December 17, 2009

• One Day Down, Two to Go!

  Yesterday was . . . interesting . . .  Yeah, that's it . . .  It was an "interesting" day. 

  Not horrible, but things didn't go exactly as planned, either!

  Best news:  I cleaned up the wrapping station on the dining room table!  AND, I put things into new and organized boxes to make the following years easier to sift through the "mystery" boxes!!!!

                           

  Rissy stayed home with me and finished her gift wrapping.

  We made my Grandma's cookies (citrus flavored dough, rolled in nuts, & topped with a candied green or red cherry) and they turned out as expected.  No surprises there!

  We mixed the bourbon balls and I realized I'd been mixing them wrong for years.  The recipe calls for 2 cups of powdered sugar as one of the ingredients.  The directions say, "Mix everything together and roll in powdered sugar."  I've been mixing powdered sugar INTO the dough for years.  Yesterday we tried without the powdered sugar and only rolled the dough in the sugar.  MUCH MORE MOIST!!!!  This is the recipe I've eaten since childhood and have been making them wrong, as an adult, since I was 19yo!

                       

  We made chocolate fudge.  I had a new candy thermometer.  The directions say to boil for 5 minutes or until the thermometer reaches 234° and so, for the fun of it, I set the timer.  After it boiled for more than EIGHT minutes, I became nervous and figured the new candy thermometer was no good.  I pulled the mixture from the heat.

  That's when I learned I'm no longer strong enough to mix up fudge.  Mixing the chocolate chips into the hot butter and sugar (until the chips melted) was hard enough.  Then it was time for the marshmallow cream to be added and I didn't think I'd be able to stir until it was blended.  I had visions of marbled white and dark swirls as my candy fudge!!!

  I now know, I can't make fudge unless Jesse is home to help stir!  I should make that note on the recipe card.  It was VERY hard on my upper back, and I quickly closed down the kitchen activities after that!

                           

  AND, it seems the candy thermometer was accurate, after all.  I pulled the fudge when it was at ALMOST 230° and those last 4 degrees would have made the fudge set up a bit better.  It's not bad fudge, but a tad on the soft side.

  I washed dishes after each batch of cookies and Rissy helped by drying.  I couldn't have done it without her.  I especially needed her help with the fudge.  I lack the concentration I once had.  I bet I read that recipe over more than a dozen times.  It just wasn't registering with my brain.  Rissy was also the little helper that cleaned up the floor from it's many spills and crumbs!  I have no idea how many times I dropped stuff on the floor and down the cabinet doors!

  We cleaned the kitchen one last time and then both of us went back to my bed to lie down and recuperate!

  THEN, I tackled the dining room table.  I had started the process the day before, but this time I finished it.  All I need to do is get out the china.  I'd like to set the table with it, NOW, but it would mean extra work for me.  I don't think I should wash an extra load of dishes (I always wash them if they've been sitting out) when it isn't necessary.  Having dust and possible pet hair on the plates would mean an extra wash before serving a meal.

   
  (This year I used a piece of cloth in a bow tie shape, with mirrors, pine cones & berries, and pillar candles.). 

  Things went okay with all of our medical appointments, today.  Luci will be tried on yet another new medication and the PA, after my GYN check, said everything looked okay.  I'm never exactly sure how to take that comment!!

  Tomorrow morning is my couple hour PET scan of my brain and chest.

  Monday, is my long MRI at the hospital.  I have to check in at 4:15pm and they said I might be there until 7:30pm!!!!  I sure hope it doesn't take that long!

  Next Wednesday the girls and I are going to Stephanie's for an early celebration, unless a winter storm moves in - then, it will be on Tuesday afternoon.  I have left Tuesday open, and free of activities, "just in case," regarding the weather.

          

  A friend from church brought lasagna by before we left for our appointments today.  It was so nice to get home and pop it in the oven!  If any of you know of a family that is frazzled due to busyness, do them a favor and take a meal by for that family.  I can't tell you how much it means to me and how grateful we are to those who have helped us this year!  Don't wait for a family to call you and ask for help - just do it!

  I still need to help Luci and Annamarie with their gift wrapping and I have 2 gifts left, for each girl, to wrap.

  Meanwhile,

  Be Blessed  ~

  • 7:17 pm
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