Making Do

Happy New Year, my lovelies!  I hope you all had a fantastic New Year's Eve, doing whatever it is you most wished to do to ring in this new year.  In my case, that meant going to bed at 8 p.m.

But first, I had to procure some black eyed peas.

I have mentioned, at least twice, the southern tradition I follow of pork, greens, and black eyed peas on New Year's Day to ensure health, wealth, and happiness in the new year.  I'm not southern anymore--like, AT ALL--but my mom is, so it's my tradition too. Every year that I've been with A. (which is ten years this year, actually) and therefore not at my parents' house, I've made this meal in various forms for New Year's Day.  It is Tradition, with a capital T.

But this year, thanks to our recent trip over Christmas, New Year's Day kind of sneaked up on me, leaving me with nary a black eyed pea in the house.  Pork, yes, thanks to the ENORMOUS pork shoulder the MiL had purchased awhile back and stashed in the freezer.  Even greens in the form of the chard in the freezer.  But black eyed peas?  Nope.

Obviously, that wasn't okay.  I'm not going to be the one responsible for unhappiness for all in my household just because I didn't pick up some spotted legumes.  Plus, it's a capital-T Tradition, man.  You don't just break a long-standing Tradition due to laziness or poor planning.  Dammit.

I had a plan to go to the Small City yesterday to get the black eyed peas, but due to various things not of my doing, I didn't get there. Which is why I was driving to the small market in the next village over at 6 p.m. last night in search of our happiness.  And I found it.  In a can.

I've never made black eyed peas from canned peas before, but it's the best I could do.  So this year, our happiness is coming in canned form.

Whatever.  I have my pork, greens, and black eyed peas.  Bring on the new year!  We're ready.