Barks- Toffee and Otherwise

It was 3:38 a.m. I am asleep, having bad dreams about abductions, battles, perverts, you name it. If it was bad, it was happening in my dream. That's when the woman yelled out in the hallway outside my bedroom.

I sat straight up in bed, on full Mama alert.

"Low battery alert!" the woman cried. "Low battery alert!"

Okay. Why did she wait until 3:38 a.m to tell me this? Why not 3:38 p.m.? Why not midnight? Why when she knew the po-lice had already encircled my house once this week, would she decide to scream at me then? Doesn't she know it's almost Christmas? Where's her holiday spirit?

I know. I know. The former school safety patrol members are saying "That was a Christmas present. She could've been saving your life." And for that I am grateful. She also saved me from the Unibomber or whoever it was I was dreaming about. But today, I dragged around like a half-dead cat, never fully awake and too wrung out to go back to sleep.

Oh, well. That question and others like it will go unanswered until another day, I suppose. Until then it's back to making Toffee Bark. My most successful holiday recipe and by far the easiest-

Line a parchment paper lined jelly roll pan with saltines. (It'll take one of the 4 sleeves that come in the cracker box.) In a saucepan melt 1c. butter and 1c dark brown sugar. Bring it to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover the crackers completely. Bake at 400 for 5-6 mins. Remove from oven and sprinkle with 2c of choc. chips. (I combine semi-sweet and bittersweet.) Let sit for 5 mins. Spread melted chocolate and top with 3/4 c chopped pecans. Now, I don't like pecans so I substitute toffee chips.

Countdown at Holiday Central

Greetings from the Rooftop of Holiday Central!




Mertis and the Youngest Unnamed One braved the approaching storm front and the second story roof pitch to plant the big wreath and the colored icicle lights high atop the house.





Then, in a fit of over-zealous light-slinging, I managed to blow out the entire right exterior side of the house- power-wise, that is. The electrician is coming tomorrow. And he said I couldn't possibly blow the new panels- Ha! I showed him! (Wonder how much it'll cost to fix this kettle of wattage?)

Well, it was good for one night at least-



On top of that, a second front blew through with a vengeance. A body count of the front yard casualties revealed one reindeer, 4 multicolored trees and the biggest strand of light balls had fallen victim to the wrath of the wind.

It's been a wonderful weekend, despite wind and power failure issues...With lots of cookie baking and tree decorating.




Mertis made one of her cookies talk, then bit his head off.



The Manly Men Duo worked hard on the indoor tree lights.



With good results, I think.





The Eldest Unnamed One and I have cooked up a blizzard of soups and dinners and will be attacking the yeast bread lesson some time this week. In the meantime there are cookies to be baked and mailed.

Christmas Cookie Baking at the Cabin

It's been a busy few days. First, a weekend of cookie baking at the cabin...





Sweet, innocent Christmas cookie baking that quickly disintegrated into the kind of cookie baking only two adolescent, unsupervised males can do...







Followed by more decorating around home...



And then the annual selection of the Christmas tree...



Which will remain a work in progress, probably until the Eldest Unnamed One comes home for winter break.