Happy New Years

The New New Year and the Old New Year have come and gone.   Fireworks have turned to ash and children's injuries have had sufficient time to heal.  The crowds on the capital's main drag, Rustaveli Avenue, have dispersed, and thankfully taken their drunken Abba renditions with them.

Our landlord's mother traveled from Abkhazia to greet the new year with us.  She ate one piece of meat, three pieces of candy, and had about a half-liter of cha-cha (distilled wine, Georgian vodka, the local firewater, moonshine).  Just before midnight, we made the way to our balcony and observed all manner of fireworks.  Our landlord squeezed off a few rounds from his Kalashnikov and 2010 was born.

Orthodox Christmas was celebrated with much less fanfare.  Some churches opened as bells tolled; worshipers came and went from midnight and into Christmas dawn.  No Kalashnikov action.

And Old New Year woke me--at midnight for a handful of fireworks.