Thankful

Back in the kitchen this morning instead of the office. If there is another way to cheer up a hungry family, I don't know what it is. Smell the baking bread...doesn't matter if it made in the bread machine. I am all about the Ease of Preparation. Martha Stewart does not have to worry about me applying for her job. I was really ready to sit back, relax and read the Washington Post ( or at least do the crossword). Suddenly, a steady drip drip drip from the window frame...not the window. So what can you do about melting snow on the roof coming into your house? You can call the guy who cleans the gutter. Instead of declaring that nothing can be done just now, Mr Jack Spenser and his crew showed up within the hour and climbed up ladders and poured hot water on ice dams and repaired the drain situation! Whew. It stopped raining inside. I am so thankful for them that I gave them one of the tins of christmas cookies fresh out of the oven. When trouble finds you , you always find out who you can count on. I also find that most people are happiest when you feed them!

Winter Skin Tip Number Two: Let the dishwasher wash most of the dishes or else wear thick yellow playtex gloves. Your nails will grow and your skin will feel better.

In the kitchen in the Blizzard of 2009

I am sure that you, like everyone else on the east coast, was forced to take five and stop the crazy pace of life during this holiday season. Thank you for the vacation. I really needed it. This photo of my neighbors treelights was a welcome view from the front window. One of the great discoveries for me was a movie on the On Demand tv menu ...Julie and Julia. I really enjoyed this movie! If you are anything like me, then spending two days in the house means spending at least one of those days in the kitchen. No, I cannot claim to cook like Julia Child but at least now I understand what blogging is all about!!!! The movie was fun to watch because when has Meryl Streep ever disappointed??

I found myself thinking about the folks who like to find other things in their kitchens like home remedies for skin ailments. Some recent ones I have heard: coconut oil for acne (no, no, no no!), shea butter for anything ( probably wont hurt, probably wont help) and, most dangerous of them all, putting chlorine bleach directly on skin that is itching. Sorry, but I can't condone any of these things, even if Grandma gave it the OK.