The Daily for Wednesday Dec 30, 2020

[mamaofami]

Good morning everyone.No bacon or lobster on hand, but we do plan to bring in lobster next week for Sam’s birthday dinner.

Thanks Roy for putting my sister in law on the cares list. She continues to be asymptomatic except for napping every day which is not like her at all. She’s the ever ready bunny . Just hoping she doesn’t get any sicker and that her family hasn’t caught it from her.

 

NYE we expect to spend virtually with friends we’ve been celebrating with for the last 50 or more years. We used to start the night with a movie, then out to dinner and back to someone’s home . Celebration at midnight with champagne and a cake for Sam’s birthday. Sometimes we wouldn’t get home till 2am. We were three couples, but one couple died so it’s just four of us. This year we’ll watch a movie on Netflix together and then zoom the New Year in. Different, but fun.

 

 

 

 

[bennybear]

Good morning and thanks Rich, Roy et al!   Had Back Bacon Aka Canadian Bacon and Raspberry crepes for breakfast.   Will have lobster tomorrow.  The Tempranillo sounds great!  And ooh that drink, looks more like dessert! 
 

Superanoma, so sorry to hear about your neighbour! 
 

loving those Antarctica photos!  

[dfish]

2 hours ago, superoma said:

New Year’s Eve will be strange for us this year. We will start the day with a funeral home visit ( very limited, by reservation, masked) for our neighbour who passed away suddenly either early Sunday or late Saturday. My dh and her brother discovered her on Sunday around noon when no one could get hold of her. Only 71. The coroner listed it as a fatal heart attack. Been neighbours for 50 years. She lived alone.

I am so sorry to hear this.   How wonderful that your dh helped check on her.   I live alone as does my sister and another friend.  We all text each other each morning, if only to say all is well.  If we don't hear from each other by a certain time of day, we call in the cavalry.   

[lcand1923]

I was fortunate to do a South America/Antarctic cruise on the Veendam in 2013.  I've always said I would do the cruise again in a heartbeat.  Looking at the pictures, makes me want to do it even more.  The silence in Antarctica is amazing!

 

Re Christmas decorations:  nothing comes down until after the Feast of the Epiphany.  Since January 6 is on a Wednesday, things will probably stay up until the following weekend.

 

New Year's Eve is a quiet evening.  Some sparkly and in bed by 10pm.

 

Today, I am feeling very optimistic. 

 

I needed to renew my Global Entry Card.  I got an appointment on December 3 for my interview.  The airport was downright spooky -- more employees than travelers.  The CBP agent told me that i would receive my new card in 6 - 8 weeks.  It has arrived and been activated!  

 

Between that and the vaccine's arrival in my state, do I think I will travel again?  You Bet!!

 

Stay Safe, Everyone!  Have a Happy, Healthy 2021! 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by lcand1923
punctuation and spelling

[Horizon chaser 1957]

Good morning, all! The collection of days sounds like a snapshot of a typical day in the week between Christmas and New Years. One is over, the other hasn’t come, the house is a mess and everyone spends the day eating cookies and chocolate while waiting for the next meal. Who ever thought I’d miss that?

Lobster sounds wonderful, but there’s none in the house. The wine sounds good!

@StLouisCruisersthanks for the Antarctica photos! We missed seeing Palmer Station in January - it was the very first Corona virus related cancellation of the GWV. Otherwise, it was amazing and your photos bring it all back!

Happy Wednesday, and just one more day of this year left to go!

[Vict0riann]

Busy day today.  But nice to start it off with all of you! 😁  I got up early and went to the grocery store at 7 to stock up I hope for a couple of weeks of dieting in the new year...  I got into trouble with the doctor and he has put me on something for my high blood pressure, and told me to lose weight and exercise.  Not exactly what I find easy under lockdown.  What else is there to do besides eat!

 

The restaurants here all have to close by 10, so most are planning to do a Newfoundland New Year countdown (4 1/2 hours ahead of us).  I think that's pretty smart of them.   We have the new UK variant on the island, and they are still trying to track the people who were on the flight fro England with the sick person, which probably means there are others wandering around with it....  We have been told to hunker down and stay home!

 

Pat decided on the steak last night, so it will be the end of the turkey tonight, creamed.  It looks like we are due for 40 days and 40n nights of rain, very dreary.  The reservoir is at 99% and will be overflowing soon. 

 

 

 

[kazu]

4 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

We decided we are going to have surf and turf, a bottle of champagne, and listen to our favorite artists.

 

Sounds like a nice night 🙂. We’re staying in too.  My oyster order arrived so I envisage some Prosecco and oysters (possibly Rockefeller and raw) and maybe a lobster bisque or chowder.

 

Or the chowder can be for New Year’s day. 😉 

[kazu]

8 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

 

 

 

 

 

My dogs would love this one 🙂. They live for cookies 😉 

 

Oh dear on your rain, Ann.  Hope it isn’t as bad as they are calling for 🤞 

[lindaler]

Thanks Rich for the daily. And love to all who contribute. Quiet evening planned for the dog and myself for New Year’s Eve. The local casinos set off fireworks at midnight. We watched them on Christmas evening and saw them just fine from the dinnet window of our trailer. We can even wear our pjs to watch. 

Edited December 30, 2020 by lindaler

[CrabbyPatti]

Good Morning Everyone!

        Thank you all who contribute.  I am really enjoying the pictures of Antarctica! 

        We will stay home for New Years Eve,  when I was working the ER I would sign up for New Years Eve and Day and take the double time!  Sure it could be crazy but the shifts went fast, and I had a good crew to work with!  So, not quite used to being home on New Years!  Planning on a prime rib for New Years Day!

       We will wait to take Christmas things down until January 6 the Epiphany (and my birthday).  My daughters birthday is December 14, so when she was young we always waited until after her birthday to decorate for Christmas so her day didn't get lost with the holidays, my birthday presents always had Christmas wrap!

        New puppy update.  "Holly" is doing well and settling in.  Had a good vet check up and was told "nice and healthy".  She had only had one "accident" in the first week and then three today, so will make sure to watch her a bit closer and reinforce outside time! We are sure enjoying having a puppy again, she is comical and makes us laugh

       Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year!

 

Denise

[Cruising-along]

Good morning all!

Oh my I can't stop thinking about the drink of the day 😍 

Lobster sounds great, but we'll be having roast beef left overs tonight.  I don't have bacon often, but when I do it has to be crispy. 😄 

 

Tomorrow we will visit the grandsons, then come home for a quiet evening at home as we do most NYE.  I'll make Trout Almondine for dinner, we'll put on a movie, finish the egg nog, and *maybe* I'll stay up until midnight. 😉 

 

We usually take down the Christmas decorations on New Years Day, but our tree still looks so good it's a shame to take it down so it will probably stay up awhile longer.  The Village always stays up at least a month after Christmas, and the outdoor lights will come down when this rain ever stops.  Which right now won't be for at least another week.

 

I'm finding it interesting how differently each location is handling the order of vaccines.  For instance a friend who lives in Fort Meyers, FL stood/sat in line outside for 9 hours last night to get hers....yikes. And it seems that each county in FL decides what to do?   Our doctor and clinic will be doing it by appointment, which I'm happy about.  I've heard that it's best to have your doctor/nurse do it in the odd chance you may have a reaction.  Anyway, I'm still waiting to hear what our governor has decided...it seems (right now) that after the medical personnel and front liners, then senior citizens in care facilities, then those over 65.  All ages with critical health issues come somewhere before/same time as that last group...it's kind of confusing to me.  I'll continue to watch our clinic's web page to see what to do.  It looks like DH and I will be in the top 1/4-1/2 depending on how they do it.

[Copper10-8]

7 hours ago, richwmn said:

today is Bacon Day...................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TheKingD]

Hello everyone, and thanks to Rich, Roy and all the posters.  We are definitely staying home for New Year's Eve, and I'm sure I'll be asleep long before midnight.  I might have champagne, or I might just have my usual wine.  We already have our black-eyed peas and collard greens that we will fix for New Year's Day for good luck - bring it on!  We'll probably have pork and maybe cornbread too.  The cornbread will be the last hurrah before we work on taking off the quarantine-15 (or so).

 

We don't have any official word yet on when we can get our vaccines, but we are both over 65, so hopefully we won't have to wait too long.  DH has said he wants his from his doctor's office, but I think I would go wherever - the doctor, the pharmacy, the motor speedway, a large parking lot - I'm not picky!

 

Thanks for all the good cheer throughout the less cheerful times this year.  You all are my heroes for always being here.

[Overhead Fred]

3 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Please, please make your Hoppin" John this year!!  I don't know what that is exactly but it doesn't matter.  We need better luck this coming year.

 

Hoppin' John is a Southern New year's tradition. I don't know why we started making it, other than that it is delicious!

 

There are lots of variant recipes, but it is basically some type of smoked pork, black-eyed peas, and rice. I always simmer a ham hock or two, maybe add some bacon, with onion, carrot, celery, and spices to make the broth a day or two in advance. A crock pot works well for this. I strain the broth and let it cool until the fat solidifies so it can be separated. On New Year's day, I simmer the black-eyed peas (dry, not canned) and rice to make a thick, porridge-like concoction. I pick the meat off the bones and add it to the rice and beans until everything is heated through. I serve it in bowls with Crystal hot sauce on the side and maybe some cornbread and southern-style greens. 

 

I have been known to make some peanut soup too, but that may be gilding the lily!

 

Here is a picture I found online that looks a bit like my version-

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Overhead Fred
clarification

[USN59-79]

I took down the Christmas lights I had put on some inside windows this morning and found that I had made a mistake.  I used masking tape to attach them and it has left a mess on the windows when I pulled it off.  Will have to go to the Home Depot and get some Goo Gone to remove it.  

I also was one who really enjoyed the Antarctica pictures.  Probably our most memorable cruise was 21 days on the Amsterdam in 2003 in Antarctica.  We have never taken a Seaborne cruise, but I can see now why it costs more and is obviously worth the difference.  With the money saved from staying home for a year and a half or two years, we can probably afford it now.

[cruzn single]

Thank you, everyone for a fun day of reading.  So many different approaches to the vaccine.  Know I am in group AFTER health care, first responders, those in congregate living situations, as it is set up around here.  Next group is those over 75, so I fit in there!

 

My diagnosis yesterday will just put me in the persons with a chronic health problem, so I will be satisfied that it is t more serious.  And with the vaccine, maybe I can resume traveling at some point

 

Love bacon, but never buy it.  Too much in a package for one person.  Just as well, as that helps keep the weight down!

 

New Years is celebrated by me at 10 pm, as that is when the ball would drop in NYC!

 

Enjoy the rest of this day.

[StLouisCruisers]

DH freezes several slices in a pack using foil.  When he wants bacon he takes some out of the freezer for breakfast or BLT's.

 

[StLouisCruisers]

Good thing you are enjoying the photos because we still have a couple days there, then South Georgia Island.  So I will have photos of all those days, too.

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by StLouisCruisers

[bobpatj]

For years we have spent NYE with friends, going out for dinner late, so we would watch the ball drop viewing the TV in the bar.  This year it will be just the two of us with an earlier take-out dinner at home.  HAPPY NEW YEAR  everyone!

[Ichiban Nekko]

Good Afternoon Dailyites!  We are late to today's event because -- tah dah -- we went to Costco (45 miles away)!! Not only did we purchase boring things like toilet paper & dinner napkins, we also snapped up some terrific lobster tails and other goodies for tomorrow night! And we made a few other stops that included a few items for friends quarantining with a mild COVID case. We door dropped those on our way home.

 

A year ago, we were preparing to fly to San Francisco to celebrate NYE. 2019 had been a cruel year for them, so we were there to kick it to the curb. It was a wonderful visit. Obviously, we had no idea whatsoever what 2020 had in store for us all.

 

@StLouis Cruiser Your photographs from your cruise to Antarctica are breathtaking. Like so many, this destination is still a Bucket List item for us, but you have nudged it up the list considerably. Dear friends of ours did the Seabourn cruise in Nov-Dec 2019 and shared their amazing photos with us later. They are HAL devotees, but Seabourn definitely wowed them. 

 

NYE preparations are pretty much done. House is cleaned. Special NYE meal planned. Entertainment may include Zoom!/FaceTime toasts with friends before or after the USA-Russia World Juniors hockey game. Haven't focused on a Good Luck New Year's Day meal yet.

 

The vaccines have started to roll out in our county to medical personnel and first responders. The supply  is limited so far, so we figure it may be some time before our arms are jabbed. However, we are definitely looking forward to that day.

 

Christmas decorations: we may keep them up for a while. The lights throughout our neighborhood have added some much needed cheer, as have the ones in our home. One person on a local tv station suggested that she may let hers morph into Valentine's Day decorations, LOL!

 

Thank you all for boosting our spirits during these dark months. Kindness, humor, and goodwill are generously shared by all of you. Let us look forward to a much better 2021.

-Cat

[VMax1700]

Hello All, 

We take down the decorations, lights etc by January 6th at the latest.  Rumour has it that bad luck will prevail if they stay up after January 6th (note to self - what did I do last year to deserve this??)

Although officially the Epiphany, in Cork January 6th is also called 'Women's Little Christmas' or sometimes 'Little Women's Christmas'.  In normal years there would be dinners and events on in all the hotels over town.  Full turkey and ham Christmas Dinners, drinks and music with big national entertainers - and all for women only!   Supposedly it was their 'night of relaxation' at the end of the Christmas festivities.  I had never heard of it before moving to Cork and even in Dublin they look stunned when it is mentioned to them.  (I always thought that they were a bit strange when I moved here.  They have a local language all of their own. 🙃)

[NextOne]

4 hours ago, kazu said:

 

We don’t turn off our lights or take decorations down until Epiphany.  

 

We're also 12th nighters. Always the last ones on the street to take the decorations down. When I was growing up, our church would sponsor a tree burning ceremony in the parking lot on Epiphany. Can't get away with that now!

[Ichiban Nekko]

56 minutes ago, Ichiban Nekko said:

 

 

... before or after the USA-Russia World Juniors hockey game.

Well, I sure got that wrong!! How about USA-Sweden hockey AND Canada -Finland on NYE? It should be terrific!!

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Ichiban Nekko
addition

[AV8rix]

2 hours ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

Hoppin' John is a Southern New year's tradition. I don't know why we started making it, other than that it is delicious!

 

There are lots of variant recipes, but it is basically some type of smoked pork, black-eyed peas, and rice. I always simmer a ham hock or two, maybe add some bacon, with onion, carrot, celery, and spices to make the broth a day or two in advance. A crock pot works well for this. I strain the broth and let it cool until the fat solidifies so it can be separated. On New Year's day, I simmer the black-eyed peas (dry, not canned) and rice to make a thick, porridge-like concoction. I pick the meat off the bones and add it to the rice and beans until everything is heated through. I serve it in bowls with Crystal hot sauce on the side and maybe some cornbread and southern-style greens.

 

My MIL was from the deep south and she taught me the traditional way, which is to use  jowl bacon for the new years' peas, even though they generally use hocks the rest of the year.  That is because on that day we are supposed to be looking forward, and the jowls are on the forward end of the pig while the hocks are on the back end.  Anyway, I still cook it the way she taught me. 

[erewhon]

Thanks for all the reports, photos and humour.

We usually start taking down the Christmas decorations and lights January 6th.

After a wet start to the day, the sun has appeared for this the  last day of 2020.

Stay well and safe everyone.