and the world will be a better place

What a wonderful way to begin the new year: in the company of family and friends.
To think I almost didn't have this gathering this year.
But the first niece had texted me this morning to ask what time she should be here at my house, how many others were coming, could she bring pineapple upside-down cake?
Time to make some quick decisions, before I'd even had coffee and breakfast.
Was I doing this today?
The clock pronounced the time as 10:41 AM.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
So, in response, I told her 1:30 PM, I didn't know yet, and yes!
Okay.
I had already determined, a week or so ago, that I would make Hopping John and brown rice. After all, black-eyed peas were a staple for good luck in the new year. This year, I would add crowder peas, too, and use the recipe on that label (as a guide, of course).
I had also decided, a few days ago at the the grocery store, to add macaroni and cheese to the menu.
Now I thought that green beans would be good, too. Nice color palette.
And she was covering dessert.
Well, alrighty then. Sounds like a party! Now to invite some guests!
I knew she was coming. That's one.
Her sweet husband would hopefully be joining us, if he wasn't working.
That would be two guests. With me making three in the party.
Hmmm. Pretty short notice, but let's send out some invites.
The beachwalker Barbara? Yes, yes, she would come, and she'd bring salad, too!
The librarian? Kristin and Barbara knew each other and she's the same age as my first niece. And yes, she would come, too, and would bring iced tea!
My outlaw Bunny's mom? No, Bev was feeling under the weather and would stay home this year. (She had come last year to my better-planned first day's dinner.)
The always huggable Hai? He didn't know what Hopping John was. Say what? So, I told him, "it's white folk food" (hey, it's an inside joke). When I asked "Are you in?", just like they do on Cash Cab, his reply was that he was "all in".
Coolness. He knows the librarian, too.
And justthatfast, I had a party going on for the first day of 2014.
I love these people.
They are ALL family to me. After all, friends are the family you choose, right? And even though my first niece and her husband are family by blood, I would still choose them to be my friends.
A few years ago, I'd gone to Augusta to have Thanksgiving with my cousin Sharon's family. I made it an extended visit, as we had not seen each other for more than two hours in better than ten years, maybe longer. It seemed the only times we were together were funerals, right? So, I had resolved to do better about that and I had.
At the end of my stay with them, she had told me that "even if I wasn't family and she had met me on the street, she would choose to be friends with me". Isn't that nice? I still think that is one of the best compliments I've ever received.
And now, I've started my new year with a first day of feasting with family.
Life is very good.
Very good, indeed.
With nice cake, too.