The Makings of New Year

There are certain things that need to happen to welcome a new year... A proper pint at Blackrocks is one of them for sure. Saturday night we were invited to an annual New Year party Japanese style... probably continuing 10 years or so.  And on Sunday we paid our belated Christmas visits to Joe's aunt and uncles. 
Then, we took a short but FRIGID walk near the lakeshore to say hi to the big lake. Oh, that east wind!! This stretch of the shore is where we used to pick rocks on sandy beaches... but no more after a couple of bad storms. These trees are frozen at the edge of the road. We hurriedly admired a few big waves before seeking a shelter at our favorite brewery for the first time this year. Packers winning later in the evening completed our good Sunday off.