Dear Group, I just finished writing the following just for you and just for the occasion. * * * As the final hours and minutes of the year 2000 tick away, I'm reminded of New Years Eve of past years when my sister and I and My Friend Fred celebrated them together. It was the same every year and every year from the mid to late 1970s. Early in the evening Fred and I would go out for dinner, come back to my house, turn the TV on and wait for Norma to arrive. She worked the evening shift at St. Mary's Hospital in nearby Lewiston and the minute her shift was over at 11:30 she was out the door like a flash! I had already polished up the Champagne glasses, the Champagne was chilled and so was the Mountain Dew that Norma drank. We had the TV tuned into the local PBS station and every New Years Eve we enjoyed watching the Boston Pops Orchestra conducted by Arthur Fiedler. The three of us enjoyed listening to classical music but as it got closer and closer to Midnight we knew what to expect and Norma and I reached for the box of tissues. Right before Midnight they always played a stirring rendition of "The Stars and Stripes Forever" and it never failed to bring a flood of tears to our eyes when, as the stirring final chorus was being played with all stops out, a HUGE American Flag was shown in the background. They always timed it so that as soon as the piece was finished, it was Midnight on the dot and they immediately started up with the old familiar "Auld Lang Syne." The three of us shouted "Happy New Year" and hugs went all around. Then while Norma and I mopped up our tears, Fred popped the cork on the Champagne bottle, unscrewed the cap on the Mountain Dew bottle, poured each of us a glass of the bubbly and we toasted the New Year in. It was THE way to celebrate New Years Eve! After Arthur Fiedler died in 1979, they discontinued the annual event and there's been nothing to replace it that is as special or classy or stirring. New Years Eve just hasn't been the same ever since. First there was Guy Lombardo, then Arthur Fiedler and then . . . . But oh what wonderful memories! And do you know what? Tonight when the countdown goes 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! think of me wishing the same to you and giving you all a great big hug. HAPPY NEW YEAR! luvya, vee