Good morning GH. It is just past 1:00 AM in "The City," and the current temperature is 14° as we head for a high of 17°. The forecast for our area calls for no significant snowfall until Saturday, when the temperature is expected to be in the lower 30's and the precipitation chance, 50%. Sunday looks to be about 10° lower, but the precipitation is forecast to be the same. However, Monday the temperatures fall into the single digits and we can expect snow squalls. I wasn't sure what snow squalls were, but a quick Internet search tells me that they are periods of heavy snowfall. Same squalls for Tuesday, but the temperature rises to 14°. As the week progresses, snow showers are in the forecast.

New Year's Day was great. I started out with the Tournament of Roses Parade, which I watched for two hours. Breakfast was one of the last slices of banana nut bread. Lunch was a salad with vinaigrette dressing as a prelude to a grilled Swiss cheese sandwich. Each time, Mary had to either get to, or back to work. I watched the Wisconsin Badgers lose the Citrus Bowl after lunch to the South Carolina Gamecocks, 24 - 34. I fell asleep during the second half.

I was wide awake to watch the Rose Bowl at 5: 00 PM, as the MSU Spartans won over the Stanford Cardinal 24 - 20. By this time, Mary had joined me for the game. She had considered going out, but the snow and cold convinced her that we should stay in. No argument from me. That allowed her to try that recipe that I mentioned yesterday. Broccoli, garlic, tofu, and wild rice combined to make a keeper. Of course, no recipe is safe from Mary's manipulations. This one she added more garlic, and she felt that she could have added more broccoli and perhaps changed the amount of tofu. I liked it just the way it was. However, more broccoli wouldn't hurt, and since I like both, more broccoli and tofu would be better. The flavors were imbued into the tofu and broccoli and became as one. I liked it!

Today, Mary has more work to do. She tells me that she has the big chunks done, but that just means that she knows what she is doing and I don't. For me, chunks become an index that I have to edit. I guess I don't need to know how the process happens, just that it does. That's like making sausage. You don't have to know the process, just enjoy the outcome. Maybe that's like cooking in general.

Otherwise, no solid plans for today. I have to take down our Christmas tree and get it ready for storage in the coal room. I'd also like to clean up the case for my new to me 12 string, Ivy, and then put a coat of polish on her. If I don't get to it, she can wait, as I won't be able to play her for a few weeks. I have to be sure that I don't overdo. I am being diligent about my exercises so that I can recover as quickly as possible. I did eight reps yesterday. I hope to do the same today. Eight is supposed to be my limit.

So, that looks like about it for now. Sunrise today will be at 8:16 Am and Sunset at 5:22 PM. I doubt that trains are in the near future, this being the tail end of the holiday. Ciao.