Coon Bars and other baking

Our power was out for 50 minutes this morning, early!

(I was up already! 6 AM...!)... thank God it went back on! 

I had baking to do!

I baked mint brownies! 

After this, my beloved Husband came in singing happy birthday to me 

and had a bag with these gifts for me! I have the best Husband! 

(Since my birthday was last Saturday and we were still in Michigan, 

we waited until now to have gifts. .!)

Annual VNA garage opening of cans that were in storage to be sure of no bugs! 

A batch of various stationary paper, a cute basket and a lovely journal

 that I think I will use as a daily thanksgiving journal like I have done in past years!

I also got some cookbooks and Christmas kid books! 

 I had fun rearranging my cookbooks! 

I am realizing how much I love pasta and pizzas during fast seasons... 

So was excited to see that my W-S book on Italian food had a lot of 

vegan options for fasts... 

Cleo I think was more undecided in the topic :)

This was a rainbow up high in the sky that I saw a few times 

when we were flying back home to NJ yesterday! 

I've had a 30$$ gift card for Williams-Sonoma for 4 years.... 

saw these two things on sale, 

with the gift card I only had to pay 12.62 more for the 2 pans! 

Future Christmas baking awaits, God willing!

I wrote this earlier about the lemon bars I made:

On Friday my Grandma told me of my +Aunt Karen's creamy lemon bars (my Mom said she called them Coon Bars as the Raccoons liked them! and I remember my Aunt Karen talking about Coon Bars) ... so... when I realized that I did not have either the cake mix with pudding (don't know if that is made anymore...) for an orange cake that sounded good, I was going to make a cinnamon cake instead, with yellow cake mix that I had (time is of essence right now) but no instant pudding in house or at corner stores when my Valiant Husband went to look. So then I thought of my Church spiral bound cookbook section (I have two narrow bookshelves with cookbooks) and sure enough, a cookbook I got years ago from my Sister and brother-in-law had the 'lemon gooey bar' (as it was called there) recipe. Then I called my Mom and she corrected me on some points (the recipe said 1 cup of powdered sugar but I was sure my Grandma said 1 LB of it and I was right in that my Grandma DID say so) and then I double checked a similar recipe online and added 5+tbs of lemon juice to the cream cheese topping as it was not a lemon cake mix and I really wanted the LEMON taste in it! So now a double batch is in the oven. I say that this is a very much a family group recipe and event even though I was alone making it... yet my +Aunt Karen, my Grandma, my Sister and my Mom were all involved and that makes me very happy!!!

I also baked one batch of brownies that I melted half a box of Andes chocolate mints on top of (once they were out of the oven), which was an idea stolen from the chocolate mint cookies that my cousin M. makes. So all in all, my baking had many family MI connections! Even the cookbook my sister gave me was from a church in Michigan...

***

Tonight I read more of Tolkien's letters to Mr. Husband.

So lovely!

I did at least 2 loads of dishes in the dishwasher today! 

It was a very busy day with baking, making meals for us to eat

and getting the VNA things out, etc.

But it was a good day.

I also did paperwork (20 minutes of work) for Mr Husband.

We still have some unbloggable stuff to face in the coming months and weeks

and ask your prayers.

Tomorrow I hope to bake cookies and have enough to have a baked gift for everyone...

It's tricky to know when one has enough, esp as our church is growing.

I really want to do the tea gift too but that may have to wait till next week, 

we will see.  I have not checked the vanilla I am making either...

Well, one thing at a time, right? 

I have a bit more wrapping to do as well, plus I want this house clean and ready to go...

so a lot to do but praying that God continues to give me the strength and that

we don't get sick, as we have in years past between now and summer!

***

I keep hoping that one of the 12 days of Christmas will be a 'veg out' day for me

and that I can have rest.

Next week is already seeming very full, start to finish, but we will see.

But the week after seems to have some wide open spaces so hopefully

I will be able to do some resting then!

***

May God bless each of you and help us in all we are facing and doing!

The Last Days, varied and full

Pictures of Church from Mr Husband.

***

I am glad it is the weekend....

My Husband will be home with me through Tuesday,

I am so glad for that.

***

I've been making more cards

and today my Husband got the card/sewing table out

so I can have all of my craft things there,

instead of cluttering up the dining room table or kitchen 

counter.... 

***

I've read some more DE Stevenson books;

you can learn a lot from here in thinking about the book one read

as a whole; for instance in the Young Clementina how 

temptation works, how little things can have

such impact, how one suffers and forgiveness; 

or what parenting mistakes one may want to avoid,

as in the story of Amberwell.

***

I was surprised to get a gift box of fruit this week!

From a local church friend! 

It's been delicious! 

***

As I was writing letters and cards today,

I wrote in one letter how I felt I would remember 

so many people's kindness in sending me cards,

care packages, calling or stopping by.

It's been such a blessing.

***

My foot swells after it is down for a while, 

so I am alternating on that.

I ice my foot at times, back of foot and on the ankle

itself...I do this very carefully of course.

***

Today is St John of Shanghai and San Francisco's day.

Lovely prayers you can hear in the service 

here:

***

  I am really grateful for my craft table.

And for the stationary friends have sent me!

It's like God knew I needed stationary and so He sent it to me!

I love writing cards and letters, 

I have so many more I hope to do.

***

Well, I must go now.

It's late and sleep is also important.

I am so grateful for all the blessings in this time.

I still wish I could walk already, of course,

but am glad for various things to do meanwhile.

***

 Blessed St John's day to you all!

Cake and a warm sunny day

 

I had my camera out and the fridge open.
What are you doing? Asked Mr. Husband.
Taking a picture of the cake I answered.
To which he said I am slightly addicted.
I think he meant to my camera
but it could be to the cake!
It's really quite good.
*
Well,
Mr. Husband is glad to have some of you telling me
to take it easy.
Duly noted.
In general I am not fasting that much per say due to sickness
but will ponder your advice, etc.
I feel loved, thanks!
*
So today I did something for the first time in a LONG TIME.
I went for a few block walk by myself in low 80 degree
warm, sunny weather!
Of course this IS New Jersey and the forecast is
to be cooler again this weekend....
Mr. Husband says he has seen very warm weather and snow
in the same week here...
*
I talked to my sister-friend on the phone while I was walking
and brought my water bottle with me.
It was wonderful.
*
I am looking at various websites for some dresses, shirts and
a pair of pants (that I hope to get on sale).
I am growing excited for summer.
I am still sad that long ankle length skirts do not seem
to be the rage this year....
*
I need to check out my Pascha outfit
to be sure it still fits.
Yesterday I enjoyed listening to the first lecture
on a CD set by
Met. Kallistos Ware
on
Our Lenten Journey
which is apparently also on DVD.
It's very encouraging.
*
I worked on the baby blanket some more today,
while I was talking to my sister online...
*
I am trying to balance rest and activity so that
I don't relapse again...
*
Now I am just waiting for Mr. Husband to come home
so we can enjoy some cake together...

This Day Is Good

I had taken a weeks vacation time for my apartment move. Today I did not leave my apartment building. I did laundry and it felt like a deep luxury. Fr. James from the Cathedral in Ottawa laughed at me months ago when I told him that the laundry room is run by a debit card system - no change needed. "You're moving up in the world" he said.

Yep. This apartment feels so wonderful. Clean newly lacquered Parkay floors, green and blue walls. A kitchen with many cupboards. To live in a clean building, where glass doors are not smashed, there are no holes in the basement ceiling, the buzzer works, there is an elevator (great for laundry) and near instant hot water from the taps. I am richly blessed and I know it.

I am holding off on pictures until I get more things in order. I have been working on getting my books out of boxes. I feel really hopeful. These last few years have often been so exhausting that I was often overwhelmed. Tomorrow I return to work... at least I will be coming home to a better place. God help me - I want to rebuild my life...