2023 in Review

It was one of those years where just getting to 2024 was an accomplishment, so I haven’t thought about to-do lists yet.

General thoughts:

• write more
• do more art
• get more exercise (maybe volunteer as a shelter dog walker?)
• be kinder
• work to get out the vote.

Risotto discovery

After years of being afraid to even try risotto, and a couple of unsuccessful experiments, I have made a major discovery:

If you use arborio rice, it’s very difficult to screw up risotto. The stuff cooks in a few minutes and always comes out soft and creamy. It soaks up all of whatever liquid you cook it in. Even plain, it comes out with that creamy risotto mouthfeel. Yeah, to make a really soul-stirring risotto, you probably need to follow all those complex directions in the recipes, but for every day–simple!

Not risotto. Pumpkins! Pumpkin risotto is in my future!

Just reminding myself I’m here

Life goes on. It’s been a busy couple of months. Lots of family stuff, plus. had cataract surgery. It went well but my vision is still unsettled, which makes it hard to read or wrote. Hopefully that settles down soon so I can get new glasses.

Friday the Thirteenth

…is usually a good-luck day for me.

Much calmer this morning. Bright and sunny, a bit chilly but should still be warm enough to let us eat breakfast on the deck.

View from the room. The world is fine; it’s the camera that was slanted.

Our plans for this day at sea include eating, sampling cocktails, attending several music events, and did I mention eating? Also, they’re asking everybody on board to take a Covid test later this morning. Hopefully no nasty surprises there.

Getting ready for the evening

Piano quartet playing Schumann, followed by leisurely dinner

Waiting

Finally at sea

Of course the pool features decorative penguins

Slick getting ready to rule the roost while we’re gone

Slick looking regal in Neil’s chair

Limo comes in about two hours. Tomorrow morning we wake up in Santiago.

Testing phone app

Slick says happy new year

vacation

I’m planning to post vacation updates photos here over the next few weeks.

Reviving

Looks like with Twitter in danger I’ll need another place to go–so for now I’m reviving Cowgirl in New England and hopefully The House at the End of the Road, if I can remember how to access it.

I’m not giving up on Twitter yet, but if things go south rapidly, I’ve got this place to retreat to.