grateful: Happy New Year! 2015--What will you bring?

The fireworks this year had been going off now and then all day yesterday. We decided a long time ago not to waste any money on fireworks, even when the kids were younger, others would give them to us. As homebodies, we stay in on most holidays except for Christmas Eve where we served at church for the Candlelight service (11 pm to 1 am). We even tried to go to bed at 10 pm. About 11:30 pm it started getting louder & louder, from more homes in the neighborhood and up the streets. You really couldn't tell that there was a fireworks ban or permit only useage. Hah! At 11:50 pm it was like the old days & it went on at the loudest for a half an hour. The cat was howling and didn't know what to do with herself. She became ours exactly a year ago on New Year's Day 2014. What a sweetie she is, not doing much but lazing around, eating, using her litter box, napping, and just making us happy.

Got up this morning to make my Mandarin Orange Cream Cheese Jello, a recipe that was first made by my sister Margot about 28-30 years ago. I can't believe that this year will mark 25 years since her passing. She was a recipe collector & helped to make a cookbook at the school she worked at. It's one of my treasures & something I've done several times as well. I miss her still. What a blessing to see how well her four children have turned out. Missing her husband Roy too, he's been gone twelve years. Here's the recipe:

She made it for New Year's a long time ago and it's one of the traditional things I make for New Year's Day eating. When we were young, we always went to Grandmother Higa's house in Waimanalo. She and Aunty Toshiko & Aunty Judy would make Okinawan Shoyu Pork, potato macaroni salad with peas, fried noodles, nishime, namasu, vegetable tempura (I'm making shrimp/vegetable combo), and we'd have canned soda (bottled before). What a treat!

This year with the kids I decided to have a 'no rules' open day, come when you can, bring what you want to eat. We'll play games: the new ping pong table is fun, (I'm getting better but need to decide which hand I will use=equally crummy), brought out Mom's old Scrabble game with the built in turntable that I got for her many years ago & the tile drawstring bag she made. Phyllis called from Las Vegas yesterday to ask me the rules for Russian Rummy since the whole Jerviss/Liu Clan, Higa Clan & Kalani had joined them for their annual festivities. We'll play that too.

Need to finish sewing the tabs on the twelve rainbow bags that Alisa will take to Thailand when she leaves on Tuesday. Her first mission trip, being away from her family. Immanuel God is With Us. So many hopes and dreams. Praying for the team that God will use them to Bless many & Be Blessed. While I'm at it I should include my Christmas letter...