Splendid all-day open house. I didn't cook as much as I'd planned, because there was plenty of other food brought to the house, including good luck black eyed peas, accompanied by delectable cornbread.
I had many helpers -- Kevin sliced lots of onions and prepped the eggplant for the sambol, Karina stirred many onions, Kat shelled most of the eggs, and Kavya shelled a few eggs (very slowly, but very well), sprinkled paprika, and transferred them to the serving dish. She is very interested in cooking, and said she might be willing to trade me her art talent for my cooking talent, which I take as quite the compliment.
Lots of people helped with washing dishes, which is pretty essential if you're going to be partying from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m! And hey, I invented my first cocktail. Bergamot-orange vodka, elderflower syrup (from IKEA), extra-gingery ginger ale, and lime juice. Sweet, refreshing, and somehow appropriate for starting a effervescent and aromatic new year. :-) Thanks to everyone who came out; a lovely start to 2015!
Oh, one funny note -- gave the kids a golden dollar coin each for New Year's -- it's a Sri Lankan tradition to give money today, for good luck. It was almost bedtime by the time I remembered to give it to them -- nonetheless, Anand had lost his by the time he made it up to bed, but assured me that I shouldn't worry, as it probably wasn't lost forever. Kavya had hers carefully and tightly carried in her hand, all through the last twenty minutes of clean-up and up the two flights of stairs to her bed.
Yes, she's two years older than he is, but still, I feel that this tells you something about them.