Time for a quick entry while dinner’s re-heating.  It’s Cream of
Cleaned-Out-The-Veggie-Drawer soup–a household favorite.  A second night
of steamy goodness.  Before D. from the grad program left on a jet-plane to
California a few days ago, she dropped a bag of produce by on the way out of
town.  What will we do with this?  So I boiled it up,
blended-blended, added salt and a splash of milk…soup.  Broccoli, chard,
cabbage, potatoes, onions, Brussels sprouts (straight from the stalk).  A
sprinkle of grated sharp cheddar.

I was wrong.  Not enough time.  Insert soup-eating break here.

Tagged along with D. today on various shopping errands, which meant, of
course, that once my chronic mall lethargy started acting up, I just stood back,
gawked at all the obligatory spending–people buying up all kinds of
stuff.  Now where did I put my other Mastercard?.  Meanwhile,
while D. looked hard for relevant stuff, I zeroed in on four stand-out
gifts–out-standing because I would’ve have like this stuff way back when I was
a kid.  Four things: Wiggles
guitar, Hot Wheels Slimecano,
Origami desk
calendar, (Everlasting?) Gobstopper Candy Canes, fresh from Wonka’s
factory. And so I splurged on the canes.  Not like we had any on the tree
yet, anyway.

The best part of the holiday break: I can feel the blood rushing back. 
Not blog mojo, exactly, but the peace of writing just for the heckuvit. Need to
get better at finding rhythms, though, and managing the writing load whilst in
the throes of Semester. 

Last bit: as Collin
bakes goodies, as Krista
searches for a jus-right tree, as the blogosphere’s newest Jen
iPod-ificates, and as…and as…and as…the online channels seem
wonderfully alive.  Because I respect C.’s withholding of recipes (hey, it
wouldn’t be magic if just anyone could work it), I thought I’d post one
of my own.  Okay, one of my mom’s.  Not cookies technically, depending
on how you define cookies (holiday treat?  heated, cooled, and tasty?
sugar? process? warming effect?).  Whatever it is, whiskey slush makes it
merrier.

Whiskey Slosh or Whiskeee! Your Worries Away,
Frigidaire Style
Together, mix
1 3/4 c. whiskey or 1 pint, + or – a splash
1 large (12 fl.oz.) can frozen orange juice
1 large (12 fl.oz.) can frozen lemonade
3 tea bags or 2 c. of hot tea (pref. generic Lipton to anything
flavored)
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar (joker on TV just said something about subbing
applesauce for sugar in holiday goodies…not recommended here)
7 c. water
Stir.
Dump in a plastic bowl. Into the freezer until shavably firm (a few hours).  Scoop into glasses,
bowls, etc. 

It has been at least a year since I made a batch, but D. asked today if I’d
stir some up.  For more exotic combos, sub out the OJ or lemonade with
other citrous frozen concentrates (pineapple juice or orange-straw-banana if
you’re adventurous…avoid grape). Half batch: divide all ingredients by two.
And now that I think of it, by the rule of seasonal logic, this is probably a
summertime drink. All the same.  Summery somewhere (sure n’heck not
CNY).  Cheers.