The Blues

    Just in case you're wondering, it's been snowing here.  Sunday we got 12 inches.  Mathematically, it computes this way: 1 inch of rain = 10 inches of snow.  We spent yesterday wrangling with the plow company we hired.  They decided they didn't like our driveway after all and want to drop us.  Calmly and nicely I explained that they had all summer to come and look at the driveway ... all the way up ... and didn't.  Who would take us on now at this stage of the game when contracts are paid and routes assigned?   He said, "well....we'll see how it goes."  Not happy us.  I hate to even think that PH is going to have to call them tomorrow and remind them they aren't allowed to run down the driveway and dump the load on the cemetery property at the bottom of the drive.   PH is going to do it because I'm at the end of my nice.

      But today the sun is shining, it's only 24 degrees, but it's shining and I went out this morning to shovel the sides of the driveway - all the way down - and make sure that the drive was clear and salted heavily so when the sun came out today (they promised) then the driveway could dry out.  It's a long way down.

     And lest you think everything I make is wonderful and turns out every time - some friends do think that - let me tell you about the peanut butter cups.  SIL said he would like to find a recipe for them.  I said I had one and I would make some.  I can't remember using this particular recipe but it's hand written in my book so in my other life probably I did.   Melt 8 oz. milk chocolate and 1.5 cups peanut butter. Mix half of the peanut butter in the chocolate and spread half of the chocolate combo in an 8 inch pan, top with the melted peanut butter and top with the rest of the chocolate.  Simple.  But it didn't say anything about getting each layer solid before adding the next layer and I should have known better. I had a marbled mess in a pan.  I put it in the fridge to set.  About an hour into that I opened the fridge to test it and a squash on the shelf above rolled off and dropped into the peanut butter mess.  OK.  Wash off the squash.  My sleeve dipped into the peanut butter mess.  OK.  Wash off the sleeve.  I smelled like peanut butter all day but it's my cozy sweater and I like peanut butter so I wore it.
    I ended up cutting the peanut-butter-mess-now-called-fudge and made more chocolate and dipped them in and put them in the fridge to harden and will hand out napkins when they eat it.

     Then, Monday morning I broke my toe.  Just walking.  It doesn't take much for me.  The couch had a little bit to do with it.  I hobbled all day because we had a driveway to clear and dusting and vacuuming to do and I'm running out of time.  I didn't take my sock off to look at it till last night.  I used my camera zoom to be able to really see it since my knees don't bend anymore in the position I'd need in order to see it.  It sure is a pretty purple. 

     Today, after spending the morning clearing and salting the long driveway and after the refrigerator repair man was here I went for groceries for this weekend. The toe is still broken, of course, but tight socks are helping.  The kids and grands will all be here for our Christmas.  Groceries needed to be in the house today so I can start to prep tomorrow.  I got to the store and saw I grabbed my menu list, not the shopping list.  Lots of people had to walk around me as I stood there in the middle of the aisles like  the little old ladies that annoy me do while I was thinking.
     These icicles are not a good thing, by the way. I stepped out back to take a nice picture with the sun and trees and saw these monsters. 

    But in the end, today the sun is shining, the cardinals are having a snack right now and the driveway is clean.  It's all good.