'Tis the
31st December, 2017 as I write...New Year’s Eve.....surely no reminder of this
fact is required, though.
My last
day of 2017 began at a fraction past midnight, and then I went to sleep. About five or so hours later I awoke to a brand new
day...the last day of 2017.
Where did
the other 364 days disappear to, I wonder?
I dragged out the second last day of the year as long as was possible. I will probably do similar on this final day
of the year. I want to stretch it out
as far as I possibly can!
Sometimes, I
wonder why the need to do so takes hold...but Life is like that, and one must
remind one’s self not to take it for granted.
I won’t
be out partying; I won’t be in partying, either, but I will see the New Year
in....without fail, I always do. But,
who knows? I don’t even know! I may get into party mode this evening...and
party along with just me and my two furry mates, Remy and Shama. I’ll go with the flow and the mood, come what
may.
At times,
I get weary – weary of all the madness that goes on, not only in our country,
but throughout the world. Disgusted and angered by the stupidity of some;
the ignorance others.
Often I fall down the “rabbit hole”. I’ve found myself wallowing around in the
darkness these past few days. Alice and
the rabbit didn’t join me, but my two rascals comforted me. I felt like disappearing from the world and
humanity, so I did, in a way, by flying low beneath the radar wearing my hermit
suit.
On the
other hand, I also want to savour every precious moment. Once a moment is gone, it can never be
regained. Time trudges on unforgiving,
sometimes cruelly...other times kindly.
Life is a
paradox....it asks many questions of one. I'm yet to find all the right answers. I never
will, but it sure as hell is interesting, intriguing and inspiring trying to
discover the solutions to the elusive riddles.
Over the past few days I’d been trying, unsuccessfully it appeared, to make a dent in my Christmas ham.
Over the past few days I’d been trying, unsuccessfully it appeared, to make a dent in my Christmas ham.
Shortly after I bounded out of bed this
morning I solved the excess ham on the bone problem.
Presently,
a huge pot of pea and ham soup is simmering away on my stove top. It’s so thick I’m sure I will be able to
walk across it once the cooking process has come to an end!
A storm passed over during the wee small hours of this morning. Thunder, lightning and some rain disturbed the early peace. More storms have been predicted for later this afternoon, and/or early evening.
For now,
though, a light, gentle, balmy breeze interrupts the sleep of the leaves upon
the trees. They're not protesting too much. The caress of its soft, gossamer
breaths of air is a soothing lullaby. The humidity is still as thick and steamy
as my pea and ham soup.
Am I mad
making soup in this heat? Yes, I suppose
I am! There is no point my trying to
disguise the fact. I know I can’t fool you lot!
However,
a big pot of steaming pea and ham soup after the Christmas madness has come and
gone is a tradition in many households, including my own.
What else is one supposed to do with all the left
over ham? I sure am sick of ham and
salad. Without complaint (not any of
which you will hear, anyway) I will slurp my way through bowls of thick
soup...once it’s cooked and ready...today and tomorrow. There is more than enough so, naturally, I will freeze a stack of it,
too! I could start a soup kitchen with
the amount I’ve made!
All is
not lost, not even my mind! Christmas
cake, fruit mince tarts, chocolates, liquorice allsorts, ice cream and other
goodies are still waiting in the wings.
I’ve not yet depleted those supplies, either.
It will
be so long between visits to the supermarket, I’ll have to re-introduce myself
when I finally do step through its doors (opened doors, that is. I’m not one for walking through glass)!
In truth,
though, I did do a quick trip to IGA on Friday to replenish my fresh fruit
supplies, as well as more milk for me, and fresh meat for my furry mates. Remy and Shama have freshly-chopped beef each
day for their evening meal. I would have
a riot on my hands, if their beefy needs weren't met...daily!
Thank you for following my blog over the past 12 months...and for your welcome comments.
I wish everyone a very Happy New Year...I
hope 2018 treats you and your loved ones with kindness. I hope 2018 is a great year...worldwide...
A HAPPY, PROSPEROUS,
HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL....
Wow! now that's what I call a blog title !!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE our Christmas ham, we never have any trouble finishing it. We've had it hot twice with roast vegetables, toasted sandwiches for dinner with leftover brie, the usual salads and tonight it is going into a wonderful veg frittata that will do us for two meals. there'll still be lots left but it will all be gone too soon and we'll have to wait till next year for more deliciousness !! Happy New Year Lee. Our aircon is pumping away this morning. Today's going to be a scorcher I think.
Hi Helsie...with only me to eat the ham...I quickly tire of it...but I do love thick, home-made pea and ham soup...and am looking forward to a big bowl of it shortly. It's been simmering away for the past nigh on four and a half hours! lol
DeleteI don't have air conditioning other than open windows and doors....I'm having a very lazy, non-energetic day. The only sweat I will be raising will be caused by eating a bowl of hot soup!!
Thanks for coming by...a Happy New Year to you, too. :)
Wow is good to be back with my ex again, thank you Dr Ekpen for the help, I just want to let you know that is reading this post in case you are having issues with your lover and is leading to divorce and you don’t want the divorce, Dr Ekpen is the answer to your problem. Or you are already divorce and you still want him/her contact Dr Ekpen the spell caster now on (ekpentemple@gmail.com) and you will be glad you did
DeleteA very happy New Year to you, to Remy and Sharma. The New Year will find her way in without me. I am pretty sure she knows the way.
ReplyDeleteI am still enjoying my Christmas fruit salad (though I have topped it up a few times). Haven't yet got to the cake or the shortbread. They will be fine when I do.
I hope that 2018 is a kinder and gentler year. I think the world needs it.
Hi EC....Yes...we could do with a good year....here and elsewhere. Time for a peaceful, calm change, I reckon.
DeleteAll the very best for 2018. Thanks for coming by. :)
Okay - since you will get there before me - HAPPY NEW YEAR. Here in the south we eat black eyed peas - cornbread - cabbage for good luck for the upcoming year.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great one! sandie
Hey there, Sandie. Yes, I've heard of your tradition...and it sounds like a very tasty one to me! :)
DeleteA Happy New Year to you and your family. Thanks for coming by. We've been blogging mates for quite a few years now, you and me. :)
I love pea soup! I think I could eat/sip it for a week or two straight.
ReplyDeleteI can certainly understand the world weariness. The things going on in the world right now...scarifying. But you're so right, each day should bring its own joy. I hope your 2018 holds wonder, joy and good health.
G'Day Sandra....I'm starting to salivate here...the time is nearly here for me to have my first bowl of pea and ham soup!!
DeleteI hope your 2018 fulfills your every wish. Take good care...and thanks for coming by. :)
I can't believe how fast time goes by now; We are having extremely cold weather here so envy you your opposite season. I made a big pot of vegetable soup and added some home smoked turkey, cooked today and will be cook some more tomorrow. Do you find that soup is better the next day ? I do. Happy New year to you.
ReplyDeleteYes, Linda...time certainly does fly by so very quickly. We were warned of this by our elders when we were young. Now we're the "elders", we've discovered truer words have never been uttered!! :)
DeleteSoup, like stews, braises and casseroles always taste better the next day after the flavours have had time to settle and take control.
A Happy New Year to you and your loved ones, too. Thanks for coming by. :)
There's no obvious reason to party. Climate is out of control, nuclear power is out of control, nutrition is out of control (most people in the world are overweight).
ReplyDeleteBut I like a good, hot bowl of soup in winter, and eating this is a joyful party to me.
Have A Happy New Year!
G'day, Duta. I'm never fond of New Year's Eve party...I never have been. I think they too forced. I prefer spontaneous to planned.
DeleteMy best wishes to you for 2018...I hope it treats you most kindly. Thanks for coming by. :)
The world is a little crasy right now for sure but there are enough of us full of good will and good wishes to make it right again...stay out of the dark places....Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteG'Day, Delores...I think the world is always and has always been slightly crazy. It's just that nowadays we inundated by the news 24/7 from every angle possible.
DeleteA Happy New Year to you, too. Take good care. Thanks for coming by. :)
There's no way I could ever be cooking pea and ham soup in the heat of summer. I always froze the left over ham and the bone, separately, of course, for soup making later in the year. Usually right after Easter. Happy New Year
ReplyDeleteHey, River. I had two large bowls of my soup this afternoon...and it was delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll have more tomorrow for my lunch; and I also froze eight containers of it for future meals.
DeleteI wish you all the very best for the coming year...may it treat you kindly. Thanks for coming by...cuddles to the lovely Lady Lola. :)
Good Prince song. Would your cats eat ham? Very best wishes for 2018.
ReplyDeleteHi Andrew...I've always been a Prince fan..and was saddened by his passing.
DeleteAs far as ham and cats go...Remy, my male cat believes he should have whatever I'm having, and I have, at times, not often - I actually don't have ham very often myself - given him a tidbit of ham - a piece not even the size of the fingernail of my little finger. Just a tiny bit to satisfy his curiosity.
Ham is full of sodium, so it's definitely not the best thing for cats to eat because of the salt content. Shama, my female cat is not at all interested in it. They have their freshly-chopped meat every evening - either topside, round, blade or rump...whatever is on special at any given time. They eat more red meat than I do! lol
My best wishes to you and your loved ones for the New Year, too...take care...and thanks for coming by. :)
hi Lee, have missed reading your blog. It made a change reading it tonight. I think we have a lot in common.
ReplyDeleteOh, Terry...how wonderful it is to hear from you! I think of you often, and wonder how you're getting on.
DeleteI wish you all the very best of everything for 2018...may the year treat you kindly.
Thank you so much for coming by. Take good care, always. :)
Well, it's freakin' cold here! I NEED that ham soup!Hahaa
ReplyDeleteI made the Texas traditional Black Eyed Peas with bacon, sausage, onion and bell pepper. It was 17 degrees F here last night...Waco, Texas area.
Happy New Year and put a steak on the grill! Baked potato and green tossed salad with a big glass of sweet iced tea...yum!
hughugs
Hi Donna...the soup has been delicious. I've a pile more stored in the freezer for future enjoyment!
DeleteTomorrow I plan to have a nice, thick steak...and am already looking forward to it! :)
I hope you have a great 2018. Thanks for coming by. :)
I hope the New Year is not a Ham one for you!
ReplyDeleteAnd my similar good wishes back to you, Mr. Ad-Man. :)
DeleteHappy New Year Lee. Always a pleasure to read your blog, you have wonderful memories.
ReplyDeletePea and ham soup! Gosh, well it doesn't matter what time of year for lovely home made soup if it fills you, or for summer just before bed is a good time for me to have some soup if I've made any.
Did you enjoy your soup?
Hey there Margaret...I sure have been enjoying my soup. Today was the final day I will have any, though. The rest of it...and that is quite a lot...is in individual containers in my freezer.
ReplyDeleteI love soup, too...any time of the year.
Thank you for your good wishes...may the same apply to your and your loved ones. Happy New Year...may it be a good year for everyone. :)
A lovely post. You prove that happy solitude is very different from loneliness. I hope you are not still stiff after being in Clint's boot for so long. Thanks for being a great blogging buddy. Happy New Year Lee!
ReplyDeleteHey, Yorkie. I never feel lonely...I'm quite content with my own company. I doubt I've ever felt loneliness, The nature of the beast, I guess.
DeleteI became quite comfortable in Clint's boot, but don't you get too comfortable, matey....I'm a Scorpio...and Scorpios are well-known for the longevity of their memories. I'm already planning a suitable pay-back!!!
Thank you, too, for the fun over the past 12 months and more. A Happy New Year to you, Shirley and your family, Yorkie. I hope only good things come your way. :)
Pay-back? (Gulp!) I am trembling now.
DeleteAnd so you should be!! I will strike when you least expect it! ;)
DeleteI had a solitary New Year's Eve, too - usual for me. I don't like being out in the madness, so I put away the Christmas things and watched the Downton Abbey marathon that was on our Public Television network.
ReplyDeleteI have a good leftover ham recipe - I'd like to send it to you if you tell me how. I'm on facebook if you want to friend me. I spotted you on there the other day - I'm friends with Granny Annie.
Hey Lynn...shall do...I'll hop onto FB and find you.
DeleteI hate all the planned madness for New Year's Eve, too...and stay well away, preferring to do my own thing, my way. I binged on "Boardwalk Empire"...on Netflix. What a great series. I just loved it!
I hope 2018 treats you kindly, Lynn...take good care. :)
But I'm salivating over your soup, too. Forgot to put that. :)
ReplyDeleteYesterday, I had the last of it...for now....the rest is in individual serves in my freezer for later on down the track. :) (It's delicious)!!
DeleteWell, Lee, I hope that 2018 is a Good Year for you and your two rascals.
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued by your statement "Life is like that, and one must remind one’s self not to take it for granted.". Oddly my post today has been in a similar vein.
I was just thinking that I make and consume (I couldn't work out whether to use eat or drink) soup all year but then for me on Lewis 26 ℃ is a heatwave. The majority of my soups do not contain meat though and I use a vegetable bouillon instead of a meat stock.
G'day, Graham... I make a variety of soups - meat, chicken, vegetable and combinations of each. I like all types, and use stocks to suit. Like you, the seasons don't matter...soup is a great staple and always enjoyable, I think. And having a few on stand-by in the freezer sure helps when feeling lazy! :)
DeleteI hope 2018 treats you kindly, too. Take good care of yourself. I wish you all the best that life has to offer. Thanks for coming by...and for being part of my blog. :)
Happy 2018! I wish you great things and wonderful memories to make this year. Thank you for sharing your life, lessons and joy here.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lux...the same back to you...all the very best for 2018 and beyond. :)
DeleteAnother lovely post, looking forward to reading more during 2018.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and yours a Happy New Year
All the best Jan
Thanks, Jan. I look forward to your 2018 posts, too.
DeleteAll the very best for 2018 for your and your loved ones. I hope it treats you kindly. :)