Hi Friends,

Nothing much new to report. Today is a lazy day for me and I finally have some time to write. Thanks for all the New Year wishes and hope everyone is going to have a stupendous year ahead.

We installed a little gas fireplace in our dining room and now you have to pry me out of my chair to keep me from lolling by the fire. It's so easy to use, no carrying of wood or looking for matches, but I wonder what the gas bill will look like. Still, it's fun to be cooking in the kitchen and looking over to the fireplace and seeing the flames. Very cozy.

Speaking of cozy, I got a great red flannel nightgown from the Vermont Country Store (plus flannel ruffled hat!) from Santa. The flannel is so soft and warm, I just love this nightie...I look like Mrs. Clause, I've decided, as they cut the sizes VERY generously and you could put a couple of me in this nightgown.

I'm on a pasta fagiole kick. Not only is it cheap to make, it is delicious. Yummm. I'm also on a corn bread kick and make it as soon as I eat up the last pan. And, as I do every winter, I get on a salad kick. Sure, when tomatoes taste like cardboard is when I feel the great urge to graze on greens.

All the pets are in a clump in front of the new fireplace and it makes walking through the kitchen into the dining room almost impossible...how can I shoo them away when I completely understand their desire to cozy up by the fire.

The black man got the vote before the white woman; is this what will happen with the Dems? Hillary certainly is intelligent and has experience but Obama with his MLK-style orating complete with tremolo seems to be the one the king makers have chosen.

Poor women, if we are strong we're a bitch; if we're emotional we're hysterical; if we have lines or bags or sags we're unelectable. In this country that is.

TTFN