Fa la la.

la la la la. t’is the season to be thrifty and not gifty. What are you doing to do so?

I’m re-establishing a tradition and making the cake my Mom used to make every holiday: Dundee Cake(it’s the fruit cake for people who really hate fruit cakes because it’s cake that just so happens to have fruit in it).
http://www.boston.com/yourlife…..nd_recipe/

Well what the DH and I did was asked the kids what they really wanted. For the married ones it was a gift card from Lowes and a garden center respecitively. Saved definite wear and tear.

Using e-mail for Christmas cards and not giving gifts this year since I have no idea when my layoff will happen. I know I have at least the next 2 weeks of work.

I’ve been baking cookies out the yin yang this year. SOmething homemade is always a plus, I’ve found.

Here’s one way, package up predictions like this, wrap them in orange, and to to the whole way, make paper chains to replace the ribbons:

The Noose Tightens

Rumsfeld, Ashcroft and other top Bush officials could soon face legal jeopardy.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/176044?from=rss

Got a holiday card in the mail from my sis…yes, I’ll see her later today, but she always mails us one.
A New Year Blessing from the Mother’s Union Anthology, The Fellowship of Reconciliation:
Wisdom for the work,
Friends for the fireside,
Love to the Last,
Blessings on our year,
Giving us time for the task,
Peace for the pathway.
It’s a lovely card and wanted to share the sentiments with my Firedog Friends.

Heh. I have my mother’s own fruit cake recipe. It’s a white dough without being too overloaded with candied fruit, a little different but somewhat similar to your recipe. I had to twist my mom’s arm to get it out of her. Think she wanted to go to her grave with her fruit cakes in our memory, not in our mouths. But I prevailed. I already made those for the season & they’re in the freezer.

and to go the whole way.

Morning Christy and other pups. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_4qwVLqt9Q This is a beautiful youtube about the value of friends. Someday I imagine that Peanut will look back and talk about her memories of her mom.

Found this wonderful fun in the snow flick – there are things to do besides shoveling it
http://www.scholarsandrogues.c…..liday-fun/

btw morning Christy

“Love to the Last” – oh, how beautiful…thanks Demi.

I did homemade jam for the adults & am going to do cookies for the 20-somethings. I figure there are 8 of them, so I’m going to do 8 different types & let them mix & match.

Thanks for the cake mix tip. The temperature in the oven in my new/old house seems off.

My mom never put candied fruit in hers and used to get them ready before Thanksgiving and ‘fortify’ them, as she used to put it, on a regular basis before she gave them out as gifts. I haven’t had any of her cake for 3 years – I’m ready to start baking my own now. *g*

Speaking of fruitcakes, I’m remembering a story about a young boy and his grandmother/crazy great aunt. Making Fruit cake. Ring a bell for anyone? I’m thinking and thinking.

Right now, she’s making memories of Play-Doh combined with some sort of lego car. It’s making a mess in my kitchen this morning. LOL

I hope you all enjoy your plate and coin sets with Obama’s likeness on them. Display them all and gather the family around to sing caroles as trhe glow warms you. I don’t suggest eating cookies off of the plates as that may lower the value of them. There are only 20 billion being minted, they’ll be worth another 5 or 10 cents in a few years.

How’s everyone in terms of snow this morning? We had 6+ inches yesterday, more during the night; it’s really cold this morning..

My mom makes one with dates and marachino cherries and lots and lots of walnuts. It’s got enough of the weirdly colored fruit to be called a fruitcake, but it’s mostly walnuts and dates, and much yummier than the usual dried, candied ick.

And, like eCAHN’s mom, trying to get the recipe out of her is hell on wheels. *G*

Gas oven? Turns out the business model for ovens is to put cheap igniters in them. Then they make money by replacement igniters, like printer manufacturers make money by selling ink. So if your oven is too cool, it is probably the igniter, as it takes too long for the igniter to restart the gas flow once it gets below temperature. My repair guy replaced the igniter (did the same about 2 years ago & that one worked), but it still doesn’t work properly, so it’s probably the thermostat.

No snow here. And The Peanut is just certain that will cause problems for Santa — she keeps looking out the window to check and see if it’s snowing yet. It seems like the age of 5 is the peak year for Santa fever…

You would appreciate the link @ 12

We had about 6- inches & 22 degrees over night.

OT guys…. any one know about Michael Connell’s death in a plane crash this am?
He’s the IT guy involved in the 2004 Pres election results in Ohio….. i.e., Rove’s IT guy.

Laughed and laughed at the homemade youtube posted on dkos.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/19/211132/56

A bit repetitive, but it’s worth hanging on at least through the chanukah part.

The card is beautiful. Bright colors with suns, stars. Kinda folk artsy.
Here’s their website: http://www.forusa.org/
It says, We are an interfaith organization committed to active nonviolence as a transforming way of life and and as a means of radical change.

and I’ve decided to do appetizers and munchies for Christmas day

I think that sounds wonderful. Have you decided which munchies?

No snow here, just a lot of rain before the next storm. I have to go to a funeral today so I’m glad that the weather is cooperating.

Geez, I thought only librul Ds died in plane crashes.

And rock stars!

If true and IIRC, this is big. He is:

the guy was deposed the day before election day!

He is considered to have run the man-in-the-middle scheme that inserted a computer between the polling places and the Sec. of States office
and
to have set up the alternate email system at the WH.

Bad guy to have gone down.

Party hats away, tin foil hats on.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6765
There’s the report.

That would explain the fact that I’ve had 3 igniters in as many years in my Bosch stove. I have a very low opinion of Bosch due to the purchase of this product.

Peace to all who read this. I out of here for now.

My mom is bringing a ham with her. And I’ve ordered a loaf of sourdough and a baguette sliced thin from the local bakery. Will pick up some mini-croissants as well, and some chicken salad and that ought to cover us for sandwiches. Beyond that, am going to make a cheeseball and pick up some olives, cheese cubes and pepperoni slices. And I’ve got shrimp and cocktail sauce and some assorted frozen appetizers in the freezer to pull out and bake and/or thaw whenever through the day.

Will probably do some veggies and dip, just because I need something healthy in there somewhere. *G* But nothing that requires any tedious assembly or substantial investment of time. The Peanut has some fun toys that took me ages to find this year (have been doing her shopping all along and hiding stuff away this year) — we got her a child’s introductory microscope because she’s obsessed with science right now along with a cute dollhouse, and I’m hoping we can play a bit.

here is the down low:

discovery:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6600
death:
http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_…..yid=103520

leaves wife and kids. piloting his own plane.

Dress warm and go ahead and cry.
I’ve been going to too many of those myself lately.
Hugs from me to you.

Oh, and the best part is that any leftover appetizers will get used for New Year’s Eve. So, yay me!

Christy, How was the school party?

No one recalls the story I mentioned?
I remembered a few more details, tho. She called him Buddy and they made kites for each other as Christmas gifts.

I asked my repair guy if there were a higher quality igniter I could put in. He launched into the history of mergers of appliance mgrs (mine’s a Jenn-Air). I put my hands over my ears and started singing lalalala. No, they all have their own igniters and you can’t get a better one.

It was great. The kids had a blast decorating their cookies. Everyone got several to take home for family. And Santa was there for the kids to chat with as well — he stayed to see both kindergarten classes, and the kids were thrilled.

Got it! Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory.

In snowy NE Iowa we have plenty of snow. 12 inches yesterday with no school, 4 inches due today and frigid and drifting on Sunday. Our Peanut’s first question this morning was “how many days till Xmas?

Isn’t it great to view life through the lens of a five year old?

Season’s greetings to all my fellow firepups.

and to you, too!!! Stay warm!

“A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote.??

We had a ‘party’ all week at work. Someone brought in these cranberry-feta pinwheels. They were scrumptious. The best part is that you can make them ahead.
http://startcooking.com/blog/1…..-Pinwheels
I’m trying to convince my sister to do appetizers-only for Christmas day. We go all-out for Christmas eve….and enough is enough.

Well, you got it first.

Best thing I’ve ever done was buying her the Lego advent calendar this year. She’s had a blast opening each of the little projects every day, and it’s kept her out of her wrapped gifts. It’s a miracle… *G*

Tryin’ to get home for the holidays. Demi-blizzard up here in Massachusetts is turning a fantastic job in the role of “obstacle.” Hope everyone’s staying warm.

Yes! Two candy canes for you!
*
Christy, it sounds like you have made great choices this year, both the presents for your girl and the food! Sounds like you are taking some people’s advice about taking care of yourself. Good for you.

I was in a readers theatre production of it in college. What a great piece. It’s hardly In Cold Blood.

Have had to start doing so — having my FIL here is pretty exhausting, so I’ve started making sure there is some easing off for me where I can get it. If I don’t, I find that I crash pretty hard because my body just gets worn out (trying to balance the five year old, the 83 year old and my lupus isn’t the world’s easiest thing — but Mr. ReddHedd tries to remind me to take some me time or get a nap when he thinks I’m overdoing it, too, and that helps.)

btw, has anyone seen the Despereaux movie yet? I loved Kate di Camillo’s book — am hoping the movie is just as good. We’re thinking about taking The Peanut out for a movie today…

Oh no! That sounds like it’s a mess. Hope the roads/runways clear enough for you to get home!

btw, if anyone has a great suggestion for a crudite platter or a yummy dip or some easy appetizery goodness, please do share. *g*

Don’t forget birdfeeders, dogs and pesky firedogpups who crave your knowledge and take on all things legal and justice.
You’re a wonder, wonder woman.

I should have said, to start things off, I like to put out a log of goat cheese with hot pepper jelly poured over it and sprinkle with some toasted, chopped pecans. So yummy on crackers you would not believe it. Makes you look like you worked all day — and it took maybe 7 minutes tops if you count the pecan toasting in a small frying pan for a few minutes.

I make my own biscuits but you can do the same thing with ‘out of the refridgerator case” ones from the store. Take biscuit dough, roll it thinner than usual and cut to the usual shape. Stick a piece of cheddar cheese(or something for more sophisticated pallets)between two of them and back as usual for biscuits. Yum. If you use store bought, just peel them apart.

Since it might have gotten buried, CHRISTY, you might really like the web link at my #28.
Save it for when you have time to check it out.
Peace, Nonviolence and Justice.

You know, someone else said something like that to me the other day. I always feel like I’m not doing nearly enough — or nearly well enough with any of my various “projects” so that I’m letting something slide alla time. Unlike Marcy, I have to get at least 8 hours of sleep to function like a human — so at some point every day I hit the wall and have to crash whether I’ve gotten the house cleaned up or finished writing piece or whatever.

I’m considering this my forced lesson in zen. Do what I can, and don’t sweat the stuff I can’t get to because it will still be there tomorrow for the most part. The one thing that can’t be left to slide is The Peanut and everything else is negotiable. *g* And, right now, she’s playing Mario Cart on the Wii with Mr. ReddHedd, so I’ve got some quiet time with some carols and a nice cuppa coffee. :)

Not like I want to get all consumer on anyone here, but I have to tell this story: We just moved our company’s offices to a different building and our IT guy sneaked in installing a Wii into the conference room. We now have boxing, bowling and tennis leagues going every single lunch hour. Just an amazing change in the way people relate to one another in the office now.

What an interesting recipe. If you don’t want to make pinwheels, it says that it makes a great dip also. Thanks for sharing.

We were bowling last night. The Peanut actually beat her daddy in one game — she was thrilled. It’s a hoot, isn’t it?

Totally – and having it in the office has turned a lot of people with ‘territory issues’ into people who have suddenly learned how to play together. I found out recently that the president actually Ok’d that – he saw that we were having problems. It’s not a cure but at least it seems to have slowed down the “bury your work to the bottom of my pile’ problems.

Gotcha. And, since besides Mr. Redd, the peanut being your main and most important focus, you are her role model, her idol. It might be good for her to see mommy as someone who not only saves the world, but values herself enough to relax once in a while too. Know what I’m trying to say. And, forgive me if this advice sounds too preachy or none of my business.
We set the bar for our daughters.

Good Morning everyone….

So glad Christy you are making Christmas easier and I do understand……. After spending 16 days out of the last month in the hospital, we will just look at pictures of previous Christmas decorations………

Getting stronger everyday, it sure is slow going this time.

And for your morning giggle, I give you Dancing Slugs (YouTube)

Sending ’strengthening potion” thoughts in your direction, Katy!!

Glad you are out and still in such a positive frame of mind. I do think that staying positive is a big part of the battle. (It’s why I named Jane’s last bout with breast cancer Dick Cheney so she could kick its ass. *g* At least I got giggles out of her right out of surgery. hehehehe)

That really sounds like a fantastic idea. Amazing how a small shift in perspective can completely change things.

I’m glad that you’re getting stronger! Have a wonderful holiday.

That’s what Mr. ReddHedd was saying to me just this week — that she needs to see me doing something for me, seeing that I value myself as much as I value giving to others, so she learns to balance that for herself. I’m horrible about that (for various reasons too long to go into), so I’m having to teach myself to be better about caring for me. But having it be good for her as an incentive actually makes it easier for me to do so, if that makes any sense…

The ‘positive imagining’ possibilities on that one must have been truly amazing – forget the ‘little pacmen eating your cancer’ image – just think of what you would do to Dick Cheney if you had the chance!!

We named mine G.W. with the idea that it will be gone around Jan 20th……

lol!

Oh, I just saw that recently for the first time…..don’t ever catch the title but it was absolutely wonderful. The fruit cake baker’s witchy sister wanted to send the kid to military school but think I went to sleep without seeing the ending.

My great uncle Louie Pappas created the Greek salad while he as a chef for General Pershing. I was ten years old before I discovered that their original restaurant had a front door, since we always entered through the kitchen.

The potato salad is the key, do not make “American” style, lead more to German style.

Happy healthy holidays to you and yours.

Oh, I love it! Here’s hoping it is gone for good by January 20th for sure!

mornin’ pups.

i was going to stay in and do cookies all weekend, but found out i had my days mixed up and our garden club cookie exchange party is today. so, i have to whip up a batch and a covered dish–artichoke-parmesean dip sound good? i need something quick and easy and gooood. i might just go get some shrimp. this gang is worth splurging on. is a down-to-earth bunch, not a pretentious group, we joke about changing our name to the ‘food club’.

=====
since christy always posts ‘funnies’ at the end of the puac posts, i saved this for today.

it’s a site i found, music and all kinds of things. i was going to post a funny video, but decided to post the list–choose your own.
it’s a great site, have fun with it.
http://noolmusic.com/playlist/…..aylist.php

i love this one–johnny carson and jack webb and illiteration
http://noolmusic.com/google_vi…..lassic.php

It makes very much sense. I recall an interview with Michael J. Fox a while back wherein talking about choices for the family he said when he makes the best choice for the kids, it usually turns out to be the best choice for himself and his wife too.
Oh, and you can tell the Mr. that I think he’s brilliant! har har. And, he must love you both, so much.

Hi everyone.

Gearing up to celebrate (solitary) my spiritual path, Winter Solistice tomorrow. Did a lovely four week meditation from Beth Owl’s Daughter for advent, and found a two great songs by Mary Chapin Carpenter to play during my ritual.

Otherwise, it’s a marathon knitting and beading marathon this weekend during our blizzard in BFE Northern Minnesota. Ugh. Three storms back to back with bitter cold so the snow’s light and fluffy(no snowmen) and it’s too freaking cold to be out for long even if I am all Ralph’s brothered up(A christmas story) in winter gear.

Doesn’t feel like christmas/winter holidays though. I had to teach yoga instead of going to the local college for Handel’s Sing Along Messiah(one of my traditions) and the blizzard and the expense nixed The Nutcracker Ballet(the other tradition I do). I miss my big city where every other community theatre/church had a performance of either the nutcracker or Handel’s Messiah.

Plus, this might be the last holiday my mom is alive so you know(shrugs). But she told me the other day that she wasn’t going to die until I reconverted back to R. Catholicism, and since I never intend to do that mom may live forever.

I offer Winter Solstice greetings to all, and my thoughts and prayers will be especially with those of you who are in an economic darkness.

I’ve been thinking about getting a monthly dinner club together for ages, but I can never seem to find the time to add yet another obligation to my already insane list. Sounds like you have an incredibly fun group there, though. :)

I’m having some mommie-issues this morn. My 28yr old son who recently moved to CT (3hrs away) has the flu. He’s been sick since last night. Fever, vomiting etc. He only has made one friend since moving and the guy’s out of town, so there’s no one to step in and help. He had no aspirin or anything else to help with the fever but now his landlord just delivered a care package with some meds. It’s still snowing here and the Sunday forecast for his area is freezing rain so I’m not going to be able to get to him. He’s alone….and it’s bothering me.

10-plus inches of snow yesterday, 9 degrees this morning.

We are staying close to home, celebrating the “first:” Christmas of the season with sis and nephew as they leave for Florida tomorrow.

14 year-old is making another batch of rock candy (becoming far too expert with that, could be dangerous to have a confectioner in the family). I’ll be baking stollen shortly, whenever this batch of rock candy has been poured to cool.

The same 14 year-old has also been making candied orange peel; we’ll make a batch of sweet bread with some of that peel later, too, just orange in it, maybe some dried cranberries.

Going to have to do some extra exercise this week. [sigh]

Although maybe shoveling snow counts…there’s 4 more inches coming in the next 24 hours. ??

I have a dear friend who does solstice celebrations every year. I usually clean out my birdfeeders and replenish them with clean seeds in kind — had forgotten we’d hit that point in the year already. Thanks so much for the reminder! (And the birdies will thank you, too…)

Yep – snow shoveling DEFINITELY counts.

My brother and sister-in-law visited for a few days last week and they bemoaned the lack of X-mas displays. We came across this house near Lenox Sq. Mall in an upscale area called Brookhaven. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ2FEuN82oQ

BTW, haven’t seen Tale of Desperaux, only opened here yesterday and it was blizzarding. Poor 11 year-old was supposed to go with classmates as an end-of-school treat, but they didn’t have school…

I did see a review by Gene Shalit yesterday; if you trust his opinion, he raved about it.

Hi, pups. What’s new with me this week is that I lost my job. I’ve been prepared emotionally for the eventuality for some time and taken some preemptive self-protective steps — eg, engaging an employment attorney months ago. That’s helped me feel centered and relatively empowered. Also, I’m in some good company; 20% of our firm’s workforce was axed this week.

On the plus side, I look forward to spending more quality time with miniralphbon, who’ll be 4 in April, in the next weeks. And Mrs ralphbon. And catching up with some reading. Clearing out the basement. Rummaging through papers, effects, hardware, software, and tossing out tons of crap.

Still, a part of me feels….broken up with.

at whole foods a while back, i sampled some goat cheese. it was sooo goo, it had fruity overtones, ever tasted any like it, and i had just gotten some homemade from a friend that is the best..

i asked the cheese girl about it… she had drizzled honey over it.
it does something to the cheese, don’t know why.
it is so good, have taken that to garden club a few times, and to a function where i didn’t tell anyone it was goat cheese. it was gone in a half hour.

===

one of my favorite appetizers my mom used to make for me. cream cheese-softened and shaped a little, put on plate, cocktail sauce on top of it-horseradish and ketchup and worchesshire, crabmeat=loads of it. all piled on top.

it is addictive.

===
artichoke parmesean dip–so easy and warm. with good bread. or crackers, but i like bread. make a double batch in a pretty, shallow dish and bake it longer to brown it.

I spent Thanksgiving my senior year at Smith with pneumonia. I couldn’t afford a ticket home for the holidays that year, so I stayed on campus…and got sick the day before the college med clinic closed down, so I was at least able to get antibiotics for what we thought was bronchitis — but turned out to be much worse. I had ramen noodles for my Thanksgiving dinner because I was too sick to leave my room and go to the cafeteria to get food and I didn’t want to infect anyone else and have them bring me something.

I not only survived it, but it made me appreciate what my parents did for me in terms of holiday celebration and family. Your son will be just fine — and will appreciate all the more when you can finally get together, I’m sure.

But that doesn’t make it any easier as a parent, does it?

One of the reasons that I stayed in the Atlanta area was because of my sons. One is thirty and the other thirty-two. I feel your pain!

There are two Greek Salads ….. One for spring and the other for summer. If you think of the growing seasons and the weather in Greece it makes sense.

Spring Greek Salad -
spring lettuce
green onions chopped
Greek Olives
Feta Cheese
Olive oil & lemon dressing with sprinkles of thyme and oregano

Summer Greek Salad -
Chopped Tomatoes
Chopped Cucumbers
Chopped peppers any color
Slices of onion
Greek olives
Slab of feta cheese on top with same spices
Olive oil & lemon juice dressing.

NEVER is lettuce on a summer salad and never are cucumbers on a spring salad. They are not in season.

I’m so sorry to hear about the job loss. Good thoughts coming your way, with the hope of a new and much better job to come — quickly.

Wonderful. I’d like to be happy about that, but we are en route to our snowiest December on record here. It invariably snows hard when my spouse is out of town on business, and I have to shovel snow by hand because the old bastard of a Toro is too big and unwieldy for me to run on my own.

At the time we built this house 3 years ago, I was excited for a large driveway on which the kids could play.

Have second thoughts about it for 5 month a year now…at least the kids are getting big enough to help with shoveling.

A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

Mornin’ All

So sorry to hear that. Of course you’re worried. But, mom, he’ll be fine. He’ll feel better soon. Ya gotta believe that.

@ Christy:

you are welcome! I need to drag out the bird feeder too. I am also in the middle of moving to my parents’ basement(and struggling with that whole concept but since my mom is dying and my father is doing things like forgetting to give my mom her insulin shots I am trying to remind myself that I am not a loser eating Cheetos trolling on blogs, I am doing a noble thing). I didn’t put it out for the fall, as my father told me that if I did that, the migratory birds wouldn’t migrate and then I would be responsible for dead birds who should be long gone during our winter months.

The celebration of light returning is always a blessing. The children I worked with, we celebrated everything, and it made a huge difference in how I felt about the winter holidays. Maybe I need to go find some children to actually celebrate with.

Those of you with children, do you feel different about celebrating the holidays, does it feel more “christmasy” or winter holidayish if you have little ones with their magical thinking?

Thank you for this link.

Nice Post…
You hit on a number of seasonal activities. I’ve been listening to The Messiah for a week. And, I can never forget the Winter Solstice, because that’s my youngest’s b-day. He’s turning 15 tomorrow. My late in life child. (And, a love child, too.) Very special person, born on a special day.

I was looking for some new recipes and found this LINK

Ho, ho, ho!

PEACE and EQUALITY

Today my daughter, SIL and grands arrive for a week of snow sking and visiting. Looking forward to a great week!

Apologies for not reading the comments, just got back from getting the daily bread and was given this link:

http://www.zappingmcsaatchi.com/xmas/emailing/

Firsgt select what you want to throw, then have at it. Enjoy. You too can be a hero.

Fuerza = force, choose your direction, and there is a launch button. Have fun. This could become viral.

Christy, the only way to go vis a vis Christmas food is to make as much ahead as possible, as you are doing. Your tales of cookie-baking madness have guilted me into gathering recipes, flour and pans here.
Solai, I will offer prayers and thoughts for your son’s quick recovery. It’s tough to be sick and alone this time of year. Glad his landlord stepped in with aid. I hope your son’s flu and your bad weather both pass soon.
BTW, anyone see the story on Bristol Palin’s future MIL getting arrested by Alaska state police on manufacturing/delivering oxycontin? So much for GOP family values.

Very sorry to hear this news, but very good to hear you were so prepared.

But in spite of the preparation you are still processing loss, and that’s okay, very normal. Especially in our society where so much of what we are is defined by what we do, whether we try to avoid it or not — you’ve lost a piece of yourself and you aren’t only entitled to grieve over it, but you should. Think of grieving over this as mental housecleaning, not unlike physically cleaning the basement.

And then you’ll be ready mentally and spiritually for the next thing just around the corner.

I wasn’t certain if it was oxycontin or meth, based on the early report I saw. Has the state police definitively said at this point? (Missed it if they have…) I bet the McCain’s are going “whew” at this point…

Johnston’s arrest was oxycontin-related

He’ll not only be fine, he’ll be home Christmas Eve. I know this. Yet….I’m still checking the forecasts to see if there’s a change and I can safely drive there (and back home).

yep it is, wide variety of personalities and backgrounds. it’s a hoot. it’s ok to not show up with food if you’ve been busy, and one brings frozen pizza sometimes, others bring new experiments and old favorites.

my mom had a group of girlfriends that met once a month. out, at a restaurant where they could hang out for a while. she still meets with the last one left.

my best friend has a group of girlfriends that meet, sometimes in a restaurant, sometimes at her house. it’s a laid back bunch from work (art teacher) and other places, the kind of bunch that she doesn’t have to worry too much about cleaning. she has lost two of them to cancer in the last two years. one was named robin, so, she got that plastic shrinky stuff, drew a bird’s nest with robin’s eggs in it and made key chains out of it for each member of the group. made me cry when i realized what she was working on one night when i was over there.

it is good to have a wider base of support. helps keep things in perspective.

i think it was ‘JPL’ who posted this the other day, i sent it out to people…although some of the things mentioned may not resonate for everyone, a lot of it will.
an excerpt from kelly corrigan’s memoir-new book-grab a tissue.
about how women help each other transcend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_4qwVLqt9Q

oh!!!

JPL!!

thanks for the kelly corrigan youtube!!!!

Now if you want to see the tackiest X-mas decorations ever, look at my post at 89. We sat in front of the house trying to figure out what they could possibly be thinking.

I went looking for the Mike Connell story. Couldn’t find anything. Anyone have a link?

That zappo link is awesome! Of course, as I was launching red heels at the man, I giggled away, but then in the back of my mind I am thinking “how awful, you are giggling and enjoying about throwing something at someone, even someone I dislike intensely! Funny though.

@ralph so sorry about your job loss, even if you were well prepared for it. It still sucks, and since I often feel that in our culture we are defined by what we do, not by who we are, I can only imagine that it does indeed feel as if a piece of you is missing.

Oh, fruitcake, there is a baker here who makes the most awesome fruit cake, it’s more like walnuts with bits of fruit and cake. Then he takes the whole thing and dips it in carmel sauce. It’s the only fruitcake I will eat and of course it’s only once a year which makes it more special.

Love A Christmas Story! Hugs to you on the realities of life’s passages–I hope your mom’s here for many Christmases more. Where are you in BFE? northern Minnesota?

~Prairie, snowed in, snowed under

OMG, worst ever!

Gregg is upstairs with new thready goodness..

This is all I could find. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28321158/

Mike Connell, GOP ‘IT Guru’ Reportedly Killed in Solo Plane Crash

JPL, hadn’t read the thread yet, didn’t have time yet, just saw you posted the youtube already AT 11…

=========

here is a cookie exchange website–this is the recipe list page
http://cookie-exchange.com/chr…..cipes.html

here is a nyt cookie page
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/…..classifier

I haven’t gotten out much lately so when I know I notice how many businesses are closed or going to close. Even a Mobile on the Run was closed, poof chain restaurants are closed. Two construction projects for Mid First Bank just half built and sitting there now for months.

Is anyone seeing this in your areas?

yes in Northern Minnesota, close to Duluth. I guess a town of 80,000 can’t be considered BFE, but to me with my 25 years gone to the very big City and not just the big City(Minneapolis), I am having a hard time adjusting here, and have for a year.

Uh Mah Gawd.

But no blow-up snow globe manger scene that pelts the baby Jesus as if he were trapped int he snow globe from hell? Amateur…

Not so much here in WV — but we were behind the curve on the real estate bubble here for the most part, so there’s less of that where I live as a result, I think.

Their electric bill could feed a family of four for quite awhile.

Have a good day all. I have a few last minute gifts to buy and then chores.

FUNNY!!

here in ohio, we shake our heads at people who put those air-filled decorations up–they deflate from the cold.overnight. they have to be inflated constantly. in the morning, you see men outside with their little air compressors…..i have a theory that they are husbands who like to be ‘out’ of the house puttering in the yard or garage. heh.

the best ‘tacky’ one i’ve seen i loved–it was a yard in a little tiny burg on the alternative backroads way to my parents’ house. they have all of those old plastic light-up ones…the santas, reindeers, light poles, every one you can imagine, in a tiny little fenced-in yard. i took a picture of it once, don’t know where it is.

There is a family near us that used to put up a large, inflated Grinch. It completely freaked out The Peanut when she was little, so much so that I had to drive completely out of the way to avoid it or she would start crying in the back seat. Now she thinks it is funny — but they don’t have it up this year. *g*

okay, I am knitting and reading this at the same time, and at first glance, I when I saw blow up nativity scene pelting baby jesus, the image came in my head that baby jesus was constantly exploding and raining down snowy baby bits inside a snow globe. I am thinking what depraved religious zealot message could be possibly sent in this type of ornament. That Jesus loved us so much he would be exploded into bits so the whole world could physically have his a bit of his love? In horrified fascination I clicked on your link(great post btw), only to find you actually meant it was an oversized inflatable snowglobe with baby Jesus being “snowed” on.

I didn’t know if I should feel relieved or disappointed. Then again, maybe I shouldn’t be knitting and reading at the same time.

New thread…

I wonder what the emotional dealy-bob is with all those big inflatable decorations. Some kind of over compensation thing? I don’t know.
I’m off to the store for ingredients for a few more loaves.
Christy…nice thread. Thanks to you and all.

Mercifully, the neighborhood pelting baby Jesus snowglobe has gone away. The marriage of crass commercialism and the unrealistic expectation of snow in Bethlehem always bugged me, but the constant pelting portion of it always made me want to sneak over and rescue the blow up baby Jesus — just a bizarre idea for a lawn ornament, all around. *G*

demi– while I’m thinking about it, did FedEx ever sort out your package problem?

oh my. i know how he feels right now.

if he is in a college town, on this website you can find a list of restaurants that deliver, you can pay by credit card.
http://www.campusmenus.com/list.php?campus=12

pull up the chamber of commerce website for his town and see if there is a pharmacy that delivers. where i moved from there were two.
then find a deli or grocery that delivers.
not the same as mom but maybe will help.

Those Chinese sure are inventive>

that’s funny. maybe you should get her one…or the snow globe. my dentist had a snowman snow globe behind her building by the bird feeders for patients to look at. so many people were ’scoping’ it out to steal it that she had to move it into the waiting room!!

the best one i have seen was at halloween, a large light-up tigger…it was great.

No. They were supposed to call me back, but never did. Whoa – big surprise there. I’ve got the numbers here on my desk. I need to call them again. Putting that on my do today list. Thanks for asking and the reminder.
This is harder than coming up with that title. Ha!

Well, I too am off to run last minute errands, check on my mom and dad, and then hunker down for a snowy day.

I am also grabbing my bread machine from my parent’s house. Quick story, I wanted a bread machine, got on freecycle and asked for one, in five minutes I had 10 offers. Don’t these people know how great those machines are, especially for those of us who are baking impaired. I am cheating a little, but I always do hand shape and bake the bread. Anyway, I am going to make a bunch of frozen bread dough for my sister for Christmas.

Everyone have a lovely, safe, and peaceful weekend. Oh, and be careful out there, especially on snow-covered roads. On Thursday, as I was stopped at a red light and I was second car in line, a car turning left turned too fast, spun around and hit the front of my car. No one was hurt, but it reallly taught me to slow down on these plowed, sanded roads, even with my four wheel drive. Or as my ex-husband used to say, “it doesn’t matter if you can go, what matters is if you can stop.”

**snerk** BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

Thanks, CHS, and rayne and theunmarrieddaughter. Gonna take miniralphbon out now for some quality sledding in Prospect Park. Not all of life’s downhill slides are unpleasant!

PW’s upstairs with more thready goodness — and lunch, I think.

frozen bread dough–great idea!
i make cookies and goodies for presents.

here is one of my favorite bread machine recipes
cranberry oat bread
you can use rapid rise yeast and quick-bread setting
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/C…..etail.aspx

here is the bread i ate every day for years.

1 2/3 c water
1 1/4 t yeast
3 T soy powder
2 T canola oil
1 T honey
2 T molasses
2 t salt
1 c whole grain spelt flour
2 2/3 c white splelt flour
2/3 c rye flour
2 T cocoa
2 T strong black coffee

put into bread machine in whatever order they advise for your machine. i didn’t fuss with the two different kinds of spelt flour, i just used regular for all of it. this bread is great with apple butter served with a multi-bean or lentil soup. it was my every day bread for years. then went to orange label ezekiel bread, but going back to this one, i miss it. makes good sandwiches, is great toasted. great multi-purpose bread.

one more–this is a great christmas morning breakfast. make it the night before. it’s a ‘church’ recipe. sooo good.

Brunch Casserole

8 slices white or wheat bread (crusts trimmed)
1/2 lb grated sharp cheese
1 lb sausage-cooked but not dry
3 eggs or 4 if small
2 c milk
1/2 t salt
1 t dry mustard
dash of pepper

Use a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Place bread as a liner in bottom, then sprinkle cheese and sausage evenly over bread.
Mix together eggs, milk, salt, dry mustard and pepper.
Pour egg mixture over bread, sausage and cheese.

Chill overnight.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Good morning everyone and Happy Holidays to you all… I visit a lot of sites in our community and whether it’s here or gatherings at Yearly Kos/Netroots Nation, you all are the tightest, best and the most fun group. It’s great to visit here on Saturday mornings.

Glad Tidings!

Thanks so much for the cartoons every Saturday, Bob. It kick starts my weekend to have a laugh over coffee — and yes, Lukovich’s depiction of Dubya will be missed sorely.

You’re very welcome… Once you get the artists’ permission, the rest comes pretty easy — but a lot of grunt work to put it all together. And, yeah, Mike Luckovich is a hoot. Something about the way he draws Bush as about two feet tall and with those ears sticking out like horns just cracks me up every time I see it.

:-)

same to you!

omg i just saw that the comedy video list i posted at 81 has the ‘you suck at photoshop’ guy on it!!!

one of my best friends led me to this guy..my friend owns an art supplies store and is an artist/computer guru.

this guy is a must watch. philosopher/instructor. rofl.

http://noolmusic.com/my_video/….._video.php
he is hilarious, but also gives great lessons/tips for photoshop. this one is ‘vanishing point’. the master list for his lessons is on the right.

this photoshop guy is hilarious, truly warped. i am now picturing all of the last-minute presents i can make!! in a good way, not in his warped way. rofl…

lesson 1
http://noolmusic.com/my_video/….._video.php

My mom makes one with dates and marachino cherries and lots and lots of walnuts. It’s got enough of the weirdly colored fruit to be called a fruitcake, but it’s mostly walnuts and dates, and much yummier than the usual dried, candied ick

.

Wow, would I like that recipe!!

Our “family tradition” is stollen, which I’ve modified to reduce the amount of candied fruits but add lots of dried apricots.

I’d be willing to trade. [Note: stollen making takes at least half a day, since it has to rise twice. However, the punching and rolling are great fun.]

No easier as a parent. My adult daughter, mid-20’s, has been struggling with emotional issues for years and sounds like she is going down again. Middle of the night panic and weeping. I ache for her. She is due to come see us on Jan 2. I’m hoping she can hang on, even just sleep from now till then, but may have to intervene.

On the other hand, my son just arrived after his first semester of college. Skinnier, sick with a cold, typing like crazy to finish a “suddenly take home exam” when weather threatened. The prof gave him two days to complete it. It took almost two days to get to Montana (did she think everyone was going 30 miles to small town Iowa?). But he managed to get 12 typed pages on kinds of democracy and civil institutions by midnight central standard time. He’d slept 7 hours in three days. But I can hear him sleeping away. We only have him for four days and then he is off to the southern hemisphere for his break to reunite with his NZ friends from when we lived there.

We want our children to be functional and happy. Not all of us get that wish. So prayers and thoughts to all parents of suffering children.

if anyone has a great suggestion for a crudite platter or a yummy dip or some easy appetizery goodness,

Christy, don’t know if you’re still reading here, but

a) Stuffed mushrooms. Since I am a “cook” like my grandmother was, once I make a recipe, I sort of “cook by sight” — in other words, I don’t have much of an idea what the actual “measurements” are. But in this case [and the next] it doesn’t much matter.

Get yourself some nice sized mushrooms. Wash & remove stems. Chop up stems. Add bread crumbs & seasonings [salt, pepper, Italian seasonings?? I dunno] to chopped stems. Stuff each mushroom with stem-crumb mix. Place mushrooms stuffing side up in baking dish. Put a little dot of butter on each mushroom. Pour white wine over mushrooms and leave 1/4 inch in dish. Cook @ 350 for, I dunno, 15-20 min — until tender. Quite healthful.

b) Get some prepared pie dough. [We used the frozen variety.] Roll out onto a cookie sheet. [Use a cookie sheet with rims.] Spread pie dough with one of the following: Dijon mustard; tapinade; artichoke paste. On top of this, layer shredded Swiss cheese. [Enough to cover; not too much, or dough won’t cook.] Add sliced tomatoes arranged nicely on top of cheese, and sprinkle tomatoes with salt, pepper, Italian seasonings. Drizzle with olive oil. Cook for around 25 min. @ 375 or so. Slice up & serve.

Sorry about these haphazard instructions. Comes from cooking over a campfire as a backpacker and just generally being a messy person.

Re Wii: got one for my family [two college kids]. For Mario Cart, do you have to have a “wheel” or can you operate from the controller? [I am such a newbie.]

Re snow: sorry to rub it in, but it’s gonna be 75 or so here today on Maui. It’s clear and beautiful, after a week of heavy rain.

OT: son of a friend went from DC to school in California When he heard there was going to be a “winter storm,” he went searching for his gloves, hat, muffler, etc. Turns out they only meant rain for a day or two. Weenies.

Hi Christy: Another wonderful post! I am late, but hope you might see this later. I found a wonderful book full of great appetizers–it’s called Meze, by Diane Kochilas. Full of Greek meze recipes, some more complicated, but many very quick, easy and tasty. Here’s one easy one:

Feta Whipped with Basil, Lemon and Pepper–(Makes 3 cups, but you can easily divide it to make less or double to make more)

3 cups (about 12 ozs.) crumbled Feta cheese
3 scant tablespoons dried basil
1 heaping teaspoon black pepper–fresh ground is nice
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest, cut into very think strips (julienne)

1. Pulse together the feta, basil and pepper in a food processor until combined.

2. Add the olive oil and lemon juice, alternating between each and pulsing after each addition, until the mixture is dense but spreads easily. Remove to a serving plate, garnish with lemon zest, and serve.

This can be made 2-3 hours ahead of time and kept, covered, in the refrigerator.

You can also use this to fill peppers. Stuff raw green or red peppers with the feta mixture, refrigerating until the cheese firms up, and then cutting the peppers into rounds. Better with in-season summer peppers, tho.

Here’s another good one:

Tangy Yogurt with Sauteed Carrots and Mint

(Good served with toasted pita wedges, or with meatballs)

Makes 4-6 servings

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, shredded(I do this quickly in the food processor)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, cut into very thin strips (julienne)
2 cups thick Greek or Mediterranean-style yogurt, or drained plain yogurt
Salt to taste
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice to taste
Paprika
Fresh mint leaves for garnish

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the carrots, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and mint, and stir for a minute until the garlic softens and the mint wilts.

2.

Sorry–here is the rest of the second recipe!

2. Place the yogurt in a mixing bowl. Add the cooked carrot mixture, salt, the remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Place in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 hour and serve garnished with a sprinkling of paprika dn the mint leaves.

How to drain yogurt: Start with double the quantity of yogurt that you will need, place it in a colander lined with a double cheesecloth, and drain over a bowl for 2-3 hours or until as thick as sour cream. You can drain it longer to make it as thick as you like.

These are both so tasty–I hope you enjoy them!