January 25, 2016

"Die before you die. There is no chance after."

Till We Have Faces
 C.S. Lewis

January 20, 2016

Some moments that made my day in the past week...

Finding an old friend (The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens) in my little Afghan student's literature book...

Zak dancing like there's no tomorrow in her yellow dress and trousers. I think she forgets she is blind when she's dancing...

Big green eyes smiling at me over a chocolate goatee...

The mouthwatering smell from the jar of dill pickles the Taylors left behind after they stayed overnight here...

S. hiding the bags of rice and beans inside her "Chanel" purse so no one would realize she is down to begging for food...

Even that made my day, in a strange way. Some people just won't be beaten.

January 17, 2016

Double Chocolate Peppermint Smash Cookies

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 egg
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Topping:

2 squares white chocolate
2 squares baking chocolate
1 large leftover Christmas candy cane



Roll out the dough so it is still somewhat thick, sprinkle toppings and roll again to set them in place. Then cut the cookies out and bake them.

Why are they smash cookies, you ask? Because the ingredients for the topping (white chocolate, candy canes, etc.) all came in Large Hard Pieces that had to be pulverized, O Best Beloved. I did it on the kitchen floor with a rolling pin. I am sure there are more effective ways, possibly even more sophisticated ones. If I had a hammer...but that puts me in mind of a song.

January 15, 2016

Zadok has had such cute rosy cheeks this winter, due to the refrigerator temperatures we tend to live in. Then they started getting rosier and rosier, no longer cute but really uncomfortable!

So we contacted Josette, the ever-helpful dermatologist who said it was an exceptionally bad case of eczema and needed special cream. A bottle of cream was quickly purchased, for the exorbitant price of about $1.50, and he's starting to look and feel better.

January 10, 2016

If ye make indentures with God, how much ye will serve Him, ye shall find ye have signed both of them yourself."

                                                                                              Thomas More

January 7, 2016

Yesterday (or rather, very late last night) Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe in an important cricket match. HOW'S THAT!

 Just after a particularly loud and prolonged burst of machine gun fire, I heard a rustle in the darkness and then Zadok softly said "wow," in his squeaky little voice. Such a little boy! It was one of those almost unbearably adorable moments.

Another came this morning when Zadok fed his father almonds at breakfast.

January 4, 2015

We observe too great a stress
On the risks that on us press,
And of reference, alack!
To our chance of coming back.
Still, perhaps it would be wise
Not to carp or criticize
For it's very evident
These attentions are well meant.

Sometimes, good old Gilbert says it best.