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By Bob Ann Breland

Columnist

New Years’ Day has been here, was celebrated and is gone. The year 2023 is now one-week-old! Is anything about your life any different? Are you in the middle of your new years’ resolution, or did you even make a resolution?
I have to confess I didn’t make a resolution on purpose because I have found them rather useless in the past.
I also did not eat black-eyed peas, cabbage or pork on New Years’ Day because I had a refrigerator full of leftovers from our family gathering the day before. According to southern customs I could have bad luck, no money or other awful things.
I do like peas, but black-eyed peas are my least favorite. I enjoy eating greens, especially with corn bread; but cabbage I can eat or not eat. Any form of pork has always given me stomach problems, so that is also among my seasons for avoiding this traditional meal.
I made a pot of seafood gumbo for my family on New Year’s eve day, and lots of other goodies were also added to the menu. On New Year’s Day, instead of the usual tradition, I had a big bowl of warmed-over gumbo, rice and potato salad. There was also a nice slice of coconut pie. It was delicious, even if I did make it.
Just before our family gathering, I had the report from some blood work I had done. I was told everything on the test looked good except…yes of course… my cholesterol!
I was given the choice of medication or I could go on a diet, drink water and do exercise to try to get it down. I decided to try the diet and exercise for three months. I figure that meal of gumbo, rice, potato salad and coconut pie might be my last good one for a while.
So when I start doing all these instructions, I am into three things I hate to do the most. I have always been able to eat what I wanted and hardly ever been on a diet (well, once on Weight Watchers).
I have to force myself to exercise and I do not like drinking lots of water. The little I sip as I take a pill is okay, but not lots of water.
I guess this bit of medical instruction to better my health could be classified as my forced New Year’s resolution. Like other resolutions, it probably will be hard to keep, but I am trying.
I am thankful the cholesterol was the only problem. Health-wise; I am blessed. I do not like to take medication unless I have to have it, and I don’t take very much.
Since it was so cold Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, my little family decided to wait until Saturday, Dec, 31 to celebrate Christmas. We had a good day and enjoyed being together. The children particularly enjoyed their gifts.
However, I had a great Christmas on the traditional days. My sister invited me to join her family on Christmas Eve day, and my sister-in-law invited me to join her family on Christmas Day. Both were very enjoyable occasions where I was able to see nieces, nephews and others I don’t see very often. I also had some very good food.
I must have a conversation with my children. It worked out so good for me this Christmas, we might try this again next year!
I did not enjoy the very cold weather as I am not a winter person. Some were happy for the cold and were wishing for snow, but snow hardly ever falls at Christmas in Louisiana. I don’t believe I could live in a place that cold all winter.
We have lots coming up in the next couple of months, and I hope my medical resolution will stay on track. If not, cholesterol medication here I come! We will see how 2023 goes by!

Retired as Associate News Editor, Bob Ann Breland writes a weekly column for The Daily News. You can email her at bobann70@att.net.