Friday Night

 
I’d like this post to be titled, “Friday Night: Resolutions Edition,” or “Goals and Aspirations Edition,” but I don’t do those things. I don’t do them well, anyway. I’ve set a goal to learn to knit for at least the last 10 years. I’m not ready to admit that it’s never going to happen, just that it’s never going to happen by making it a New Year’s Resolution.

Yes, there are things I want to do in 2019, and telling people about your goals is a good way to help yourself stick to them, but I can’t decide which direction to face, what accomplishments and improvements are most important, where to spend my energy. I could write 100 SMART goals for all of the most relevant aspects of my life and interests. I could. I would probably just get overwhelmed. And bored.

All that being said, I do have a few improvements that I’m actually working on, some things, tangible and intangible, that I believe might help make my life better. Perhaps, since I’m not going to formalize my hopes and dreams, they’re best labeled as…

Aspirations…

**Weight loss. There. I said it. It’s an ugly thought for me, but a necessary one. More than 10 years ago, I put myself on a weight loss plan for the whole summer. I had lots of time to exercise, a CSA share to give me access to plenty of healthy food, and, something I was afraid to own before that, a bathroom scale. I tracked my progress with a spreadsheet, and gave myself time. It worked! I lost 20 pounds in roughly 6 months, and another 5 (much more difficult for some reason) within another few months. The best part was that, because I made lasting lifestyle changes, I kept this weight off for years!

Until 2018. The weight has been creeping on over the course of the last couple of years, and I’m going to have to do something. I’ve always had a tough time keeping weight off, so this is nothing new. I know what worked before, so I can do it again, and I don’t have to lose as much weight this time. I have plenty of winter salad recipes, and other know-how to keep my calorie consumption in line. It might be hard to find time to exercise without doing that grumpy early morning thing, though. Sigh.

**Remembering things. I don’t have amnesia or dementia or anything serious like that, but I’m finding that I just don’t commit enough to memory, especially the good stuff. And so I’ve started trying to keep a journal of little things (or big things if they happen) from each day. After just a few days, I’ve actually seen results. Yesterday evening, I was feeling like all that had characterized the day was another bad night sleep and working extra hours. I went back and read what I had written in the morning and remembered that my husband had come back in the house as he was leaving for work to tell me to look out at the beautiful sky. The crescent moon, and the planets Jupiter and Venus appeared somewhat close to each other and were so bright in the clear dark blue, outshining the approaching dawn. I forget things like this?!? I’m so glad I wrote it down!

Cooking…

**Simple. Meals have had to be simple, but they have been totally delicious. I made a pot of black-eyed pea soup that I shared with friends for New Year’s Eve, accompanied by a batch of Grandmama’s Buttermilk Biscuits. I have some black-eyed peas left, and this recipe at Food 52 looks like a great way to use them.

I’ve also been messing with Cacio e Pepe (black pepper and Romano cheese) pasta, crispy breadcrumbs, and using leftovers (this week it was brown rice and peas) as a base for frittata. I use a formula similar to this one.

**Books. I received a copy of Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden for Christmas, and I’m totally excited to cook from it.

Reading…

One thing I never seem to have to resolve to do is read more books. Well, maybe I could resolve to finish more, but cracking a cover and turning to page one is just so satisfying! I started re-reading A Wrinkle in Time from a beautiful volume of Madeline L’Engle’s series, another fabulous Christmas present. If I don’t fall asleep immediately after posting this, I’m going to start The Food Explorer by Daniel Stone. (Again, Christmas. I have wonderful people in my life!!)

I have the weekend off, so reading and cooking, not to mention exercising and journaling, should get two whole days of attention. Happy 2019!