Dry January has begun. 'The Font' buys a bottle of ( alarmingly expensive ) alcohol free wine. The label promises tannic tones but one sip is enough to know that any claimed relationship with 'wine' is purely coincidental. Words cannot do justice to how truly foul it is. Grapes are clearly too sensitive to go through whatever process is required to take the alcohol out of them. I settle for sparkling apple juice mixed with Perrier. I can guarantee that after a few days the cheerful sweetness of this will become unappetizing. Any ideas on an 'adult' alcohol free option gratefully received.
The radio this morning full of praise for the bravery and efficiency of the US armed forces in removing Venezuelas dictator. One commentator suggests that Cuba now faces an 'existential' moment as it gets all its oil from Caracas. The 'excitement' in the region may not be over yet. Another commentator makes the slightly delphic remark that with America controlling Venezuelas oil reserves Riyadh will need to find new ways to make itself indispensable.
Snow covering the hills on the Highland side of the bay. Here, on this Lowland side of the water there's been a few isolated flurries but they don't settle. This mornings waning moon shines through super chilled air . The forecast says it's -1 but unhelpfully adds that in the wind it feels like -9.
Sunday reading:
Some of these new museums look stunning :https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/01/01/the-most-exciting-museum-openings-in-2026
January :https://romanticon.substack.com/p/happy-new-year
Nursing homes game the inspection system :https://nicholasdecker.substack.com/p/improving-nursing-homes-in-america
The things this generation of parents have to worry about :https://reason.com/2025/12/31/study-short-form-video-isnt-rotting-your-brain/
Permafrost hides all sorts of things :https://www.the-scientist.com/what-are-giant-viruses-and-are-they-dangerous-73880
9 comments:
Hari OM
As a tea-jenny, I have been introduced to the concept of zero/low alcohol refreshments as an alternative. Many simply taste like soap to me and I can understand your reaction. That said, I have found that there is one non-stout that embodies the truth of it's cousin: St Peter's Without. It has the slight bitter aftertaste that it deserves. Then there is a 'cider' that is not overly sweet and does most resemble fermented apples: Stowford Press. But really, my favourite 'tipple' is a SLAB... Soda, Lime and Bitters, though I found that angostura bitters are something exotic here in the UK.
Reading this between eight and eight thirty in the morning where the sun has barely risen, and it's minus two centigrade... YAM xx
We are also thinking about Dry January, although I suppose that January 4 is not the most appropriate time for this discussion. Every year these articles appear talking about how non-alcohol wines are getting better and better, but there's no actual evidence of this. My family was very strict about putting the Christmas decorations up the day before Christmas Eve and taking them down before New Year's. In Japan we moved the putting up part earlier but stuck to the before New Year's rule so that we could put up all the special Japanese New Year's ornaments. Now we have everything up together, and my daughter insists the outside lights stay up until Valentine's Day, which is when she first arrived in our home from Taiwan. We are thinking about Taiwan today and certainly also about Cuba. We have a very beautiful but somber painting by a Cuban artist hanging over over our fireplace, and we recall him telling us how difficult life was when Russia pulled back its support. And now things will only get worse again. Rubio seems now to be overtly theatening Cuba, and I was wondering this morning how Cubans like him can be so cruel to their own countrymen. My husband thinks it is an elites who left vs. the peasants who had no choice but to stay thing. In any event, a tragedy.
Lots and lots of water this month.
Goodbye to the creche for another year. Baby Jesus is the only one who doesn't look morose, including the animals. The lily bouquet is touching; I've thought many times about that good man.
I share Lisa’s thoughts on Cuba and Taiwan as well. How is your dry January going? I have settled for a damp January myself.
My mother lived in a continuing care facility for 20 years (!) so I was fascinated with the article on nursing homes gaming the inspections. I witnessed this time and time again, in so many diffferent ways over those years. It seems impossible to find a way around it. I so appreciate the varied links you provide!
Nina
For an AF drink try a Virgin Mojito, by the glass or by the jug, as I recall you have a soda machine in your kitchen. If you like these you will end up getting a mint plant to grow inside during the Scottish winter, and freezing lime quarters when limes are cheap! The attached link does not include sugar, but if you want your drink sweeter you can add sugar or sugar syrup when you muddle it. https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/wellbeing/healthy-recipes/cool-mint-crush-mojito
PS You can also add some AF rum if you feel the need to add extra flavour to your January cocktails.
On the north shore of Lake Ontario we have had five snow storms requiring professional plowing and one ice storm since Nov. 11. Another storm is forecast for tomorrow leaving another 4 to 6 inches. The snow piles will soon be large enough to make igloos.
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