Well, it's all over but the "boom". Where did this year go? I can remember, clearly, last year at this time. The chain of events is as repetitious as a monologue. We perform the same task year after year, we socialize with the same people, (God willing), we eat the same traditional foods, drink Champagne and get that smooch at midnight, and so on and so on.
New Year's Resolutions? No no no, I do not will not make promises to myself I absolutely know I will turn my back on and leave them blowing in the wind the first week of commitment. I have made these promises so many times in my life's adventure only to desert them quickly. I'm not going to exercise, too much energy needed, I'm not going to diet, too much will power needed, and I'm not going to be a better participant on our cleaning team, too much trouble. So just let me say I will TRY to be a better wife, mama, and meme to my gang of Sims. That I believe I will put energy, will power, and trouble into.
Then we have all the long lasting traditions of the new year like kissing at midnight, eating black eyed peas, and hog jowl, and leafy greens. The kiss at midnight symbolizes the love between the two participants and that the feeling will last the year. The black eyed peas is a symbol of money coins and prosperity, the greens representing paper money. Other traditions include eating long noodles to represent long lives, the first person into the door of your home after midnight is said to bring luck for the rest of the year, some believe that cleaning the house on New Year's Day will wash away the good luck, putting a piece of mistletoe under your pillow on New Year's eve will cause you to have dreams of your forever love, shooting firecrackers and making lots of noise at the strike of twelve drives away evil spirits, and always throw a bucket of water out your window or door so signify cleaning and renewal. I sometimes wonder just what going to bed BEFORE midnight, no midnight kiss, perhaps an eight o'clock one, no champagne drink and no noise making represents? Probably getting old.
I'm sure we will eat the black eyed peas and hog jowl and cabbage cooked someway on New Year's Day but as for throwing water out the door, not unless the pipes break and we are forced to and I can almost promise you I will not clean house on New Year's Day!
I make no new resolutions or promises except for the ones I have declared for years and they are, (1). Try my best to be a good person, loving all God's people, (2). To take care of my family as best as I can, and (3). To continue to connect with you, my readers as long as I am allowed the special privilege.
Here's to you for a very happy New Year and so many blessings and good luck coming to you this next year and hoping time will slow down for all of us.
We are not a big fan of collard greens, we like turnip greens better but this is a recipe for collards I think you will enjoy.
3 pounds of fresh collard greens, 5 strips of bacon, 1/2 cup of sweet onion diced, 1 ham hock, (I usually freeze mine from Thanksgiving and use it now.), 32 ounces of chicken broth, 1 T. sugar, 1 T. garlic powder, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar. Begin with chopped bacon and brown in pot until done and then add rest of ingredients except collards. Bring to a boil and add collard greens and cook on simmer for about 2 hours. After done take the ham hock out and shred the meat off and mix black in the pot. The "pot licker" is good with cornbread.
