A Foggy Holiday

I thought I had plenty of time this morning to do the last of the cookies after breakfast. The Cherry-Coconut Bars are another recipe from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book. They're really Lemon Bars with a filling made with coconut and maraschino cherries instead of lemon juice. They're extremely sweet, but maybe that's what people like. They're probably my second-most-requested cookie after the Merry Christmas Molasses Cookies.

Started National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation while I ate breakfast and did the bars. Clark Griswauld is looking forward to an old-fashioned holiday with all the family around him, a huge tree, lots of presents, and a big bonus from work. As usual in this series, what Clark imagines and what actually happens are two entirely different matters. The two sets of grandparents don't get along. His boss is a grouchy jerk, and that much-desired bonus is very late. The obnoxious yuppies next door think he's lost his marbles. The tree is so big, it doesn't really fit in his living room. About mid-way through the season, his slob cousin Eddie and his family show up unannounced and create even more chaos. The simmering insanity explodes on Christmas Eve...literally, at one point...with the addition of a senile uncle and aunt and the arrival of a bonus that isn't anything like Clark expected. In the end, he finally learns that while nobody's Christmas is perfect, that doesn't mean it can't be memorable.

Yeah, I've always had a soft spot for this one, if for no other reason than it reminded me of why my parents always insisted relatives visit on Christmas Day or the week after, not right before. Ok, so yeah, the jokes are slapsticky and scatological and the yuppies are annoyingly dated, but for all the squirrels in trees and hillbilly cousins, it's pretty realistic. A lot of people may be going through some of the same things as Clark, even as I write this. Tweens on up will have fun with this one as they get into their own Christmas vacations next week.

It had been raining on and off all morning. I hoped it would have stopped by the time I went to work. Unfortunately, I got a call around quarter after 11. I had written down noon on my schedule, but apparently, I was supposed to have been in at 11! I felt like a total and complete idiot. I didn't have the time to finish the movie or the cookies, or even call for a ride. I just changed, threw together a lunch, and rushed off in the rain. I deserved getting soaked for not writing my schedule down right.

At least it was quiet when I did finally arrive at 11:45. In fact, we were mildly steady all day. There were no really major problems. Not only was my relief on time, but it was so quiet by 5 PM, they didn't really need anyone to stay. I couldn't make up the lost 45 minutes.

At least it wasn't raining by the time I rode home. It was just damp and very, very foggy. It was thickest fog I'd seen in a while. I could barely see in front of my face riding home. Thank goodness for those Christmas lights making the streets a little brighter!

When I got home, I tried to unload the cookies, but they stuck too much. I put them back in the oven as I worked a little bit on writing. Scott's been accused of stealing Maple's sheep. The kids are sure he's innocent. Betty doesn't know what to think. Scott swears he hasn't done it...but he has stolen livestock before. Mr. Eldridge's befuddled attempts to stand up for Scott don't make him feel much better.

After the bars cooled a little, I loaded them into the boxes. They were still a little gooey, but I was tired of waiting. They're the last batch of cookies I do for Christmas, which means all the boxes of cookies I give away are now ready. I just need to do the cupcakes for Dad-Bruce and a few neighbors, the Cranberry Bread for the McHughs next door, and the Pumpkin Mousse Pie for Jodie and Dad-Bruce's Christmas Eve party.

I had a very quick dinner of leftover soup while finishing Christmas Vacation, then went into some episodes of Max & Ruby. "Ruby's Snowbunny" will be the biggest she's ever made, if she can distract her brother from sledding long enough to help her. "Ruby's Snowflake" is actually three cookies she wants to decorate to look exactly alike, but hungry Max and his toys don't make that easy! Max wants to play "Duck Duck Goose," but Ruby and her friends need to find winter birds for their merit badges. Max finally finds a way to help them and have some fun.