We’re invited to some friend’s house to celebrate 12th Day on Jan 5. I’m looking forward to it because it’s the last official party of the holiday season for me.

I like the couple inviting us. Although we only met them this year, we’ve been at several of the same parties and ended up in satisfying conversations. But their invitation closed with an intriguing caveat: “Our driveway can only fit seventeen cars. Please consider carpooling.”

1. Seventeen cars? First, how do they know this? Was it listed as a feature or shortcoming when the property was being sold? “Driveway can fit seventeen cars.” Also, what sized cars are we talking about? Seventeen Fiats or seventeen Hummers? There’s a difference you know.

Other ways of knowing exist. Maybe they had a party and invited people and found out, OMG, our driveway can only fit seventeen cars. Or perhaps they did the measurements. Also, how are we parked on this driveway? Single file, in tandem? Two by two? So many questions.

2. I also suffered a bubble of driveway envy after reading that. Our driveway struggles with more than two cars, side by side. We can add two more in tandem behind the first two, depending on the relative sizes involved, but their rear ends will be sticking out from the curb. Looking at my street, we’d be challenged fitting seventeen cars onto it.

3. If they have parking for seventeen cars and suggest carpooling, how many people have they invited? My wife did mention that our hostess asked her for lists of the exercise class and coffee clatch participants, which not oddly if you know my wife is something that she prepared after arriving here and joining those activities and realizing that such a list — with names, phone numbers, birthdays, and email addresses — did not already exist.

Despite the suspiciously large crowd that might be there, I am looking forward to it. I mean, it is the last party of the season.

That’s reason to celebrate.