This morning in church Mike led his choir and instrumentalists in a lovely Christmas cantata. It had a very Christmasy Eve flavor, all the old familiar carols. Just exactly perfect. Everyone who participated did such a great job. Let's do it again!

I forgot to mention that I ate a bunch of dates last night, too. I rounded a corner at the grocery store, and there was a whole display in the aisle, where you couldn't help but trip over them, you know, those flimsy cardboard numbers, where you have about a 1,000% chance of knocking the whole thing down with your cart? Yeah, well, I LOVE dates. They came all the way from Pakistan.

Tonight I made my fabulous cherry cupcakes for DTD'S birthday. Except they didn't turn out so fabulous. Why? Because I had to use rice flour instead of plain good old-fashioned wheat flour. Because DTD doesn't eat wheat, gluten or dairy. Let me tell you something, there is a reason why people use plain good old-fashioned wheat flour . . . it works. I got nervous when I opened the bag of rice flour, it was so white. It had a weird texture, I can't describe it but it was not nice like wheat flour. Then when the batter was ready, it turned all grainy and stupid. When I took the things out of the oven, they crumbled to death as I tried to lift them from muffin tins. I wound up salvaging two for DTD (they were in the tin foil muffin liners, all I had for the rest was paper liners, which were as good as nothing). The rest got dumped in a big pan and now I have Cherry Crumb Cake. Dang. I frosted them the best I could. Talk about a flop. They taste okay, but you can taste the rice. Pooh.

Am in the middle of vacuuming all the blinds in the house, minus the living room, which I did last week in my one day burst of energy. Window cleaners coming at noon and somehow between now and then I need to be two steps ahead. I have to clear a path to each window. That would be an outstanding idea, wouldn't it? Boy, I dread it. I also need to take my new rags, get 'em damp and wipe each slat, which will take forever, but at least the preliminary vacuuming, which is time consuming, will be done. I have learned that vacuuming first is essential, it I want to avoid making mud pies. Honestly, the older I get, the longer I let things S-L-I-D-E. Onward, HO!, if I ever end this blog, that is.

THE END,
KEM