My Christmas cooking did not get off to a great start. I burned the first batch of fudge I attempted to make. Still haven’t decided if I can save my favorite fudge making pan. I remember years ago I ask my mother why she made fudge late at night. She told me you can only make fudge and not do anything else and late evenings was the only time she could only do one thing. I now understand what she was saying. I was making peanut butter balls and talking to Ellexia and Tagen on FaceTime when I burned the fudge.
I think the chocolate dipped peanut butter balls turned out OK. They look good – I didn’t sample them. I also dipped some Ritz crackers spread with peanut butter in chocolate to use up the rest of the dipping chocolate. Made one pan of Peanut butter Rice Krispie treats. Can you tell my family loves peanut butter?
The grandkids may come out tomorrow. If they do I want to make sugar cookies while I have some helpers to frost them. They said they would help me do so.
I will try another batch of fudge tomorrow. I want to get some Christmas boxes mailed Monday and they need fudge in them if I can manage to get a good batch made. Not sure why fudge always seems to give me trouble each year.
I am tired a bit today. I slept hard for three hours last night but then had trouble sleeping the rest of the night. Not feeling great this afternoon but thinking it is just because I am tired. Trusting by tomorrow my energy level will start to rebound and I will be feeling better. I have been trying to drink lots of water today as I feel a bit dehydrated. It is hard to drink enough when one travels.
I need to shower and clean up and get ready to go to Pioneer Bluffs to help serve the fundraising dinner tonight. After I finish blogging I will go down and gather eggs, give the dogs their HeartGuard and then take a shower. I didn’t get out and take a walk today – too busy in the kitchen. This is the first time I have sat down all day.
I did manage to get my suitcase unpacked and my laundry done today. It always feels like it completes a trip when I put the suitcase away and have the laundry washed up and put away. I’m sitting here looking at all the dust that came in my house while I was gone. I had cleaned my whole house before I left but it sure got dusty while I was gone.
Feels good to have a start on my Christmas goodies. Only have sugar cookies, peanut butter bars and several batches of fudge left on my list to make. I will make New Year’s Cookies the day before our family gathering on the 29th so they are fresh for the kids to take home. I won’t eat any this year.
Still need to put my Christmas tree up. Maybe the grandkids can help me do that job tomorrow too. I thought about not putting it up this year but I have some guests coming the 26th through the 31st and I feel like I need to have them up for them. I’ll see how it goes tomorrow – may not happen.
I want to get a few Christmas cards and write some letters to put in them and get them out next week. I used to send lots of cards but have really cut back on how many I send out now. Most everyone I know is on Facebook and they can keep up with what I am doing. I do have a few relatives and friends that aren’t on Facebook and I like to send them cards with a letter.
It is another beautiful day on the prairie. 56 degrees out in the middle of December! I’ll take that anytime. The wind is quiet today – it would have been a perfect day for a long walk. Maybe tomorrow I’ll get away from the kitchen and get a walk in.
Got through the big pile of mail that came while I was gone. Got a bill or two paid. Filed the important stuff and added a big pile of papers to my recycling bins. I think 90% of the mail I get is junk mail these days.
After Christmas I will get to start working on my income tax information. I am anxious to see how the new tax laws will affect me this year. Trusting I will not have to pay any income tax. I haven’t really read the new changes so don’t have a clue.
Still sitting with all that happened on the retreat. Feels a bit like I was in a different world for over two weeks. I’m sure things will fall into place when the timing is right and I have had some time to process what happened. Feeling like not all of me has returned home yet.
Grateful for this beautiful day, grateful that most of what I made today turned out OK, and grateful I was able to spend most of today at home in silence. My soul needed that today!