I have taken it pretty easy during the week between Christmas and New Years. I've slept later, played computer games, and watched more TV than I usually do. I have kept things running at the house, but haven't started any new projects.

I have not blogged as much. However, I have been very conscientious about what I've eaten. I cannot think of a single avoid that I ate last week. That was partly to make up for the avoids I enjoyed Christmas week, partly because I was fighting off a virus, and partly because its easier to cook good food when I'm relaxing at home. Avoids sneak up when I'm in a hurry and everyone is hungry.

I took a few days off from exercising during the worst of the virus. But since Friday I've been back on a good Type O exercise schedule. Friday my husband and I took the dog for a long walk in a rural hilly area. As we walked we made plans for the coming year. There are changes coming in 2005, so it was good to have such a constructive conversation. Saturday the weather was warm, and I ran several errands on my bicycle. Yesterday evening I ran through our neighborhood, enjoying the last of the Christmas lights.

Early this morning I had a school-related business meeting. The rest of the day I am alternating chores with chapters of "Nicholas Nickleby". Do a chore, read a chapter. It is a moderate way to ease myself from lazy days to the busy school days which start tomorrow.

After Thanksgiving and Christmas, where most of the traditional foods are avoids, sugary, or both, it is nice to come to a holiday with beneficial customs.

I remember when I was a girl (who dug my heels in and refused to eat vegetables), my mom always fixed black-eyed peas for New Years Day. My parents and my sister loved them. After being repeatedly warned that if I didn't eat black-eyed peas I would have no luck in the New Year, I would hold my breath and eat one.

Now I like black-eyed peas, and because they are beneficial for both As and Os, we have them often. We always have them on New Years Day.

For some reason I also associate cooked greens with New Years Day. So I fixed collard greens with grilled onions today. We also had chicken, butternut squash, and corn (for the As). I save the end pieces to the sprouted bread I buy for sandwiches. I put buttery spread and garlic powder on them and toasted them in the oven for BTD garlic bread.

Another food I associate with New Years is grapefruit. My husband's mom makes ambrosia with oranges, grapefruit and coconut for Christmas. Early in our marriage I would make ambrosia for New Years because neither of us quite got enough at Christmas. Now (sigh) oranges and coconut are avoids for us both. However, we got a box of beautiful ruby red grapefruit as a Christmas gift. We will have grapefruit for dinner tonight.