The Cook's Corner: It is Limbo Week

That time between two events that are both important, but leave a person feeling like they are just waiting for something. It leaves me feeling like I need to be doing things but I don’t really know what to do.
I am not sure if others feel this way between Christmas and New Year’s, but it sure has that effect on me. I think it goes back to when I was in school. Shortly before I started kindergarten, my dad went to work for a heavy equipment construction company. He worked away from home a lot of the summer and then in the late fall and early winter he would work in the shop. By the middle of December, they had pretty much caught up on repairs and Dad would get laid off until usually March. The effect that had on me was to believe that nobody worked during the Christmas holiday from school. I just assumed since my dad didn’t work then, that everyone’s dad didn’t have to work during that time. A lot of my friends were from farming families and their dads were home so that just strengthened that thought.
I got a horrible wake-up call after Rick and I moved to Missoula. I think Christmas was on a Monday that year, too. All I know is that when he had to go back to work the day after Christmas, it left me in limbo. A lot of the reaction was because I was super homesick and missing my family and home. I was pretty young, and had never lived anywhere but at home, so I was pretty vulnerable.
The other thing is that leading up to Christmas, the social calendar is running over with bazaars, parties, celebrations, Christmas programs and shopping. Then, like a snap of the fingers, it is all over. And we are left tired and facing one more celebration. So we end up just floating in limbo waiting for it all to be over. Then we know we have to face January.
I don’t think it affects people who have a job schedule as much as it does those of us who are either retired or those who don’t have a fixed schedule. For those of us that don’t have a fixed employment schedule, we are kind of left at loose ends.
And for anyone who suffers from SAD, it is even worse. So how do I fight the limbo feeling?
I get outside, I get some exercise, I take vitamin D, and the last couple of years, January has been winter canning month, and decluttering month, although one wouldn’t know it by looking at my house. But every year it gets a little less cluttered. The way it is going, another few years and we will be totally minimalist.
Nah, that will never happen.
Here is a recipe for canned coleslaw that I found last fall.

Canned Coleslaw
(can also be frozen)
1 medium head cabbage
1 large carrot
1 green pepper
1 small onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vinegar
¼ cup water
2 cups sugar (I use 1½ cups)
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Finely shred vegetables, add salt and let sit for one hour, drain, then rinse and drain again, meanwhile combine vinegar, water sugar, celery seeds and mustard seeds. Boil for 1 minute. When vegetable mixture is drained, combine with syrup. Pack into jars, water bath for 15 minutes or pack into freezer containers and freeze. I don’t use the onions, peppers, or the mustard seed. When ready to serve, it can be drained and have mayonnaise added, but we like it right from the jar.