After Thanksgiving, I’m ready for a vacation, even though the holiday for me was splendidly relaxed, thanks to my daughter and the many other cooks who joined in to produce our feast, leaving me to sip a glass of prosecco and offer unheeded comments. Relaxed or not, joyful or not, any such occasion takes its toll. Which is by way of apologizing for a short take this week—and a recuperative bowl of split pea soup, which also comes with a story, of course.