Today’s Fortune: You will have much to be thankful for in the coming year.

I am glad to get this wonderful fortune on New Year’s Day! It should be a great year. We are already planning a summer trip to Ashevegas, with all of our good friends that can come!

Last night’s New Year’s Eve celebration was kind of disappointing. There were no fireworks in our town like there usually are. I guess maybe the fireworks guys did not want to stand in the snow. That was okay, though, because me and Puglet had our own celebration. We popped several of our Party Poppers, and saved some back in case we need them later. And now we have party streamers to celebrate Auntie Mac’s retirement!!

Tonight, Uncle Phil and Aunt Karon are finally going to get to come over for dinner. We do not have a blizzard now, so they should be able to get here just fine. I am going to make something called “Hoppin’ John” for dinner. I did such a good job on those Puggerhuggers that Mom said I could take over tonight’s menu.

Hoppin’ John is a good way for you to disguise black-eyed peas if your Dad does not like to eat them. You are supposed to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day, so that your year will be prosperous. Mom says that is something called a “superstition”, but we don’t want to take any chances.  Especially since black-eyed peas are really tasty.

I am going to invent this recipe, too.  For inspiration, I am using some ingredients recommended by a couple of my favorite Food Network chefs, and I am including some of my own.  It will be one part Emeril Lagasse, one part Paula Deen, and four parts Noah.  Mom says I can holler “BAM!!” like Emeril does while I am cooking, too.  That will make it even funner.

Here is some of the stuff I am putting in my Hoppin’ John.  I will let you know if it turns out good.

We are making more of our good homemade salsa.  I put Puglet in charge of making cheese dip.  He should be able to do it without Adult Supervision, because it only takes a small block of  Velveeta cheese,  a can of Wolf Brand Chili and our little crockpot.

Mom said I should make some New Year’s “resolutions”.  Resolutions are like promises you make to do something for the whole year.   It is good to have goals, so I think this is a very good idea.  Here are my resolutions:

• I resolve to rescue every homeless sock monkey I find at Buchanan’s this year.
• I resolve to help Mom in the kitchen as much as she will let me.
• I resolve to travel some more, and see all kinds of good new things this year.
• I resolve to be extra-good so I can make Santa’s “Nice Monkey” list again next year.
• I resolve to laugh and have fun every day.

I think those are good resolutions.  They are probably ones everybody could use.

Happy New Year, everyone!!!

Today’s Vocabulary Words: Hoppin’ John, superstition, resolution