Per the Aztecs, nemontemi is the five days at the end of the calendar year, called the “useless” days. They are supposed to be a time of abstemiousness, fasting, prayer, and the general cessation of normal activities. They are also, it appears, a time of very bad luck for those who undertake to make soup. I thought I’d warn you.
After going out to play in the snow with the kids and dogs, I came home to find my much-anticipated chicken soup (made with stock I lovingly reduced overnight in a 250-degree oven) a charred pot of smoking tragedy. I was sure I’d left it to simmer on low, but apparently not. Husband did not notice my screw-up until the smoke alarm went off.
Sigh. Damn you, Aztec calendar. Now I have to make meatloaf for dinner. Yuck.
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Hee! Blaming an ancient, disused calendar system for culinary mishaps is not something I've come across before. Apparently the Aztec Calendar still has powah!
I for one love meatloaf.
A Happy New Year, MK, and may we meet before the End of the World in 2012!
I am sorry for your soup, but were it not for your sacrifice, I might never have heard of the word 'abstemiousness' and I think that would have been far worse in the realm of tragedies. Thanks for allowing me to go into the new year with a nifty word added to my repetoire! No, I'd never heard 'nemontemi' either, but one thing at a time.
Alas, I have never been very good at making meatloaf. It is the one
place my culinary-fu generally fails me. And last night's meatloaf was
no exception, I'm afraid.
But enough talk of meatloaf! Let us put on our festive garments to
ring in the New Year! Here's hoping 2010 abounds in peace, prosperity,
and productivity for all.
(And yes, we must meet before existence as we know it comes to an end.
The upcoming Worldcon in Reno, perhaps?)
I will blame whatever comes to hand when things go wrong. I take responsibility for nothing!
It's all the more amazing because usually, “abstemiousness” is not in my vocabulary! Especially around this time of year.
Reno, most assuredly!
MK… I just finished going thru Locus's WFC report and had no problem spotting that photo of you. It'd have been interesting to see a picture of you with Lisa Goldstein, by the way.