December 3, 2017. Madison, Mississippi. Neighborhood Party.

Every Christmas, our subdivision holds a Christmas party.  Folks tell me it is lovely.  But we have never gone and I can not figure out why.  It is easy because the people with odd numbered numbers take a dish and the next year it switches.  And you are supposed to take something to drink.  This is the third year that we have stayed home even though we are in town and with no other appointments. We just do not go which makes us very unsocial.

Part of it was practical.  It is dark when we would be going which is difficult because we can not see where we are going.  Tonight the party is being held three houses away from us so we could easily walk.  I did think about asking the neighbors across the street so we could walk with them, with me holding their arm, but company arrived at their house yesterday so they probably will not be attending.  The first year that we lived here the party was held on a cove at the other end of the neighborhood and getting in and out with the car would have been difficult.  We drove by a few days prior to the party.  Getting in and out was difficult in the day light without being full of other cars so we decided to stay home.  And my immune system makes life difficult, so mostly we decide to stay home.

We have lots of excuses.  Ken has trouble hearing in noisy crowds so conversations are difficult.  But I suspect that we have gotten out of the habit of going to social events.  When my immune system was non inexistent, we turned down most invitations.  We have just gotten into the habit I think.  I read an article this week telling advice on how to be happy when retired.  One item on their list was to accept every invitation and attend every party.  We have broken the rules.  But we are happy anyway.  I actually like staying home.