New Year's Day and Random Stuff

New Year's Day Sky with Dancing Clouds

New Year's Day dawned cold, wet and altogether dreary. Bummer!  However, by noon, although it was still chilly, with a brisk wind blowing, the sun was shining.

My son-in-law (Gardening Daughter's husband), called me about 10:30 to invite me to a New Year's Day lunch, which was to feature Black-Eyed Peas and a lot of tasty leftovers from their New Year's Eve get-together with friends from his work place.  I gladly accepted.  One of my resolutions for this new year is to spend more time with my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren (I currently have three blood-greats and one love-great.)

 I had my fill of chips, yummy Spinach Dip, guacamole, pickled okra, olives and other (need I say high-calorie) foods before settling down to a bowl of rice and Black-Eyed Peas, cornbread, and sides of steamed cabbage and other dishes we Arkies enjoy.  Also present at lunch were Elder Daughter (ED) and her mother-in-law (ED's husband stayed home to watch football), and my son and his wife.

I had been moved by the invitation to lunch to get into my own kitchen and make something to take for dessert.  I make a mean bread pudding, if I do say so myself.  So I made a big one (four eggs, a scant cup of sugar, 30 oz. of milk, generous dashes of Saigon cinnamon and vanilla, about 3/4 cup of golden raisins, a couple tablespoons of melted butter and almost a whole large loaf of several-days-old-white bread.)  While it was baking in a well-buttered dish, I prepared a hard sauce of butter, powdered sugar, dark rum (usually kept only for medicinal purposes and flavoring for my annual mince pie), and a wee bit of vanilla.   Still-warm bread pudding with a teaspoon of rum sauce drizzled on top is pretty tasty.  Turns out, it was a big hit with my son's wife, so I sent her home with a 16-oz. container full of pudding with a generous dollop of rum sauce on top.  She was a happy camper.  My son-in-law hinted around about the remaining pudding, so I left that for him, and will pick up my dish later. Funny thing is, I didn't know either of them were so fond of bread pudding, since I don't think I have ever made one to take to a family dinner.  One never knows how the most humble things can be appreciated.  Or -- maybe it was the rum sauce!

My late afternoon was spent at my church.  I have Altar duty this week, always a labor of love.  Setting up everything for tomorrow's services took about forty-five minutes, then I worked in the office for a couple of hours preparing the service schedules for the remainder of January, and writing checks for the "first of the month" bills.  As treasurer, I am not allowed to sign checks, just to prepare them for the signatures of others.  The authorized signers should be at one of the services tomorrow and the checks are ready for them. I'm glad to have that little chore out of the way.  I usually work in the church office on Monday mornings, but I may give myself a holiday.

All in all, not bad for the first day of the new year.   I was well fed, blessed by the company of my family, and pleased with what I accomplished at work.

I hope your day was as enjoyable.

Not My Fireside, I'm Sorry to Say

I took this photo on the evening of New Year's Day last year at Gardening Daughter's home.  I could have used some of this pretty, warm wood fire last night since my cold has reactivated itself -- or I have a entirely new affliction. Bah!!  I can't seem to get warm, despite the consumption of hot beverages and wearing both a sweatshirt and a sweater with my warmest jeans.

I had been invited by Gardening Daughter's husband to join the family for a traditional black-eyed peas and cornbread  supper,  but rather than spread germs, I stayed at home and nursed myself with a big bowl of extra-spicy chili con carne.   In the making of the chili, I used some of my hot New Mexico chile powder to stoke up the heat a bit, which I hope will be effective in relieving some of my symptoms. I absolutely believe in the germ theory of disease, and I was in the company of several folks who had colds earlier this week.  I should have known those pesky critters would take up residence in my airways (the germs, not the folks.)

While under self-imposed house arrest, I did manage to get a number of necessary chores accomplished, such as finally clearing away all the Christmas wrapping paper, tape and ribbons from the kitchen table (the largest flat surface I have). It's nice to see a clear table top again.   In addition to making the pot of chili, I also employed my bread machine to turn out a loaf of Portugese White Bread, which will make dandy toast to have with my tea this morning.

Although I'm not gainfully employed anymore,  I think it must be nice for a legal holiday to fall on a Friday, thus giving most folks a three-day weekend. 

New Year's Day is also my baby sister's birthday.  Her husband always makes it an extra special day, and I know that both of their children were there to celebrate the day with her;  I wish I could have been there, too.

 More, later.

No Chestnuts, but an Open Fire

I dined on one of the traditional "lucky" New Year's Day foods at my daughter's home this evening: Hoppin' John, a combination of seasoned blackeyed peas and rice. My son-in-law, who is a pretty good cook (actually, he's a really good cook, but I don't want to inflate his ego too much), prepared the meal. In addition to the blackeyed peas and rice, he baked a delicious cornbread casserole, and dressed up a spiral-cut ham with a liberal application of maple-flavored Log Cabin Syrup. Yummy!!

The front section of their large home (living room, dining room, kitchen and den) is heated during the winter by a wood-burning stove. We had a lovely fire this evening to take off the chill, and I couldn't resist getting a few photos of the flickering flames.

I came back home warm and full of good food, an altogether satisfactory end to the first day of this new year.