Winter Sunderland

Hey, it was Valentines Day. If this is the first you're hearing about it you're 1) You've been single for a while or 2) been single for about two weeks. Anyway, as we all know Valentine's Day is one of those days assumed by the church to draw attention away from it's pagan origins (you're on the internet to read this so go ahead and google it). This one, originally, was about a Roman fertility god . . . who was also a wolf-man-type-deal. 

How much better would it be if Hallmark embraced the real holiday here? Sexy Werewolf Day. I'd buy cards for that!

Anyway, since we were going low key this year (I spent too much last year and that yacht is still in dry dock) I had the kids help me with some candies. Here's the recipe. They're like cake batter-ish fudge balls. I thought they'd be more Milk Dud-y but not as sticky and less firm. 

And the kids helped. We rolled them in sprinkles and colored sugar. Shogun gave us some teeny Christmas colored chocolate chips too. So I had the kids separate out the red (hey, a Valentine color!) from the green. There was no grumbling whatsoever and that is not a sarcastic statement. They did so well, I think their little fingers moved the project along, that I let them eat the green ones when they were done.

Dianna does not like sprinkles. Which was a shame since that's really all we had to cover the chocolate with. They do look colorful as hell though. Dianna is holding one that was rolled in sheet sugar so it looks like it's covered in glass. 

We went to Dundee over the President's Day break. When we left CT it was 55 degrees. On Sat, in NY, it went from mid 30's to upper 40's and back again every 20 minutes. A WHOLE LOT OF SNOW. Was quickly wiped out by A WHOLE LOT OF SUN. Wash, rinse, repeat. 

The top pic is taken out my mom's picture window. Right past those tree's is the lake but it's covered by a huge cloud bringing snow. I remember watching that cloud every cold dark winter morning while eating breakfast. We'd listen to the local (horrible) radio station, hoping that school would be cancelled (it never was). Every morning, at the same time, there would be a commercial for Motel 6. Tom Bodett would close every commercial with they're slogan - We'll Leave the Light on For Ya. Every morning.

God, I hate Tom Bodett - through no fault of his own.

These pics are at the lake on the same day as the picture above, much brighter, eh? All the whiter rocks are usually underwater but the lake's pretty low. I saw lots of big round rocks, just sitting there, waiting to be dragged where I need them. But of course the water is 33 degrees. So there's no way in hell I'm wading in even ankle deep to get them.

And since we were in Upstate we went to dim sum in Ithaca. Every time we go the kids get bolder and bolder and Nana gets more and more jealous. Of course that Nana's jealousy might have something to with me sending her pictures of the food. Shrimp wanton soup. Fried sesame balls (with sweetened bean curd - JUST FOUND A RECIPE FOR IT). Shu mai. Shrimp dumplings. Roast pork buns. Lotus leaf wrapped sticky rice with sausage and chicken. My god. It is heaven.

Of course all the people are happily surprised to see the kids chow down on it. People from other tables often comment on them. When one customer said something this time, Asher pointed his fork (with attached dumpling) at them and said, "Not for you!"

Now enjoy some music (explicit, don't play at work unless you're work is awesome).