Christmas

Friday, January 2, 2015

A Quick Season

Even though my heart wasn’t fully into it, we did decorate and celebrate Christmas. Now, the holidays are finished, and I have to plan to un-do everything. We’re going to visit my little guys today, and I’ll pack up lots of those cookies and leave them at their house. Then, little by little, I’ll take down the decorations and get the house back to normal. It always looks rather plain then, but I’ll try to rearrange things a little, and that should keep me amused. The season just went by so quickly!

I did enjoy my baking this year. My husband emptied the chest freezer, and I filled it with my muffins and cookies. In the past, I used to make little breads, but this year, I decided to do mini-muffins, and I ended up with hundreds. So, I made Christmas-decorated tins of just muffins, then added them to my cookie tray gifts. I made eight different kinds of muffins – apple, pumpkin, almond, vanilla, chocolate, orange-cranberry, banana, and lemon poppy seed. I didn’t realize that I had so many until they came out of the freezer! With the cookies, I made vanilla, butter-sugar, cornflake, peanut butter, peanut butter blossoms, jam thumbprints, fruitcake cookies, candy cookies, chocolate chip, spritz, shortbread, Mexican, Italian, biscotti, meringues, pizzelles, fruities, and peanut butter cups. I didn’t do the iced sugar ones or the palmiers, but I did make chocolate candies. I bought trays at the dollar store and piled on the goodies, then wrapped them in cellophane with a big bow and note. My husband delivers them on Christmas eve to our friends. It’s become a nice tradition, and I’d like to see it continue. Now, I’m looking forward to the goodies I’ll make for Valentine’s Day. These, too, will be gifted, and I’ll enjoy the making. I want to visit a dear old friend next week, who isn’t well, and I’d like to make her a tangerine cake. I’ll also bring nice fresh flowers – they’re her favorite. Then, I’ll hang up my baking apron until February.

Our new year’s eve was quiet – I didn’t even stay up until midnight. We used to go to our friends’ home, but they sold the house, and their new one is at the shore. Yesterday, I let my husband ‘own’ the tv for all of the football games. I have books to keep me occupied. I did see some of the Rose Parade and the Philly Mummers Parade, though.

I have some Christmas photos to upload, and if they turn out okay, I’ll post some. Hope everyone is enjoying 2015!!

Peace,
Muff



18 comments:

  1. I watched the ball drop and heard the music and all, LIVE from Times Square, which meant I saw it at 9:00 California time. Got the "New Year's Ball Drop" countdown and everything. And then went to bed.

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    1. So what does the West Coast do after 9:00??

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  2. HI MUFF - looks like you found a way to celebrate the season while grieving your Mom. Such a delicate and complicated emotional balance. Your tins of home made muffins sound so delicious. And your visit to your friend who is ill is such a wonderful and life-giving act of kindness for you both :-)
    We are putting decorations away today, all weekend actually as there is a lot to pack up. We will take our time, play some music and get it done. Phew.
    See you soon - Love, Gail
    peace.......

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    1. p.s. the picture of me is me with my new smile, new comfy lite teeth :-)

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    2. Nice smile! I sometimes wish I could move all the decorations "as is" to another area and preserve it for a year! Such a dreamer...

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  3. you did a lot of baking muffie, I did zero!! I was in the hospital from the 19 - the 24th, that's when I usually bake. I have all my supplies and I am not sure if I should bake now, or forget. I have shingles now, because I got a round of steroids and I don't think peeps would want cookies made while I am still "active".

    Christmas was a bit of a blurr here as well but I decorated before thanksgiving so I was able to enjoy my decorations for a long time.

    happy new year muff, I think it's going to be good!!!!

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    1. OMG!! Not shingles -- that's supposed to be so painful!! So you had steroids, and that caused the shingles or the steroids are FOR the shingles! I read in your one post that you didn't want to be around people, but I didn't know why. Please get well and save the baking for Valentine's Day!!

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    2. I had steroids for an MS flare, trouble walking and talking. I also had an upper respiratory infection and a seizure.....they gave me 5 does of i.v steroids, I was in the hospital the 19th - the 24th. once I came home the shingles showed up. this is the third time for me, it's not a charm ;)

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    3. and yes, of course I fed the cardinal, after the pics!!!!!!

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  4. ooohhhhh and I went to bed at 9 on NYE, I am such a flat tire!!!!!!!!

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  5. It was a quick season. Hope you and yours have a great New Year!

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    1. Yet we even had an extra weekend this year! (I still think like a teacher!)

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  6. That array of cookies, muffins, and treats made my head spin. I did absolutely no holiday baking this year. I have a neighbor like you though, so I did have plenty of cookies.
    So happy to hear from you again. Happy 2015!

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    1. Baking soothes my spirit, so I really did a lot this year!! Happy NY to you, too!

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  7. Wow, Muff, your friends are very lucky! What an abundance of tasty delights. I'm glad you were able to do something both meaningful and relaxing to help you in this challenging time. Have a wonderful new year.

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    1. Judy, I DO save some for us, too!! I've always turned to something creative when my heart was hurting -- it gets my mind off ME for a while.

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  8. We were quiet here, resting and getting over the crud. We did put together a puzzle. You did an amazing amount of baking, it must be therapeutic for you! I am certain your friends felt blessed:)

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