Winter Doldrums

Growing up in Norfolk, Virginia (mostly) I hated winter. What I remember is days and days of drizzly rain and 35 degree temperatures. The cold would seep into your very marrow, there was no way to get warm because of the damp. We are having that sort of weather here lately, and I don't like it.

DH says that it is my mother's fault, well think about it, all that time while I was growing up, she was there too. And now this year, she is not going to Florida, she is staying here. One has to admit he may have something, I never realized it, My mother may have rained on my parade my entire childhood, and I never knew it. This must be thought about some more.

Weather affects me a lot, dreary weather makes me draggy and sleepy, I hurt from the cold, so in order to keep my joints warm I wear long johns tops and bottoms, then long sleeve shirts, (usually cotton knit tees) and pants. It took me some time to come to this accommodation, and I do not go there willingly even yet, all the pulling this up, and pulling that down, then this up, then that down, just makes me tired and grouchy. Probably because my fingers are hurting.

I normally realize that my fingers have been hurting for months, sometime in the spring when you start getting that strong bright sun thru the window, and it warms my hands and they stop hurting, and it is wonderful because they don't hurt anymore, and they have hurt so long that I have forgotten what it feels like to not hurt. My feet used to feel like that, but don't now because I make wool socks, and I wear wool socks, with sandal's, all winter (as long as there isn't snow actually on the ground) and my feet are warm and cozy.

I have a pair of fingerless gloves that are 50/50 wool dog down and they are wonderful but I forget to put them on. I need to go find them and put them on the desk, where I will see them so I can use them.

My other weather related activity is soup/stew making. When it gets cold I make soups. Tonight I made an African Peanut butter Soup that someone on one of the lists I am on talked about making this week. I thought I saved the post, but couldn't find it and I forgot to get yams while I was out so I used chickpeas. And I added mushrooms, because mushrooms go with everything in my opinion, and my opinion is the only one that counts when I am alone in the kitchen

While I was out I also got the makings for fruitcakes. Chris is supposed to come home so I will get him to help stir the fruitcakes, that is the hard part. I want to make Persimmon puddings, and cookies as well. The fruitcakes will go into their tins. And the Puddings and cookies will go into the freezer.

I am also cooking steel cut oats for breakfast tomorrow.

I got beans today and I have ham hocks, and cornmeal. Another good cold weather meal. Just wish we were still using the wood stove for heat, I would put the beans or soup on the wood stove and get free cooking. I liked that.

Well it's time for Grey's Anatomy so I will go maybe pictures tomorrow.