Favorite Things

(It should surprise no one that the song in my head today is from "The Sound Of Music.")

The wind blew and the rain fell off and on all day yesterday.  It was a good day to stay inside and transfer over to the new calendar.  It's something I look forward to every January.  I use the calendar like an event planner, and I like to look back over the past year and see when the Kids came up and lunches with friends, etc., as I put birthdays and anniversaries on the new pages month by month.  This January is already filling up with various doctors' appointments, something I'll be happy to put in the rear-view mirror.

I have a new favorite thing.  That miso-glazed salmon last night introduced me to a word much used these days on cooking shows:  umami.  The combination of miso, sugar, sake (I had to substituted Madeira wine), and Mirin marinade gave the richness of the salmon a tremendous burst of savory flavor.  Eight minutes under the broiler put an appealing mahogany coating on the fish.  I highly recommend it.

"Madam Secretary" is a must-watch TV show for me now, following in the footsteps of "The West Wing" and "The Newsroom."  I record back-to-back episodes so I can immerse myself in the "real-life" plots, and I indulged last night.

I like naps.  I like naps in the daytime and naps before bed.  For a period of time I had a young stepson who once asked me why I took naps (he was of an age when he hated even the thought of having to take a nap), and I answered, "Because I can."  There were years and years when I worked two jobs and quick naps were a necessity.  Now they're a luxury and I make no apologies.

Throw in dog, cats, goats, and chickens.  And my Kids.  First, foremost, and always my Kids.  These are just a few of my favorite things.  La la la lala!