Nut Fugger

Today marked the first day of decorating. I am a little slower this year than in other years, and I am not sure why. I have the same amount of spirit and excitement of the season that I normally have. Perhaps I have been busy doing other important things. Yes, that will work, let’s go with that excuse.

I didn’t really do much today except for moving all of the boxes upstairs and gave some thought as to how I will decorate differently this year. Who am I kidding, I won’t do anything different, once perfection has been achieved, there is nothing left to change. Tomorrow I will pack up the normal knick knacks that clutter up the house for ten months of the year, dust and then pull all of our treasures that we have spent a lifetime collecting out of their boxes and wrappings.

I will hang the wrapping paper garland that our kids made when they were little around the walls. We bought Maegan a snow globe every year for a number of years and now there is quite a collection of them. I’m not talking Martha Stewart collection, but relatively normal people’s collection. Maegan lives in Toronto, and since you can’t fly with the snow globes we are the custodians until some brave soul drives out to Ontario one summer. Yes, I know…I’m retired and I should do it.

This year, we have changed the arrangement of the living room and I am not sure how things will go. I will put things out just where I think they should go and Louise will move them to where they actually look good. It works for us. I think the tree will go up on Wednesday, but I have been pretty lazy lately.

The big issue for me is what I should paint on the window this year. I have been painting our big picture window for years now with a different scene every year. I am not a very good artist, but I think it makes the house a little more festive and I get to listen to carols and drink home made Baileys while I paint. It is always fun for me, but thinking of a new picture is always difficult. You see it has to look good and it has to be easy enough for me to paint. We are thinking of snowmen having a snowball fight this year, but I am having trouble finding an existing cartoon with that exact subject. I may have to modify and perhaps think outside the box. Oh my!

Well, at least the lights are up and they look pretty good. Not spectacular, but good. Spectacular would mean going absolutely nut fugger, and even though I don’t pretend to have a firm grip on reality, I’m not that nuts.

Well, back to the snowman search…

BAILEY’S IRISH CREAM

1 - cup of light cream

1 - 14 oz can of eagle brand  ( I use 1 ½ of the smaller cans. I don’t think there are 14 oz cans in Canada.)

1 2/3 cups of Irish whiskey ( I use Canadian Club)

1 tsp. Instant coffee

2 tbsp. chocolate syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

Blend. Bottle and refrigerate. Shake before using.