more prizes!

As is traditional, we had our New Years Eve gathering at our friend Peter’s house, where we had yummy food, alcoholic drinks, and great merriment, as well as a gift exchange. Wrenn made cookies for everyone, and we also made a vegetable dish — carrots and parsnips, along with some dried cranberries, braised in vinegar, lemon, mustard, bay leaves, and thyme — and brought Italian bread and fresh mozzarella from Little Italy in the Bronx.

I got some wonderful gifts…..

Because we’re a bunch of drunks, several folks gave us wine. Alexandra got us a Portugese rosé, Aaron & Jen got me a chianti, Susan & Russ gave us a Barolo, and best of all, Peter got us a really really good Montelpulciano.

Because I’m also a nerd, Mike gave me this Eaglemoss model of the Calypso, the Captain’s yacht on the Enterprise, as seen in the movie Nemesis.

Specifically in honor of my shiny new fourth stripe on my black belt, Esther & Walter got me this shirt……

Finally, Dave & Kara got me two amazing gifts. The regular present is a tiger-shaped pillow, because I love tigers, and the other is this absolutely beautiful scroll, also with a tiger, which, like the T-shirt above, was in honor of my promotion to yondan.

A great way to end a very up-and-down year. Let’s hope it’s a good omen for a better 2022…..