Post Christmas ...

There are one or two reasons why I still have not managed to rouse myself long enough to sort through allallall the photos on Christmas and Boxing days.



Or maybe just one reason ...



We bought a Wii.

Quote of the Day (so far)

We opened presents with my Darling London Sister on Skype. And naturally, the video was playing up (with 10.25 million people online? it's understandable.) so we had to explain every thing we were opening. Painting word pictures.

Sarah: And I just gave Craig a leather strap bracelet. It's real leather, sorry Charlotte.
Charlotte-the-vegetarian: You make the baby Jesus cry.
Sarah: Nuh-uh! Jesus was totally into Leather ... Woah. That came out wrong.

Not a creature was stirring ...

Happy Holidays from the
Oh Darling Family

Is this a Koan?

I like polysyl-
labic words too much to be
any good at Haiku

Christmas time means Candy Canes

I'm essentially obsessed with Candy Canes.
The shape, the colours, the twist, and oh oh oh, peppermint is the best flavour in the world.
Over christmas? I make the most of them (I love seasonal food!) and as such, I bake them into my childhood-recipe cookies.

Chocolate-Chip-Candy-Cane-Cookies
12 oz Flour
4 tsp Baking Powder
8 oz Butter
4 oz Sugar
4 Tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 pkt chocolate chips (uh ... the pack is like 2 cups?)

1 tsp peppermint essence
12 Candy Canes



Soften the butter, cream with sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Add the flour and baking powder. Combine. Add the peppermint essence.

Break up the Candy Canes! Sometimes you can slice them, most of the time we just unwrap them, put them inside two plastic bags, and a tea-towel, and have at them with a hammer.



my pretty pretty sister was a little too into it ...



Terrifying.



Result!

I add in the candy cane with the blade still in the food processor ...



But the chocolate chips get all broken up and turn the biscuits brown so I remove the blade and add them by hand.



Form into balls about the size of walnuts



Annoying huge chocolate drops. They don't work as well as chocolate chips.

Smoosh (Technical Term!) with a fork.



Bake at 150c for ... oh, like 10? 15? minutes. Until they are pale beige.



Sometimes the candy pieces are too close to the edge and they melt out and burn. But that doesn't mean they're all burnt!



Sometimes? they are all flat like this. Sometimes they are more like ... proper biscuits. Nice and fluffy.
I think it might be when the butter is too melted in step one. But I've never paid enough attention to work it out and sometimes they are perfect, sometimes they are less-than but still taste lovely.
This was one of the latter times. And I couldn't be bothered baking a whole 'nother batch just for pretty pictures.

Another little drone for the 'hive*

I finallyfinallyfinally have a proper full time grown up job. It's kind of interesting and has an important sounding title. I kind of love it.

But no, I won't tell you exactly where, with whom, or doing what. Because what would be the fun in that?

* Pictured between branches is the Beehive, the buzzing hub of New Zealand's parliament.

For my Darling sister in London ...

(I was obviously a great help!)

































We Missed You!

Friday Morning

I realised that it has been MONTHS since I spent the train ride to and from work in absolute hysterics.
That is to say, I miss this cute little face:



My Darling Sister Charlotte.



Seriously? How cute is she??

p.s. I might also be hugely jealous that she is spending christmas in London.

Ghostin' up the place

A conversation between sisters.

Jayne; Buuuh!
Me (walking down the stairs): What?
Jayne:You just looked all ... ethereal. I think it's the curly hair.
Me: And the ghostly pallor?
Jayne: Yea. Quit ghostin' up the place.


Officially my new occupation: Ghostin'.
Duties; a lot of wandering, occasional moaning, wearing of dresses, generally being pale.
Benefits: you never have to brush your hair and shoes are optional.

A conversation via Text Message

Sarah-Rose
Have an amazing time but don't die or get an STD. Love you!

Craig
I promise I'll come home in a good condition and no std. love you xxx

This weekend Craig is away at a Stag-Weekend. As in boys not deer. He knows and lovingly accepts my hyperbole. Which is why we work.