Sudokuaholics Anonymous 9A

good night friends. I am headed for bed. Just not up to cleaning the mess hubby made in the kitchen tonight. He wanted to make cookies and he cooked up every box of cookie mix and every slice and bake tube I had, 2 boxes and 1 slice and bake. He makes HUGE cookies and pretty big messes too, but not a cookie even brown on the bottom, qall of them perfect and I did not have to do it. I will happily clean the cookie sheets and mixing bowls, but in the morning.

Hugs to all I am fading fast. Till tomorrow.

'Twas the night before Christmas & out on the ranch

The pond was froze over & so was the branch.

The snow was piled up belly-deep to a mule.

The kids were all home on vacation from school,

And happier young folks you never did see-

Just all sprawled around a-watchin' TV.

Then suddenly, some time around 8 o'clock,

There came a surprise that gave them a shock!

The power went off, the TV went dead!

Computer screens, phones, the color of lead

When Grandpa came in from out in the shed

With an armload of wood, the house was all dark.

"Just what I expected," they heard him remark.

"Them power line wires must be down from the snow.

Seems sorter like times on the ranch long ago."

"I'll hunt up some candles," said Mom. "With their light,

And the fireplace, I reckon we'll make out all right."

The teen-agers all seemed enveloped in gloom.

Then Grandpa came back from a trip to his room,

Uncased his old fiddle & started to play

That old Christmas song about bells on a sleigh.

Mom started to sing, & 1st thing they knew

Both Pop & the kids were all singing it, too.

They sang Christmas carols, they sang "Holy Night,"

Their eyes all a-shine in the ruddy firelight.

They played some charades Mom recalled from her youth,

And Pop read a passage from God's Book of Truth.

They stayed up till midnight-and, would you believe,

The youngsters agreed 'twas a fine Christmas Eve.

Grandpa rose early, some time before dawn;

And when the kids wakened, the power was on..

"The power company sure got the line repaired quick,"

Said Grandpa - and no one suspected his trick.

Last night, for the sake of some old-fashioned fun,

He had pulled the main switch - ( the old Son-of-a-Gun! )

-anonymous

Can I ask a question of the Aussies on SA? Do you bake cookies for Christmas? To me, it seems like an American thing and I have never known it amongst my relatives and friends. We bake Christmas Cakes & Puddings, Rum Balls, Shortbread, Pavs, Trifles and other Christmas treats but never just cookies. Am I missing something? I have a German friend who does gingerbread houses but have never bothered myself.

Hey, Broni - that was nice!

Thanks Cyn, perhaps we should try it hehe!
Just catching up on a 100 or so emails I haven't read yet and thought it was good.
Nup not cookies, feeding all those hungry mouths is usually enough for me but going to be a real quiet Chrissy here, will have my friend Teresa and cousin Maz over for breakfast (scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, fresh orange juice with some bubbles and fresh or toasted tiger loaf) everyone is either working or has gone away.

No Cynthia, I do not bake cookies for Christmas, I don't actually bake any Christmas cakes, puddings, shortbread....
My MIL on the other hand does all of the above, not cookies though !!!

CynB, it is very interesting that you do not bake cookies for Christmas. Do you have homemade cookies during your winter? Just seems something that goes with cooler weather. I do not make cookies in the summer, or anything with the oven that I do not have too.

cookies were always a part of our Christmas. We made them with Mom when we were children. After we married, each of us girls made a couple kind, Mom did 2 or 3 kinds, we took to Christmas dinner at her house and shared.

One year, Mom was sick before Christmas, my sister and I went to her house before Christmas to bake her cookies and to wrap her gifts. Instant tradition hehehe, had to do it every year after that, as long as she was in her own home.

Now that Mom is gone, Al and I usually bake cookies on Christmas eve. He just did it early this year.

Intermission here. I am not feeling well, now I have a sore throat. I was up for something to drink and some tylenol. Dropped in here till it could take effect. Back to bed for me, leaving a few hugs behind.

Sleep interruption .... sigh.

Cyn, we have to bake cookies so that we can leave homemade cookies and a glass of milk for Santa!!!

Hi MizT, I got up with a dry scratchy throat and got myself a drink. I too am going to try and get some more sleep.

Santa gets a slice of Christmas cake here and sometimes milk or beer or a glass of port (depends on what Santa says he/she wants - hehehe).
No, Tricia - in cooler weather here I'm more likely to make muffins or scones (which we have with jam/jelly and cream). Apart from Anzac biscuits occasionally, I can't remember making them at all, or my Mum ever doing it - maybe she made jam drops.

Banana Bread anytime of the year with lashing of butter!

Every Christmas, my sister-in-law (brother's wife) cooks up a storm and we all get a nicely decorated tray of goodies given to us. But these goodies are shortbread -plain and choc-dipped, almond bread, home made chocolates etc - no cookies as such. Gosh - I look forward to those trays - Col doesn't like them so I get it all, if I can hide it from my kids.

Got the 3 girls overnight tonight - just waiting for them. Their father is going all night shopping with his friends to buy his Christmas presents. Dropping them off soon - fed and ready for bed - will pick them up after breakfast in the morning.

Hi everyone! Hope you're all well, and nearly ready for Christmas. If I'm not back before the Day - hope you all have a wonderful time! :)

Cyn, I make shortbread every year, cut into shapes. When the kids were little we used to put holes in them and hang them from the Tree. I often give them as Christmas gifts - made some for my sister this year and her friends thought they were lovely! We don't make other biscuits/cookies at Christmas, but I have a few slices that are only made then, and they're very popular. Also home-made caramel ... now I'm getting hungry again!
Oh, my Mum made 2-3 kinds of biscuits/cookies every week - then one day we were out and Dad bought packet biscuits, everyone raved about them and Mum never baked again ...

I am not here I am not here I am not here...

Well, it is 12.30am on Christmas Eve and yes, I am here, still sat on my fat and spotty reading through posts! Hubby and I dared the shops again today for last minute stocking fillers (I have always given Santa a helping hand with this, after all, the guy is busy!), and all the food for Chrissy Day.

Getting onto the query about cookies/bikkies for Christmas, I have not done anything like that in a long time, but Hannah would make stuff at any time of the year, given the chance! This year she asked if she could make a few goodies to give as gifts, as she does not have money of her own to buy anything.
She has made several different choc truffley kinds of things, plus after dinner type mints, and some choc crinkle cookies. Quite a haul when you bag it up!

Judy, never got around to saying how lovely your homemade goodies were, thank you very much :) mmm
Kate also made some choc truffles and they were also wickedly yummy.
We all got quite a haul when we had our Christmas gathering.

Hi all. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas.
Heidi, we usually do take out Christmas eve and leftovers on Christmas day. For New Year's eve we do appetizers. The kids love having finger foods and it is more fun. We usually watch a movie and wait for the ball to drop. The kids both managed to stay awake last year and will probably make it this year.

The Christmas cookies all sound wonderful. My friends bake cookies, and I like to eat them. I will bake cookies any time of year, for no reason at all. I guess having two "cookie monsters" in the house gives me an excuse.

My next door neighbor showed up here last evening with a tin of homemade Christmas cookies! All sorts of holiday shapes with colorful icing! I've eaten a mess of 'em already.

Morning all. Off to get the large haul of groceries shortly - that's going to hurt. Tomorrow we'll make shortbread and chocolate chip cookies. If there's time we might even make Smartie cookies.

Theresa, what are smartie cookies???

Tami, I am not Theresa, and I also wondered what smartie cookies were. I did a recipe search. It looks like a sugar cookie decorated with smarties ( or M&Ms). here is a link to a recipe with a photo.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/19637/smartie-cookies.html

Thanks Tricia, they sound like something the boys would have fun making, and eating.

I didn't get the collie. The rescue group from Louisville beat us there. They only take young, easily adoptable animals so she must have been a nice one.
We just finished unloading 400+ pounds of beef into the freezer. Guess what we're having for supper?

Chicken???

Four hundred pounds? That is a lot of hamburger, Heidi. I'll be up for dinner, so set another pate.

Tami, the recipe I have for Smartie cookies (which I seem to have misplaced for the moment) calls for adding Smarties (or M&Ms) to the dough and not just on top for decoration. Kids do like them. Hopefully I can find the recipe and if so, I'll email it to you.

After we got the big haul of groceries, I wasn't feeling well. Nauseous, heartburn, headache. I went for a two and a half hour nap and I feel a bit better except for the heartburn. Sitting here with a glass of ginger ale wondering what to fling in the K room.

Fling some Breakfast Theresa !!

Good Morning all, I for once am up before Hubby. Got woken up by the mobile phone, my sister sending me a message that my Niece in London's plane that she is on has landed at Perth Airport.

Busy day for me..
I will be in the kitchen cooking Chicken and Beef for tomorrows lunch.
Getting dinner organised early for this eve.
Peter and I along with MIL and my Mum are off to the Carol Service at MIL's church for 7.00pm.
Peter will be picking up the 2 ladies mid afternoon. MIL will be taken back to her home after the service, we will be viewing the lights around her retirement village, before heading home. Mum will be staying overnight at my house.

Also will do a quick clean and tidy up around the house, and get the table ready for tomorrow.
Do some more packing of the van.

I just want to wish all my sudoku friends a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays for all who don't celebrate Christmas. Enjoy your time with family and friends.

I've just got access to my computer and now have to leave to go and get my hair cut.

Love and wishes to you all!! Hugs all round.

Not just hamburger, MizT. Lots of steaks and roasts, too. I also gave Robert a large box full of steaks and burger. It's driving him crazy. He can't cook and he can't find anybody to cook a steak for him until next week.

Just had home grown hamburgers for supper. IH said it was the best tasting hamburger he's ever tasted.

Heidi, I am sure the steaks will be good also. Set a few extra plates. The beastie boys and I will be there shortly.
Theresa, if you find the recipe for the cookies, please do send it to me. I love trying new recipes and the boys love to help in the kitchen. They are both going to be able to cook for themselves when they grow up.

Come on up. There's plenty.

I think all the dogs are in beef comas. I had the processors save all the bones for the dogs, and gave them to the dogs today. I also had to clear out some old (over 5 years) beef from the freezer to make room for the fresh stuff. The dogs have been gorging themselves on beef and goat all day. I haven't seen a dog move in nearly an hour.

I'm exhausted and there's so much more to do. I've finished my lunch. Off to the FPR! Then worse to come - clean the bathrooms. Usual Christmas eve party here tonight. Brunch at Karin's. Visit Mum. Pick up Col's Step-Dad, he'll stay Christmas night with us and then we'll drive him to Col's brother's place for a few days. On Monday get-together with my sister and brother.... and it goes on.

I might not be back - so I would like to wish all my dear SA friends a wonderful Christmas with family and friends and a safe happy and healthy New Year. Love and hugs to you all!!

Afternoon all,
I feel like I'm becoming like that ad where they do absolutely everything from their car. I have hardly been out of mine. First took hubby to work, then took Mum to put her car in for a wheel balance, then over for my haircut and last minute stuff (there isn't a strawberry in town!!), took Mum back over town to get her car, now I have to go and pick up hubby, drop him home and then go back over to meet a friend for coffee. Sigh.

I have also created a monster. Every time I go to drop in here to say hi, mum is on the computer! This was a woman who wouldn't even have a cordless phone or an answering machine 10 years ago, let alone a mobile phone or the internet!!