Husband making his world famous lollipops while multi-tasking making cookies.  He is the baker in the house.  His lollies are a sought after commidity annually at his work.

Now comes the time for the dark to retreat.  Merry Happy to All!  Are you ready for the light?!

I have been busily preparing for family holiday on 12/25:  Daughter, soon to be son-in-law, grandson, soon to be daughter's Mom-in-law (what is the term for the relationship between her and me?  Is there one?)  Yesterday I finished up shopping.  Distributed goodies among stockings (yes – everyone gets a stocking.  It is required.  Just ask Daughter, Keeper of the Family Traditions) to be sure I had them full down to the toes.  I have crazy quilt stockings that I made in the early 90s.  They stay here but any who come into the family get an assigned stocking.  If Son comes back from Florida (his was crayoned brown paper in the shape of a stocking this year) we will have to find another for soon to be Son-In-Law as he has used Son's.  Then there's the new little one we will have this time next year who will need a stocking….and a quilt.  Given my sewing machine has lived for over 2 years in the shed now (its place taken over by beads and more beads, and, oh yes, yet more beads) I have no idea how this is going to happen.  It is something I must address soon. 

Here are some pictures from my long silent stretch from blogging.  Husband swept me off to the Poconos to cocoon at Paradise Stream in the Cleopatra Towers (champagne glass whirlpool; private swimming pool – that's it through the glass and you can see the 2nd floor sleeping area in the upper left).  Snowed just enought to be very pretty and very cold, but not enough to mess up the roads (my nightmare).  We got there in 5 hours taking the direct route which we have never, ever taken the past 10 trips or so.  This time we had not time, just intention.  It was awesome!  And very good for us.  It has been updated due to a flood several years back.  There were good stories from folks who talked to folks there when it happened:  a flash flood, water started streaming into the dining room, folks were run out to safety through the kitchen with chefs holding the doors against the rising flood.  All out safely, the entire main building was severaly damaged.  They rebuilt.  Everything is still wonderfully cheesy, you never have to leave the campus – all sorts of activities, a nightclub, pool and pingpong tables, video machines and breakfast and dinner included – in other words, if you want to cocoon, this is it.  We're Forever Lovers (more cheese, but hey, I took the pins they give out to wear).

          and more still, but you'll have to wait.

thought for the day:  After woman has been created, [biblical author identified as] J tells the story of the forbidden fruit, which further diminishes women's place in society.  Yahweh instructs the first couple to make themselves at home in His Garden of Eden and to enjoy its delights – with one exception:  they are not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge "lest they die."  Enter the Serpent, cast as a villain, but actually the only character in this morality play who speaks the truth.  the Serpent tells Eve that partaking of the Tree of Knowledge's fruit will not cause her death; instead, the Seprent says, "In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good from evil."  Intrigued by the prospect of such a wondrous gift, Eve "took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."

The omniscient Yahweh pretends not to know what has transpired.  When He confronts the first mand with his breah of discipline, Adam blames the first woman.  She confesses, but claims that the Serpent had beguiled her.  Faced with the three culprits, Yahweh first curses the Serpent, pronouncing, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman."  In every earlier culture, the snake was one of the Goddess's most potent power symbols:  Yahweh's first disciplinary act [ever] was to sever this ancient connection.  Leonard Shlain The Alphabet versus the Goddess:  The conflict Between Word and Image [a most interesting and enlightening book!]