Happy New Year 2021

Happy New Year People of the MOTI!

To those who made it to midnight on purpose to usher in 2021 – I salute you. To those who were forced to make it till midnight by merrymakers in your neighborhood ushering in 2021, I sympathize. And to those who were awakened from a sound sleep by neighborhood merrymakers ushering in 2021, I empathize.

There’s no point in recapping 2020, this headline says it all:

For the first time in 114 years, the New Year’s Eve spectacular in Times Square was held without a live audience.

It would seem that our bettors decided that we were all having too much fun and it was time to end the party and send everyone home.

Finished off the year with the highest Stock Market in history. Setting records with your 401k’s, just like I said you would. Congratulations to all!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2021

Even those who are not really expecting much from 2021 were glad to bid adieu to 2020 – a year that definitely did not deserve to have an extra day.

Then again, everyday with the MOTI is a day worth having, so I’m thankful we’re all still hanging in there if only by a thread some days.

I promised that I would show you better pictures of the second overwhelming bouquet that you all sent to me and Raj. I did not think you could outdo yourselves with the Christmas bouquet, but somehow…you did. I don’t know where the woman who owns ADORN sources her flowers but they are not only unique but in pristine condition. Here is my best attempt to capture the stunning beauty of this floral art for you:

First, a base of gigante hydrangeas and peonies in shades of burgundy, carmine and soft greens:

deep claret-colored pin flowers,

ranunculus in such a deep, deep maroon that they absorb light and look as if they were made of velvet (and thus are difficult to photo to their full effect, I tried capturing their effect with one of the filters but it still doesn’t do them justice)

Leucadendron, a graceful, waxy bloom that looks like the love child of a ginger and a bromeliad

along with crimson cluster roses, seeded eucalyptus and more of that soft lovely-to-look-at-lovelier-to-touch hanging green amaranthus…

WOW!

All that and a bottle of French champagne.

Which will be popped and enjoyed throughout the day

You guys and dolls really know how usher in a New Year – way better than fireworks!  And once again all I can say is thank you, which is quite inadequate to express how overwhelmed I am by your thoughtful gifts.

Despite the midnight fireworks action around here I got a pretty good night’s sleep. Both Raj and I are now feeling up to celebrating today. For as you know 2021 is upon us and “it is what it is.” Cursing it’s existence will serve no purpose so we might as well celebrate each day and figure out how to wrangle with it as we go along.  Until then I leave you with this hope:

Watching @FoxNews is almost as bad as watching Fake News @CNN. New alternatives are developing!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2020

And this sentiment, from the bottom of my heart: