#1 Son in Vegas - 2002

Word of the Day

Enjoyful - To be in a state of enjoyment; to find something enjoying.

I really should go outside and uncover the plants. The temperature outside has risen to a balmy 39°F. Danger of freezing has passed. The thing is....it's supposed to freeze again tonight. The weather predictions all claim that after tonight's freeze, things are going to warm up. I hope so. I'm not going to be here to cover plants while we're in Vegas and I plan to uncover the plants before we leave. To repeat my first statement, I really should go outside and uncover the plants right now. Leaving the plants covered during the day isn't the best of thing in this world for the plants. Thing is...I'm feeling a bit lazy when it comes to all this dancing around with sheets. Oh...look...it's 40°F outside right now. I hate cold temperatures!

Poor Gypsy is outside right now. She's sitting in a sliver of sunshine on the deck...cuddled around her duck/goose. She tends to use her toys as pillows and litter-mates. I noticed that when she's outside, she's always following these slivers of sun in order to keep warm. Poor baby. I'll have to go out and see if she wants to sit with me for a while after I finish this blog entry and after I get my packing done.

Packing? Yes, you guessed it, HTP, #1 Son and I are all driving to Vegas tomorrow morning. It's become rather traditional to go up there to ring in the New Year. This will be the first time we've been to Vegas with #1 Son when he's of legal gambling and drinking age. It's going to be odd. I'm betting (Ha-Ha) that HTP will bring him to meet Judy at his favorite bar at the casino. I'll probably show him the intricacies of video poker. However, it seems, that he'll probably bring his XBox with him to use while we're there which is probably the best thing for him to do. Though...maybe he'll go to a movie with me while we're there. There are a couple of new movies out that I'd like to see. I think he'll be able to come with HTP and me for the New Year's Eve party on the 31st but we won't know for sure until we get there.

I'm going to wish you all a Happy New Year right now because it's doubtful that I'll have any opportunities to blog while we're in Vegas. Competition for the laptop and dial-up will be pretty stiff. So....


Happy


New Year


Everyone!


At midnight in Vegas, HTP, #1 Son and I will be raising our glasses of champagne in a toast. We'll be wishing you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2008. But for right now, I bid you farewell. See you next year!

Murphyism of the Day

Mumford's Maxim

Traditionalists are pessimists about the future and optimists about the past.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

An optimist stays up to see the New Year in. A pessimist waits to make sure the old one leaves.

- Bill Vaughan

Real Live Fireplaces With Real Live Chimneys Rock! - Home, Home at The Lake....

Word of the Day

Englishification - The alteration, while speaking a language other than English, of an English word to make it sound like a word in the language one is speaking, or attempting to speak.

For the last few mornings, this morning included, I've had to drag my winter coat out of the closet in order to take Gypsy outside. Cold! 29°F right now. I haven't resorted to putting on my gloves as yet but it's a comfort to know that I do have gloves in the pockets of my jacket. Of course, it will warm up later on today but I don't think they expect temperatures to rise above the 50's. I shouldn't really whine too much. I'm not having to shovel snow or deal with power outages. I've been rather stubborn about turning on the furnace too. I don't like canned heat. Sucks all the oxygen out of the air. Makes me feel claustrophobic.

If I were at The Lake, I'd have a fire in the fireplace to take off the chill and warm the heart. Unfortunately, due to the EPA fanatics and their rules and regulations, you can't build a house these days in Arizona with a real, live, functioning fireplace that burns real live wooden logs. And if you actually are lucky enough to have a real live fireplace because you bought an older house before the EPA stuck their little noses into everything, you can't actually burn wood in your fireplace without getting a fine on most days during the winter months. Talk about dependence on foreign oil? The only fireplaces that anyone is allowed to put in these days here in Arizona are the ones that run on propane or gas. And I have to say, having had one of those fake fireplaces in our last house here in Arizona, a fake fireplace just doesn't cut it. It's on the par with an artificial Christmas tree. Looks nice but.... I miss the smell of a real live fireplace fire with crackling logs and sparks. Oh well...I guess I'll just have to wait until we get back to The Lake again. In the meantime, I'll just have to put on a sweater.

Murphyism of the Day

Cocks's Comment

A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quickly strangled.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Any transition serious enough to alter your definition of self will require not just small adjustments in your way of living and thinking but a full-on metamorphosis.

- Martha Beck

My Little Fudge Face, Gypsy - December 2007

Word of the Day

Enjoice - Using false joy to talk someone into sharing an undesirable task; to entrap somebody by the appearance of joy, to deceive or trick into difficulty.

I normally don't get into politics or happenings around the world here in my blog. My preference is to keep things light and fluffy and serene. However, sometimes I feel that it's important for a reader to see some of the background that colors the lives of people living on this time and date in our world. Despite the fact that we've been having freezing temperatures in my little corner of Arizona, despite the fact that I still have to do laundry on a weekly basis, despite the fact that I'll probably be taking Christmas decorations sometime in January, despite the daily lives of me and mine, politics and murder and mayhem and events that depress, events that I just can't understand, history happens. Some day my grandchildren will study these historical events. Today we have Democrats deciding on the person that they want to run for President of the United States in 2008. Today we have Republicans trying to decide who they want to run for President of the United States of in 2008. We've got after Christmas sales and returns. A tiger escaped from the zoo in California and killed a man and wounded two others. And then this morning, someone shot and killed the former prime minister of Pakistan. Not satisfied with this demonstration of religious fervor, he proceeded to blow himself up. Surely God will reward him with a multitude of virgins when he reaches heaven.

Bhutto, a former two-time prime minister of Pakistan, was killed in a suicide attack in Rawalpindi just 10 weeks after she returned to her homeland from eight years in exile. A suicide attack on her homecoming parade killed more than 140 people. The articulate, poised 54-year-old had lashed out at the spread of Islamic extremism as she campaigned for next month's parliamentary elections. By ANDREW O. SELSKY, Associated Press Writer.

I don't understand this sort of religious extremism. How can anyone believe that God would want a person to kill someone else in God's name? How can anyone believe that God would want a person to treat a woman as something less than a man? How can anyone believe that God would want a world without joy, without music, without beauty? Where love for God is the only love allowed? I just don't understand this sort of religious belief. The God I pray to is bigger than such beliefs, limitations, and hate.

To my children and grandchild(ren)? Every day life still happens. Despite the events of the day, despite hurricanes, tornadoes, storms, floods, terrorism...the laundry still needs doing. Supper still needs to be put on the table. The beds need making. Dust settles on the furniture and still needs to be removed. The dog still needs to be fed and walked. Gardens need planting and harvesting. Despite the troubling events of the day, life continues and needs must and will be met. In God we place our faith and trust. And tomorrow? The sun will come up. I'll walk the dog. I'll pick up the mail. I'll write my blog. I'll eat and sleep. I'll hug and keep my family and friends close in my heart. I'll offer up more prayers. And, God willing, I'll do it all again the day after tomorrow and all of next year and many more years to come.

Murphyism of the Day

Phillip's Law of Committee Procedure

The only changes that are easily adopted are changes for the worse.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

- Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

#1 Son Gave Me a Bottle of Woot Wine - Christmas 2007

Word of the Day

Enclownter - A brief, usually unpleasant, encounter with a clown.

The day after Christmas and it's back to doing "normal" activities. #1 Son is going to go out and do something with his friends. HTP is doing what he normally does. Me? Laundry. Lots of laundry now that #1 Son is home.

I started another batch of Arancello after breakfast. I had fifteen oranges that I needed to zest. Good thing that I decided to work on making the rest of the Arancello today because one of the fifteen oranges had already gone bad. Yucko! One goes bad and the rest will follow and spoil the whole bunch. We've got another couple quarts of fresh orange juice now too to go with our breakfast.

On top of all this our bug man came to spray the yard and knock down the spider webs. A new guy. I wish he'd be our regular guy but, he tells me that he normally works out of Scottsdale. Figures. None of our regular guys have ever knocked down spider webs. I didn't even know that they were supposed to do that. I'll have to insist from now on. "Oh...by the way, while you're out there, could you please get rid of all the spider webs around the windows and doors?" It would save me from doing it or having to tell people that I was starting to decorate for Halloween...early.

It froze outside last night. I had a thin layer of ice on the fountain. It's a good thing that I covered the plants. It looks like I'll have to cover them every day for a while. It was 29°F this morning when I took Gypsy outside. 6 AM. Brrrrr!!!!! She wasn't happy when I put her back into her kennel after she "did her thing". She wanted to eat and play! Sorry, Gypsy. I was just too tired to get up that early this morning. Maybe tomorrow. As it is, I slept later than I'd planned. 8 AM is pretty darn late for me.

Murphyism of the Day

Van Roy's Law

A meeting is no substitute for progress.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Man is the only animal that laughs and has a state legislature.

- Samuel Butler (1835 - 1902)

Nibbling on Christmas Stocking Goodies - Christmas 2007


Oh Deer! - Christmas 2007


#1 Son and Gypsy - Christmas 2007


#1 Son - Brass Ensemble at the Church - Christmas Eve 2007


#1 Son - A Trio of Trumpets - Christmas Eve at Church 2007

#1 Son, D Buddy, and MC Daughter - Christmas Morning 2006


GI Joe and DD Daughter - Christmas Morning 2006




Merry


Christmas


Everyone!

Christmas Dinner - 2006

Word of the Day

Emongous - A large conglomeration, especially of companies, often through electronic media.


Christmas Calendar Door #24!

'Twas the Day Before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even my spouse....

OK...actually....I'm stirring and so is Gypsy but aside from that everyone is still sleeping, which isn't really too unusual. As I write this, it's only 7:40 AM. There might be a bit more stirring going on in an hour or so. Gypsy was hungry and she wanted to go outside. I don't think it's totally out of line that a puppy should want to get up and go after a long night in her kennel. She's a good little girl. However, Gypsy and I will have to start training exercises. She needs to learn the commands: "In the kennel" "Outside" and "Basket". As it stands right now, I put her in the kennel, I put her outside, and...actually...she's pretty good at the basket command if I'm sitting at my computer. Other than that...there's a whole lot of "I putting" going on.

I'm going to make a special breakfast for everyone as soon as I notice a bit of stirring going on. It's Christmas Eve...let them sleep! As soon as I finish this blog entry, I plan to put my feet up and work on a Sudoku puzzle with Gypsy by my side. There's no rush. We don't go to church tonight until 4 PM. Opening presents? Only one tonight after we get home from church. And then it's off to bed to await for Christmas morning.

Last night, HTP and #1 Son played Guitar Hero on the XBox. From what I hear..or heard...last night (oh...my ringing ears), there is absolutely no advantage weighing in if you know how to play a guitar. HTP knows how to play a guitar. I mean...HE REALLY KNOWS HOW TO PLAY THE GUITAR. I heard a lot of blonkers coming from HTP's Guitar Hero guitar last night. They were still at it when I toddled off to bed. Despite the blonkers, it sounded like HTP and #1 Son had a wonderful time last night.

Murphyism of the Day

Boren's Laws

1. When in doubt, mumble.
2. When in trouble, delegate.
3. When in charge, ponder.

MC Daughter and a Bottle of Wine - Christmas 2006

Word of the Day

Elevertigo - The sensation one experiences when an elevator stops or takes off too suddenly.

#1 Son and I opened Christmas Calendar Door #23 at 5:30 AM this morning. We played with the church orchestra for two services. Me with my clarinet. #1 Son with his trumpet. We left for church at 6:30 AM. The temperature outside was 31°F. That's cold enough to freeze some of my more tender plants. Or...it would have frozen said plants if I hadn't kept them covered from the other night. I may just leave them covered. However, I did note that my petunias in the garage are looking a bit sickly. I think they need water.

On the way home from church, #1 Son and I made another trip to the grocery store. I picked up some food for supper and some eggnog. Yes, I could make my own eggnog but I figured that I've done enough cooking for a while. We also picked up some good brandy and some good rum. We're going to enjoy homemade Christmas cookies with REAL eggnog (the adult beverage). We also picked up a bottle of wine. Actually, we didn't really NEED any wine but it was pointed out to us, while we were standing at the meat counter, that they were giving away free bottles of wine with each $10 purchased. So...well...why not?

I plan to relax for the rest of the day. I'm putting my feet up, munching on the occasional Christmas cookie and maybe take a nap to make up for my early rising this morning.

Murphyism of the Day

Rayburn's Rule

If you want to get along, go along.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example.

- Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613 - 1680)

A Plate Full of Christmas Goodies

Word of the Day

Eleventy - Hypothetical number used by those in the two-to-seven age range as a means of impressing parents or siblings with a new found skill.

Christmas Calendar Door #22

#1 Son and I delivered some of the Christmas goodies to some friends of ours. We met them for breakfast at Village Inn. Yucko on the Village Inn part. Their food did not impress me. Wonderful having breakfast with friends.

After we got back home, #1 Son practiced the music that he'll be playing tomorrow and Christmas Eve. Me? I vacated the house. #1 Son told me that he refused to practice with me here. Self-conscious.

Me? I went out and bought the liquor that I needed in order to make Arancello. Do you know how hard it is to find Everclear here? I found one bottle of it. Someone else must be making liqueur. Oh well...I already had a bottle sitting in my liquor cabinet so, along with a couple bottles of vodka, I had the ingredients to make two batches of Arancello. At least, start to make Arancello. It takes a few months of steeping to actually end up with something that you might be able to drink. The older this stuff is...the better. I just "started" making the Arancello. All you need is the zest of the oranges. Waste not want not, I juiced the 30 oranges that I peeled. There is 3 1/2 quarts of orange juice cooling in my fridge. It'll taste wonderful with breakfast in the coming days. I still have 15 more oranges. #1 Son agreed to look for more Everclear for me while he's out with his friend today. I told him to pick up two more bottles if he can find it. Enough for one more batch of Arancello and a single batch of Tangecello. Vodka? That I could find in abundance.

I'm making a ham for supper. It was too good a deal at the store to pass up. Besides, with #1 Son home, the ham will be good to have for sandwiches for lunch.

Murphyism of the Day

De Nevers's Law of Debate

Two monologues do not make a dialogue.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I have lost friends, some by death... others through sheer inability to cross the street.

- Virginia Woolf (1882 - 1941)

#1 Son - Christmas 2001


Word of the Day

Electronical - Descriptive of an electronic set of components.

#1 Son is Here! HTP and I picked him up at the airport and then took him our for BBQ ribs. Famous Dave's. Wonderful! Too bad that the combination of BBQ and the other white meat doesn't seem to agree with me but...it was good. I highly recommend the Memphis ribs. Yummy!

I haven't opened Christmas Calendar Door #21 as yet but I know what I'll find. The plans for the day are to decorate Christmas cookies. The cookies need to sit out and set before I can box them up for gifting. I gave my neighbor most of her goodies yesterday but I forgot to give her the fudge that I made for her and I couldn't give her undecorated cookies so we'll have to bring those over to her on Saturday when we'll be bringing goodies to some other people.

The sooner I get most of these goodies out of the house the better. They are just too tempting. I've been sneaking Jan Hagel and Pizzelle every morning to munch on with my first cup of coffee each morning. Please note that I only dusted the weighing scale in the bathroom. I refuse to actually check my own weight until at least three weeks after all the goodies and holiday food are gone. Thankfully, my clothes still seem to fit.

#1 Son started two loads of laundry last night. I folded one of the loads this morning and threw the other load into the dryer. I'll leave that last load? for him to fold. I'd have let him fold that other load but I didn't want to wake him up and I didn't want his clean clothes sitting in a basket getting even more wrinkly.

Murphyism of the Day

Swipples Rule of Order

He who shouts loudest has the floor.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to 'jump at de sun.' We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground.

- Zora Neale Hurston (1901 - 1960)

DD Daughter and MC Daughter - Christmas Morning 2001

Word of the Day

Emotional-Tourette's - An affliction in which one cannot control a need to announce how they feel to uninterested parties.

HTP opened Christmas Calendar Door #20 before I had finished my first cup of coffee this morning. Me? I waited until after breakfast before I dusted and vacuumed the house and scrubbed the tile floors.

#1 Son is coming home today! HTP and I will pick him up at the airport at ~6 PM. I think we'll probably stop somewhere to get a bite to eat for supper on the way home. And...maybe...stop at the grocery store to pick up whatever food that he might want to eat while he's here. I know I'll need more milk.

I finished wrapping the last of my Christmas presents. The UPS guy delivered two packages last night after 8 PM. Although I knew that I was supposed to receive these to packages yesterday, I didn't know that UPS would deliver so late. Oh well...I wrapped them this morning before I vacuumed.

The weather people are predicting freezing temperatures again tonight. I'm not sure how Christmas-like the sheets are that I'll be covering my plants with tonight but...oh well...at least the inside of my house is ready for Christmas. I'm hoping that #1 Son will help me decorate Christmas cookies tonight...or tomorrow.

Murphyism of the Day

First Law of Debate

Never argue with a fool - people might not know the difference.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps.

David Lloyd George (1863 - 1945)

A Very Sleepy #1 Son on Christmas Morning - 2002

Word of the Day

Elecelleration - The mistaken notion that the more you press an elevator button the faster it will arrive.

Christmas Calendar Door #19

I need to get these gifts wrapped. Actually...I think I've got at least one thing coming via UPS today. I'll need to wrap that too. I really don't have all that much to wrap so I've been nudging that task off to the side each day. However, tomorrow #1 Son will be here and I want to make sure everything is wrapped before he gets here. Plus...I really need to clean the house. The guest room (the room where #1 Son will be sleeping)is all ready but maybe I'd better run a dust cloth over the horizontal surfaces. I think maybe HTP might want to go out and pick up a cable box for that room too. #1 Son will be here for almost a month. It'll be nice to have him home. Realistically, I know that he'll be spending a lot of time sleeping and out with friends but I know he'll make sure to spend some time with us. We haven't seen him since the last time he was at The Lake with us.

I'm bringing Gypsy into the groomer's today. She needs her nails trimmed and the hair between her pads is getting a bit long. They tell me that I need to bring in her rabies certification. I suppose. I do have it. I'm thinking that I may pick out a new collar for her while I'm there. The groomer is located at our local PetSmart. I'll bring her in sometime after breakfast. I can go shopping while she's at the groomer. There's a couple of things that I need to pick up yet at the store. Things that will need wrapping. I imagine I'll have to go shopping again while #1 Son is here but I don't want to waste my time shopping for my stuff while #1 Son wants to go shopping for his stuff.

Murphyism of the Day

Truman's Law

If you cannot convince them, confuse them.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Be brief, for no discourse can please when too long.

- Miguel de Cervantes (1547 - 1616)

#1 Son and Santa - 1994

Word of the Day

Elbonics - The actions of two people maneuvering for one arm rest in a movie theater.

I peeked under Christmas Calendar Door #18 yesterday and decided to tackle making the Italian Pizzelle last night instead of today. A bit of a head start for today. I made 10 dozen Italian Pizzelle last night. I know that it seems like I'm making more cookies and candies than one family could or should possibly eat. You're right. Today I packed up most of what I've made so far and got it ready for gifting. I don't just bake for one family. I baked for four families this year. That's two less than last year so that's why (even though it may not seem that way)I didn't bake as much as I usually do. I still need to decorate some of the brown sugar cookies but after that, the majority of what I've made will be heading out the door and on the way to friends' and neighbors' homes. HTP, #1 Son and me will still have plenty leftover to munch on this holiday season with enough leftover for #1 Son to box up and take back to college with him when he returns there after the first of the year.

Now that the baking is all done, I've been clearing the decks so I can vacuum and dust. If I find the time, I'll even tackle a bit of wrapping. Maybe. I'm feeling a bit lazy and besides...today is Tuesday. Laundry Day. Laundry must be done no matter what the season.

Murphyism of the Day

Second Law of Business Meetings

If there are two possible ways to spell a person's name, you will pick the wrong spelling.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug.

- Patricia Neal

#1 Son and Santa - 1993

Word of the Day

Einstoned - Imbibing to the point where one thinks they have figured out the theory of relativity.

I opened Christmas Calendar Door #17 after breakfast. I discovered that I had just enough chopped pecans and chocolate chips to make one batch of English Toffee. I've never actually made English Toffee before. This is another of the recipes that GI Joe's Mom directed me toward in her e-mail. Since I had so much luck with the Pecan Roll recipe (I'm having problems saving these for Christmas), I thought I'd try my hand with English Toffee. The jury is still out. I'll post the recipe if it turns out.

OK...It's good. My pecans were chopped really fine. I think this may have helped when it comes to breaking up the toffee. I ended up with a lot of spare crumbs of toffee when I broke up the toffee but I may save these to use in baking at a later date.

English Toffee

From the kitchen of Dora Grimm

2 sticks butter (1/2 pound)
1 cup sugar
6 ounce package chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans


Line a 13x9x2" pan with parchment paper. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with 1/3 of the pecans. Cook butter and sugar in heavy pan over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook until it reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour over the pecans then layer the chocolate chips over the cooked layer and spread evenly. Sprinkle the rest of the pecans over the chocolate and press into candy. Cool 1 to 1-1/2 hours in refrigerator then break into irregular pieces.

******


After I put the pan with the English Toffee is in the refrigerator to cool, I started my first batch of Meringues. #1 Son loves meringues. Each batch takes about two hours to make. I'm going to experiment with some mint meringues but....I'm holding off on those until after Batch #2 is done. We'll see.

I still need more eggs and butter so I can make Italian Pizzelle. I hate going to the store every single day but I didn't go to the store yesterday so maybe I won't feel too guilty about going to the store today. If I get the Pizzelle done today, I'm done with all my baking. Woohoo! OK...I still need to make a couple more batches of brownies but essentially, I'll be done with the baking and I can start wrapping a few things. Wrapping isn't going to be too hard this year. I already sent out the out-of-town/country presents. I'll have special tins for the cookies and candy so those won't need to be wrapped. If I get the pizzelle done tonight...with HTP's help...I can get the rest of the wrapping done tomorrow and then all I'll have to do is clean the house before #1 Son comes home and enjoy some time sitting on the couch with Gypsy.

Murphyism of the Day

First Law of Business Meetings

The lead in a pencil will break in direct proportion to the importance of the notes being taken.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

What music is more enchanting than the voices of young people, when you can't hear what they say?

- Logan Pearsall Smith (1865 - 1946)

#1 Son and Santa - 1992

Word of the Day

Eiffelite - A gangly person sitting in front of you at the movies who, no matter what direction you lean in, follows suit.

I can't believe that I'm opening Christmas Door #16 already! I never got around to making my sugarfree brownies yesterday so I tacked that task onto today's list of things to do. I made the white filling for the pecan rolls yesterday because that had to sit in the freezer overnight before I could continue. So...this morning, I made pecan rolls AND peanut rolls. They taste great! As the cook, I get to taste. The recipe is a keeper. Messy...but a keeper. I wish I could figure out an easier way of dipping the frozen nugget into the melted caramel before rolling them in the nuts. I ran out of pecans so I ended up making six peanut rolls with the remaining nugget centers. Delicious! Oh...and I ended up making 16 rolls from this recipe, 1/2-inch diameter. I suppose this might be why I also needed more caramel. I'd say about double the amount called for in the recipe. I used dry roasted peanuts for the peanut rolls. Taste lots better than Pearson's Nut Rolls that you can buy in the store. Also, the pecan rolls taste better than any I've bought in the store. I used half the amount of cream because I melted the caramels in my microwave (2 1/2 minutes in the microwave, stirring after each minute).

Easy Pecan Logs

Makes 8 rolls

From the kitchen of Russell Smithson

2 cups marshmallow creme
3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon butter flavoring
1 14 ounce package caramels
2 tablespoons heavy cream
chopped pecans


Combine marshmallow creme, confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and butter flavoring. Knead until all sugar is thoroughly blended. Shape into 8 rolls. Wrap each in plastic and freeze. Melt caramels and heavy cream in the top of a double boiler. Dip frozen candy rolls in melted caramel and roll in chopped pecans. Store covered in a cool, dry place.

*****

After that mess was cleaned up...I made 7 batches of peanut brittle. Easy microwave recipe. The invention of the sil-pat makes candy making really easy these days. That and the invention of the heat-resistant scrapers that are made of the same material. Timing can be interesting. Every year the microwave cooking time varies a bit. I think a lot depends upon the nuts. Anyway, this year, the cooking times were : 3 minutes, 3 minutes, and 1 minute.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

Ingredients:

1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 c. white sugar
1 c. dry-roasted peanuts, cashews or almonds
1 tsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:

Combine corn syrup and sugar in 1-1/2 quart round microwave baking dish. Stir well until evenly blended. Microwave on high 3-4 minutes. Stir in nuts. Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes or until light brown. Stir in butter and vanilla, blending well. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Add soda and stir gently until light and foamy. Quickly pour onto lightly greased baking sheet. Cool. Break into small pieces and store in airtight container. Makes about 1 pound.
Note: For clear type brittle, omit baking soda.

*****

Then...I've got one batch of my sugarfree brownies in the oven. HTP talked me out of making more than one batch right now. I'll make another couple batches next week. In the meantime, I've used up all of my pecans, I'm out of butter, I need more eggs, and I've done enough for one day. Except for cleaning up the kitchen. I need to at least clean up the kitchen and store away the last two batches of peanut brittle....and the brownies as soon as I take them out of the oven and they're cool enough to store.

I'm afraid that Gypsy thinks I'm a bit crazy. I was singing along with the Christmas music and she got this really odd look in her eyes and then she ran into our bedroom to sit in the basket under my computer desk. She's still there...here. I guess I may just have the sound on the stereo cranked a bit loud.

Murphyism of the Day

Gourd's Axiom

A meeting is an event at which the minutes are kept and the hours are lost.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A waist is a terrible thing to mind.

- Jane Caminos

MC Daughter, #1 Son, and DD Daughter - December 1989?

Word of the Day

Eggshausted - When the eggs in a carton are all used up.

I made fruitcake bars last night. Since making and baking the spritz turned out easier than I'd thought, I had time to make my favorite fruitcake bars. I know that many people don't like fruitcake but I happen to like it. I carry none of the "I HATE FRUITCAKE" genes in my body. I think my brother and sister got those. I've got enough candied fruit left to make a couple of loaves of stollen. If I have time, I'll make that today. I also added a couple of recipes to the list of things I want to make because GI Joe's Mom sent me an e-mail this morning with links to all kinds of candy recipes. I really tried to resist but.....

Behind Christmas Calendar Door #15...

I'm going to make Sugarfree Chocolate Brownies and fudge.

Old Grey Frog's Sugarfree Brownies

Melt together slowly in microwave so you don't shock the chocolate.

1/4# butter or margarine
2 squares unsweetened chocolate

Stir in: (It doesn't have to dissolve...the batter will look speckled so don't worry)

1 cup Maltitol sweetener

Beat in until eggs are incorporated thoroughly,

2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir in:

1 cup chopped nuts
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt

Pour into a greased 8x8 pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes at 325°F or until done.



Old Grey's Fudge

In a Large Bowl:
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
2 c. chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. margarine

In a large heavy saucepan:
1 (5-1/3 oz.) can evaporated milk
2 c. sugar
10 large marshmallows
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:

Bring mixture in saucepan to a boil. Boil 5 minutes over slow heat, stirring constantly. Pour mixture in bowl. Stir until margarine and chocolate chips are melted. Pour into buttered glass dish and chill in refrigerator overnight (about 8 hours)

******

I'll have to make a grocery store run if I plan to make more candy. As for the stollen recipe? All I do is make a single white bread recipe in my breadmaker with the candies fruit. Dough setting. Take it out when it's done. Form two stollen loaves. Let rise again until double. Bake in the oven at 375°F for about 35 minutes. I end up having to cover the loaves after they've baked for a while so that the tops don't get too brown. I don't frost the stollen loaves until I'm ready to serve them up for a breakfast. As for the recipe for my fruitcake bars?

Fruit Cake Bars

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening, melted
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup light molasses
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup raisins
2 cups candied fruit
1 cup chopped pecans

Combine all ingredient except flour, fruit, and nuts; beat well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread in two greased 8x8-inch pans.

Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes. Frost warm with Lemon Glaze.

Lemon Glaze

Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp soft butter and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice. (note: I actually use Limoncello instead of lemon juice).

I'm laughing right now because I KNOW that my sister is NOT going to EVER make the Fruit Cake Bars.

Murphyism of the Day

Hartz's Law of Rhetoric

Any argument carried far enough will end up in semantics.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and color, we would find some other cause for prejudice by noon.

- George Aiken

#1 Son - Christmas 1988

Word of the Day

Effeet - Having feet that exhibit feminine characteristics.


I haven't opened Christmas Calendar Door #14 yet. I know what I'm going to find there so I've decided to wait until after breakfast to take a peek. In the meantime, I found a new recipe (new to me) on the Internet which I'm going to try when I make the spritz today. If it turns out alright, I'll post the recipe. You may have noticed that I didn't post my brown sugar cookie recipe. I know. That's one that I don't share with anyone but family. If you're family...you already have the recipe.

Just because I haven't opened Door #14, it doesn't mean that I've been lingering in bed sipping on hot chocolate and popping chocolate bon-bons into my mouth. Actually, that sounds kind of nice. Oh well...maybe some other time, in some other place, in some alternative dimension and universe. Gypsy woke me up at 6 AM. She wanted to go outside. And when Gypsy wants to go outside there is no sleeping. I bundled myself into my warmest jacket (it was 39°F outside), turned on the outside lights (just because the sun sleeps in doesn't mean Gypsy sleeps in) and I took my baby outside to do her thing. She did. I brought her back inside and put her back to bed in her kennel. Then I went back to bed...for an hour. I needed the extra sleep to get ready for what's behind Door #14.

Anyway, I'm up. Gypsy is up. Gypsy has been fed. I brought the newspaper inside. I heated up a cup of coffee from yesterday's pot for myself. Oops. I still need to brew a fresh pot...after I blog. I took the sheets off my outdoor plants which I covered last night just in case it froze. It didn't freeze but I think maybe it will tonight so I'll have to cover them again after supper. Sheet dance. I've been doing the sheet dance for a couple of nights now. Just in case. I don't have too many plants anymore that are sensitive to freezing temperatures, having replaced those that have died with more cold hardy plants, but...I do still have a few that I'd hate to lose. And now...Gypsy is napping at my feet in her basket under my computer desk as I blog and check my e-mails. After blogging I'll get that fresh pot of coffee started and then I'll sit in the living room and work on a Sudoku puzzle with Gypsy at my side as I listen to morning talk radio until HTP wakes up, at which point I'll have to make breakfast and face what's behind Door #14.

****

Spritz Update

I just finished making my spritz cookies. The new recipe worked well with my cookie press. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com. However, after tasting the first recipe, I would not recommend adding the salt...possibly this is because the butter that I used was already salted. I did sift the flour. My trees and wreaths only took 6 minutes. My ribbon cookies took only 4 minutes. I used 1/8 tsp. of green food coloring for the trees and wreaths. I used my KitchenAid mixer to make the dough. I wouldn't want to try to make these without it.

Butter Rich Spritz Butter Cookies

Submitted by: Sheri Lipp
Rated: 5 out of 5 by 64 members Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 6 Minutes Ready In: 18 Minutes
Yields: 36 servings

"These are wonderful cookies from the press. They are rich in flavor. My mom has made these cookies for years for all of the holidays. She even used food coloring for the different designs, like green trees,etc. The kids love to decorate them as much as they love to eat them."

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Sift together the flour and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg yolks, almond extract and vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients. Fill a cookie press with dough and shoot cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. If you like, decorate with sugar or sprinkles at this time.
3. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven


Murphyism of the Day

Hutchins's Law

You can't out talk someone who knows what he's talking about.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It is always the best policy to speak the truth--unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar.

- Jerome K. Jerome (1859 - 1927)

Gypsy Playing with Santa - December 2007

Word of the Day

Eeb - The noise made by a retarded bee, based on the fact that bees with a full mental capacity give off a 'bee' sound.

I opened Christmas Calendar Door #13 before breakfast and have been baking cookies ever since. I'm not making as many Christmas cookies this year ) as I have in years past. I'm not spoofing you...I usually make tons of cookies...this year I'm only making half a ton. Behind Door #13 I found my recipe for brown sugar cookies which are a tradition in our family. I made two batches. 18 dozen cookies cut out into various shapes. They still need decorating with frosting and colored sugars but I may wait until #1 Son gets home so he can lend a hand and some artistic talent. I'm willing to bet that he'll make at least one bloody spear point. Decorating brown sugar cookies is a family tradition too. Oh...and I made Gypsy some Christmas bones from the leftover scraps of dough. That's traditional too. Her first Christmas cookie bone.

After storing away the brown sugar cookies, I made a batch of regular sugar cookies and a batch of gingerbread cookies. They're cooling on the rack as I blog. The kitchen is clean. I'm done for the day. My feet are killing me and I'm covered in flour. I really should wear an apron but somehow I've never got around to purchasing such a thing. I'll change into some clean clothes after I blog.

Despite the fact that I'm not making as many cookies and candies as I have in the past, I'm not ready to hang up my apron. I know...I just told you that I don't even own an apron but I kind of liked the mental image. I still have to make peanut brittle, fruitcake bars, fudge, sugarfree brownies and spritz. I'm not sure which door the spritz will be located behind but I'm thinking, maybe, it'll be behind Door #14. I'd better rest up.

Murphyism of the Day

Lord Falkland's Rule

When it is not necessary to make a decision, it is necessary not to make a decision.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Maybe it's easier to like someone else's life, and live vicariously through it, than take some responsibility to change our lives into lives we might like.

- Tish Grier

#1 Son - Christmas 1987

Word of the Day

Ediot - A person who, after giving someone material to edit, continues to revise that same material without informing them.

I peeked inside Christmas Calendar Door #12 and it looks like I need to make a quick trip to the grocery store after breakfast before I actually do something about what's behind there. I'm running out of butter. I started out with 4-lbs. of butter yesterday and I've used up three of those pounds making the Jan Hagel. I'll need more butter to make the Russian Teacakes. Those are HTP's favorites. I make a Sugarfree Russian Teacake which works out great now that I found the powdered sugar version of Maltitol. I'd tried to make my own homemade sugarfree powdered sugar (I know...that sounded confusing) but my version never turned out quite right. Thank goodness the people who make Maltitol finally realized that there are times that you need the texture of powdered sugar for some things. I'm going to make a double batch of Sugarfree Russian Teacakes for HTP and some of my neighbors who can't have sugar and a double batch of regular Russian Teacakes for those of us who can have sugar.

Russian Teacakes

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar (2/3 cup granular Maltitol for the Sugarfree version)
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds

Heat oven to 400°F. Mix thoroughly butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix in salt. Add flour and nuts. Mix until dough holds together. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but not brown. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. (Powdered Maltitol Sugar for Sugarfree version) Cool. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

*****

HTP woke me up last night to let me know that the weatherman had said that the some of the outlying areas would be reaching freezing temperatures during the night. I opened one eye and told him that none of our landscape plants were freeze-vulnerable anymore. However.... Come to think of it, I've got some petunias outside that would have died last night if it actually had frozen last night. Which it didn't. Thank goodness. I wasn't awake enough last night to actually think about my annuals. I'll have to check my spare sheet supply and get things ready for tonight....just in case. I can bring my hanging pots into the garage but there are some plants outside that would do better if I covered them. Global warming has brought freezing temperatures to Arizona? Whatever. It was 42°F last night and that was OK.

Murphyism of the Day

Hendrickson's Law

If a problem causes many meetings, the meetings eventually become more important than the problem.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.

- John Kenneth Galbraith

MC Daughter and DD Daughter Decorating the Tree - 1986

Word of the Day

Ecnalubma - An ambulance viewed through one's rear view mirrors.

And behind Door #11....

I've got the Christmas music on. The music is so loud that the paintings on my walls are starting to shift askew. I can't bake Christmas cookies without Christmas music playing. I'm baking Jan Hagel today. I've got a double batch of the Cinnamon Jan Hagel done and cooling. While I wait for them to cool down enough to remove from the pans, I figured that I'd blog. I only have two sheet pans that are the right size for Jan Hagel so I have to wait between batches. I plan to make a double batch of Almond Jan Hagel next. Then...I'll make a double batch of sugarfree Almond Jan Hagel. I always start my Christmas baking with Jan Hagel. It's an easy one and kind of eases me into the whole baking thing. Besides, there really isn't much better than sneaking a Jan Hagel cookie to enjoy with a cup of coffee in the morning. It makes the whole day of Christmas preparations a bit easier.

Jan Hagel

1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar ( 1 1/4 cup Maltitol if making the sugarfree version of this recipe)
1 egg, separated
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon ( or 1/2 tsp almond extract)
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolk (egg white is reserved for later use) and blend. Stir in almond extract or cinnamon. Add flour, gradually. More flour may be needed if dough is too sticky to handle. Pat dough into greased pan. About 1/8" thick. Beat egg white with water until frothy. Brush onto dough. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake 20 minutes at 350°F or until browned. Cut immediately while hot into strips.

*****

Gypsy got a bath this morning. She didn't look too happy about the whole thing but she survived it. I'm happy to say that she smells a lot better and the special dog shampoo I used made her coat nice and shiny. She really needed the bath. My baby likes to grab her own ears and chew on them....just the hair. Weird. She also likes to chew on her dog tags. Actually...she likes to chew on whatever happens to be within reach. She's still teething. Anyway, the hair on the ends of her ears was starting to matt together and no amount of brushing (with her attacking the brush) would make her ears look "right". I was thinking of bringing her to the groomer's but decided that I could still take care of this task myself. She doesn't need her nails trimmed and I think the hair between her toes isn't too long yet. I imagine that I'll have to bring her to a groomer sometime before HTP and I head to Wisconsin for the summer. I don't do nails and I don't want to risk injuring her pads by cutting the hair between her toes. I'll leave that for the professionals.

Murphyism of the Day

Burgess's Law of Committo-Dynamics

Those most opposed to serving on a committee are made chairpersons.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Every improvement in communication makes the bore more terrible.

- Frank Moore Colby

MC Daughter and DD Daughter talking to Santa - 1983


Word of the Day

Ebiot - An online winning bidder who pays in excess of retail on a completely worthless item.

Good Grief! Time is flying. I opened Christmas Calendar Door #10 this morning. I cranked up my Christmas music collection on the surround sound to get into the mood. It's only somewhat successful but.... I did get all my out-of-town packages wrapped and into mailing boxes. UPS just came to pick up two of them. USPS will be coming tomorrow to pick up the rest. It's nice that you can actually print out labels on the computer these days. No more standing in line at the post office...except for the overseas packages...and I've already done those. With all the packages done, I may tackle a bit of baking. After lunch.

HTP was rather horrified with one of the newest toys that I gave Gypsy. It's a stuffed Santa doll. I guess the sight of Gypsy gnawing on Santa's face and playing tug-a-war with her teeth firmly chomped onto Santa's mittened hand, is a bit much for him. He stood there watching last night as Gypsy and I played fetch with the stuffed Santa with this horrified expression on his face...but...he did get into the spirit of things...eventually, tossing Santa across the room for Gypsy to fetch for him. I tried to dress Gypsy up with the reindeer antlers and jingle bells but she balked at the antlers and the jingle bells just scared the heck out of her. She ran and hid under some pillows on the couch. Poor baby. So...instead I got her the Santa doll and a big red stuffed mitten. I was going to give her these toys for Christmas but then I reasoned that these were the perfect toys for BEFORE Christmas and during the holiday season. I'll take them away afterwards and stow them away with our Christmas decorations for her to play with again next Christmas.

Murphyism of the Day

Kirby's Comment on Committees

A committee is the only life-form with twelve stomachs and no brain.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Genius is of no country.

- Charles Churchill

MC Daughter and DD Daughter - Christmas 1983

Word of the Day

Ebenzy - A situation brought about by, or activity experienced by, a group of online bidders who, in a frenzied state, needlessly drive up the price of an auction item.

I was right. Behind Christmas Calendar Door #9, I found the need to get things wrapped up and ready to be mailed. After the orchestra practice at the church, I went shopping for a few last minute items that need to go into the boxes that I'll be mailing. I bought some window decorations and some cordless candles to put in the window. I forgot to buy batteries. I put it on the list of things to buy the next time I'm out and about shopping. *sigh* and while I was out this time I got this really cute Christmas outfit for Gypsy. I couldn't resist anymore. She's going to hate it but hopefully I'll be able to take a quick picture before she chews it up. It's all DD Daughter's fault. It was her idea to buy antlers for Gypsy to wear for Christmas. *sigh*

We got one inch of rain again the other night. Yup! Someone drove into a wash and got her car stuck. There's always someone who does this every single time it rains. Last time it was someone who road his bike into the wash. Lost his bike. Last time I heard, he was still looking for it. This time it was someone who claimed to be unfamiliar with our Stupid Motorist Law and our washes here in Arizona. They still fined her $600. We got another few drops of rain while I was out shopping but nothing measurable.

Murphyism of the Day

Kennedy's Comment on Committees

A committee is twelve people doing the work of one.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The man who writes about himself and his own time is the only man who writes about all people and all time.

- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

MC Daughter and DD Daughter - Christmas Eve 1983

Word of the Day

Ebanipper - An online bidder whose bid is accepted at the last second of an auction; thus, depriving other bidders of their highly sought-after "beanie-baby" (or other ridiculous fad-of-the-month).

I opened Door #8 in my Christmas Calendar before breakfast and then time flew by and I never did get any breakfast. Though not strictly a Christmas decorating task, I noted that my copper canisters, used to store flour and sugar, were horribly tarnished. Actually...MC Daughter pointed this fact out repeatedly last year but I've been avoiding the mess of having to polish the copper. I hate polishing copper. It took me most of the morning to finally get these two copper canisters polished. Since I do a lot of baking, and I love the color of copper, I bought two huge copper kettles that most chefs would use for cooking. Since I couldn't find any canisters that I could store enough flour or sugar in, I decided to buy these kettles. Only...they do get tarnished. I suppose it wouldn't have been so difficult to polish them if I hadn't let them go so long. I wouldn't have minded a nice green patina but they never got to that point. I might have left them if they'd have turned green since I happen to like that color but... Anyway, they're back to a nice shiny copper color again. Ready for me to mess them up when I start my baking.

Also, behind Door #8, I found the task of setting out my snowglobes. Six boxes of snowglobes! And, as I suspected, more Christmas frogs were stored in the boxes along with some candles. After getting all the snowglobes set up, I dug through the last box in my closet with Christmas stuff. The Twelve Days of Christmas figurines were in there but...they're now set up on my server where I've put them every Christmas since we moved to this house. I also found my animated Santa. He's now plugged in and programed to light up and start moving from 5 PM until 2 AM.

I still haven't started officially playing Christmas music on my stereo. There's a channel on our cable TV that was playing some Christmas music. It wasn't the same. There is no way that I'll be able to bake anything to the music that they were playing today on the cable channel. I need loud, surround sound, floor-shaking Christmas music in order for me to do the baking. That will have to wait until at least Monday.

I haven't peeked behind Door #9 as yet but I'm pretty sure I know what I'll find when I take a look. I've got an orchestra practice at the church tomorrow morning. After that, I've got to get a couple of boxes ready for mailing. Those tasks should more than fill the space behind Door #9 and may actually spill over into Doors #10 and #11.

Murphyism of the Day

The Eleventh Commandment

Thou shalt not committee.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

MC Daughter and DD Daughter - 1982

Word of the Day

Ebanatic - An online bidder who bids relentlessly on an item until he wins without regard to the actual cost - Almost always bidding more than retail.

So...I couldn't even open Christmas Calendar Door #7 until I got home from having another go around with the mammogram people. If it were dark outside, I think I'd probably be glowing in the dark about now. They really seemed intent on finding something. Anything. Despite all their best efforts, they couldn't find a thing....so they want to try again in six months. Love it. Well, at least they're thorough.

Oh well, at least HTP and I had the opportunity to go out to eat for lunch and go shopping. I found some buttons for Ms. En's Christmas socks. I've got baking supplies. So, no more excuses for that. Our local health food store had brown eggs on sale. I've got real eggs. I've never bought brown eggs before. I'm told that there really isn't any difference between brown and white eggs. The only reason that I bought them was because I needed eggs for baking and these brown eggs were cheaper than the white ones. Besides, these eggs are supposed to be healthier for us because they're organic.

I finally opened Door #7 when I got home. There just wasn't too much behind it....of course, I didn't look too hard. I set up the creche. I'll look again in a bit to see if I can find the task of setting up the snowglobes in there. If not, it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Murphyism of the Day

Kim's Rule of Committees

After an hour as been spent amending a sentence, someone will move to delete the paragraph.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A person is always startled when he hears himself seriously called an old man for the first time.

- Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809 - 1894)

MC Daughter and DD Daughter Chatting with Santa - 1982

Word of the Day

Eastroturf - The artificial grass in Easter baskets.

And behind Christmas Calendar Door #6?

I've still got, the creche, the snowglobes, the rest of the dining room decoration, and my Twelve Days of Christmas figurines. I crocheted Ms. En's special Christmas anklets last night but I still need to look for some special Christmas buttons to decorate the socks with. Tomorrow? HTP and I are going to be out and about tomorrow so maybe I'll get a chance to look for something than.

You noticed maybe that I didn't even mention the baking as yet? That's because I should have picked up some flour yesterday when I bought the eggs. Actually...I didn't buy any eggs. When they're charging $3/dozen for eggs, I don't buy eggs unless I'm totally desperate and have no choice in the matter. This time I had a choice. It was a lot cheaper to buy those neat little egg whites in cartons than to buy regular eggs this time. For the most part, I only use the egg white anyway. The prepackaged carton egg whites are normally more expensive that buying real eggs. These were on sale. I figure I saved a couple of bucks and I don't need to feel so guilty about throwing away the yolks. No-one has fresh eggs on sale this week. I do need eggs to make pizzelle. Real eggs. Maybe someone will have them on sale next week. If not...I'll have to give into desperation and pay premium prices. Most of my Christmas cookies don't call for eggs. One recipe, a favorite of #1 Son, calls for just egg whites, sugar and flavoring. Meringues. This I can do. I even have powdered egg whites that will work for those. Unfortunately, I can't make HTP's morning omelet with powdered egg whites....at least...I've never tried. Somehow I don't think a powdered egg white omelet sounds like it would taste too good. Maybe the taste of all that powdered milk I drank as a child colors my attitude in this direction. I'll probably start baking this weekend. We'll see. I still have a few packages that I need to get ready to mail out. Thankfully, I don't think any of them will require visits to the Post Office. It's a good thing that I've got a few unopened Christmas Calendar doors left on my calendar. I only wish there were more than 25 of them. Only 19 more to open after today.

Murphyism of the Day

W.C. Field's Maxim

Start every day off with a smile and get it over with.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Liberty without learning is always in peril; learning without liberty is always in vain.

- John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963)

DD Daughter, MC Daughter and Me - December 1981

Word of the Day

E-touch - A method of staying in contact with friends by e-mail or other electronic devices.

After cooking and eating breakfast, I opened Christmas Calendar Door #5....

I started decorating my dining room. The dining room table now has its cheery red tablecloth and crotcheted table runner...and I've started on the centerpiece. I've still got to dig out some more candles but...it's a start. The Christmas cards are all in the mail. While I was out taking them to the mailbox (located right outside of our local grocery store), I gave into temptation and bought two poinsettia plants (which I plan to keep well away from Gypsy) and two amaryllis plants that are just getting ready to bloom. I was only going to buy the amaryllis plants but the poinsettia plants were so pretty....and they were on sale. Actually, I'd only gone into the grocery store because HTP and I used up the last of our eggs this morning. So...there was this Christmas plant display right inside the store and I couldn't resist. When I got home, and after I found spots to put my new plants, I dug out the silk poinsettia plants and the toy soldiers that my daughters and I made from flower pots one year for a church craft project. They look really nice all grouped together outside by our front door....even the frowning toy soldier that MC Daughter made. I love that frowning toy soldier.

I found another Christmas frog and some metal reindeer up in the same cupboard with the silk poinsettias and toy soldiers. I'd forgotten that I'd stored them there. I arranged them by the real poinsettias in our tiny little entry way. I may or may not put the tree up today. I may or may not unpack the snowglobes and set them out. Plus, I still need to get the creche out. Baking? Oh well...there's always Door #6. Actually, I'd thought I put out all my Christmas frogs yesterday but, come to think of it, there may be some more stored in the boxes with the snowglobes.

*****

OK....my Charlie Brown Tree is up and decorated. DD Daughter tells me that you can really buy honest to goodness, copyright protected, Charlie Brown trees now so maybe I can't call mine a Charlie Brown Tree anymore. Oh well...it looks the part.

Murphyism of the Day

Santayana's First Law

Sanity is madness put to good use.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Men are born with two eyes, but only one tongue, in order that they should see twice as much as they say.

- Charles Caleb Colton (1780 - 1832)

MC Daughter and DD Daughter Visiting With Santa - 1981

Word of the Day

Dragonass - An old Chinese disease whose symptoms causes workers to be slackers.

And behind Christmas Calendar Door #4.....

I finished up all the Christmas cards this morning after breakfast. They're all addressed, stamped and sealed, ready to be mailed. Then...when I went outside to get the morning newspaper that I forgot to bring in this morning...I saw a couple of my neighbors putting up their Christmas lights and decorations in the front of their house. So, after bringing the paper inside, I decided to put up the outdoor Christmas decorations that I use every year. Having done that, I brought in a couple of boxes of indoor Christmas decorations and took the Charlie Brown tree, stored in its box, down from the top shelf of the garage. After that I decided I'd done enough Christmas stuff for today. Today is Tuesday after all, I'm doing laundry. Wouldn't want to overdo.

I got to bed late last night. There's this new mini-series called The Tinman on the SciFi channel. I thought I'd missed it because the thing first played on Sunday...really late. 10 PM - Midnight. That's a bit late for me. However, last night they repeated the first show of the series at 8 PM - 10 PM. Woohoo! I got to see it. Only...then they went on to play the second show of the series from 10 PM - Midnight and I stayed up to watch it despite the late hour. If I'd known that they would be repeating that second show at 8 PM tonight, I wouldn't have stayed up so late. Oh well...they are repeating the second part at 8 PM and showing the 3rd part tonight at 10 PM. I may wait and watch that third part tomorrow night. Staying up past midnight is a bit much for me. As for my review of the show? I like it. It's fun. Dark. Interesting story-line. Colorful. Good special effects.

I picked and ate half of the first grapefruit of the year from my dwarf grapefruit tree. Yummy. I'm saving the second half for an afternoon snack or...maybe tomorrow's breakfast. My poor dwarf grapefruit tree. The fruit is so big and heavy that the tree just can't hold it off the ground. I noted that my tangelo's are just starting to turn a yellowish orange. I'm going to wait until they turn fully orange before sampling them. I counted roughly 18 tangelos on the tree. I expect that there will be more in the coming years. As for my dwarf lemon and lime trees...still no fruit. Maybe next year.

Last year I made some Limoncello and experimented with making Arancello. A successful experiment, if I do say so myself. So...I do plan to make Arancello and Limoncello again this year. I can buy the fruit I need for these at one of the local citrus groves. I was going to use the tangelos to make some "Tarancello" (totally bogus invented name...just can't find the word for tangelo in the Italian dictionary). I still may experiment with this since the rinds of the tangelos will be discarded if I don't. It looks like there is enough tangelos out there for at least one recipe of "Tarancello". I know...sounds rather like a large hairy spider but....

****

OK. Since I got the laundry done early, I started with my indoor decorating. Thing is, I had to dust the entire place and move stuff around before I could even start thinking of putting out my snowglobes. I did the dusting. The snowglobes will have to wait until tomorrow. However, I put up the Christmas wall-hangings. Crewelwork and needlepoint pictures that I made over the years. I also dug out the Christmas crocheted doilies that I've made over the years and placed them here and there in preparation for the snowglobes and the Christmas creche. I'll work on that tomorrow.

Murphyism of the Day

Larson's Law

A lot of people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

[The body is] a marvelous machine...a chemical laboratory, a power-house. Every movement, voluntary or involuntary, full of secrets and marvels!

- Theodor Herzl (1860 - 1904)

DD Daughter and Me With Santa - 1980 (the year DD Daughter refused to have anything to do with sitting on Santa's lap)

Word of the Day

Dracosaurus - 1. A fictional, flightless dragon native to other universes. 2. The dinosaur from which mythological dragons descended.

I'm beginning to feel like my life has become one of those Christmas calendars with all the little doors that you open, one each day, until Christmas morning. I'm opening the little door marked "3" today...as soon as I can find the door. It's never easy to find the right door. I remember that my children would often sneak and open all the doors ahead of time. Chocolate. I suppose that I'd have every door open now too, despite my legendary self-control...cough, cough...if there was a bit of chocolate behind every door but such is sadly not the case.

At least I think I know what is behind Door #3 in my Christmas calendar. My editor (HTP) helped me get my Christmas letter edited and printed up despite numerous problems with our printers. I found the bag of Christmas cards that I purchased last year after Christmas stuck (stored) in the back of my closet. The labels are all printed up and ready to go. And...I found out, after checking my address label list that I didn't buy enough postage stamps when I was at the post office the other day. Somehow I never seem to be able to keep an accurate estimate of how many people I plan to send Christmas cards to in my head when I buy Christmas cards or when I print out Christmas letters or when I purchase Christmas stamps at the post office.

My Christmas card list tends to expand and contract. However, somehow that list always seems to expand more than contract. I remember the first year that I wrote and sent out a Christmas letter. I used an old Christmas letter that my Dad wrote as a guide. With only me, HTP, and DD Daughter in our new little family, my letter was a lot shorter than the letter my Dad wrote each year. My first Christmas letter was short. Pithy? HTP and I had been married for less than a year and even though our lives were full to bursting that first year...there really wasn't too much to write about. As for our Christmas Card list, I based it on the address list we'd compiled for our wedding invitations. There weren't all that many people on my list. Friends and relatives from both sides of our little family. I guess it always comes as a bit of surprise to see how that list has changed and grown over the years.

I'll be heading off to the post office after breakfast. I need more stamps.

Murphyism of the Day

Dick's Lemma

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Genius might be described as a supreme capacity for getting its possessors into trouble of all kinds.

- Samuel Butler (1835 - 1902)

DD Daughter and Santa - 1979

Word of the Day

Dr. Pepsier - The result of mixing Dr. Pepper and Pepsi.

The morning was spent at the church. I practiced with the church orchestra for when we play for the Sunday before Christmas. I'll have to practice with them again next Sunday. After that, I organized the music the director gave me for the third service. Sight-reading. Most of it was stuff that I'd played before so there wasn't too many problems for me to play for the third service with the contemporary group. I don't think that we play for any of the Christmas Eve services. #1 Son will be playing with the brass ensemble for one of the services but I'm not sure which one at this point.

Since I was out with the car, I thought it would save on gas if I did my grocery shopping on the way home. Done and did. HTP and I are getting tired of leftover turkey. I bought a beef roast but I'm going to save that until tomorrow night's supper. Tonight we'll have steaks on the grill. I even bought baking potatoes.

HTP is working on putting the finishing touches on our Christmas letter labels, etc. I expect that I'll be working on my Christmas cards tomorrow...or next week. As for decorating? Maybe tomorrow.

Murphyism of the Day

The Bering Distinction

Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

There are a terrible lot of lies going around the world, and the worst of it is half of them are true.

- Sir Winston Churchill

DD Daughter - Christmas 1978

Word of the Day

Downpause - The split second of dry weather experienced when driving under an overpass or in a tunnel during a storm.

It rained in Arizona! It rained and rained and rained. The weather people were right. Of course, I haven't tuned into the TV this morning to find out if any stupid people decided to drive into raging washes, but I can see my weather gauge from my window. According to my gauge, we received almost 1 3/4 inches of rain yesterday and last night. That's a lot of rain for Arizona. Not so much for Wisconsin but I'm betting the washes were flowing and the streets were flooding.

I found out that my poor baby Gypsy DOES NOT like rain. *sigh* She stubbornly refused to "do her thing" while I stood with her out in the rain yesterday. Eventually, her poor little puppy bladder couldn't take it any more and she had her second accident in the house since she's joined our family. *sigh* I wasn't watching as close as I should have. She lulled me. After that I forced her to go outside with me two more times in the rain and still she refused to "do her thing". I finally left her outside (under the protection of our patio roof) while I went inside to answer the phone and....she decided to "do her thing" outside on the concrete patio by the door....where it was dry. *sigh* Good enough. At least she "did her thing" outside and not on my carpet. I noted that she's back to her normal self this morning. It's not raining anymore. As I was outside with her this morning, I was thinking, "Well, thank goodness Gypsy is finally back to acting normal this morning." I'm sure that Gypsy was thinking, "Well, thank goodness, Mommy is back to acting normal this morning and isn't dragging me out in that nasty wet stuff." I'd heard that spaniels really love the water but maybe that's just when it's their idea and not Mother Nature's idea. We're supposed to get more rain today but I don't expect that it'll be an all day affair like yesterday....at least, according the the weather people. I'll have to take Gypsy on her walks during the non-rainy times. I'm hoping this won't be a problem by the time HTP and I return to Wisconsin in the Spring. Wisconsin tends to get a lot (Underline that last and capitalize it!) more rain than Arizona.

It's December 1st. No more excuses about decorating the house for Christmas. I did add to my snowglobe collection the other day so that's a start. I'll have to wait until things dry off a bit outside...maybe tomorrow...to put out my outdoor decorations. No lights. Just a few bows and a wreath for the front door. We keep things simple. If #1 Son were here, I might have been able to talk him into putting some lights on the house but since HTP and I moved to this house, we've never bothered. Some of our neighbors put lights up on their houses but most of them stick to those lighted statues. I have no idea where they store those huge things after Christmas. I know I don't have the room in my garage. Actually...I think I may have donated the Christmas lights that HTP and #1 Son used to put up on our past homes for that very reason. No room in the garage to store a lot of stuff, at least, not since we moved to this current home.

I've got an orchestra practice tomorrow morning at the church. Maybe I'll feel more motivated to do my decorating after I've played some Christmas music. The music director from the church just dropped off my music for the practice. We're playing at at the Christmas Eve service. She dropped of some music for #1 Son too. He'll be playing with the brass ensemble. I'll have to remember to remind him to bring his trumpet home with him. As for this Sunday, I'm playing for the third service too. *sigh* It looks like I'll be sight-reading again. She forgot to bring me that music. Oh well...I'll be all warmed up from the orchestra practice and sight-reading has never been all that hard for me. Besides, she tells me that it's all going to be Christmas-type music and mostly things that I've played before.

Murphyism of the Day

Gutierrez's Law

True freedom is freedom from choice.

Old Grey's Comment on Gutierrez's Law

Freedom from choice? Isn't that what The Nanny State is all about? Maybe we'd better call this Hugo Chavez's Law.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Our envy of others devours us most of all.

- Alexander Solzhenitsyn