The First Day

The sun rose pale behind a veil of chilly, pewter cloud in a quicksilver sky. There was a bite in the air when I let Pai out to relieve herself and I shook out another cup full of cat food for Durellen. My phone tells me its 39F but feels like 36 with an 8mph wind due north of us. The first chill I have felt since mid November 2015 when we had that temporary cold spell.

Winter has never been my favorite season, disliking the cold and the physical discomfort it brings to my left leg, but I am glad to deep the temperature and the humidity drop. I was up early for multiple reasons. My daughter is an early riser, the pets have needs and, on this particular morning, I had a supper to put on the table. We of the Clan celebrated New Year's Day more like Yule, sitting around our decorate tree and exchanging gifts.

Now, I don't like to talk much about what I buy for myself; it seems too much like bragging and that don't sit well with me. Gifts, however, are a different matter.

Colin gifted me with a fine set of crochet hooks and 100% Peruvian Highland wool yarn. My niece painted me a unicorn constellation on canvas and Rhiannon gave me a lovely analog watch. Seamus gifted me an adult coloring book. I am thankful for the gifts and on my knees grateful for my loving family. We are not your typical family but the Clan is love, through fog and fen, flesh and bone.

I roasted a turkey for our special day, rubbed down with salt, pepper and cumin. I made oatmeal health rolls from scratch, stuffing, and turkey gravy rounded out with five ounces of white moscato. I also add my guilty pleasure. Gods forgive me, I know how to make cranberry jelly from fruit but I just plain like the stuff in the can. It just reminds me of being home with my sister and my parents, which always makes me smile.

We eat, laugh and joke. The table is covered with plates of food, cups of wine, bourbon, beer, and sweet tea. We eat until our stomachs bulge and our grins have gone crooked with the wine. Everyone is home and everyone is happy, warm, safe and enjoying our time together. Not always an easy feat in a big family, with the ages running from 3 to 4. Everyone in my Clan is well read or well read to in Briar Rose's case. We take learning for learning's sake very serious and everyone here is proactive in their own self education. It makes for five people with very good vocabulary, keen minds and sharp tongues. For now, the family is at peace which makes it easy to put aside little annoyance and be content.

I hope this first day of the new year has treated you, dear reader, with grace and the warm love of family and friends. Keep your people close to you because, my darlings, it all goes by too fast. Love now, so you do not know regret in the twilight of your life.