What a difference a day makes. Today it's about 25 degrees warmer than yesterday and the higher temperatures are to continue with a possibility of rain in the next few days. I'm not sure, and maybe Uncle Ken can verify this, but it seems the last few years have given us cold, often very cold, winter weather early in the season with milder weather after New Year's but a lot of snow through February and early March.
The cold weather doesn't bother me as long as I'm properly attired and keep moving. The snow is another matter, since the shoveling of sidewalks seems to be a forgotten courtesy in my neck of the woods. Trudging along lumpy, often icy, paths is a literal pain in the ass; it seems like different muscles are used when negotiating the slippery sidewalks. I don't want to be one of those guys who have fallen and can't get up.
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Food has become one of those things that I'm never really sure of anymore. You hear that eggs are bad for you, then they're good for you, and then they're bad for you again. Or sugar is bad for you but not as bad as some artificial sweeteners, which cause some people to actually gain weight. Or fat; some kinds are good for you, others are bad.
After Mr. Beagles mentioned switching from lard to Crisco I got a little curious. Lard. What a word! It sounds disgusting, doesn't it? But then I read that it's the best thing for flaky pie crusts, fried chicken, and may actually be healthier than Crisco due to the chemicals created when vegetable shortening is brought to high temperatures. Go figure; I'm sure that it will be a different story next year.
One thing not mentioned thus far is food texture, or what food scientists call "mouth feel" I don't like mushy foods, even if they taste good. A few lumps in the mashed potatoes is always a good thing. My biggest objection to store bought bread (beside it being somewhat tasteless) is that it seems to dissolve in the mouth and not require any chewing. I'll bet that Beaglesonian Light Rye requires a little effort and is all the better for it. If a food is crunchy or chewy I'll probably like it even if the taste is a little strange. Except for rutabaga; never did like it although many would disagree with my opinion.
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Speaking of next year, I haven't celebrated New Year's Eve in quite a while. It used to be a big deal but now it's more of a time of reflection. Dull, I know, but I really like New Year's Day. The new year brings me a feeling of optimism and the opportunity for a fresh start, even if it never works out the way I planned. I'll take my good feelings where I can, and a year ago could anyone have anticipated the weirdness that was 2016? It's not quite over yet and I'm not confident in stating that it can't get any worse before the year is out.
But I still like hearing other folks whooping it up, yelling and making noise. Sometimes there's a little gunfire or maybe it's just firecrackers. It's never been worth my while to go outside and check.
And I never knew that pickled herring brought good luck on New Year's Eve. Maybe that's my problem; I eat it frequently but never on New Year's Eve. If it's on sale I should stock up.
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