happy 2024!

new year's day dinner . . 

black eyed peas, kale, rice and cornbread . . a tradition from greg's childhood.

a gift for chanda from morgan: subway socks with a pattern from the queen elizabeth line (a special twelve days of christmas countdown - something different for each day that morgan had put together before leaving and left under the tree).

new year's day

 greg and i took a walk to buy black eyed peas for dinner tonight. it's a southern tradition that is supposed to bring good luck. on the way back we decided to have a late brunch at a restaurant on fourteenth street.

it specializes in cuban food and my scrambled eggs came with pinto beans, bacon and fresh tomato. greg had an omelette with cafe con leche.

 i've been walking past this house for a few weeks now, and finally had my camera with me to take a pic.

 where do they store these during the rest of the year?! i guess they have room in their basement . . or attic.

 kale, rice, roasted butternut squash and black eyed peas. i simmered the kale with onion and chicken broth, and sautéed a shallot with the black eyed peas. i also carmelized an onion with the rice.

 playing ratatat cat . .

this is in preparation for our brunch date and card game with our friend marlene tomorrow. morgan's girlfriend jenny has been visiting, and along with chanda, we'll drive out to new jersey tomorrow morning for our holiday get together.

new year's day

 it was another cold day, but, thankfully, with some sunshine.

 hermione stayed warm on the chair,

 while greg worked on his chess in the back room.

 we had a morning game of bananagrams with morgana, which greg won.

 chanda was home from upstate in time to have new year's day dinner with us:

 traditional black eyed peas with leftover christmas meatloaf.

 a number of years ago santa gave us scrabble as a family game. however, the girls don't enjoy playing it as much as santa thought they would, so we rarely play,

 unless i manage to twist everyone's arms . . 

 and this evening i won!

palm sunday

chanda and i joined the first presbyterian church on fifth avenue for their palm sunday procession this morning.

the bagpipe procession to the park . .

we met a woman who had just arrived from greece and was happy to join everyone. it was such a beautiful sunny morning.

 homemade sour dough bread . . 

 "new year's" dinner . . black eyed peas and collards and sweet potatoes.

 continuing our game of "may i."

 korrina is making jiji from kiki's delivery service . .

chanda's winning hand.