morning practically having to sneak out before one more request to play with the new doll house, an L.O.L Surprise OMG Fashion House, a Christmas gift from Santa who forgot to send the elves to build it. On Dec. 26th it took her mom, two Christmas romance movies, and five hours to build.
I thought about the laundry when I came home yesterday morning, but I just wanted to relax, listen to music, do a bit of writing, scroll on the internet and read articles on Substack, especially Oldster!
The laundry was on my mind this morning, but I washed and conditioned my hair. Who wants to go into the new year with dirty hair? I treated myself to spa beauty this morning. I gave myself a pedicure. I made an omelet and hash browns for me and my roommate. We enjoyed catching up. When I finally left the house, I went to the supermarket and not the laundry mat. I can’t greet the new year without half n half! Also, I thought I should have some kind of feast for New Years Eve or the making for one just in case.
At the corner laundry mat a loose leaf sheet of notebook paper was taped on the door in bad handwriting in blue ink: Last wash 5 PM New Years Eve! In the window was the laundry care taker guy, waving at me. I waved back. He was probably wondering why I wasn’t in there and hadn’t been for weeks. Months. He got too friendly one day at the end of the summer when I was leaving, and leaned in and kissed my cheek. I started going to the laundry on the next corner. As I passed by they also had a sign in the window. Last wash 6 PM. I considered it while I shopped in the store that was a Foodtown now a Harvest Market but still seemed like Foodtown.
The store was bustling with people. Everyone thinking the same thing. I passed by the collard greens. Another tradition: Collard Greens for money in the new year. Black eyed peas for luck. These last few years weren’t so lucky but the things that happened probably would have happened even if I had labored over collard greens and black eyed peas. The disadvantage to being in Brooklyn as opposed to Harlem, was that the soul food spots I used to in Brooklyn are all gone. When I lived in Harlem, I was a few blocks away from Jacob’s Soul Food Restaurant, where I could get all my “good luck” and “money” blessings of traditional New Year’s Day meal.
I got a roasted chicken, mixed greens, spinach, feta cheese, canned salmon, green onions. Maybe I’ll make Salmon Croquettes for New Years Breakfast! That is one traditional dish, I’ve kept. I might even roll out some biscuits. The line in the store was long, but moved quickly. So quickly, that when I got back to the house, I was able to put away the groceries, and gather the laundry.
Not only is my laundry done, but the roast chicken was good! I paired it with a mixed greens, feta cheese, quarters of tomatoes and pico de gallo with cilantro and mangos and sweet potatoes.
WFUV New Years Eve Dance Party!
A meal like that has to be polished off with a good old fashioned dance party. I spent the evening trying to write this. I probably would have been done hours ago, if it weren’t for the great playlist. I have to get up and dance. I love the station WFUV, because they have a very eclectic playlists. Tonight they’ve been playing music straight since around 8PM. If you are a Gen Xer, you’ll recognize a few of these songs and know why a dancer can’t just listen to this music.
Here’s some of what they played:
Leon Bridges- If it Feels Good (Then it Must Be)
The Clash-Rock the Casbah
Madonna-Into The Groove-
George Michael- Freedom
Feel it Still- Portugal . The Man
Funkadelic- One Nation Under the Grove
Diana Ross Ft. Tame Impala-Turn up the Sunshine
Crazy-Gnarls Barkley
Freedom-Jon Batiste
Groove is in the Heart- Deee-lite
Let’s Groove -Earth Wind & Fire
Dancing in the Street- Martha & The Vandellas
Running Away- Thee Sacred Souls
Dance Apocalytic- Janelle Monae
Hey Ya!-OutKast!
It Takes Two -Rob Base
HandClap-Fitz and the Tantrums
Rick James-Super Freak
Personal Jesus- Depeche Mode
I Feel For You- Chaka Khan
1901-Phoenix
Paper Planes-M.I.A.
1999-Prince
Get Lucky- Daft Punk
Hope you are all having a great New Years Eve! One last song!
The Daze Band- Let It Whip
Happy, New Year, Anna! I love that reading Oldster was part of your relaxing day! 🎉