Sunday morning...

Good morning - I tried a different cookie recipe today (basically a variation on shortbread with lots of butter) and had a time getting it out of the cookie cutters in one piece. The cookies taste good, though, and I plan to decorate them with yummy frosting. I have lots of cooking to do today after morning church. At least it will be warm church this week as the power got back on there on Friday. Last week I kept warm under a flannel quilt in the pew.

I got my package of Elann sock yarn yesterday (Pack #3) and it looks good. After wearing my knit socks when the power was out I resolved to make more for DH and myself. Maybe I will even measure the feet of my DSs when they are here today - though those socks will be a lot bigger than ours. The older one has my dad's body but the younger is his dad but with bigger feet and hands.

I have to get going on baby sweaters when the holiday is over so that the twins don't grow out of them before they are done. I have one of the two done up to half of the second sleeve but haven't started the other. There are three other projects waiting.

I got a Joanne's gift card as a present on finishing my term on an environmental foundation board and spent it on some really nice multicolored Paton's classic merino which is intended to become a felted bag for me. Maybe a booga bag - something like it anyway. I think that will be my NYCO for 2007. I can at least get it cast on while I watch the Rose Bowl game.

My fervent hope is that folks in power will wise up and seek better ways to solve problems this year. I am always reminded of the old hippie era saying that can't be fully repeated here but which begins " Fighting for peace is like ......." Those of you of a certain age can probably finish it.

Probably too late for this batch, but next time try dipping the cookie cutters in powdered sugar, or even corn starch, before you cut a cookie. Same principle as flouring the fork before you squash peanut butter cookies (which I don't do, I just blob out the dough and let it do what it wants in the oven)!

I have banana-bran muffins in the oven at the moment as they're the lowest-temp baking I have to do today. I have one more pan of those, then I'll bump the temp up and get started on the cookies - dough for which I made yesterday. I have cold rainy weather but I'm going to cook the meat outside to save me the nice greasy film all over the kitchen - 3# of bacon and 3# of sausage will make for loads of grease if I do it indoors!

I have the boy picking grapes from the stems and cutting them in half for the fruit salad, I can put that together in its entirety today except for the bananas.

Oh, my dear! I would rather you than me! I came home to a total disaster. Keith had scrubbed the floors, but done nothing else. There was no visible counter space and I have 32 feet of counter space! There is nowhere to sit in the living room, and the coffee table is also piled high with crap. The steps getting into the house were like a luge run, and I haven't stopped working since I got home. We have been invited out for Christmas dinner, and we are going! I hope to have some semblance of order here before I go to church tonight.

Higs, Katherine

Next time, try chilling the dough overnight before cutting.

At least it will be warm church this

That was a smart move!

Wow, that was quick! Were you expecting it before Christmas?

You sound like a typical knitter!

Sounds lovely!

I can, but I am not sure if George Carlin belongs on this ng.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Higs, Katherine

Sounds like Meemaw's when I went to clean yesterday. She's a typical old lady with lots of dustables, all of which must be on display all the time. In anticipation of me coming to clean she'd been letting things go, and damn! if I didn't spend 3x longer there yesterday than I intended! She's got carpet in the whole house, but there's no vacuuming permitted until all the dusting is done. Even with small boy on the job it took me an hour to dust, an hour to vacuum, and an hour to clean the bathrooms (don't ask me how one woman manages to get two bathrooms filthy in two weeks!).

And I have to do it all again Tuesday morning. Ugh!

Greeting Wooly,

I sat around and have several projects started, then my Tammy my oldest child just purchased yarn so Dad can make her and her friend scarves.

I am working on socks for Ava, an afghan for a baby girl at church and two adult size afghans for friends as gifts.

Will I ever get time to knit or crochet for Gail or myself, :) I love it. It keeps me busy!

I have to start posting projects more often. I always have several projects a month completed.

Hugs & God bless, Dennis

Blimey!!! You are one busy lad Dennis:))

Oh, my house is clean - Keith scrubbed everything to within an inch of its life, and most of the dustables are dusted. There is just so much clutter around that I can't believe it! Almost finished now.

Higs, Katherine