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loafing
November 30, 2015

Wednesday night, we ran a few errands and had a burger at Charcoal Grill. Interesting sight: somebody nice took a bunch of Mormon missionaries out for dinner--they were at the next table.


Thursday was warm, but pouring rain. I got up and made cinnamon rolls and coffee for a light breakfast, then called my dad for a nice chat before getting ready to go out.

We had our 12:00 brunch at the Pfister with Niece, and gave her the heated throw we bought her. She was quite happy with both, I think. When we got home, she left right away to meet friends for door-busting. Her competitive nature and her tightwad habits make that a sweet sport for her, and she had her eye on a certain television she wanted for herself. Spouse had told her about the kind of deals he can get on a heated winter jacket through his work, and Niece decided that she would love to get one for Christmas. So Spouse will get her that if he can snag one before they are all gone, as her special "godfather gift". I am getting her a Costco membership, and probably will get the same for Nephew, plus I want to get him and his wife NICE rollerball pens. They aren't the fountain pen type, but that's no reason they can't have a really good writing experience. Especially Nephew, as he is a leftie.

Brunch was quite lovely, although I goofed up. I persuaded myself to have a go at an oyster on the half-shell, immediately regretted it, and continued to regret it, because I think that was what gave me an upset stomach for the rest of Thursday and Friday. Not horrible, but I felt pretty icky. After Niece left, I went to bed for a nap. Spouse snacked for dinner, but I refrained from eating anything, because I felt so squicky.
Friday, we took it easy in the morning, and although I really wasn't feeling it, Spouse made me breakfast--bacon, eggs, and toast. I didn't want him to feel bad, so I ate. I did the dishes, laundry, and a few other things around the house, and once it was reasonably safe to venture out into the world, we got cleaned up and did some shopping. Went to Menard's for some stuff we needed for the floor (more on that to come), filled the car at Costco, hit the Meijer and scored a great deal on some new underwear for Spouse (buy a seven-pack, get another one for a dollar!) and grabbed a few other things for the week ahead. Once we got home and had everything put away, I finished the wash and retired to bed for another long and somewhat restorative nap. We'd picked up a cheese take-n-bake pizza at the store, and had that for dinner. Spouse doctored his side with ham and pineapple (ugh. shudder! never been one for Hawaiian pizza, myself) and I stuck with plain cheese. I'd picked myself up a mini pumpkin pie, so I had a sliver of that for dessert.

Not an exciting day, but rather more productive than I'd expected, once Spouse told me that his back hurt to much to put the floor in this weekend. He slipped on the ice when we had our snowstorm last week, and wrenched his back, and it was troubling him too much to try and tackle that project. I told him it was fine. Although I want it done, it really was okay with me, because I am fighting some shoulder pain of my own, and because I really hadn't wanted to do it on the holiday weekend anyway.

BUT. There is only so much time in which to fit all my holiday goodie-making, and I'd cleared this weekend for flooring, so I had to shuffle the old schedule a bit and fill in the gaps. LST: I spent the rest of the weekend in the kitchen.
On Saturday morning, we got up once it was light out and went on a poo-hunt, getting the backyard tidied. I came in and got cleaned up, then made Spouse and myself a simple breakfast--grits! He had his like hot cereal, but I soft-boiled a couple of eggs to go with mine. With some toast, that make a good, substantial breakfast.

One that was out of the way, really got rolling. I made six and a half dozen peanut clusters and a loaf of banana bread. I had all that done by noon, so I was trying to figure out what I wanted to make next. I asked Spouse if he had any special requests, and he had a couple. Both of which, unfortunately, contained almond flour: Raspberry Linzer, and Almond Crescents. I explained that the first would take more time than I had to give, with the chilling and rolling and cutting, so the crescents were a better bet for Saturday afternoon--if he was willing to go get almond flour. He was, so I sent him to Festival, since they have an extensive gluten-free dept and were most likely to have the stuff. While he was gone, I whizzed around and softened my butter in the still-warm oven, got out the Kitchenaid, and printed out the recipe. And fortified myself with a supplementary cup of coffee!

He was abe to get what he was looking for, and came home to report that in addition to the almond flour, he'd gotten country-style ribs and baking potatoes for dinner, and made a sizable food donation to the local pantry, because they were having great deals on canned and boxed goods. I was glad he did--he's pretty good about siezing those moments without being prompted.

He stretched out on his bed to rest his back and stay out of my way, and I got to work making the almond crescents. I'd never made them before, but they were really dead-easy. The recipe I found was very simple, and came together very quickly. It scooped and shaped beautifully, baked up like a dream, and tasted amazing, too! They take quite a while to bake, but the results were most satisfactory. After they cooled, I gave them a light dusting of powdered sugar, as per request, and Spouse was quite taken with them.

I think he really enjoys it when I make something special just for him. He hesitates to ask, because he can't get over the notion that asking me to bake is an impostition. And many hears ago, it really was. I didn't have good tools, or a decent kitchen, and it was a huge pain. Not that everything is perfect now, but over the years I've developed a baking routine that maximizes my available space, and I have good pans, parchment paper, the Kitchenaid, and good-quality hand tools that make it all much easier--and give better results. When you have all that, baking is not a chore--it's FUN! But if he chooses to feel that I took a lot of trouble over it just to make him happy--well, fine. ;)

Once I had the cookies done and the kitchen cleaned up, I was done baking for the day. Spouse needed the kitchen to make dinner, and I was a wee bit tired, anyway, since I'd worked hard and skipped my nap. He a simple dinner of bakers and country-style ribs in the oven, with some green beans and Hawaiian rolls. Delicious, actually! I cleaned up, and by the time I was done, I was pretty sick of doing dishes. That's really the worst of baking--the cleaning up.

I'd not been out of the house all day, so I was tired, but feeling pretty good! Nothing helps my mood like a day where I don't have to face the world, and can spend the whole day having fun--yet still feel I was productive.
And I enjoyed it so much that I did it again on Sunday! I made a loaf of date-nut bread to freeze and ship out in my dad's goodie box, since he doesn't really do fruitcake. And I made my dark fruitcake. That was it, because I wanted a nap, and because those are two very time- consuming loaves.

Dinner was an easy one--we'd picked up a box Crazy Cuisine Mandarin Orange Chicken at Costco a couple weeks ago, so we had that over basmati rice, and a salad. Super simple, and surprisingly yummy. Also super flavorful, but they don't load their orange chicken up with hot pepper, so I can actually enjoy it without dying.

Another perfect day! (If I get to bake, and don't have to leave the house, it's a perfect day.) I spent the evening relaxing, doing some Christmas shopping for Spouse, and doing my morning prep, then hit the sack to rest up for the week ahead.

All in all, not the best weekend, but certainly not the worst. And it did wonderful things for my mood; which is reason enough to be thankful. I think last week's episode was just a blip. Hope so, anyway.





Reading: "Under the Country Sky" (1916), by Grace Smith Richmond. I've read it before, but I came across it the other day, started reading, and found I was enjoying it, so I just rolled with it. Needed a break from my Ruth Fielding Re-Read-athon.

Listening: Just cycling through everything I have loaded on my thumbdrive. I'll probably start working on loading one up with my Christmas music collection this week.

Inked Up: Inked Up: The Delta Serena broad nib, with Waterman Tender Purple. I know--but I filled it, so now I have to use it. TBH, I didn't pick up a pen all weekend. Only time for one passion at the moment, I'm afraid--and baking wins.

recede - proceed

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