December 3, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Christmas Party.

Since I have become old and somewhat infirm I have not figured out how to handle parties. All my life my pattern at parties was the same: I moved around the room and talked with people. Sometimes I served food just to give me something to do and to give me the opportunity to talk to people. But now, I have not figured out a successful routine. I have difficulty walking around in crowds of people because I bump into them. And if I am in an unfamiliar room, I am prone to run into furniture. For the last two parties, I have found a spot in a corner and stayed there. I always find a place with chairs beside me so I talk to people who sit beside me. My problem is that they may not be the people I want to meet. But I am stuck, until they move. So I do not like my present system but I do not know what to do about it. This Sunday evening, the neighborhood will hold their annual Christmas party. Ken and I have never attended. The party starts at 6:00, which means that it will be dark. And Ken had difficulty eating in public so he preferred to stay home. I am not going this year either. For me, going out by myself at night is impossible and as no one has offered to come and take me I will stay home. I do feel like Scrooge. But trying to get around in a strange house full of furniture is not easy for me, even if the house is empty. I could ask a friend in the neighborhood to take me but decided to stay home. Until the last few years, we never missed a party but not now, especially in the evening. But I will figure out a system more to my liking in general at parties. I might ask a good friend or relative to let me take their arm while I circulate. That might work. But for now, I will stay home.