Can You Hear Me Now?

After my mixer died on Tuesday, I made another pan of fudge instead. I figured out a way to anchor the pot and scoop the hot fudge into the pan with my one good hand and not make too much of a goopy mess, and realized that with a little patience, almost anything is possible. Then I wrapped the rest of my presents and got that out of the way. Wednesday morning my mom came by to drop off my brother’s presents (he won’t be joining us for Christmas but I was seeing him Thursday) and leant me her mixer. Woot! I took my partially mixed shortbread batter out of the fridge and let it soften while I went to the Olive Garden (I just don’t go there nearly enough) for lunch with my friends Paul and Connie and their adorable 4 year old daughter Kaylee.

That night I finished up baking my shortbread cookies. I only made a couple batches (as opposed to my usual 5 to 10, give or take) but I do have more butter should I decide to make more later. I won’t see my chiropractor until the week of January 9, so I can make his for then!

On Thursday I continued the baking mess in the kitchen and made one pan of shortbread squares, similar to the cookies, but thicker, topped with chocolate chips and baked in a cake pan. I let them cool and figured I’d leave them for my brother to cut into squares later, because that part is a little hard for me. So I made another pan of fudge in the meantime.

Knowing this would probably be the last chance to see my brother before his birthday as well (December 29), I ventured out to Wal-Mart ONE LAST TIME to buy him some DVDs and a card. I made it out alive, came home, and crashed. I was finished.

Darren showed up around 6:30 or 7:00 and I immediately led him into the kitchen to cut up the shortbread squares. They didn’t cut very well, and I ended up with a cereal bowl full of shortbread chunks and chocolate chips which Darren happily ate with a spoon and suggested I add milk and call Kellogg’s.

I went to unload my dishwasher and NONE of my dishes had come clean. The day before I blamed it on the gel tabs I was using, so I bought different stuff and ran it again. It was the same thing, the soap didn’t dissolve and none of my dishes were clean. Time to call maintenance. Between a dishwasher full of dirty dishes and all my bowls, pots, pans, spoons and measuring cups from baking (not to mention flour all over everything), my kitchen was a mess. Darren took care of it all…. He washed ALL the dishes and cleaned my kitchen. What a Godsend. There was no way I would have been able to do it before next week!

He was rewarded with pizza and a screening of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. I think that’s fair.

I had to get up early for work so I was in bed by 10:30. Darren slept on the couch and was up before me on his day off! My client’s office manager Melanie picked me up shortly after 8:00 a.m. and after a quick stop at Tim Horton’s for coffee and muffins, we went to work. This client usually gives me a gift certificate or something for Christmas, but this week he was so busy running his ass off (training a new guy, among other stuff) that he just handed me an envelope with $50 in it. I’ll take it! He said he stopped at Olive Garden earlier to get me a certificate, but they weren’t open yet. Heh.

Tonight I am relaxing and separating my baking into tins for giving away to the privileged few who get it this year (AH just stopped by to get his), brewing some colloidal silver for Lisa, recharging my toothbrush and watching Clerks. (It’s been years!)

Tomorrow I head to Lisa’s for the Big Italian Family Christmas once again. I can’t wait!! Then it’s off to my mom and Stepdad’s Christmas morning for a much quieter day and evening, just us and a friend of my mom’s. I’ll spend the night and be home sometime Monday, 20 pounds heavier.

So with that, I wish everyone reading the happiest Christmas possible! If you don’t celebrate Christmas, enjoy the weekend in whatever way you may do so. Have fun, be safe, and spread the love!