Some believe that whatever you do at the start of the new year, you’ll repeat all year long. DF and I made sure to ring in the new year with moderation and frugality. This wasn’t exactly a stretch, since we tend to live moderately and frugally all year long. We aren’t particularly superstitious people anyway.
Still: Why take chances?
It started the morning of Dec. 31, when he dumped the boiling bag in the slow cooker along with some vegetable cooking water from the freezer. By midday he had a very savory-smelling broth cooling outdoors. In the evening he put some black-eyed peas to soak overnight.
This morning, he caramelized onions and some garlic scapes from our garden (which made the house smell divine), then dumped them into the slow cooker along with yesterday’s broth, sliced carrots, dehydrated celery leaves* (also from our garden), frozen green tomatoes (from a not-successful-enough** foray into frying) and some ham chunks. That’s because DF’s mom was born in Texas, where hoppin’ john is a New Year’s tradition alleged to bring prosperity for the coming year.
Do we believe 2024 would be dismal without hoppin’ John? Well, no, but again: Why take chances? I’ll make a black iron skillet of cornbread later on and we will eat pretty well. Besides, it’s a good reminder of our weekly beans pledge.
Guaranteed prosperity?
Applications for the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend open every Jan. 1. DF was on it before I was even up for the day. By the time I got around to doing mine, after lunch, the site informed me that 12,626 people had already applied.
Doesn’t surprise me that a lot of folks want to ring in the new year with the chance to get free money.
As always, the dividend will be determined in part by the number of qualified applicants. Last year’s check was $1,312.
As of December 2023, the current governor was stumping for a dividend based on a formula not used since 2015. If enacted, the result would be checks of about $3,400 per resident.
Ring in the new (work) year
Although it’s technically a holiday, I made it a point to finish an article (besides this one, I mean). I also took notes for a pitch I want to make.
“Work” wasn’t on my top-ten list for the day, or even the top-20. Glad that I pushed myself to focus on work a bit, though. If the superstition is true, then I will become more effective than I have been lately.
Besides, tomorrow is $5 day at the movies and my daughter gave me a Cinemark gift card for Christmas. Getting a little bit ahead today could give me some wiggle room tomorrow. Doesn’t hurt a bit that the the card can also be used for kettle corn.
Okay, readers: How did you start the new year? Indolence or industry? Binge-watching or organizing your taxes? Eating the last of the Christmas cookies for breakfast, or sipping a green smoothie on the treadmill?
*Apparently the greens represent money/prosperity/wealth.
**I know some people swear by fried green tomatoes, but they just seemed like too much work. In the future, tomatoes that aren’t likely to ripen indoors will get sliced and dehydrated.
Happy New Year, Donna & DF!
I ended the year reconciling the 2023 budget and setting up the 2024 budget and started the year with a workout!
We don’t follow any particular NYE/NYD traditions. This year, we went to a NYE gathering at someone’s home. Last year, my husband was working and my daughter was at a sleepover, so I rang in the New Year introducing the movie “Cool Runnings” to my son and washing the sofa slipcovers (which were a bear to get back on!).
Let’s see, we cleaned the house and did some laundry in preparation for the work week. We ate leftovers from yesterday’s dinner out with our daughter. We’re still working on goodies from Christmas. We’re warming our bedroom with a portable heater because our house heater isn’t working (hopefully will be a relatively inexpensive repair). Lunch is made for tomorrow for work, like every day! Hoping that this new year will be a good one for everyone!
That all sounds admirably frugal. And I agree with your wishes: May 2024 be the best year yet.
I relocated across the country for a truly new start. So I had no choice but be frugal. The rental car and hotels along the way weren’t fun to pay. But necessary. Therefore I spent NYE doing absolutely nothing. I’m staying with a friend but I would prefer to have my own apartment. I love my silence too much. So we stayed at home and being Texas born and raised, I made us blackeyed peas and cornbread. I was on that and yes, hoppin John was a big tradition growing up in DFW in the 80s. I’m embracing frugality this year and proud of it. Best to you all for a lovely ’24.
That’s a major new start, all right. Hope you find your own place soon.
Yesterday we ate leftovers for lunch from the day before and for dinner we had our sauerkraut, pork and dumplings which is a PA Dutch tradition. Someday I have to try that Hoppin John one, as I like black eyed peas. Hubby loves the dumplings instead of mashed potatoes. In the evening after doing my dishes, I got out all our medical bills to tally up because of income tax coming up, but every year they do no good, even with having 7000 in bills for the year (insurance payments included). The standard deduction is still better. I am sort of superstitious! Hope you guys have a really good year coming up!
We took down the Christmas tree and house decorations, packed them up and organized them for next year. Then we had Hoppin’ John, turnip greens, fried Streak of Lean, and cornbread for dinner.
Oddly for a native Southerner, I’m not fond of black-eyed peas, so I skipped the Hoppin’ John. (Try putting sugar into my cornbread, though, and the native Southerner will emerge instantly!)
I spent the morning totting up my 2023 “underground economy” totals ($428.20 in NY State bottle/can deposits and $24.86 in found money, both new personal bests). Then my next-door neighbor and I attended a lavish New Year’s Day open house hosted by another pair of neighbors. For once in my shellfish-loving life, I had all the lobster tails and shrimp I could eat. (Now if I spend the rest of this year doing THAT, I’ll be one happy camper!)
Sounds like the time I told my Southern born and bred sister-in-law I like sugar on my grits. Another time while visiting my home here in Massachusetts, she caught me using an iced tea maker. I never heard the end of it!
I’m one of those heathens who puts sugar (a couple of tablespoons per batch) in the cornbread. I like it better that way.
Wish they had a deposit law here in Anchorage. I’d clean up (so to speak) on my walks.
Congrats on the lobster/shrimp binge. Not often that we get to do that.
If you put a little syrup in the cornbread batter it will make a thin, scrumptious, crunch crust. Even better than sugar!
Will try that. I also grease the cast iron skillet with bacon fat and put it in the oven while it preheats, to make the crust crisp.
So waking up on 12/31 my grandson Garrett and I discovered that my refrigerator had died. We pulled out all the food packednit in 2 cooler and then put lots of Dollar Store bought ice on top. Then off to have what I thought would be serious sticker shock at Home Depot. There was exactly ONE refrigerator left in the size I wanted and had it marked as a special buy at $120 off. The sales person offered me another $15 off. I was going to just pay for it but then I remembered having seen a promotion online for another $25 off if you open a charge account which I did. Then went right home and paid it off. Total saved $160…not a bad way to the old year…or start the new !!!
Noice! And if anyone needs a full fridge, it’s someone with a teenage grandson.