New Years Eve and Day combined have long been my favorite holiday. I say that every blog post when the occasion rolls around, because it remains true to this day. I gave up on rowdy parties a long time ago, not just on December 31st but in general, so ringing in the new year in a completely silent room while wearing jammies was perfect for me. I didn't intend to stay in those same jammies all day today, but they were comfortable and the kids couldn't care less. It was easy enough to babysit and to cook an extra fabulous January 1st meal while remaining so casually dressed, so that is what I did.
This year, in addition to the mandatory black-eyed peas, I made cabbage sautéed in butter, gluten-free cornbread from scratch (in cast iron, in the toaster oven), and a glazed pork loin. (Glaze was half and half cherry and blueberry jams, rosemary, dry mustard, and white wine, later reduced with pan drippings.) The entire meal was sumptuous and decadent. It felt amazing to eat.
After dinner, Saoirse decided it was serious cuddle time. She wanted up on the chair with me again, so I obliged. It took a while for her to settle, but eventually she and I relaxed, her snuggled against my chest (most of her body on the footrest between my knees so I wasn't crushed), and me hugging her while I allowed my eyes to unfocus and stare at my plant corner. I can't remember the last time I had such a natural dopamine rush, but it was sufficient to take my pain levels all the way down to a sub-two. You must understand that in the chronic pain world I inhabit, this is unheard of. I can tell you exactly when I had my last pain-free day (summer of 2004), and it was so startling then to make me remember it this long. I wonder whether this sense of euphoria and painlessness will live as long in my memory.
We closed out the day with a movie. We waited too long to see the original Knives Out, we discovered as we searched for it. So we went ahead and watched Glass Onion, the second Knives Out movie. Luckily these movies work well as stand-alones. We loved the heck out of it.
Oh please, oh please, can 2023 be as mellow and comfortable as this New Years Day has been?
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