A New Year means New Adventures for me, since I don't believe in making the traditional New Year's resolutions of correcting bad habits or going on a diet. I can do this anytime. Instead I make a list of new adventures to accomplish in the coming year.
I look at the New Year the same as an artist looks at a blank canvas. It is there for me
to fill with whatever I decide. I may decide to draw a trip on the canvas to a place I have
never been before. Maybe I'll draw a new restaurant, or make new friends, or even decide on a new hairdo. Maybe I'll take up sky diving - that would make a pretty picture, but whatever goes on the canvas will be something that I haven't tried before.
Of course, January is usually spent recovering from the hectic Christmas season but if
if you have some spare time, gather together with the family as much as you can and forget the housework, just enjoy playing games and telling stories. If the weather is good, the boys will build snow forts and the girls will build snowmen and maybe in the evening you can have a good old fashioned taffy pull (recipe below) and play board games. Entertaining yourself is much better for families than watching television. If you
haven't tried this for a while, you'll be surprised how much fun it is and how much better
you will get to know your family.
Here is the Old Fashioned Taffy recipe and good luck.
In a large saucepan combine l l/4 cups brown sugar, a tablespoon mild white vinegar
and a tablespoon of butter. Stir and bring mixture to a quick boil. Continue to boil mixture until it registers 270o on a candy thermometer, then add l/2 tsp vanilla.
Pour onto large greased platter and wait five minutes until or until cool enough to handle.
Put on aprons and grease your hands well and start to pull. Poke a hole in the taffy,
if it stays there you are ready to begin. Roll the taffy into a ball and begin to pull (it takes two people) do this five times or until taffy is light and firm. Stretch it into a twisted rope
and cut into pieces.
As a senior, I am very limited as to what mischief I can get into. I will have to pass
on being a ballerina or an opera singer and be content with buying tickets to watch someone else fulfill my dreams.
Start making your list to-day and see what new projects you can begin right now. Tuck your list in a place where you can find it at year's end and see how many great adventures you have been able to accomplish. Bye for now.
Dorothy is over 65 years old and lives in London, Ontario.
No reproduction of this column is permitted without the consent of the writer.
Please email ideas@senioryears.com with any comments, questions or suggestions for Dorothy.
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