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We are actually having tatties, though. Tatties and sausage balls.

That gray, damp suck is why I moved south to The free state of Desantis. I couldn’t take the 8 months of it any more. I heat my pool to a lovely 90 degrees and spend many afternoons floating with an adult beverage. It’s a good life.

I only started to dream blue skies after 10 years of living in Texas. Prior to that, Massholechusetts overcast.

In graduate school I supplemented my meagre fare by being a Scottish-dancer-for-hire at Burns suppers. The food was *quite* good. But pro tip: if you are going to be doing highly athletic dancing do not take your share of the trifle from the bottom of the bowl where alllllll the sherry went. Hic. (nobody died or was even maimed, thankfully)

My experience with Scottish consumables is severely limited: whiskey and shortbread. Macallan’s makes the world’s best whiskey, and my wife makes the world’s best shortbread.

BTW, that shortbread has only three ingredients: flour, butter, and sugar. After that, it’s all in the wrist.

We’ve gone plastic in the tree department but I remember one year getting our real tree to the tree graveyard (portion of a local public lot fenced off for the purpose) on the last day it was open… in the last week of February I think. Felt very slothful.

On the other hand I discovered while walking my dog last night that one house in the neighborhood still has a string of lights up. Which was nice. I think they’re the battery kind and they’ve forgotten to take them down, probably be there getting dimmer and dimmer until the batteries pack it in.

The family that “Throws up Christmas” every year has taken their (many, varied, mishmash, did I say many?) decorations down, but I guess they have fun doing it all.

There are still a few with them lit, and more than a few who look like they will just keep them up, though unlit.

And then there’s the guy who keeps his tree up and decorated all year, and leaves the drapes open so everyone can see it.

Gulb, gulb…we’ve come up for air…between the dark, rain and both of us down with flu…January was the pits. Many bourbon hot toddies were sipped.

California finally caught a break in the weather this week. I emptied the rain gauge twice, so we had at least 12 inches in as many days. The good news is the snowpack is at 200% and reservoirs are reaching normal winter levels.

Youse guys know about smashed tatties? Serve with Sriracha mayo . Oh my word.

Hairy Tatties

Wash, chop and boil potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes. Keep them unpeeled.
Drain water then mash the potatoes
Open tin and add fish: eg mackerel, sardines, tuna
Mash together with other flavouring ingredients eg butter, lemon juice,garlic, spring onion.
Serve with hot buttered toast and a boiled or poached egg if you like.
You can also roll patties of the mixture in flour, egg and breadcrumbs or oatmeal to make lovely fishcakes.