Caught in the Act

And they say cheaters never prosper, well, I managed to score, but was caught in the act.

It's all about cookies.

Last summer I bought a package of cookies from Walmart. They were pricier than most, but were baked fresh in the store and looked tasty. Of the many flavors offered I chose the salted caramel chocolate chip, which became a family favorite, a treat I often picked up for my son.

Occasionally, I bought a package for myself,  with the intention of sharing.

My brother likes sweets as do I, a trait we inherited from our father. Because his wife, (and we love her despite this strange quirk), doesn't like sweet treats, I often baked for him before we met for lunch. I figured, since he drove across the city to meet me at a half way point between our homes, he deserved having something to nibble on for the drive home. You know, in case he got stuck in rush hour traffic.

Back to cookies. I don't bake as often anymore, so when I purchased these very delicious cookies, I filled a container and gave them to him.

I got an e-mail that night, asking where I bought the cookies, did I bake them? The cookies were as big a hit with him as they were with my family. But the big surprise was when he went to have another, he found crumbs. Lo and behold, we had finally discovered a sweet that his wife couldn't resist. Which only proves that she is human after all. Just joking.

Oh yeah, cookies and cheating.

As a last minute Christmas gift, before we were meeting for lunch, I purchased a container of these cookies, for my sister-in-law, and some prize winning butter tarts from a local bakery for my brother.
But the night before we were to meet I had a sugar craving, and the cookies were sitting there on the counter, begging me to do a taste test.

So, thinking of others, I unselfishly decided I had better check out the quality of these cookies before gifting them. Selecting a couple at random, I conducted a taste test and found this batch to be worthy of my sister-in-law and wrapped the remainder in a clear bag.

We did our gift exchange and imagine my embarrassment when I opened a gift to find a package of our now favorite cookies. Obviously I got the whole container and had to confess I'd opened theirs and sampled.

Caught, with crumbs on my face. I did the right thing and tried to trade the full container for the bag of cookies, but she would have no part of it.

How was I to know that they had become regulars of the salted caramel?

It was a lesson learned. If you're going to share such a find as this, be prepared that others will adopt it as their own. And thereby know how it comes, the package and the number.

They understood, as these cookies are simply too good to resist. 

Christmas, Over for Another Year

I, for one, am glad to have the holidays over, or at least the Christmas portion of it. There is too much tension surrounding this holiday and it always seems a relief to have it over.

We celebrate our family gathering off the actual holiday day, as it makes it less stressful and reduces that push and pull you get from family. With my two kids married, they have familial obligations with their in-laws, and in some cases, a second separate set of in-laws.

A number of years ago, with my separation and divorce, the kids might have felt torn, felt they had to choose one parent over the other. As I worked weekends and holidays it was an easy solution for me to volunteer to work Christmas, to make New Year's our special holiday, and let the kids go to their grandparents' place as had been the norm before the divorce.

Moving ahead, same kind of scenario, the kids had to juggle the holidays with exes of their own. It works, with the parents coordinating schedules so we could have all the kids together at the same time. It took some quick talk and careful planning.

Aren't they lucky that I am so flexible. Tell me where and when is my attitude.

I think Christmas is so much more than just Christmas Day. I like to do a month's worth of celebration. When my kids were small we did the parade, breakfast with Santa at the dept. store, the party at the library and of course, dinner at Swiss Chalet with the free chocolate. It was Chinese dinner for New Year's.

This year I did 'Purses for Sisters' with 2 of my granddaughters. This is a charity event for women, homeless and in a shelter. We shopped to fill a couple of purses with much needed items and the township distributes them to those in need. We delivered the purses to a drop off location that just happened to be a deli, and had a nice lunch while we were there.

We all need those feel good moments, knowing we've helped others less fortunate than ourselves. And it was nice to see the girls so enthusiastic to help.

Celebrate the small things, make the holiday special. Like putting up the tree, decorating the house, wrapping gifts and of course, baking. The holidays are more than big dressy parties, large gatherings and gifts. The holidays are about those special moments shared and remembered.

The holidays are what you make of it, so make it count.

Navy is the New Black

The other day I was out shopping and as I walked to the store in the bright sunlight I noticed that my T-shirt was navy and my fleece jacket was black. I thought I had selected a black T out of my pile of black T's but guess what...it was navy.

This happened to me once before, but was more distressing as it was a dressy occasion. I had on my beautiful soft gold jacket, one of those fooler things where the top underneath was attached. It was creme colored and designed to look like a vest. There was decorative braiding with pewter colored studs. It was one of my favorite jackets.

That day I had worn it with what I thought were my dress black slacks, which turned out to be navy. I was self conscious of it the whole evening though I don't know if anyone else noticed in the soft lights.

The same thing happened to a friend of mine, so I was glad it isn't just me.

From mow on I'm going to have to separate my navy from my black, or quit wearing navy altogether. No way will I ever give up black.

I guess I need to institute a window test. That's standing in the bright light from outside to determine whether what I've chosen is really black or the navy. I'll have to find a substitute light if the day is dark, dreary or deep into the night.

And people wonder why I wear so much black. But, have you noticed how many shades of black there are? Sometimes you have to match the blacks. What a conundrum.

This is one of the reasons I wear denim, other than the comfort and ease, is denim matches everything.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

I like a white Christmas as much as the next guy, but I prefer it not snow until I've completed all my holiday shopping. Then as nice as it is to see the snow on the actual holiday, I hope it holds off until people can get to their destinations safe and sound.

So we've had a lot of snow, and I am once again without boots. Or running shoes, or anything that could be deemed winter footwear.

I wear a plain pair of black crocs as I find them the easiest and most comfortable. If it rains, or like now, snows, my feet get wet.

I actually had thought ahead and ordered this neat pair of boots on line, for $20. I was willing to chance it as they were on sale and looked great. They came, as advertised, but were too small. My granddaughter liked them, and they fit her so all was well.

I dug around in my closet and found 6 pairs of sandals and one pair of leather backless shoes but with too much of a heel. Then I came across a pair of black suede moccasins. I wore them one day and found my toes cramped. They went to the same granddaughter and I am again bootless.

If I get out shopping it will be to buy boots or a sturdy pair of running shoes, and a small shovel to clear the path to the car door. I'm tired of my feet being cold and wet. Good thing the path to the road and the circle drive are shoveled and plowed, but the space between cars is never done, hence the need for a shovel.

I better get out this week, but first I'll check the weather forecast. It might be calling for freash snow and I have nothing to wear. Typical woman's complaint I know.

Here's wishing you all a happy and healthy holiday season.

"Good Morning"

I was watching television the other day and there was an orange juice commercial on and I recognized the music, a cherry song singing Good Morning".

It struck me that a good percentage of viewers might not recognize the music, or know of the movie from which it came.

"Singing in the Rain" made in 1952 was a musical starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor. You may not be familiar with the movie, but I bet you've seen bits and pieces, remakes etc of one of the most famous musical numbers ever made.

That scene..."Singing in the Rain" is well known, and deserves every accolade its received.

Here is a clip from the movie, another musical number with the three stars, singing you a Good Morning.

Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB2yiIoEtXw

Love a Duck

I love making new traditions, and have started a number in the last few years. One that is fun is the joke gift.

The first was an outhouse, occupied with a singing outdoorsman that just had to go to my son. I can't remember the song, but it made everyone laugh. I loved the detail, like the roll of toilet paper hanging outside the door.

The next year it was a Lego type Zamboni, in a 109 pieces, but the best was it had the Toronto Maple Leafs logo on the side. This went to my son-in-law, one of their most die hard fans.

Last year it was a very pretty frame, for selfie pictures, with the title Queen of Selfies in pink, and when you shook it, there was a flutter of sparkles. Perfect for my granddaughter.

About July or August, my nine year old granddaughter starts asking who is getting the joke gift. I always give her the same answer. "I don't know until I see it."

As she is the most ardent of fans for this new tradition, I had to give her the joke gift this year. But what?

Somehow, in conversation, I found out that a duck is her favorite animal. Really, a duck!

It has been the root of many other jokes since that time. When she got her new winter coat, purple in color, I said I would make her a duck hat, but it had to be purple to match. I did make the hat, but it was bright yellow, and she loved it.

When I saw a soft velour house coat, in bright yellow, with a duck head hood, I knew I had my joke gift.

Yesterday we had a family gathering for Christmas and she was given her 'joke' gift and she loved it. The other tradition I started a few years ago was the making of one item, crocheted, for every member. It was hats the first year, then slippers, hats and mitts and last year socks. So what to do this year.

I decided to surprise everyone by making them stuffed animals, and they were delighted. Now I have to think what to do next year, whatever it is is x 13, so I have my work cut out for me.