Thankful

The husband has a very bad cold, the baby has a stomach flu, and I have a fever, not a very good way to end 2010 and start 2011, but still I remind myself to be thankful.

Thankful, first of all, for that it is very rare for any of us to get sick -- so this is just us paying our dues to the universe, I tell myself -- and most of all for that 2010 was, all in all, a good year, the year when we concretized certain plans and when we had interesting projects begin.

I also tell myself to remember to be thankful simply for that we are together, the three of us; that my husband and I, by happy accident or divine destiny, call it what you will, found each other, and that Lilou, our shared "grand amour" then found us.

To welcome the new year in, we had planned to cook up a storm. To fill up shells with cut-up oysters, salmon, and apples; mini glasses with crabs and grapefruit; Asian soup spoons with scallops and litchis, but we didn't have the energy. We then thought abut booking at a restaurant, but it only took us two minutes to decide that that was a very very bad idea. So to celebrate while having to stay cooped up at home away from the partying crowd of healthy people, I cooked us some spicy soup filled with shrimps, clams, and coconut milk, and spiked with lime juice. Nothing can beat it for declogging plugged-up nostrils, I tell you! And after you finish your bowl, you're just thankful that the fire in your throat has ceased and that your eyes have stopped tearing up :)
Happy brand-new year, readers and friends! Remember to hug those you hold near and dear.