Last evening we ended up having heavy rain before the first of the snow could be seen flying sideways.
We lost power at eight last night and it came on at 3:30 this morning. The extra batteries. Dennis went to bed about nine without the use of his CPAP. I pulled one of our soft chairs closer to the bedroom door so I could here Dennis and cat-napped. The house maintained a 58-degree temp for the duration. That was the longest power-outage I can ever remember.
Dennis reported that from one of the televisions in the patio porch, we may have gotten between five to six inches. It is indeed white. Randy scrapped off the concrete drive and most of the drive is bare concrete.
Sometime these last months, I had bought a box of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix while in Sam’s Club. Today was the day to use the last two pouches of the mix. Dennis shook the eggs needed in a half-pint Mason jar and I put the butter to melt mode in the microwave. With the butter and eggs then getting whipped into a frenzy in the KitchenAid mixer. That beast rolled that cookie dough stiff enough that I could take a spoonful out at a time, roll it, and get it onto the baking sheet. I did put some of the cookies in the freezer as I know from experience they don’t stay soft for too long.
And how did I come about to have a KitchenAid mixer? Several years ago, I helped out a previous employee when she was fighting Pancreatic cancer. Her apartment was where she wanted to stay for as long as possible. I was retired by that time, and I would be at her home every day as her daughter could not leave her work. Lorraine didn’t want Hospice. She was the most humble private person I have ever know. One day when I went over, her daughter had made arrangements to take medical leave and could I please bring her mom to her home. So it was determined. Lorraine had said that when her cookie making days were over, I was to take her mixer home with me. A few days later when I tidied up her apartment, I did take the KitchenAid home. Lorraine passed away within five days of being with her daughter. Whenever I use the mixer, I think of Lorraine.
But . . . this afternoon when the sugar cookies were done, I took the hot leftover coffee with a cookie and sat at the table. I dunked this cookie as a homage to my great grandmother, Christine. When I would stay at my grandparent’s home, Christ and Laura’s, Christine lived with them. She spoke no English, but she always let me be by her side when she stirred up something to bake for the hard working multi-generational farm family. In her long black dress with the ever fresh white apron, her and I would sit at the round dining room table to share a cookie. She had heavily laced cream coffee and I had some coffee in my cup. She would pick up her cookie and beckon me to do the same, and then . . . dunk!
I have so many memories that seem to be freshened with the activities of my days. What a treat.
By the way, the oven dish of last night was very tasty. Before putting the round, blue-speckled roaster into the oven, I covered the top of the dish with finely shredded Asiago-Parmeson cheese. It gave a bite like no other. A welcomed repeat for this evening.
With that I will take my leave.
