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Washington’s Birthday

That’s PRESIDENT Washington to you…

george-washington_prayer“The Prayer at Valley Forge”  by Arnold Friberg

…and me.

“In the pantheon of our republic’s founders, there were many outstanding individuals. And yet each of them—Franklin, Hamilton, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison—acknowledged Washington to be his superior, the only indispensable figure, the one and only “His Excellency.”

So, you know about the small problem I have with our planet messing up the holidays that we had when I was a kid–right? And it’s likely that you thought I was finished since my last rant. Sadly…no.

Tomorrow is the official day that the world should celebrate President George Washington’s birthday…mainly because, the 22nd of February is his birthday. Duh. But since it doesn’t always obediently fall on a Friday or Monday so that we can have a 3-day weekend, SOMEBODY thought they’d just move it.

Who’s in charge of that anyway? I mean who has the power to just change somebody’s birthday to a more convenient time? Is it the all powerful Birthday King or something? I’d just like to know. *Who decides this stuff? It is just so weird.

Well, I’ve devised a simple way to make myself feel better. I’m just having a little celebration all by myself. I’ll read some quotes and stories about President Washington and probably, my family will be forced to participate as well. But I have a feeling that they’ll be respectful, and humor me and they’ll be fine.

Besides, this event involves lots of crumbles, and cherries…

…and pie.

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That ought to do it.

Happy Birthday President Washington

~~~*~~~

*In 1971 President Richard Nixon combined Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays into a single federal holiday.  Good grief.

Posted on

Snow boy

Daney boy sent some pictures the other day–from the other side of the world.

He says it rains ice in Lithuania that makes the streets look–and behave like glass.

The snow is so dry that you can’t even make a snow ball until it finally starts melting.

But it is comforting…

to a whiny mom-heart…

to find that some things…

never change…

 

 

Be safe~~ and stay warm and dry my great, sweet, silly boy.

We miss you so.

love,

Mom

Posted on

Family Day

…in Canada.

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I have this funky little calendar that says that today is National Family Day in Canada. I’m good with that. Any reason to have a celebration is usually fine with me–but Family Day? How can you possibly beat that?

This day is supposed to be spent having all kinds of adventures with your family–indoors or out. I’m an inny sort myself. It’s a bit nippy out.

Since this day falls in a cold month–the books say that Hot Chocolate and Cookies are the thing to do.

I’m pretty darn ok with that too.  :]

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Since we wanted to do this properly, we chose to make Canadian Maple Cookies in honor of the day. They were a hit.

So take this as the excuse you may need to stay home tonight and play games or watch a movie or just sit around eating cookies and being with your family.

Grab them while you still can. They grow up sooo fast.

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You must trust me on this.

Posted on

Canadian Maple Cookies

Ooooh—maple cookies…all the way from Canada!

Or your kitchen.

heh, heh.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg, syrup and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir into mixture until well blended. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool on wire rack.

Canadian Maple Cookies
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease cookie sheets.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar.
  4. Add the egg, syrup and vanilla. Mix until well blended.
  5. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda.
  6. Stir into mixture until well blended.
  7. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.
  8. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
  9. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
  10. Let cool on wire rack.

 

Posted on

A Dreadful Deed…Undone

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When I was a young pup–ok, about 34–out shopping with the family, I spied a cable-knit sweater that…ahhh…struck me. I don’t know why exactly, but I needed the sweater. So, being sweetly conniving at that young, tender age, I devised a plan. I told my husband that he would look so great in this sweater-knowing full well that he’d wear it a few times and toss it away and it would ultimately be mine! (Incert evil laughter here). My wicked plan worked…to a point.

Oh he did, indeed, wear it a few times, but he never would toss it. In fact, if I ever mentioned giving it away to the needy–in this case- ME–he would rally around the silly thing and wear it a couple more times, then tuck it away again.

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I know what you’re thinking, but no, I couldn’t just ask him for the sweater. Trust me, it wouldn’t have worked. My dreadful deed would have been discovered–the risk was just too great.

Perhaps it was my guilty conscience, but it began to feel like the sweater was…

…laughing

at

me.

Creepy thing.

Well, I came across “the sweater” the other day–in an ancient mending basket. You know the kind that has clothes labeled 4T when your youngest is a senior in high school. Yeah, ancient. Anyway, there was this sweater sitting smugly,  just coming apart at the seams and waiting to be rescued.

sweater-012snip, snip here…

Ha! I thought. I don’t actually feeeel like mending the sweater that has taunted me for 10 years. Why…I…oughta…

So

I

dismantled

it.

sweater-016snip, snip there…

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Now, I have a total of 6 big balls of lovely yarn, just waiting to be magically transformed into something else…

…this time

with

better

Karma.