Saturday Afternoon

OMG! It is afternoon already on my day before the day before Christmas. I knew it was coming, but am I ready? I haven't washed my bathrooms yet. I have to do that before tomorrow because Christmas Eve is usually very busy getting the dinner and last minute preparations ready. I was hoping to deliver my friend gifts today, but we are having another snow storm. I got the "cheese basket" delivered because they live within walking distance here in the village.

After I came back I realized I forgot to pack the cheese knife after all. Oh well, I can save it for another time. I also picked up the snow shovel and cleared the driveway one more time so it won't be quite the huge job it was yesterday.

I spent another day yesterday baking. This is only a fraction of what I used to do when the kids were home and all my neighbours and friends got a container of home baked goodies at Christmas. Also, because I can't eat any of it, I will need to give away whatever doesn't get eaten, and who wants to get a ton of treats at this time of year.

 I started my day by walking to the convenience store (ouch) to buy some baking soda, more flour and their last little bag of chopped pecans. I had planned to go to a grocery store nearby, but because of the snow storm, I decided to walk to the Pop-In Store. I baked 4 mini loaves of the banana, cherry and chocolate chip bread and wrapped them up in Christmas cellophane bags along with the Marmalade loaves for the freezer.

I baked a dozen vegan chocolate cupcakes, also for the freezer. I can ice and decorate when I need them. The cupcakes, chocolate haystacks and cranberry oatmeal cookies are the only vegan treats I made this year, but my daughter will appreciate not being tempted by a bunch of different treats. She eats very healthily and works out. This is my new go-to recipe for cupcakes because they are so moist and rich tasting and SO easy (no butter, no eggs)

Lastly, I made my Jewel cookies, because my friend who comes on Christmas Eve, likes to receive her own little cookie tin of these. Her son expects his own little tin of Rice Krispie squares. Isn't it funny how traditions are formed? Apparently my Jewel cookies are my specialty. They are basically a thumbprint cookie rolled in crushed walnuts and filled with jelly or jam. The green centres are mint jelly, the red is strawberry jam and the gold is apricot.

After cleaning up and loading the dishwasher, I went outside to tackle the driveway. I lose all sense of time when I am outside, whether it is shoveling or weeding; but I cleared snow until it started to get dusk. I knew then that it was around 4 and the dog would be looking for his supper. So before I came in I walked to the Post Office to get the last of the mail before Christmas. There were 3 more cards and a package to pick up. The parcel was from "Dee" with some items of clothing that neither one of us expected to arrive until next week, but there it was. It is under my tree now. One of the cards contained a family newsletter and another had a nice long, newsy letter from one of my oldest friends. So nice to read that over a cup of hot tea. My cheeks were still burning from being outside in the cold for however long I was out there.

I don't think I will be on my blog until sometime during Christmas Week. I will undoubtedly read other peoples' blogs if they write, but I don't think that after today I will have much time. I will be away on Christmas Day if weather permits at my brother's house in Smith Falls. So please everyone stay safe and enjoy your holidays and I will be back.