There is a House In New Orleans. I keep hearing that song in my head.

Oh yeah. New Year's Eve.  Time to get ready to sing the song.  When the clock strikes twelve!  Ten, nine, eight, seven, six........ "There is a  House in New Orleans, they call the Rising Sun".

This is the time that we get together with friends and family and really welcome in the new year.  We have been doing this for eleven years.  We have only been rained out one year and it's a possibility that this could be the second.  It is pouring rain and warm today.  We have had all kinds of weather over the years.  Sometimes it has been really cold.  We have had so much snow that we plowed a ramp to start off the sled run.  One thing for sure with this group, if there is no snow, they will think of something to do to ring in the new year.

Our first party was New Year's Eve 2000.

Here some of the guys are explaining to each other exactly how to stand on your sled to go down the run.  Notice that the youngest one to the right, does not have a sled and is just watching the show.

New Year's Eve 2000

And then we have the "standing up going down the run backwards" attempt.

And guess what?  It didn't work.

2000

These gals were more sensible.

This is one of the kids showing us how you really do it.

Some photos from 2010.








 






It's not just about the sledding though.  There's a lot of music to be played.  Quite a bit of zaniness is required to properly say goodbye to the old and bring in the new.








We decided to have a parade in 2008.

 2008

 It involves both the young and the old and the in-between.

 

2008

2008

Those that don't play an instrument, dance.

2008

Depending on the temperature, there's a lot of standing by the fire to discuss world events.

2010

And of course, there is singing.  Lots of singing.

 2008

 And more playing.

2008

The best part is watching the kids having so much fun.

 2003 photos

 And welcoming the new ones.

 2008

The kids usually make to midnight, but they are pretty worn out the next day.

2008

No one can sing the "House of the Rising Sun", like Retired Mountain Man.

It has become our tradition to sing it at midnight..  Everyone knows the words to every verse, even the kids!  We usually have to sing it two or three times to really bring in the New Year right.  Yes, the song is still playing in my head.  "There is a House In New Orleans, they call the Rising Sun........"  Bring on 2012!