After two and a half years of on and off dieting, I’ve finally reached my target weight.  MyFitnessPal even confirmed it with a little party.

Yes, I have gone from being this guy…

To being this guy…

In terms of actual weight, I has lost the equivalent of my youngest son, Ben.  You could say that I lost 1 B.U. (Ben Unit).

Plus, on a happy note, I probably added years to my life.  A gift  for myself.

So, as of today, I have made it.  I have remade myself.  I have accomplished that first step.  The one that proceeds a new lifestyle.  The one that is never going to go back.

So, as of today, no more diet talk.  No more weight obsession.  Just maintaining my new self, because I lost 1 B.U. and now it’s time to move on.

 

A sure sign that it’s almost Christmas.  Your dog is spotted with a sizable chunk of candy cane stuck to his ear.

 

The custodian at my son’s elementary school is named Andy.  Everyone calls him “Turkey.” I don’t know why, there are just some things in life that you accept without question.  Nicknames of “Turkey” are one of those things.

Any who, many a time Turkey has helped out my son by retrieving his coat that he has left behind in the lunchroom.  Turkey has saved us countless trips to Lost and Found.

When it came time for Holiday gifts, my son suggested getting one for Turkey.  We wrapped it up and our son carried the gift off to school.  That night, we asked if he gave Turkey his gift.

Smiling, our son said, “Yes, Turkey really liked his gift.  I gave it to him, when he came to our room, because a kid had thrown up.”

Sometimes, it’s more than just the gift that counts.  It’s the timing.

 

Our dog Kirby runs to the front of the house barking, whenever he suspects the approach of a delivery person.  This is the same behavior that he exhibits, when he suspects that a squirrel is in the front yard.

Upon hearing Kirby bark, I run to the front door hoping that a package has arrived.  This usually involves drooling on my part.  I do this whenever Kirby barks and boy am I sad, when it turns out to be a squirrel.

 

I was beginning to suspect an oncoming bought of laziness, when I didn’t have the energy at work to walk a few dozen steps to the microwave.  By the way, cold leftovers are just fine.

My laziness was later confirmed, when I ate a whole apple and I mean the WHOLE thing, when I didn’t have the energy at work to walk a few dozen steps to the compost bin.  By the way, if you eat it fast enough, the core doesn’t taste too bad.

 

HOLIDAY COOKIES

“It’s the ‘Holiday Season,’ but since they didn’t clarify which ‘Holiday,’ I’m going with Mardi Gras.  French Butter Cookies to melt in your mouth.  The Taste of New Orleans is just right tonight.  Enjoy!”

1 cup Butter

2/3 cup Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 1/2 cups Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

Mix together the butter and brown sugar.

Mix in the egg and vanilla extract.

Mix in the flour and salt.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick.

Cut into Fleur-de-lis shapes.

Sprinkle with yellow, purple, or green colored sugar.

Bake for 7 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.

Enjoy Mardi Gras, even in mid-December.

 

Makes about 30 cookies.

Revised Source:  “French Butter Cookies” recipe on www.365daysofbakingandmore.com.

 

The office had an uncomfortable feel about it.  Some folks had seen “The Last Jedi,” others had not.  The cubes formed a tense “Spoiler Free Zone.”  This delicate balance would not last long.

Only the weekend stood between me and Monday.  A Monday, when all would be ready to discuss the movie’s twists and turns.

I saw a window.  Sunday afternoon we did not have anything scheduled.  I suggested a 3:45PM showing to my wife.  That’s when all became uncertain.

My beautiful and well intention filled wife suggested next Thursday night for watching the movie.  Um, odds of spoilers not being leaked before then stood at about 2%.  Time to seriously negotiate.  I would have to give.

We could go, but…

No large bucket of calorie laden popcorn.  Fine.

I would only able to watch the movie one more time over Winter Break.  Fine, but I could also sneak out and see the movie for a third time, as long as no one knew about it.

We had an agreement.  Balance had been returned to the Force.

 

Watching the church Christmas Pageant rehearsal.  All was looking cute.  Kids with nervous yawning.  The voices of children singing.  An adorable cow and WAIT!  What’s that?

Yes, one donkey mask different from the others.  Sort of a hybrid between a bank robbery gone wrong and the Lost Chapters of Mendel’s Farm Experiments (“It’s not about peas anymore”).

Any who, I got to thinking.  Baby Jesus was a big tent kind of kid.  So welcome, Out-of-Place Donkey Mask and Merry Christmas!

PS – The kid ended up ditching the donkey mask.  Looks like Bethlehem adopted new ag standards.

 

Finishing up work, I headed to the gym.  After the gym, I headed home for dinner.  After dinner, I cleaned the dishes.  After the dishes, I pitched birthday party game ideas to my 9-year-old.  After my only somewhat successful attempt at pitching birthday party game ideas, I baked cupcakes for said birthday party.  After baking the cupcakes, I folded laundry.  After folding laundry, I shooed the kids off their devices and put them to bed.

Then I realized I was tired.  No Holiday activities involved, this was an everyday tired.  Then I realized, it’s okay.  Life is tiring.  Then I realized, it was time to go to sleep.  Yep, life is tiring and that’s a deep enough thought for one day.

 

PEPPERMINT CANDY BROWNIES

“‘Tis the season for peppermint and it’s always time for brownies.  Whip up a batch of these moist brownies and say ‘Fa La La’ with delight.  Enjoy!”

1 1/2 cups Flour

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 1/4 cups Sugar

3/4 cup Butter

1/2 cup Cocoa Powder

2 Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 cup Milk

3/4 cup Andes Mints

1 container Store Bought Frosting

1/2 cup Round Peppermint Candies

 

Break the peppermint candies into smaller pieces using a plastic bag and hammer.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop the Andes Mints into smaller pieces.  Set aside.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Set aside.

Melt the butter.

In a bowl, stir together the sugar, melted butter, and cocoa powder.

Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined.

Alternately, stir the flour mixture and the milk into the chocolate mixture.

Stir in the Andes Mints.

Pour batter into a greased 15″ x 10″ baking pan.  Spread to cover the bottom of the pan,

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely.

Spread the chocolate frosting over the top of the brownies.

Sprinkle on the crushed peppermint pieces.

 

Makes about 48 brownies.

Revised Source:  “Peppermint Stick Brownies” recipe in Better Homes & Gardens “Cookies Cookies Cookies – Christmas Treats.”