let's hope the rest of the year goes as it started

we had fireworks and splashing champagne, games and good food

my year was amazing

concerts and cruises, trade shows and cons. Road trips and rodeos. I had good friends, visits with family, and beautiful puppies

life pretty much rocks

once in awhile

things go incredibly right.

It was a Christmas of cookies and puppies, of playing games (Oh, y'all, I got this PBR bullrider tiddly winks game, where you fling bullriders off bulls' backs) and sitting around eating until I was so full I thought I'd burst.

Christmas eve we made a big old quadruple batch of cookie dough, then handed out the chips. Cappucino and chocolate, cherry chips and peppermint, white chocolate and peanut butter. We had toffee bits and caramel bits, nuts and maraschino cherries. Everyone made a batch of whatever struck their fancy, and man, the Bird hubby made some amazing combinations.

We went out to look at Christmas lights and there was a yard that was all done up *and* the lights flashed in time to an all Christmas radio station that you could tune to... Dude, he wins

Christmas morning there were presents and coffee, and I got magnetic poetry in romance, western and mystery. Now when I'm stuck for a story, I can go make random messes until something strikes. We had eggs and sausage and lazed about and just played. We had to make a late night run to the store, and it made me laugh and think about Robert Earl Keen (listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE4sg1ygTqg ) Hell, that whole song could be us...

All in all, it was the best Christmas in years ;) Happy New Year, y'all

rage, cookies, etc etc

I have a lot of rage lately. Not of the specific kind, just of the I hate the politics in the world way. Suffice to say, I think some folks have been very shabbily treated of late, by an organization that touts itself as promoting the one thing they mostly run down, and I figure at least one author deserves a serious apology...

bah

not to mention the spin expert who always makes it seem like someone sent an engraved invitation to do some amazing thing when it was the spin expert who made the call and asked to do it, then mis-represented...

Sigh

My problem is I hate games. I admit, I get defensive at the drop of a hat these days, because it seems like there's an agenda or not so well hidden criticism behind everything. There always seems to be, if not someone better at it than I am, then someone who is better at making other folks believe it, and it just makes my head throb.

On the good side, we made time for cookies last night. Peanut butter kiss cookies and snickerdoodles. Oh, y'all. Both so good

So, I guess I just need to get back to doing what I do and ignore what other people are saying/doing/acting like they do...

grins

rage

lalala

o.O

have edited 200000 words in 4 days...

have written 3000 ;)

have deadlines. Send coffee

we made rum balls and coffee balls to ship out yesterday. Today we will make more rum balls for the boy...

Man, I'm tired

Holdiay cookies

We've made m&m cookies and oatmeal raisin cinnamon chip. So far, so good.

Tonight we're making golden nuggets. They're in the oven now. This was my mom's favorite cookie that's kind of a candy, and I pulled out her yellowed old recipe card, neatly typed on an army typewriter. I haven't made them since she died, because only she and I liked them (I'm testing them out on the bird family). I got a little verklempt, but it also made me happy as hell just to share. They smell good already, and I can't wait to see if they come out like I remember.

My dad's favorites were always chocolate. It's funny, because he likes the chocolate chip cookies, the peanut butter bon bons and the fudge. Mom liked the oatmeal and the golden nuggets and the snickerdoodles. She was such a guy ;)

As far as I remember, the golden nuggets were one of Grandma Schrader's war rationing recipes, because it's all brown sugar and eggs and oil, not butter or white sugar.

So. Golden Nuggets

4 eggs
2 1/2 c brown sugar
1 cup oil
1 1/2 c flour
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 c nuts

Beat eggs well. Add in brown sugar and stir well. Add oil. Sift flour and salt together and add in. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Makes 2 13X9 pans (batter needs to be spread thinly) Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown. Sift powdered sugar over top while still warm.

adventures in holiday cooking

Shawn and I did Thanksgiving at her daddy's.

Grins. We made baked beans and squash casserole, sweet potatoes and layer salad. 3 pumpkin pies and a pecan pie. we did not set anything on fire, and her daddy did the ham out on the grill so the turkey could have the oven...

It was all yummy, and it all went fast

My dad went to the bros, and he said all went well, despite the SIL leaving the plastic on the turkey o.O

We have a list of cookies to make that's a mile long, but we figure on doing one a day...

keep an eye out for disasters and successes