Before we left Michigan, we thought we’d go to a New Year’s Eve party put on by the Oldies But Goodies club at the Sun City Center main community building. When we got here, we found it was a sell-out.

Since it appeared the party wasn’t possible, we made tentative plans to go to the South Club just a block or so from us. There won’t be a formal “party” but hopefully some folks we know will attend. They’ll have music and munchies.

Last night we got a call from a lady who had extra tickets for the Oldies But Goodies party. But we decided to pass on that opportunity. We have already adjusted our thinking. Going to a big party and sitting at a table with folks we don’t know doesn’t sound all that desirable. The $70 would have included “heavy hors d’oeuvres” but it was byob. $70 plus a new dress sounded like it was a budget stretcher.

But a bigger consideration is that John has good days and some days when he doesn’t feel up to par. Expensive party tickets would make John feel as if he was “required” to hang in there. Maybe that won’t be the best thing for him. We probably won’t dance as much as we used to and that means being at a compatible table is even more important.

The informal South Club gathering will be just fine, or maybe we’ll just stay home, or maybe we’ll get together with friends like last year. We’re flexible.

We also have two other big parties to go to during January and February and several dances. For those events, we will be at tables with friends. That will fill our “quota” of fancy “dress-up” opportunities.

So New Year’s Eve we’ll just go over to the South Club and come home when we feel like it. We won’t have the lovely hors d’oeuvres which would have been included in the $70 tickets but I don’t need the calories.

With John’s illness, I’m learning to make adjustments and be flexible. No sense it stressing him.