Exhausted

I have just spent the last three hours cooking and baking and prepping to cook. Random acts of chocolate were involved. I have already sampled some of my handiwork. I figure I earned it, since I actually buckled down and made toffee. I am sure SO will be happy I used up an entire bag of chocolate chips--I have been amassing quite a collection on the countertop because I can't remember if I have them when I am at the store, and I imagine myself in some cooking baking extravaganza, baking all day. It didn't happen today. I have a meatloaf in right now. Comfort food is gangsta! I don't know how SO will react. He's not a huge meatloaf fan, but he's never had mine, and it's good. If not, I'll eat it. Meatloaf rocks!

But, in the dining room, setting up on the table, I have Rollo pretzels--yes, they are as heavenly as they sound. Rollo mushed on top of a pretzel with a pecan half on top. Sue has asked me to bring them to our friend Doris' birthday tea in two weeks. I can accomodate her. I also have saltine cracker candy (the poor girl's toffee) cooling. Tomorrow, I bake the first batch of oatmeal butterscotch cookies, and some chocolate chip for SO. He doesn't ask for much, so I can bake him cookies.

I finished my Julia Lucas ornament into (almost) an ornament last night. I still have to get ribbon for it, but I actually sat my little butt down and mounted it and stitched it together. That entailed a trip to G Street Fabrics after work. But I did pretty good. I only spent $20 and got half a yard of the most sophistocatedly adorable fabric EVER. It's not really Christmasy, but it is woodsy, and has a pair of foxes on it. And some skunks. I could not resist. Not at all. Mom said it didn't match too well, and it probably doesn't. But, to be honest, I decided I would rather lose on my terms and do what I want, than to win on anyone else's and feel like I sold out. My ornament speaks of home as a welcome respite from the dark world and that is how I want it. I think I will do it as a pinkeep, then pin the hanger to the upper sides so it looks like the rook of the house. Whatever happens, I am happy with it. And happy that I actually had the patience to lace it. That is some hard stuff to do! But it looks pretty good. Whatever flaws there may be, the ribbon will cover.