New Year's Resolutions

It is that time of year when things are almost new again.  I have to admit being one of those who try to decide what is working and what needs to be changed.  I always have high hopes that I will accomplish more the following year.  I have a list, at least in my head.  

It has been awhile since I've posted.  I-Needa has been visiting, and we've had a wonderful time.  I must admit that I haven't thought much about writing for my blog.  I just seem to have so many things to do.

I thought I wanted to get back and do this, but in looking at what is working and what is not, I believe I'll take a vacation from thinking about writing something to post.  I appreciate all who have come to my tiny spot in the world and checked out my doings.  However, I'm thinking that I need to be spending my time doing other things.   

I wish everyone a joyous new year.  I hope that each one is blessed in spirit and in your everyday doings.  

Wassail

Sing along: 'Here we go (or is it come?) a wassailing among the leaves so green....'

Hey... I went to look through some of my music books to find the words... For some strange reason, it isn't in my church hymnal. I think I know why.

Yesterday I promised that I'd share this old recipe with you... only if I had done something about some of my Christmas decorations. I'll confess that I'm not finished with the decorations, but I have gotten some of them in place, so figured I'd met my own requirements and could share.

This 'Vintage' (Have you noticed how everything is vintage these days?) recipe box was the first one I ever had. I just haven't been able to throw it away and considered it replaced by my updated files. I acquired this decades ago... I won't tell how many. You probably have an idea if you've been in any of the flea markets and seen one like it sitting among the vintage section.

But.... I digress. This little box started out its life with me in high school. I had to have it for home economics class. We cooked, among other things. Our teacher was excellent, really excellent. Her name was Lillian. Lillian was one of those take charge gals. We were all thoroughly convinced as we walked through the door of her classroom that she was in charge of us... and she was. She was going to make young ladies of us, from our heads to our toes. We would be cleanly, well groomed, know how to walk and sit properly, know how to cook, and know how to sew. She was a marvel. She was... really.

My little recipe box holds basic, and I do mean basic, recipes. It contains a whole section on eggs: Fried, shirred, soft cooked, hard cooked, poached, steamed, scrambled, and French omelet. Can you believe that? Seriously. There is even a card on frying bacon. Seriously.

Currently, I'm wondering, seriously wondering, how a recipe to serve 100 wassailers, complete with wine options, came to be tucked among the more basic recipes. I will guess that it was added a tad bit later than the egg recipes. For one thing, it was done during the turquoise ink phase of my life. I'm not sure when that was, but I do remember having turquoise ink. Some of the words on the recipe have been water marked.... proof that I actually had this out in the kitchen. I know I've made this before. I do remember Mother making this for our choir after Christmas caroling. It hit the spot... without the optional wine.

Now, if you think that I'm going to get out my camera and whip up this 100 serving drink for you, guess again. You will get a no frills presentation. Deal with it.

Now, if you are even a tad bit curious about this drink (Yes, it is a drink) and its history, just check this quick link at wikipedia. Okay now, moving on. You are about to get the recipe. You hope.

The recipe from Lillian: Waissal Serves 100:


3 quarts hot tea (pour 3 quarts boiling water over 1 oz. tea) and let steep 5-7 minutes.
Remove tea.
Add 2 teaspoons whole cloves, 1/4 cup stick cinnamon tired loosely in a loosely woven cloth bag.
Heat to boiling, then simmer 10 minutes.
Add: 2 1/2 gallon apple cider
3 quarts orange juice (about 4 1/2 dozen oranges
1 quart syrup ( 1 pint sugar, 1 pint hot water heated to boiling)
1 quart Claret or similar wine if wished (that would be optional)
1 quart grapefruit juice
1 pint cranberry or loganberry juice (loganberry juice?)

Mix the day before and bring to boiling point, but DO NOT boil.
If sugar is needed, it may be added the next day.
When Wassail is heated, the spices are more noticeable.

Okay... I just looked up loganberry and found it is a hybrid of a raspberry and and American dewberry.. whatever that is. I believe I'll head to the local small town grocery store and ask for a pint of loganberry juice. That ought to be fun.

If you are planning on carolers dropping by or hosting a big party, you might try this hot spicy fragrant drink. Yum!

I Do Not What I Should

I'm going to write this post today (Friday) and set it to post tomorrow (Saturday). I'm going to confess that I'm not doing what I should be doing today (Friday). I'm sure I'm not so different from others.

As I begin this writing, it is early afternoon. My morning is gone, and I haven't accomplished one thing from the list of things that I really should be doing. I didn't even manage to feed my Man Cat Pumpkin on time. I was two hours late doing that. A faint mew from the porch jerked me into reality that I'd completely forgotten him. Bad ME! I'd gotten so focused on other things that I forgot about him entirely. He is a creature of habit, and I'm sure he had been standing on the back porch for a full two hours plus waiting for his meal and wondering what was up with his human. Bad human!

I'm just recovering from the same malady of nose and throat that has afflicted a good portion of those in our small town. Being in that wonderful state of retirement, I was able to stay inside and whine privately. I've also used up a vast amount of Kleenex.

Feeling yucky has not led me to get my Christmas decorating done. I'm one who usually puts out the decorations as close to Dec. 1 as I can. Not this year. I'm afraid if I don't get started on the process soon, I'll miss the whole event.

This morning I felt much better. I thought I might be able to do a little decorating. So.... what did I do? Not decorating. Not even feeding the cat.

No, I've sat at this computer and worked on my blog site. I've e-mailed friends and played with iPhoto. I have not gotten one thing done about decorating. I may just need an intervention.

I'm a gifted procrastinator. Perhaps I should phrase that as being gifted at procrastination. Heck, I do a darn good job of ignoring what must be done and doing what doesn't have to be done. One little voice tells me to 'Get on that list!' while another one says 'Go ahead and do what is fun.' Neither one of those little voices is gifted.

I hereby determine that I'm heading for the cubbyholes that house my Christmas decorations. I'm going to start on it.... NOW. As you read this post in the morning (Saturday), I hope to have something to show for my focus. Hopefully, I'll have something worthwhile to tell. Did you notice the double use of the word 'hope'? Hope is not a plan.

I think I'll dig out my Wassail recipe and post it tomorrow. I haven't made that in years. I'm not looking for it until the decorations are up. Period. Until then.... I'll 'hope' I get my act together.

Here I AM

I just haven't been able to completely give up this blog thing. I know... I said I was gone... but who really knows.

This morning I started messing around and ended up making a newsletter with Smilebox. I thought I'd just e-mail it to a few friends for fun. Then I realized that it was pretty big and some probably wouldn't be able to open it on their computers. I decided to post it here instead.

Please feel free to play my newsletter. It was just a fun thing I was messing with. I felt it went a little slowly at first, but then you do get arrows so you can turn the pages. Have fun.

Newsletter

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