spread the news

The celebrating can start. I'll let her fill you in on the details, but the important news is that as of March, and I mean the beginning of March, Bridget will be in New York City, looking out of this office window in Manhattan. She has already put in some time there sizing up the situation, and despite the bone-chilling cold, she's coming. She'll be in corporate housing for a month to give her time to make the transition, her condo is on the market, and we're going to take in Zoey for a few weeks (advice anyone? two spoiled cats are going to have to get with the program).

Bridget's probably hoping to be able to participate in more wild and crazy family celebrations.Yes, Cullen finally got his salmon, spinach, asparagus, sweet potato, and blueberry dinner. He's the designated chauffeur on the 5th when Bridget and the appropriately drugged Zoey arrive at Dulles. It's a sobering thought.

enough with winter

I could talk about snow, but then I'd have to get outdoors and maybe take a picture of the mounds of snow/ice blocks that finally got chopped up off our parking lot, or a picture of this afternoon's storm, which for awhile made our backyard look as if we were in upstate New York, where they know how to plow.

Or I could whine about how much I hate being sick, but I think I'm on my way to recovery, so that would be old news. And I can't give you the low-down on Cullen's birthday dinner, because we have put that off for a week in an attempt to keep him healthy. So the only thing you are going to get is a picture of the bargain of the week.

For $4 I brought home a pillowcase-size bag stuffed with yarn—all of it wool. By the time I had it sorted, the dining room table was covered. Some of it has been cut into lengths for needlework, but many of the skeins were untouched.

Now, wasn't that more interesting than number of kleenex boxes we've gone through in the past few days?

proceed at your own risk

Blame it on the Washington Post. With Valentine's day as an excuse, they printed probably the most decadent brownie recipe I've ever seen, and I've worked my way through a lot of brownie recipes.

No picture can do them justice, but I'm beginning to wonder about my own sanity. Thank goodness it was potluck night at the ranch, so at least half of them are now gone.

12 ounces (3 sticks) butter

2 cups sifted cocoa powder (I didn't bother with the sifting)

6 eggs (yes, half a dozen)

2 cups sugar (white, refined)

2 cups packed light brown sugar (the healthy sugar?)

2 tablespoons vanilla (I thought this must be a typo, but I did it)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt (I used regular)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9- x 13-in pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with oil.

Melt the butter and combine with the cocoa. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and combine with the sugar and vanilla. Add the chocolate-butter, fold in the flour and salt, do not overmix.

Bake for 40-45 minutes (our oven took 50 min) or until a crust forms on the surface and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.

Maybe the group that is gathering in Little Valley next weekend would like a chocolate overdose?

Continuing the sugar theme, for those of you who are keeping track, this week's donut count made it to 40 dozen. These are large donuts, cut into quarters. You do the math.