Foiled...

I'm frantically cleaning my house in preparation for a last minute New Year's Eve dinner gathering at my house!

I arrived home from Christmas vacation in mostly one piece, which is saying a lot because I caught the stomach flu on steroids that is invading the country. I puked half way through Christmas Eve mass and continued to do so every 15 minutes from then on until 3:30 am. I didn't know the human body could do what it did that night for hours on end. But I survived. Didn't get Christmas dinner until the day after Christmas but oh well. It still tasted very yummy.

I drove home from South Dakota on Wednesday and was exhausted by the time I arrived around 7 that night. I called my boyfriend and we talked for a while but agreed I should just go to bed and we would see each other on Thursday night. Plus we had an amazing romantic weekend planned in Minneapolis so one night wouldn't kill us. Romance package for two nights at a French suite, play tickets for Triple Espresso front row, center seats on Saturday night, reservations at an exclusive restraurant downtown New Year's Eve, and a party at a friend's house to follow. Three days together to celebrate a great year together and the start of another. We don't do Christmas presents, we do the New Year's Eve escape instead.

As I went to bed on Wednesday night he IM'd me that a company south of London was having software issues. "Don't worry," he said, we'll get it fixed, "worse case scenario, I have to go to England." I went to work Thursday morning and at 10 am my secretary paged me and had him on the line. "Uhm...babe, I'm flying to London at 4:50 today". I didn't cry. I kept it together. My team let me leave a bit early so I could see him before he left. I got him to the airport on time, called my best friend who didn't answer and at that burst into tears.

I cried my way through Thursday night and on Friday I started planning. I found a co-worker to go to the play on Saturday with me and put the wheels in motion to have a few friends over for dinner at my house. The boy's company is fully aware of all the plans which were canceled and he will be comped the vacation days so we will plan something different. The friend and I made it to the play last night and laughed until we cried. Went to a nice dinner afterwards and chatted for a couple hours. It was great.

So even though my plans were completely and totally foiled by a nasty software glitch in England, I have recovered and have a house to make festive! Now to the grocery store to put together a feast :)

Happy New Year's to all of you!