Because I’ve been grieving the breakup, I was fortunate enough to have some great friends who are always there in my hour of need. My friend David (whom I lovingly refer to as Lil David only because he’s just slightly taller than I am). As you know, I have a very small circle of friends all of which are wonderful, supportive individuals. David and I have been friends for nigh on ten years.  We’ll go months without speaking and then pick up right where we left off.

So immediately upon hearing  about the breakup, I get a phone call/invitation to Palm Springs for New Year’s. I was hesitant to agree because it’s much more melancholy to stay in alone. But he wasn’t having it. Next thing I know I’m packing a bag and being whisked away to the lovely Palm Springs. I’d forgotten that he drives like a rebel without a cause, so needless to say we made it there in about fifteen minutes.

Upon arriving we meet his friends, Ben and Daniel who basically shit money. We were staying at the most lavish resort in town where rooms run, oh, five-hundred bucks a night. Naturally, we went to the supermarket and picked up as much booze as we could carry. It’s a holiday, after all.

That night we started the drinking, in my case medicinal drinking, early. I’m pretty sure we were gone by 8:00pm. That’s when we dawned the hot shorts and went down to the hot tub. Well, we had to break in my the time we got there, so there was a bit of fence jumping, which is difficult when carrying a bottle of champagne and a cocktail. As you may know, I’m a sucker for a hot tub, so there was no stopping me. We proceed to drink more and enjoy the grotto. Mind you, it’s about forty degrees out and all we have are hot shorts, towels, and booze. You know, life’s essentials.

We decide to explore the compound, this place was huge mind you, and seek out the other pools. Well, as we’re walking barefoot on the freezing cement, carrying bottles and cocktails, we see a golf cart that’s calling to us. We pile into the cart with Evil Knievel David at the wheel. We’re flooring it, in the dark, no headlights, trying to sip on my cocktail. We see the pool off to the right so David veers in that direction. However, in between the pool and us was a tree. We smash right into a palm tree, head on. My knee bashed into the dash but you’ll be proud to know that not a drop of alcohol spilled.

Almost immediately, we see lights in the distance. I panic and run away with the bottle of champs and my cocktail. Still in hot shorts, trying to find my way through the maze of a compound. I was jumping fences, walking on gravel, no one’s bringing me down!

We meet back at the room and go back to the hot tub, this time David and I decided to break into the water slide, along with the 16 year olds who had broken into the compound and into the hot tub. Since there was no water running on the slide, we had to improvise. We filled out empty bottles with pool water and sent it flying down the slide. It actually worked! We found that two early twenty year olds and two sixteen year old girls is the optimal grouping for one mat on that damn slide.

Oh, I’d forgotten to mention that on the return trip to the hot tub, David and I thought we’d be the only ones there, so all we had on were towels. Who needs hot shorts? We did, because I fell into the hot tub and lost my towel, totally exposing myself to the kids. I think they liked it.

I don’t think I got to bed until 5:00am, and this was only the first night.

New Year’s eve day we lounged a lot. Eventually we went to dinner and then to a local bar to toast the new year. One of the members of our party wasn’t feeling well, so we toasted the new year, had a drink, and were in the car by 12:15am. Some more hot tub and drinking action, and then we woke up this morning, which mind you is the first New Year’s day I’ve woken up with no hangover, because we were actually mellow–but considering the previous night, could you blame us?

All in all it was a wonderful distraction and I’m so glad a I went. Otherwise I would have been watching Beaches on my couch with multiple bottles of wine. My knee, I’m happy to report, it doing better today. I’m no longer limping.

Happy New Year! I wish you all the best in 2008.