One Who Is Lost

So for gifts to my friends among coworkers I usually bake/cook something, fudge, peanut butter cups, cookies, stuff like that.

This year I'm feeling totally uninspired on what to make. I can't do my standard cracker candy cause...well...it's my standard. I was thinking maybe baklava, but whoa $$$$$ (I can only make it with pistachios).

Anybody have good recipes to share that:

• Are fairly easy
• Store unrefrigerated for at least a week
• Are easily packaged
• Do not require a candy thermometer
• Don't require too many specialty ingredients
• Are easily increased to large batches
• Are unbelievably yummy

Anybody?

Am very much looking forward to my unThanksgiving-esque Thanksgiving. Heading to a friends house to celebrate with her and her brother. She's making spanakopita and the like. I'm making/bringing baklava. And before/after the meal, we're going to dork out over some Dr. Who. Should be grand.

I've actually been off work this whole week and have been reveling in doing as much nothing as possible. Well, if I define nothing as reading, knitting, watching movies, going to VT for a day, going for drinks with friends, etc. The last two basically being ways to ensure I don't spend the WHOLE week in my apartment (close, but not quite the whole week...)

Nothing to say, was just playing with icons. Look what I made!!!

Oh wait, can share a funny valentine story. Checked the mail yesterday and there was a card addressed to my dad and his ex-wife. Hmmmmm. It was an anniversary card (Dad and his ex were married on Valentine's) from a rather forgetful relative. Forgetful to the point that he's sending an anniversary to a dead woman and the man who divorced her and has been married to somebody else (my mom) for almost 29 years. It's a good thing Mom has a good since of humor.

I guess I have to add to the mass ammounts of posts "What I did/got on my holidays." Yes, I am a sheep.

Saturday was finishing my shopping and helping the folks prepare for the party.

Sunday was the party. I had a good time, but I felt bad for my folks; the only people who came were my friends and our neighbors. All of their friends called to cancel as they were sick.

Monday I went and saw Lord of the Rings. MMMMMMMMMMM good movie! Despite sitting front row center and getting a bit of the IMAX nauseous effect on some of the scenes it was a highly entertaining movie. The only drawback...how long until the next one?!?! Sigh, patience never was one of my virtues. That night was our traditional Christmas Eve dinner at Youngs. Ever so yummy! When we first started going (about ten years ago) we were practically the only people there. This year we had to wait a half hour despite having reservations. We are such trendsetters. That night I began to get the inklings of things to come.

Sure enough, Tuesday morning I had a knock down, dragged out head cold/flu type crappiness. My body felt like it had spent the night in an industrial dryer. Ah well, it WAS Christmas so things weren't all bad. Waited for Schwa and Mez to come by and then had our present fest. Got lots of books and CDs, almost three copies of Sims Hot Date (Schwa found out I'd gotten it already so quickly exchanged it for House Party), clothes, etc. Basically your Christmas standards. Nothing too mind-boggling exciting, but all quite satisfying.

Yesterday I was supposed to be back at work, but I could barely expend the energy to sit-up so I spent the day reading, watching movies and playing on the computer. Saw Legally Blonde..amusing. Watched Fat Man and Little Boy. Rather depressing film about the Los Alamos project during WWII. The kind of movie that makes you wish you had a time machine so you could go back in time and slap some people around.

Hope all of you hade good holidays and were in better health than I.

OK, if you want to give a good, inexpensive, eductional, year long present to anyone, including yourself, go here. Introductory subscriptions to Mother Jones are only TEN DOLLARS people!!!