I hope everyone is staying warm and at least has control of Christmas in their sights. Surprisingly enough, we're almost there. One more trip to the stores tomorrow and we're done. Part of it is retirement, the other is that we knew we were having company today for the game, so I wanted the house decorated and it became the quasi drop dead date for everything else. We're really only buying gifts for the grand kids and grandniece. Unless there's a special request our kids prefer gift cards or outright cash. My hands and arms are still bothering me, so hand made gifts were severely restricted. In fact there's only one. Daughter #4 lost her scarf and asked me to make her a replacement. Since she asked I really wanted to get it made. I made no promises, though. I knew I couldn't complete a scarf, but I made the Chunky Button-up Neck Warmer. It only had 40 rows but it took me three weeks. I've started Nik's Republic Hat, but if I don't get it finished I'm not going to stress it. I still need buttons for the neck warmer, so no pics just yet.

But I have been making candy. Back in the dark ages (the early seventies!) I was a Senior Girl Scout. We made hard candy and a peanut butter flavored candy every year as a fund raiser. In early October we'd meet for an all-day candy making marathon. A couple of Saturdays ago, I awakened with the idea that I really wanted to make this candy. I found the recipes easily on the Internet. A trip to the cupboards revealed I had everything necessary except a thermometer that measured in excess of 300 degrees. A couple of trips to the stores I had it. I've made almost 13 pounds of the hard candy so far and a batch of the peanut butter. Harold likes the flavored candy but has commandeered the peanut butter.

It tastes just as I remembered it, but it also brought back memories of the camaraderie and just plain fun we had. I've lost track of all those girls but I wonder if any of them make it now. With all the disclaimers you'd need now, I don't know if making it is even possible. Baby boomers have taken the fun out of everything!

Here's a shot of the flavored candy. Harold didn't leave enough of the peanut butter candy to take a shot. I'm making more tomorrow and will get a shot then. It's easy and takes maybe 90 minutes from start to finish.




I haven't posted because I couldn't find my camera and I refused to have another pictureless post! When the painters were here things got displaced. Yesterday I made it a priority to find it. The painters were great, it took them just one day and it looks great. Sometimes it pays to bite the bullet and just write the check.

My mother didn't get here after all. I had her room ready and everything. The week after Thanksgiving she decided she was ready to go home so my sister, brother and brother-in-law took her home. She sounds much happier at home than she did here. I wonder what that's about??

TTYL,

Melodye