Bliss of the Domestic Variety

Almost the very last thing we spoke about was how much I hated the gym. As in, getting in the car to go spend an hour on the treadmill (ack) and the eliptical just puts me in the worst sort of funk. Not to mention that my favored (not only) branch of the YMCA has 5 'eliptical' machines, all of which I have discovered were not created equally. The two StarTac are against the wall and despite the welcome addition of a little fan in the front ride horribly. The two machines next to the aisle are some sort of off the track invention that probably burn enough calories to make you instantly thin but are extremely difficult. Then there is my chosen implement of torture the EFX which I have decided stands for extra-f'ing-exacerbating. Or something. So in light of that, you would think that a blessed weekend of domestic bliss would not include things of maximum calories. And then some. But it did, oh yes it did.

I took the weekend off. As in OFF. I'm one of those odd women who find true creative pleasure and an optimum working (relaxing and creative) environment when my home is clean so I started Saturday by cleaning the house when I got home from the gym and got to the bottom of the laundry basket. Wonderful! Once set to rights I was ready to sink into bliss. It was a very short and simple direction to rationalize the fact that knitting would be even more comforting when the smells of home baking wafted from the freshly clean house. Baking----- ah baking!! A pan of "Perfectly Peppermint Brownies" were created and too many were consumed. I discovered a bag of York Mini Peppermint Patties in the pantry, leftover from the holidays when I was going to use them for something or other and didn't. On the side of the bag was the recipe and it was completely delicious. Just in case they rotate the recipes on the bag, I'll pass it along for your next bout of domesticity.

Perfectly Peppermint Brownies

1 package of York Mini Peppermint Patties
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup melted butter, divided
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. good quality vanilla extract

heat oven to 350 degrees and grease well a 13x9 baking pan

stir together the cocoa and baking soda in large bowl. Stir i 1/3 cup of the melted butter. Add boiling water and stir
until the mixture thickens, then add sugar eggs and remaining 1/3 cup of butter. Add in the flour, salt
and vanilla blending completely. Stir in the mini peppermint patties making sure you eat at least five
of them for the purpose of quality control. Spread in prepared baking pan and bake for about 35 minutes.
Watch carefully the last 8 minutes or so, you don't want the edges to get too done.

Cool completely and cut into squares. Nice big squares.

Yum-my. Does life get better???? Why yes, it does!!

Day off. Clean house. Peppermint brownies. Good mail day! Check out that wonderful inscription----- a lovely personalized autographed copy of a much yearned for book=====

"2 - at - a - time - Socks" by Melissa Morgan Oakes. GREAT book and well worth waiting for. I love the lay flat spiral binding, that makes big points! It is well thought out, seemingly quite simple to follow, well photographed, lots of good 'tips' and the socks within the book are really CUTE! I am into the cuff of my sock on DPN's, the super simple haul it around sock----- so I'm looking forward to doing some Loopy Ewe damage this week to lay in some fresh smelling sock yarn to go with my ready to roll long circ. Melissa----- in case I get befuddled, which as we know is extremely likely to happen, I'll be cyber knocking on your door with socks in hand! The great part is that I know without a shadow of a doubt that you will be there to answer, you are the best!

On the great mail day theme, this next item filled my heart with nearly inexpressible joy!!! Woo Hoo---- and thank heavens it arrived early in the day, before the cleaning frenzy....

My new vacuum cleaner! But not just ANY mere vacuum cleaner, oh nosireejimbob!!!! An Oreck XL, and REDDDDDDDDDDDDD to boot. I have coveted an Oreck since I lost mine in the divorce. (There is nothing like a man scorned, one evil and hateful enough to steal a woman's vacuum cleaner!) My old vacuum cleaner was a piece of total crap, and I was tired of buying a new vacuum every year or so. Hence my new love, Miz Oreck. As my blitters know there ain't a lot of anything sucking around here besides my vacuum cleaner :) and this one is wonderful. Light as a feather, will clean the basement from the second floor I'm telling you, and did I mention red?????

My cup I tell you is running over. Clean house, peppermint brownies, new book, new vacuum cleaner, one sock PAU (done) and the back of Cable Luxe completed. Retirement (come quickly please!) is going to be heaven!!

Every once in awhile it is a fine idea to take the weekend off and fill the creative tanks, and that is exactly what I feel like! Rested, relaxed and ready to hit this week running. Yesterday afternoon was Knit Group, and how wonderful was that????? A perfect end to a great weekend! It does bring musings that are for another time---- after I've spent all this time blathering on about my new vacuum cleaner it is time to hit Monday running!