Due to ever-increasing visitor loads, the server that hosts this blog (and a few others) is no longer able to keep up. Coincidentally, our router is failing. And we’re dealing with snow and ice in Portland, which could easily lead to prolonged power outages.

A new, more powerful server is on order for the new year, and a new router should be installed in the next two days. Meanwhile, don’t be surprised if we’re offline from time to time in the next couple weeks!

“To be nobody but myself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting.” -ee cummings, poet (1894-1962)

Just read the best book with the kids — “Snowflake Bentley,” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrations (woodcuts painted with watercolors) by Mary Azarian (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998).
Of course I can’t put an Amazon pic for you, because my husband just reformatted my HTML or something and I just deleted an old post, trying to edit this post. Yeah, I’m not exactly sure what happened, either. But here are some links in case you want to learn more about this amazing guy who was born 100 years before I was. You will find the books here and here. His parents bought him a microscope camera and off he went. Cool man, inspiring photos, and the kids’ book about him was just incredible.

Just the thought of concentrating on one thing — like snowflakes — for my entire life — one thing and nothing else, no distractions, no chaos, just total focus — can you imagine that? I cannot.

It’s a snow day over here today. Lots of snow. Lots of chaos. Very. Little. Focus.

Got it!

* snowy icky warming freezing raining freezing slipping sliding icy ick.

* we have enough vodka do not fear.

* possibly not enough to last through the weekend, seeing as how this is only… (have no idea what day.) (not too close to the weekend, though.)

* kids happy. Simpsons Christmas, backgammon, Mysterious Benedict Society’s Perilous Journey.

* next batch of chocolate crinkles just coming out of the oven, gotta go.

wet freezy kisses,
wm

It’s Portland, Ore. So that means we get snow, rain and freezing temps which equal freezing rain.

Yep, land of milk and honey. You should all move here! Do it!

Seriously.

My kids just spent an hour outside, happy as hell, and came inside dripping wet.

It’s… a wonderful life.

xxox

wm

My mom bakes the best cookies ever — chocolate chip, chocolate crinkle, chocolate drop cookies. Pretty much anything from the chocolate food group.

Refrigerator cookies, snickerdoodles, molasses cookies, the other molasses cookies, both delicious, etc. But these are the deluxe cookies:

RAINBOW WALNUT SLICES

1 cup margarine
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups sifted flour
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
red and green food coloring
¼ cup quartered candied red cherries
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
¼ cup quartered green cherries
1 ounce square unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger (optional

350° 8 to 10 minutes

Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Sift flour with salt and baking powder, blend into creamed mixture.
Divide dough into thirds.
Tint one portion pink, blend in red cherries and ½ cup walnuts.
Pack in even layer in waxed paper lined loaf pan (8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½).
Tint second portion light green and mix in ½ cup walnuts and green cherries.
Blend melted chocolate into remaining dough and mix in walnuts and ginger.
Pack chocolate portion evenly over pink layer and top with green.
Cover pan and chill in freezer.
To bake, remove loaf of dough from pan and slice thin.
Cut slices in halves and place on cookie sheet one inch apart.

APRICOT PASTRIES

2 cups dried apricots
2 cups water
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
½ cup milk
1 package active dry yeast
1 slightly beaten egg
½ teaspoon vanilla

OVEN 350 degrees

Simmer apricots in water until tender. Cool. Sift together flour, sugar, and salt; cut in shortening till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Scald milk; cool to warm; add yeast and let soften. Add egg and vanilla. Add to flour mixture; mix well.

Divide dough in four parts. On a surface well dusted with confectioners’ sugar, roll one part at a time to 10-inch square. Cut each in sixteen 2 ½-inch squares; place heaping teaspoon of apricots in center of each. Pinch two opposite corners together.

Place two inches apart on greased cooky sheet. Let stand 10 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove at once from pan; roll in confectioners’ sugar. Cool on rack.

Makes 64 pastries.

“You can always tell what kind of a person a man really thinks you are by the earrings he gives you.”

— Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

It’s snowing here in Portland, Oregon, folks. Snow day tomorrow? Fingers crossed.

Here is the Spicy Hot Potato Soup recipe from Planet Nomad. We would be eating this one up today, had we not left the potatoes in the ground, where they are now frozen. It is what it is. (Which seems to be the theme of the week.)

Have a happy Sunday.

love,

wm

“Who overcomes by force hath overcome but half his foe.”
— John Milton, poet (1608-1674)

Not in Portland — on my blog. heh heh heh heh.

I am feeling EXTRA HOLIDAY CHEERFUL cuz I just looked at the nativity scene Beth’s kid made out of Legos and the angel her other kid made out of tinfoil and kleenex. Some kids, you put ’em in a 3rd world country and they just thrive. Also, she’s crazeee and made the snow fly all over her blog when you call it up.

Hmm.

I have not so much creativity over here.

Also, “dinner” is a “problem” again. No appetite, thus I don’t feel like cooking. I’ve had no appetite for something like four or five months. Oddly, not losing weight. (Yes, I’ve gone to the doctor, nothing is wrong. Other than I’m “kooky.”)

A parent stopped by the blog and traumatized me the other day and now I don’t feel like writing. I think it’s someone I know, in person. I think we’ve been at a party together. Fucking don’t traumatize me on my own blog. Fucking pick up the phone and call me or send an e if you’ve got an “issue” with me.

Apology ensued but left me a little baffled.

It’s grade school, it’s not Harvard.

Here’s a joke a kid told me yesterday: “You know why 6 was scared of 7? CUZ 7 8 9! HAHAHAHAHA!”

This is what kids worry about: Is the joke funny or not?

Adults could learn a little something here.

Ho.

wm

Have a good week, wouldja?

xxox

wm