Waiting impatiently for new year

After a significant amount of wheedling, Ottawacker Jr. managed to convince me it would be in the interests of mankind were he to be allowed to see the numbers on the clock change as the new year arrived.

"It's something I have always wanted to do, ever since I was a baby," was the clinching phrase from our seven-year-old adult. 

And so, at 11:57 p.m., with Mrs. Ottawacker snoring gently, I woke Ottawacker Jr., took him downstairs, sat him down on the chair, and waited with him till the clock struck twelve... or in our case, until all the "0"s appeared.

It was really nice, actually - and he went straight back to sleep. I went down, finished the glass of whisky, and then joined my wife in our nightly contest to see who can snore the louder.