La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
The photo above is of a temper tantrum I witnessed from the terrace New Year’s Day. I understand the feeling. This is a tough time of year for just about everyone. Too much stimulation. Too many expectations. Family drama. Memories and losses to reflect upon. [I miss Susan every minute.] And way too many obligations. This year’s dinners with special friends were a joy. This years visits with friends and neighbors, another joy. The food. The scenery. Dudo and Moose. And, especially, San Geraldo, even though he’s been lately living up to his other name, Gruñon (Grumpy). SG’s feeling the affects of the season the same as I. I’m better at forcing myself to stay busy. At least I think that’s a better thing. It does involve a bit of denial.
SG’s mother, Alice (my idol), died two days before Thanksgiving 1999. We and his siblings, their spouses, and our nephews and niece spent one last Christmas in her house before it was sold. Before she died, she had decorated for Christmas, placed all our gifts under the tree, and addressed her Christmas cards, which were sitting on the dining room table waiting to be mailed. We had a traditional Christmas dinner, opened our gifts from Alice, and cried a lot.
The reminder that most people “resolve” to do things differently — starting yesterday — doesn’t help. The gym will be crowded for perhaps a week. The Paseo will be filled with people running, walking, and exercising. I wish them well. I’ve never made New Year’s resolutions. It’s just another day. Besides, I don’t like setting myself up for failure. ‘I resolve to eat less than a pound (1/2 kilo) of chocolate this year.’ As if!
On earth peace, goodwill to men everyone. We’re still waiting. For myself, perhaps I’ll survive another year with mostly good days, lots of love, and plenty of things to be grateful for. Like chocolate. Speaking of which, we finished the brownie leavings this morning. Did you hear me moaning?
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La foto de arriba es de una rabieta que presencié desde la terraza el día de Año Nuevo. Entiendo el sentimiento. Esta es una época difícil del año para casi todos. Demasiada estimulación. Demasiadas expectativas. Teatro familiar. Memorias y pérdidas para reflexionar. [Extraño a Susan cada minuto.] Y demasiadas obligaciones. Las cenas de este año con amigos especiales fueron una gozada. Este año visitas con amigos y vecinos, otra alegría. Los alimentos. El paisaje. Dudo y Moose. Y, en especial, San Geraldo, aunque últimamente hace honor a su otro nombre, Gruñon (Grumpy). SG siente los efectos de la temporada igual que yo. Soy mejor para obligarme a mantenerme ocupado. Al menos creo que eso es algo mejor. Implica un poco de negación.
La madre de SG, Alice (mi ídolo), murió dos días antes del Día de Acción de Gracias de 1999. Nosotros y sus hermanos, sus cónyuges y nuestros sobrinos y sobrinas pasamos una última Navidad en su casa antes de que se vendiera. Antes de morir, decoró para Navidad, colocó todos nuestros regalos debajo del árbol y puso la dirección en sus tarjetas de Navidad, que estaban en la mesa del comedor esperando ser enviadas por correo. Tuvimos una cena navideña tradicional, abrimos nuestros regalos de Alice y lloramos mucho.
El recordatorio de que la mayoría de las personas “deciden”resuelven” hacer las cosas de manera diferente — comenzando ayer — no ayuda. El gimnasio estará lleno durante quizás una semana. El Paseo se llenará de gente corriendo, caminando, y haciendo ejercicio. Les deseo lo mejor. Nunca he hecho propósitos de Año Nuevo. Es solo otro día. Además, no me gusta prepararme para el fracaso. “Resuelvo comer menos de una libra (1/2 kilo) de chocolate este año”. ¡Como si!
En la tierra paz entre los hombres todo (de buena voluntad). Todavía estámos esperando. Para mí, tal vez sobreviva otro año con días mayormente buenos, mucho amor y muchas cosas por las que estar agradecido. Como el chocolate. Hablando de eso, esta mañana terminamos los restos del brownie. ¿Me escuchaste gemir?
• Los brownies de San Geraldo son mejores que el dulce de azúcar de chocolate. Una vez hice autostop 70 millas (113 km) hasta las cataratas del Niágara por dulce de azúcar de chocolate.
• No sé qué están esperando los gatos. Es demasiado pronto para aperetivos. Dudo se pasea, se sienta y mira.
• Moose se puso tan nervioso, maullando, aullando y paseando, que tenía arcadas secas en el comedor. Estoy agradecido de que solo fueran arcadas secas. Obviamente, está recuperado.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
Maybe we should all have a temper tantrum day and all go lay out on the walk and scream and moan – now which day to pick – it needs to be a world-wide event.
sillygirl:
Imagine the power of a worldwide temper tantrum day!
Would some politicians feel they had been upstaged? Who would pay attention to them on that day?
sillygirl:
True. I was assuming vermin like Drumpf would have to go a day without a temper tantrum.
We have weened ourselves off of the ‘holiday seasons’ expectations. It has, as you said, just another day to us mostly. Happy for those who dive right in and enjoy it all.
Maybe Mercury is in retrograde phase……thus the cats behavior?
Just checked…..Mercury IS in retrograde till the 18th of January. Fasten your seatbelts!! lol
Jim:
I remember when I was a kid, we read Mercury in either Fahrenheit or Centigrade.
Jim:
We won’t be done until Monday, after Three Kings, after the weekend, when everyone goes back to work and school. Dudo asks, “Who’s Mercury and where’s Retrograde?
I heard that sound, to misquote “I’ll have what he’s having!” The top image is amazing, draining the color except for the tantrum is brilliant. Enjoy each day.
David:
Yep, that was the sound. I also left the mother with hands on hips in full color but she was in shades of gray except her hands.
I have a tantrum every now and again and let all that “stuff” go. We keep the holidays simple, without expectations from friends and family and, whatever, and it seems to make things more peaceful.
Of course, looking at the punims on those boys will have me smiling all day; it’s the simple things for this simpleton.
Bob:
I would love to have a tantrum like that, although you wouldn’t catch me rolling around on that dirty pavement.
January 2nd — the world returns to normalcy!
Debra:
Here we wait until January 9th, after Three Kings and the weekend. But the café was much more civil this morning.
I had a few days this holiday season that I was definitely on the edge. We seem to do less every year but I still feel stressed some days. We hosted friends for dinner and of course I couldn’t get anything “store bought” – I made homemade egg pasta for the lasagna, bolognese sauce, polpetini (tiny meatballs), chicken parmigiana, cookies, biscotti, etc. Then invited a couple from Italy to the house on the following Wednesday and was frantic about whether they would approve of my focaccia. (They loved it). Now all the cookies are dry and stale and I am sick of eating them. I am glad it all is behind me/us. I don’t make resolutions either but perhaps one: skip Christmas next year. (One year Leon and I went to the Bahamas for Christmas…and avoided it entirely! Good decision.)
Frank:
Christmas in the Bahamas, alone, sounds ideal.
P.S. I always forget to take “Food Photos” of my marvelous cooking to blog/brag about…maybe a resolution to take more photos?
Frank:
Your food photos have had me drooling in the past. Yes, remember to share.
Happy New Year, Mitchell and Jerry! and Dudo and Moose, of course!
I love that photo of the tantrum… really!
That brownie edge/leaving looks realllly good.
Judith:
Oh, you have no idea (or maybe you do) how good that brownie leaving was. I wish we had more, but then I’m glad we don’t.
I could have had a tantrum after doing loads of shopping for our New Year’s Eve party buffet, only for four people to let us know on the day that they were too unwell to come along. Still, The Madame, John-John and I made a good effort to tuck into what I did put out. And there’s loads left over for snacking… Hey ho. Maybe next time. Jx
PS No resolutions here, other than to win the Lottery 😂
Jon:
Shopping for these holiday dinners is awful. SG lost any holiday spirit he might have had. You reminded me to check my lottery ticket. Shit.
When I used to go to my local wellness center, we always called the newbies who showed up in January the “New Year’s Resolutions People.” They would clog the gym equipment and the pool until around late February, then magically disappear. I would hitchhike 70 miles for fudge too. I read a quote from the late great Katharine Hepburn when she was in her 90’s that said “What you see before you is a lifetime of chocolate.” Her famous brownie recipe only uses a quarter of a cup of flour, so you can guess what else it contains.
TexasTrailerParkTrash:
SG was talking about how his brownie recipe has 2-1/2 times sugar as it does it does flour.
That photo of the tantrum should win an award. SG might be grumpy, but his inner sweetness must come out in his good cooking and baking.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
From you mouth to the photo awards judges’ ears! Thanks.
That is a FANTASTIC photo! You really captured the spirit of the moment. I identify with the kid, and with Gruñon, too!
Steve:
I too identified with the kid… and with the mother.
I’m loving the New Year picture of the boys!!!!!!
And the only resolution I made was to renew my gin membership.
Mistress Borghese:
A very smart resolution. Resolved and done.
Perhaps Dudo & Moose were just decompressing after the holiday hubbub? Or was Moose just unhappy about not getting a share of SG’s tasty looking brownies? In any event, it’s nice to get back to normal daily rhythms!
Tundra Bunny:
Both cats stared at me with my brownie. I held it down to their noses. They sniffed. And they ran.
Hitchhiked 75 miles? Is Niagra Falls known for its fudge?
Kirk:
The Skylon Tower had a fudge shop with good fudge. HOWEVER, I’m sure we could have found fudge somewhere in Rochester. We were young, stupid, and stoned.
I found one box of chocolate snails in the supermarket this year. Well, one box of the store brand that I like. I don’t think the more expensive name brand snails could be better. That’s my chocolate fix for the year.
Walt the Fourth:
One chocolate fix for the entire year. I can’t imagine that. But, I love those snails.
No doubt there will be plenty in 2023 to have tantrums for, but I hope to meet them with stoicism I will get through this.
Urspo:
Wouldn’t you just love to be able to have an all-out temper tantrum like that?
OK you’ve gone and done it! “Brownie Corners” OMG!! MUnchie Heaven
Ron:
You are so right. Better than the squares.
There is a pan that has squares designed in it so more edges in it. I like the squares not the edges.
Anon:
I love the edges. And the squares.
I think the kitties picked up on all the Christmas/New Year “vibe” good and bad.
cheers !
Parsnip:
I think you’re right about the cats.