Everyone, but me.
And now, January is almost over.
How is everyone doing with their New Year’s resolutions?
Me? I have none.
I’ve never liked making New Year’s resolutions, mainly because I know I could never keep them. Lose weight? Eat healthier? Exercise more? I would probably eat healthier and move more for the first couple of months, then slowly revert back to my old ways.
So instead, for the past couple of years, I’ve been making a list of things I’d like to accomplish throughout the year—with no pressure to actually do them. I like making lists, and I usually stick mine on the wall and refer to it from time to time. But since there was no pressure, sadly, I didn’t get a lot done on my 25 for 2025 list.
Some things I let go of. But one—like trying to make croissants—has been moved to my 26 for 2026 list, as it really interests me to see if I can achieve good lamination. Winter is the best time for it anyway, since my kitchen is cold and the butter won’t melt too quickly. Now that I’ve written it down here, I hope this will compel me to finally make them!
Lately, I’ve also been trying to compile a list of things that delight me—to help me appreciate the mundane moments of life. Here are a few I’ve noticed:
1. A little girl wearing an adult’s winter coat
I see her almost every day on our way to school. She’s probably a year older than Sarah and wears this dark blue coat that comes down below her knees, with sleeves almost twice as long as her arms. She always has the hood up. It delights me that she doesn’t care—she would simply rather be warm. One time, when it was raining, she used a huge red golf umbrella instead of the small kiddie umbrellas the other kids carry. She really is a character.
2. The different birds
I’m always on the lookout for my favorite bird, the robin, but I don’t see them very often. Still, I’ve been enjoying observing other birds, even if I don’t know all their names. I can now recognize a blue and black tit, a kite (we see a couple of these smaller, eagle-like birds regularly because of the farm field in front of us), a few magpies, and lots of sparrows and crows.
3. Frosted trees
While we haven’t had much snow, there are days when it gets so cold that the trees look white and frozen. They’re absolutely beautiful.
4. The magnificence of the morning sky
Sometimes pink, sometimes pale yellow fading into blue—it’s always breathtaking. Whenever the weather is good and the sky looks beautiful on Sarah’s and my walk to school, we stop to admire it and give thanks for the day ahead.
5. Finally having a go-to salad dressing
I received Samin Nosrat’s latest cookbook, Good Things, for Christmas. In it, she writes about her house dressing, which I immediately tried. Unfortunately, Becca, my oldest, didn’t enjoy it—probably because of the shallots! So I went back to my usual dressing, but this time I actually measured everything. Before, I’d just estimate, and it was always hit or miss. Not anymore.
Now I make it in a recycled jar and keep it in the fridge for salads during the week. It’s good on salad greens, grated carrots, thinly sliced bell peppers, coleslaw veggies, just about anything you like.
TWEETY’S HOUSE DRESSING
(Note: I like a mix of white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar, sometimes swap it up with a red wine vinegar)
6 tbsp of your best olive oil
3 tbsp vinegar (see note above)
1 tbsp mustard
2 tsp honey
Salt and pepper, to taste Add everything to a jar and shake well to emulsify. Taste and adjust as you wish. Too sour, add a bit more olive oil or honey. Too oily, add a bit more vinegar. Trust in your tastebuds and you will get your own House Dressing too!*
