So This Is Winter

I really liked the fall-like weather lasting through most of December and into January. Eventually though, winter caught up with us and it zeroed in on the day I was preparing to hold a special party for my daughter by marriage, Miss Lorrie.

That girl got cheated for years because she was born into a family who celebrated the Ukrainian New Year falling two days after she was born, so she was lucky if she saw a birthday cake.

This was going to be a birthday-only celebration,and hats with with "Happy New Year" emblazoned on them were firmly excluded.

I found a great slow cooker recipe for a loin of pork heavily laced with barbecue spices mixed with jellied cranberry sauce. Oven roasted mini potatoes, fresh green beans with toasted filberts, a killer home-made coleslaw and a fabulous Black Forest birthday cake. A feast.

However the morning of the big day the snow fell, the ice pellets fell and it wasn't a time to seriously consider driving anywhere, especially when there is a puppy left at home who has to go out to pee every four hours or less.

We postponed until next Sunday. I called in the troops up the block to slide down the icy street and come eat what was already cooked but I froze the custard/cherries filling along with the cake and they were a demonstrably sad about that.

I feel a bit like Miss Faversham as the table sits pristine with only visits from the cats who like to curl up for a nap around a place setting.
Until I discover them.


At least there aren't any mice.