Week 51

Winter solstice sunset

At the downtown post office

The penultimate week of the year had me feeling like a tired, deflated balloon. We all seemed to be passing around some general malaise at the office, and for some of us it involved sore throats, coughing, persistent headaches, and worry about it ruining our Christmases. I stayed home for a day and a half, hoping I could get extra rest, relief for my sinuses and general mental stability but I couldn't help but run some errands and vacuum gobs of pet hair everywhere while I had the time. I also realized on Wednesday that perhaps my persistent headaches were due my efforts to drink herbal tea rather than coffee. Either way, I felt crummy. On Thursday, I decided it was all mental (and probably the dry climate). As we approached the longest night of the year, I told myself to snap out of it. Things are turning around because I'm willing them so.

Other things I'm telling myself:

1. It is an immense privilege to have a house to clean and things to put away. 

2. My dog is a gift, and I am a gift to my dog.

3. I am happy to walk anywhere with the proper outerwear. 

We are in Boise for Christmas and have much to pack. I'm composing this on Friday so am missing a day in the recap. I'm hoping to take our time on the drive - and for me to be okay with that, as I often am not - and savor every last drop of vacation time.

Reading

I finished Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and completely enjoyed it. It was a little dark, but ultimately left me feeling uplifted. It's been awhile since I read a book like that, and I needed it. It was also darn funny, and fun to imagine Scottish accents.

Christmas break is a nice time to read food writing, and I've just begun Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires.

Watching

We - but mostly I - watched "The Christmas Chronicles" on Netflix. For a couple of 30-somethings drinking wine on a couch, it had its moments. I actually liked how they portrayed how Santa lugs all the toys, gets to all the places, and fits through the chimney. That would've really satisfied me as a kid. The gremlin-like elves changed the feel of the movie and not necessarily for the better, but I'm not going to tell you not to watch it. It was heartwarming.

Recipes

Whenever I get out the cookbook that has the recipe for rolled butter cookies, it falls right open to that page. You'd think I'd know it by heart, but the only thing I remember is to take two sticks of butter out of the fridge in advance. Which is all I really need to know. This year Joel and I decorated them together, just the two of us, which I guess we'd never done before. So that was nice.

Leftovers for lunch

For dinner, I made a Splendid Table recipe for sticky sesame and sriracha chicken with chopped salad. It was a keeper. 

And Joel used up the last of the guanciale to make spaghetti carbonara. He also made the spaghetti. We didn't have to go to the store for anything!