NEW YEAR’s EVE – where has this year gone?  I still remember January, but it seems like everything in between is one big blur!  Michael left for a shot gun golfing start, while I continued to clean and bake and even got a little sewing in.  I continued to work on another smaller rope basket, made a chocolate layer cake with incredible dark chocolate frosting:

made up a basket full of homemade candy (carcker toffee, rocky road, caramel popcorn, pretzel toffee and sugared pecans in the middle):

and for the second time pepperoni bread (which I am mad that once again I didn’t remember to take a picture of  L.

Michael and I were all ready for our guests to arrive at 7, as was Elsie:

There was lots of good food:

and lots of friends to enjoy it with:

                                      (Bob, Bryce, Eileen & Dick)

                    (Dennis (in the back), Jim, Gloria, Don & Jimmy)

                                      (Sally, Dee & Howard)

                                                

                                              (Mary Lu & Sue)

                                           (and Susan & August & Ann Mary)

to show just a few.  We had about 27 people in all and it was a wonderful evening.  The very last guests left at 11:40 and Michael and I celebrated the new year and watched the ball drop at MIDNIGHT, before collapsing into bed.