Jan 1 dawned with a bright morning and clear skies. I met my running buddy K for a "first sunrise" run-walk by the local lake. It was a quiet and peaceful start to the year.
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| Sunrise and contrails |
* * * Food with friends * * *
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| Caramelized onion dip |
The caramelized onion dip was simple to make but turned out great- caramelized onions seasoned with salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar and herbs mixed with some cream cheese and sour cream.
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| Puff pastry samosas- a #1 crowd-pleaser recipe |
Our hosts made the main dish, which was a build-your-own-bowl style buffet with an array of roasted veggies, kale cooked in coconut milk, beans, chicken for the omnivores, a variety of toppings, and three homemade sauces. It was delightful. Dessert was brought by the third friend, and it was equally delightful- an upside down orange cake with cornmeal, served with whipped cream.
Our three girls are close friends, and while we ducked out and came back home around 9 pm, they had a sleepover and watched the last episode of Stranger Things which was released that night. They were very disappointed with the ending, from what I heard. I haven't watched this show at all.
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| Overnight yeasted waffles |
Later on new year's day, my other friend invited me over for an early dinner- her spouse and sons were at the beach and she took advantage of a blissfully quiet house to have three girlfriends over. Again, it was a greens and beans menu- chana masala, my black-eyed peas, rice, raita, vinegary collard greens, hibiscus tea and a thin, rich slice of her aunt's famous pound cake. Let the record show that I did everything in my power to ensure good luck for the coming year!
When I arrived for dinner, the three of them were writing down stuff on slips of paper. It turned out to be a "burn list" ritual. We sat down and wrote our regrets from the past year on slips of paper- not just regrets but things we wanted to leave behind in the old year such as situations and events that caused fear and anger- and threw the slips of paper into the fire pit, symbolically starting the new year with a fresh slate.
All these gatherings with friends made me deeply grateful for the community we have here.
* * * Elodie dress * * *
However, it was overall a disappointment. I was looking for apparel fabric, mostly cotton blends. Usually, fabric bolts have fabric content and laundry instructions listed- essential information. None of the fabric rolls in this store were labeled! You had to ask the staff about fabric content, and then the store clerk tested the fabric by lighting a corner on fire. True story! That's the burn test for fiber content. But it is only say if the fabric is fully synthetic or has some natural fiber content. It really doesn't take the place of a proper label.
The vast majority of the fabric in the store was fully synthetic- aisles and aisles of decorative polyester, polyester jersey and home decor fabric. I think this is a wholesale warehouse that mostly sell to professionals- such as interior designers and costumers. If one were making dance costumes or prom dresses, this place is magical.
I did manage to find one fabric- a cotton blend in a black print- that looked (to my inexpert eyes) like it would work for my dress, and was happy to have fulfilled the reason for the trip. I might go back sometime and dig some more- they did have a roll or two of linen, and some denim- but overall, I'll have to look for fabric in other stores in the area, or buy online, or wait until my next trip to India.
Back home, I was excited to work with my new fabric and started on the whole dress-making process. I washed and dried the fabric. Printed the pattern, assembled it and cut out pattern pieces. Cut all 20 pieces for the dress- a bit tricky and time-consuming as the fabric was slightly slippery/stretchy. Watched a very helpful sew-along and followed the pattern instructions one step at a time. It took several hours over 2-3 days, but yesterday afternoon, I sewed the last mile-long hem and finished my first dress. Sewing a garment is practically instant gratification compared to the longer process of knitting a garment.
The fit is great and the dress is perfect for wearing to work. Wrap dresses are flattering on a variety of figures. The busy black pattern is hiding a multitude of wonky seams. I can see myself making this dress again in different fabrics!
* * * Fitness audit * * *
It is that time of year when many resolutions are made. If you have 2026 goals that involve exercise and fitness, you might like today's moment of fitness, which is all about doing a fitness audit of your life.
Instead of giving information, I'm assigning homework, which will involve finding some peaceful time for reflection, and a pen and paper or a blank document on your computer to jot your thoughts.
This fitness audit will help you to assess where you are and where you would like to go from here, using 20 questions. Not all may apply to every person, but you might find some that are insightful for you.
- (Exercise history) Starting from my teenage years, what forms of exercise or sports have I tried?
- (Exercise history) Are there activities I’ve done before and loved that I would like to try again? (for example, swimming/ dance/ yoga/ badminton...)
- (Current health status) What is my current health status?
- (Current health status) Do I have any medical limitations that I will have to take into consideration, such as injuries or chronic conditions?
- (Current fitness level) Do I feel comfortably fit, flexible and strong in my everyday life, doing common activities such as climbing stairs, hauling groceries, picking things off the floor?
- (Current exercise habits) How often do I exercise, and what types of activities do I do?
- (Knowledge) Do I know how much exercise and the types of exercise I should be getting at my age?
- (Barriers) If I don’t exercise as much or as often as I want to, what is getting in the way? Boredom? Time? Consistency?
- (Lifestyle factors) Do my other lifestyle factors support exercise? Do I fuel my body with nutritious food?
- (Lifestyle factors) Do I get adequate sleep?
- (Lifestyle factors) Do I rest and recover between workouts? Am I being over-zealous and overtraining?
- (Mindset) How is my exercise mindset? Am I being realistic in how fit I should be at my age?
- (Mindset) Am I comparing myself to others?
- (Access) Do I have access to fitness facilities or equipment or safe places to walk?
- (Access) Are there resources that are available that I'm not tapping into, such as a workplace gym?
- (Social circle) Do I like to exercise alone, or would it benefit me to have someone else exercise with me?
- (Social circle) How could I find a workout partner, coach, or supportive community?
- (Social circle) What are my friends doing for exercise? Could I text or call them and ask? It might result in ideas and inspiration.
- (Goals, aspirations, dreams) What do I dream of doing in terms of exercise/fitness? What is my short term goal- for the first half of 2026?
- (Goals, aspirations, dreams) Do I have any long-term goals or bucket list items related to fitness or exercise, such as participating in a race or climbing a mountain?
Use your own answers to these questions to-
- Identify your fitness strengths
- Identify your fitness gaps
- Set a few doable goals or intentions for 2026
Share your own goals and resolutions if you like, related to exercise or otherwise!
