I’m pretty deep in cookie dough today, and my food processor died mid-processing a very sticky dough so that was, let’s just say, challenging I thought we could all use a little holiday cheer:

Are you feeling the cheer yet?

Before I get into a chatty roundup–I hope all of you and your loved ones are safe from the terrible tornado that hit several states. My heart goes out to all the victims and those trying desperately to find and help survivors.

Now onto the roundup.

Friday, I made mocha cookies, and froze those. The recipe I have is for a small amount of cookies, so I quadrupled it, and then I had to adjust a few ingredients like using expresso powder instead of instant coffee, which meant I had to change the amount used while remembering I was quadrupling the recipe. I used ALL my meager math skills on that batch of cookies, LOL. I’m generally not obsessive compulsive, but when I’m doing that kind of baking, I check, double check, then second guess and recheck. But I must have got it right, so A+ in math for me!

Saturday was Turbo (my grandson) day. As soon as we got to his house, he was thrilled to see us. He had a present for Grandpa–a Lego car set that was exactly like one Turbo has. He is very anxious for Grandpa to build it so they can play with their Lego cars together. Guys, I can’t tell you how much I love seeing their relationship and the joy it brings Wizard. Turbo does things with me too, and he LOVED the Santa Clause sucker, but seeing Wizard’s joy just doubles my happiness. Yeah, yeah, I know…too sappy right?

We also wrangled (begged) Special K to take some photos of us for a Christmas card with my phone. She was more than willing, and did her best. Wizard tries, but he hates posing, and once he hears a click, he moves. It’s like he’s going to make a break for it, LOL. It took more than 30 pictures (I counted!) but we got one that worked. The cards are all finished and waiting for me to pick them up–but it was a challenge. That’s all good. The bad part? Wizard got to my phone and deleted the hilarious outtakes knowing darn well I would have posted them. That’s what I get for talking away with my daughter in law and not paying attention to what the heck he was doing with my phone.

Yesterday, I ran a couple errands, made a batch of dairy free sugar cookie dough, wrapped presents, took an extra long hike with Maggie and then ran out of steam. I still wanted to cut and bake the sugar cookies and make another kind of cookie dough, but I think I’ll have to wait. No biggie, but I hate it when my energy doesn’t mate my to-do list. **Edited later last night: Cut and baked the cookies, they were tasteless. So those cookies are now history and so is the recipe. I hate the waste, but unfortunately, it happens when testing recipes.

Here’s a picture of Maggie on our hike yesterday to make up for the mean one I posted of her on Friday.

How was your weekend?

TGIF! And let’s leap right into sharing five random things about our week:

1. I think I’m going to give in and do Christmas cards I will order some because it reduces the strain on my shoulder and neck to limit the handwriting. I’m just annoyed that Wizard and I had year to get a picture and never did.  But I want to send out cards…or Wizard is trying to brainwash me into doing it, LOL! Maybe he whispers it while I sleep? I don’t mind.
2. I don’t WANT pictures of me. Especially right now. I fought some depression over writing, and guess what I did? Any guesses? I baked and ate. (Baking is fine, it’s the eating part that’s a problem!)
3. Interesting problem to have: I like working with fondant (for cake decorating), but don’t like eating cake with it. I personally find buttercream cakes more elegant and tasty, but fondant is a lot of fun. Wizard, however, likes fondant a lot. Different tastes.
4. I tried to take Maggie’s picture with Santa…it didn’t go well. She objected strenuously:
5. We’re going to see Turbo on Saturday. Wizard arranged it this time, which makes me very happy.

That’s my five, now I’d love to hear yours! Hope you have a great weekend!

P.S. we had a smidge of rain!

**Sorry this is late!** Here’s what I don’t understand, but maybe one of you know this. My scheduled post has been working fine for weeks. I set this post up as usual last night BEFORE a scheduled power outage that occurred overnight. Concurrently we also had an unplanned internet outage that was a separate event from the power outage. But I assume when I schedule a blog is goes to the host server and sits there until time to post, so power and internet outages on my end shouldn’t affect it . Am I wrong? Does anyone know? Oh and by the way, I checked and the post was scheduled correctly.

Okay onto my original post:

It’s weird not writing. Telling stories has been such a dominant part of my life and identity for decades. But the holidays are keeping me busy and distracted so I’m not really dwelling on it. I expect it to become more of an issue next year when life returns to more mundane routines.

In the meantime, the house is decorated, most of the presents are bought and I’m planning a small amount of baking. I’ve thought about Christmas cards, but I can’t seem to pull that one thing together. Wizard and I searched for a picture of the two of us together this year to order cards and can’t find a single one. We do have tons of pictures of Turbo and Maggie, LOL. In any case, I should do them. I love getting them

Yesterday, I did my first attempt at chocolate Santa sucker. It’s, um, a work in progress. If I can’t get find a way to get the colors neater, I can always do them in solid chocolate. Mostly I’m doing it for Turbo, who won’t really care. It’s probably be fine with my sloppy efforts  (Sorry for the slightly blurry picture)

So how’s your Wednesday going?

So I learned what NOT to do when I’m stressed–go to my little cake store. Whoa! So I was desperately trying to reach the pharmacy in the ongoing battle to get my Humira. The phones were down. They could answer, but couldn’t hear me, and would read off this canned response about trouble with the phone lines and to try back later. I must have tried a dozen times until I gave up for a while. I was so frustrated, I had to get out of the house and went to the cake store.

$105.00 dollars later, I came home.

Wizard hasn’t stopped laughing.  He finds this hilarious because his hobby is expensive so now he can tease me. And he is Plus he usually is the once “forced” to eat the cakes and treats I make, so it’s a win-win for him.

Anyhow, in my usual way of making everything harder than it has to be, I decided I wanted to make a white chocolate raspberry cake. This cake has raspberry cake/pie filling swirled in it and white chocolate chips added to the batter which makes it terrible for carving.

I did it anyway Cause, you know, who’s going to stop me??? This was all just for fun. I got to test the recipe (awesome!) and make, then permanently maim, a bear by forgetting to reattach the ear I cut off to reshape for a better fit the next morning.  I didn’t remember the ear until I was all finished with the entire cake and found the cake-ear sitting in my fridge.

Oops, LOL! I messed up a lot for this guy, but he was still a joy to make. Here’s his pic:

Otherwise, Youngest son came over Saturday to help Wizard put up the outdoor Christmas lights so we have now a little bit of Christmas spirit. He hung out for a few hours making Maggie one happy puppy.

Today Wizard and I are really, truly, for sure….probably….putting up the Christmas tree But I have most of my Christmas shopping done, so there’s that. Oh, and I’m going to my doctor’s office to see if I can get this mess with my Humira sorted out in person. The doctor’s office is convinced the authorization is for one year, but I finally got through to the pharmacy late Friday and they emailed me their copy of the authorization–it’s for six month. This miscommunication will either get cleared up or…

I’ll may end up the proud owner of an entire cake store.

Wish me luck!

How was your weekend?

TGIF! Time to dive into sharing five random things about our week.

1. As I’m typing this, Maggie is staring at me with a stern reminder that it’s past her designated “couch time.”  Usually around 8pm at night we let her on the couch and believe me, she knows when that time is. I’m typing fast, LOL.
2. I’m late getting to the blog because Wizard and I went out to a very nice dinner as a belated anniversary celebration. We both had a lovely glass of wine, steak and lobster and shared a key lime pie. It was delicious and we had a great time.
3. It’s also really nice that we can enjoy each others company even after all these years. I told Wizard I saw Yoko Ono in the restaurant. He looked around and said, “Oh yeah, I see her with her son Sean.” And we had an entire conversation about people that weren’t there just for fun. It was so random, but he played right along. (I thought of Yoko Ono because some woman in there was wearing glasses that reminded me of her.)
4. So for the last few weeks I’ve been struggling to get my Humira. I’m now late for my next injection and getting ping ponged between the doctors and the pharmacy trying to sort out a problem with the authorization from my medical group that I literally have zero control over. Yesterday afternoon, my doctors office called and I think we know where the problem is. But when I tried to call the specialty pharmacy they weren’t answering. I tried for 90 minutes. I’ll tackle it again today. I haven’t had an issue like this in years, and it’s so frustrating because I’ve been stable and very fortunate due to excellent care and meds. A snafu like this could send me into a full blown flare up. The memories of the days when I could barely walk, and trying to turn a door knob was a major challenge is not something I want to relieve because of some miscommunication that I have no control over.  Okay, I’m done whining. I know I’ll get it sorted out and be fine.
5. I’m not sure what I’m doing this weekend–probably decorating the house and I’m planning a cake to do just for fun. Maybe a 2D bear with a Santa hat. I’m seriously keeping my stress level low while waiting to get my meds.

That’s my five, now I’d love to hear yours! I hope everyone has a good weekend!

I’m reading my own book. I don’t usually do that, but I wanted to read through the Savaged Illusions Trilogy as a whole. Now that I have some distance, I thought it might be interesting. I’m about half way through and don’t hate it. Since I’m not writing at the moment, reading my own work isn’t making me as crazed as it would if I was writing. Then the urge to edit and revise would drive me batty in my own uniquely obsessive way. Right now, though, I’m just seeing if I accomplished what I set out to do.

So far, I’d say yes with the caveat that I could have done a few things better

I’ve also listened to two audio books: The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews which was enjoyable enough and Leverage in Death by JD Robb, which I liked. Both the books were sort of background noise as I worked in the kitchen and did assorted chores. I mention that because I often choose books that I like but won’t lose track of if my attention wanders for a couple minutes.

And a random observation here: I hate, and I meant LOATHE music in audio books. I don’t know why, I’m sure it’s one of my weird quirks. Sometimes, books will add music at the beginning and end of chapters, and I’m not a fan.  It’s weird because I can play my own music full blast and that’s cool. But in an audiobook? Like nails on a chalkboard.

Even more random thought: Is “Like nails on a chalkboard still a saying since no one uses chalkboards anymore???

Olay, your turn: What are you reading or listening to?