Monthly Archive: November 2023

27
Nov
2023

C IS FOR 22 YEARS OF COOKIES

I just made Rice Krispie Holly Bar cookies for the AIC Holiday Cookie Exchange which is tomorrow evening at the last monthly meeting of 2023. I’ve been organizing the cookie exchange every year since 2001. That’s 22 years worth of cookie exchanges. Incidentally, the same amount of years that Debbie has been organizing the wreathmaking workshop that I attended last week. Rice Krispie treats are a go-to cookie because they are fast and easy and they make a lot with minimal effort. Mine are Holly bars because I color them green and sprinkle red hots liberally on top before I...

25
Nov
2023

ADVENTALICIOUS

When is it officially the holiday season? Is it Halloween that really kicks things off at the end of October, sliding through All Saints and All Soul’s Days, to Thanksgiving (if you’re American)? Here in Sweden, it’s often First Advent which starts the holiday season and all the Swedes are sure to have their advent lights up in the windows and white lights twined around trees and house edges. But First Advent this year is next weekend, which puts Fourth Advent right on Christmas Eve. Do you even know what Advent IS? For many people it’s the start of a...

20
Nov
2023

REALLY RANDOM

Lately, I keep evaluating songs I’m listening to on whether I’d like to have them played at my funeral or not. Would they send the appropriate message to my grieving friends and family? Are they “pretty” or “mellow” or “thoughtful” enough? Appropriate: Make it Good by Ruut Inappropriate: Gone Baby Gone by Boz Scaggs Appropriate: When You Come Back Down by Nickel Creek Inappropriate: There She Goes by The La’s Appropriate: As I Lay Me Down by Sophie B. Hawkins Inappropriate: Fortunately Gone by The Breeders This morning, I woke up with a disturbing dream still very fresh in my...

19
Nov
2023

25 YEARS OF TURKEYNESS

We had our annual Friendsgiving yesterday and per usual, I did not take one single photo of the event, and apart from the kids, no one had their phones out at all, so there is no virtual record of the evening. We invited 28 people and ended up with 24, which turns out to be pretty much the perfect number, actually. With two long tables filling up the living/dining room, and everyone talking, it made for a very crowded, loud space, but it was so fun! Lots of laughter, and non-stop talking, and even after the buffet was opened, everyone...

13
Nov
2023

MOVING THROUGH MORTALITY

Tomorrow we’re going to the funeral of one of Anders’ friends from high school. He was younger than me. 2 years younger, almost exactly the same age as my sister. He was diagnosed with cancer in April and given 4 months, though he held out for nearly 6. I’ve known him and his wife for a little over 27 years. Their kids are the same ages as ours. The four kids have known each other their entire lives. We’ve gone to New Year’s parties with them, crayfish parties nearly every year, graduation parties, big birthday parties for one or another...

06
Nov
2023

BUILDING CLUES

I spent the past couple of days working on another crossword after I got the idea for a really good theme. And then halfway through working on it, I thought of an even better theme-related connection and was able to adapt it. I worked really hard on it, and am really proud of it. Even though I messed up by once again not checking for duplicates until it was too late, I was able to make them work within the theme anyway, so it worked out. I was even able to add an alternate solution to one of the clues,...

02
Nov
2023

THE WEIGHT OF AIR

Ugh, trying to lose weight is such a pain, especially when you like food. I keep bouncing up and down on the same half kilo, even though I’m pretty happy that I’ve managed to get down 6 kilos (5.5, no 6, no 5.5, no 6, no…SIGH) since the end of the summer, without trying super hard. I read somewhere that most people think that losing weight means you are evacuating it when you go to the bathroom, but the truth is that most of it is BREATHED OUT. Isn’t that weird? How can fat turn to CARBON DIOXIDE? If you...

November 2023
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