Nov 18, 2011 |
So last night was yet another venture into the otherworld known as Midnight Movie Premiere. That’s a story all its own.
We rode down with one group of friends to a movie theatre just over a half-hour away. We met up with another friend and decided to ride with her on the way back.
Poor Baylee! I think I kept intimidating her with my Back-Seat Driver impersonations: “Oh, Baylee, you’re a great driver, but please don’t tailgate.” (We were a good four car lengths behind any other vehicle.) “I hate driving in the fog, Baylee. I hate it!” (Visibility was at least a half mile or more, so we were fine.) After that, I did it to tease her just ‘cuz I could. “Baylee, you’re swerving.” “Baylee, look out.” “Baylee, do you want me to shut up now?”
Now, I’ve made this drive probably thousands of times over the last 20+ years. I went to University in that area. My brother used to live 3 miles away from the theatre. I can navigate these roads and the freeway without even thinking…
Unless I’ve been awake for more than 21 hours. Unless there’s a bit of fog and lot of conversation to distract me.
Get where I’m going with this? I navigated us about 20 minutes too far east. “It’s coming up. I know this road. We’re on the 210 East, so we’ll meet up with the 15 North any second now.” “Yup, any second now.” “Anyyy second noww…”
We realized we’d gone too far when we finally saw the sign proudly announcing we weren’t that far from Palm Springs. Uhm, yeah. I’ve navigated us wayyy too east. Time to backtrack.
Baylee good-naturedly made the U-turn and soon (soon is a relative term here, as we should have already been home by now) we found our way back to known territory heading north.
Baylee gave an audible sigh and said, “I’m so embarrassed.”
“Why?” I gasped. “You’re not the one who sent us so far off the beaten trek.”
“No, it’s not that,” she offered. “You’re fine. This has been a great drive. I love driving.”
“Then what??”
She sighed again just as we merged with the 15 North.
“Every time I make the drive home, other people get to head to Ontario down the Hill. I have to follow the signs leading to Barstow.”
Nov 18, 2011 |
I originally posted this last week but am thrilled to announce that right now it’s being featured at BlogHer.com. You can check it out on their website by clicking here.
Rita Arens, one of the Money Editors on BlogHer.com, has been extremely helpful and communicative. I must say, this is not what I expected. I honestly expected BlogHer to be a website where contributors posted our own links and hoped with fingers crossed that some other blogger might find our post interesting enough to leave a comment.
I didn’t really expect to be featured so soon, and I didn’t expect the response to being featured. In the first two hours, the BlogHer post has received over 600 readers, been shared on twitter and facebook, and, yes, commented on.
I. Think. I. Have. Arrived.
And it wasn’t even my best writing. So, wow.
Just. Wow.
And Frankly, My Dear… That’s All She Wrote.
Nov 18, 2011 |
1. Movies will never be as good as books.
2. Friends are as important as family.
3. There’s more to life than a paycheck, or lack thereof.
4. However, a paycheck can make life a little easier.
5. God is in control. Always.
6. God may not provide in the way I want, but always in the way I need.
7. Some of my most important friends are the ones I haven’t physically met yet.
8. It’s always colder in winter. This should not be news.
9. Laptop chargers are awesome.
10. Social media should not be a place to publicly vent a private matter.
11. Books are best in hardcopy.
12. Deep red is one of the best colors ever.
13. Classical music will never go out of style.
14. Christmas Spirit should be year-round. Christmas decorating, apparently, should not.
15. Thanksgiving is an attitude, not a day.
16. I may not be perfect; but I’m the perfect Me at this moment in time.
17. Chocolate covered orange jellies are bliss.
18. Crescent rolls are very versatile.
19. Midnight movie premieres are incredibly fun.
20. The morning after… notsomuch.
21. Blogging is a job.
22. Sometimes this job doesn’t pay enough.
23. Sometimes this job pays bonuses.
24. My child will always be my child, no matter how old she gets.
25. My mommy will always be my mommy, no matter how old I get.
Nov 17, 2011 |
Here’s another great Christmas cookie recipe from my mom. These were always my favorite; even now I still can never get enough.
I haven’t made them yet this year, so there’s no photos on the blog. But trust me. As soon as I make them, I’ll photograph their melty gooey yumminess for all to see.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2-1/2 cup sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup small gumdrops, sliced (don’t use black)
DIRECTIONS:
Thoroughly cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat in egg.
Sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Gradually stir into creamed mixture; mix well.
Shape dough into roll 2″ in diameter x 12″ long. Wrap in wax paper, chill several hours or overnight.
Cut 1/4-inch thick slices. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate tops with gumdrop slices.
Bake at 350 for approximately 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cool slightly before removing from pan.
Makes approximately 4 dozen.
This recipe has been entered in the 2011 Holiday Recipe Exchange. “Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by OXO.”
Nov 17, 2011 |
These were my Dad’s favorite cookies at Christmas. I haven’t made them yet this year, so don’t have any photos for my blog. Again, operative word being yet.
These are like little mini fruitcakes that go great with coffee, tea, egg nog, milk, mulled wine, cider, hot chocolate… pretty much any holiday beverage you prefer.
They’re great to give as gifts, store well in cookie jars and air-tight canisters. They also travel/ship well for those out-of-town travelers and Care Packages.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1-1/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup finely snipped dates
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
Halved candied cherries (to top cookies with)
DIRECTIONS:
Cream butter, sugar, and eggs until fluffy. Stir in sour cream.
Sift together flour, cinnamon, soda, salt, cloves. Stir into creamed mix.
Mix in oats, pecans, dates, raisins and chopped cherries.
Drop from spoon 2″ apart onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Top each with halved cherry.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
Cool on rack.
Makes approximately 5 dozen.
This recipe has been entered in the 2011 Holiday Recipe Exchange. “Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by OXO.”
