THIS CHAPTER

I am really enjoying these Mondays and Tuesdays 😊

I’m waking up happy, and motivated: purpose is a good thing.

The frosty temperature this morning, had me pulling my hiking boots our of the closet – they keep my feet warm, and have soles that will keep me upright even on the slickest surfaces.

1952 ‘Good Morning’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB2yiIoEtXw)

Sparkly 'Mauve' for eyeshadow; Sparkly Navy Blue for eye 'liner'.

Rose-tinted creme Blush & Cobalt Blue Mascara.

Auburn Eyebrow Gel, Rose tinted liquid Blush, Cobalt Blue Mascara, & Rose-tinted Lip Balm.

Face in place ... and a little flash of color.

Charcoal jeggings, lacey navy thermal top & traction-soled Hiking Boots (clod hoppers).

I’m meeting new people – potential new friends: these aren’t rigid meets, they are life-enhancing gatherings 😉

I’ve been chosen to lead Monday and Tuesday Meets because of my life experiences (I’m ‘relatable’, given I’ve experienced just about every life-altering lesson life can throw at a person over the past 62 months & 14 days). Life is about learning and growing and the really hard times are the very best teachers. Hardship makes us strong and resilient – and stretches our growth spurts in ways the cushy times never will. Life has an uncanny way of challenging us again and again until we absorb what we need to learn to move on from where we feel stuck. The primary question everyone is asking (including myself), is “Why am I in this predicament and what is life trying to teach me?” The breakthrough moment is much easier if we see ourselves as badass warriors (I’m a {natural} badass warrior 😉) rather than victims of our circumstances.

99% of the time, we will never know why life is throwing us curve balls; but through the process of careful and compassionate examination of our lives, we learn, we grow and we improve.

I’m also learning, and being encouraged … as well as teaching, and encouraging others. I am pleasantly surprised that I actually look forward to being in the thick of things concerning mixing with people – this developing {new me} is not someone I would have encouraged a few short weeks ago. But because others have faith in my ability, and actively nurtured this purpose for my new life, the “stepping up” wasn’t that hard 😊

Our meets are low-key, laid-back, and easy flowing; just like the coffee, brunch fare, and interactions. I don’t think I could be comfortable in a structured, ‘point-centered’ environment. I need flexibility – and so do those who are coming to the meets. And because the topics being discussed are personal topics, I won’t be discussing them with anyone but those who come to the meets.

But I can say here, that I like watching the wheels in people’s heads turn as they ruminate on what’s being said, and shared. And I love those “ah-ha!” moments when the light comes on, and they grasp the concepts they have been pondering 😊

This Chapter in my New Life feels really good.

FILLED SUGAR COOKIES Recipe

Ever since the temperatures started dropping, I’ve been hungering to bite into a filled sugar cookie – so, today, I declared a “Queen’s Day” … and did nothing all day long but laze around my humble castle, scenting the atmosphere with homemade cookies baking 😊

It was a fine day in the realm of Valerina, today 😊

I like cookies. Bob liked cakes. I catered to both our whims … and on occasion, I baked a pie just to even the playing field 😉

Heart – ‘Even It Up’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLhxF-Un39k)

Today, I deviated a bit concerning the cookie filling for this particular recipe, because I had in mind a different {want}: **Apricot-Blueberry Filling Recipe follows at end of original recipe 😉 But I am posting this filled sugar cookie recipe in its original text … and you can do whatever filling you want to do.

I also do not cut out the center of the top cookie when I make my cookies: I like mine to look like little sugar cookie “pies”; and I don’t want to waste any portion of a cookie! 😊

FILLED SUGAR COOKIE Recipe ~2 dozen cookies

1 cup Sugar * ¾ cup Shortening (part butter or margarine) * 2 Eggs * 1 teaspoon Vanilla * 2½ cups all-purpose Flour * 1 teaspoon Baking Powder * 1 teaspoon Salt

Mix sugar, shortening, eggs, and vanilla; stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Cookie dough set to chill for 1 hour – it will still be quite soft, even chilled.

Heat oven to 400-degrees.

Cut dough into 48 rounds with a doughnut cutter (remove center hole cutting piece). Divide the rounds in 24 pieces x 2 – and placing the hole cutter back in place, cut center holes out of 24 of the rounds.

Filled Sugar Cookies; original recipe picture.

Place uncut rounds on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Top with Raisin Filling or Cherry-Apricot Filling (recipes follow); spreading almost to edges: top with remaining rounds. Press edges together with fingers or floured fork tines.

Sprinkle tops with sugar, and bake until very lightly browned – about 6 to 8 minutes.

Raisin Filling: 1¾ cups Raisins * ¾ cup Water * ½ cup Sugar * 2 Tablespoons all-purpose Flour * 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice

Heat raisins and water to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Mix sugar and flour – stir into raisin mixture. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice; cool. Spoon 1 Tablespoon of mixture onto a solid cookie round as described in cookie recipe above.

Cherry-Apricot Filling: ½ cup Sugar * 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Cornstarch * ½ cup Water * ¼ cup Maraschino Cherry juice * 1/3 cup chopped Maraschino Cherries * 1/3 cup cut-up dried Apricots

Mix sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat to a rolling boil. Boil and stir 1 minute; cool. Spoon 1 Tablespoon of mixture onto a solid cookie round as described in cookie recipe above.

**MY COOKIE FILLING: I have apricot preserves that needs eating … and I have an abundance of frozen fresh blueberries from my garden bushes; the combo sounds tasty, so that’s what I’m going to do 😉

Apricot-Blueberry Filling: 2/3 cup Apricot Preserves * 2/3 cup frozen Blueberries

Apricot Preserves.

Fat, juicy, frozen Blueberries; off my own berry bushes.

Blend the jam and berries; spoon 1 teaspoon of mixture onto 24 solid cookie rounds & top each filled round with another solid cookie round – closing each round with floured fork tines. Bake as described in cookie recipe above.

1 tsp. filling per cookie; bottom of filled cookie.

My filled cookie 'topper'; top cookie.

They smell SO GOOD!

They taste good, too 😉

Cookies are my #1 Temptation; I don't feel a bit guilty for staying home, and giving in 😊

Now, I’m going to finish the day with another pleasurable enjoyment – there’s only 43 pages left … easy peasy.

Clive is another pleasurable enjoyment. LOL

I love these laid-back ‘Queen days’; I’m going to have to declare them more frequently in 2023 😊

And I may just get rid of my “skinny jeans” pile, altogether 😉; at 66 years of age (December 29^th), I’ll probably never see my {normal weight} ever again, this side of Heaven (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/11/jeggings-updated-with-ease-patches.html).

And, honestly? That’s okay with me. Starvation doesn’t appeal to me.

I believe another cookie is calling out to me ...

JEGGINGS UPDATED WITH EASE PATCHES

I mentioned a few weeks ago, that I am now allergic to band-aids; that is concerning to me: I have been using band-aids to cover the metal shanks on my jean waist bands (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/10/shabbat-smiles-lake-hike.html).

I can’t have any metal touching my skin. Anywhere on my body; if the metal doesn’t burn my skin and actually tear the skin away (like jewelry, and my glasses hinges), or make my earlobes swell and ooze (like pierced earrings do) … metal touching my skin causes a rash in the immediate area of affected skin, that nearly drives me crazy with the itching (like my jeans fasteners do).

No metal at all, on my skin.

And now – no band-aid adhesive in my skin: but, I’m going to do a length ability test in connection to my shoes (where the backs rub my heels), because I don’t wear my shoes as long as I wear my jeans. I may be able to skate by using band-aids on the backs of my heels for an hour or two 😉

But the band-aids are a {no-go} when it comes to being a buffer between the jeans’ fastener shank, and my skin ☹

So, yesterday, I forced myself to stay home and got started on {doctoring} the jeans I am currently wearing – the whole 9 ct. pile … and that went so quickly, I did all of the rest before day’s end 😊

How many, you may ask, is all?

21 count.

I have 3 stacks of jeans: my “fat” jeans (I wear this pile when I put those extra pounds on – this pile gets its wear and tear in the Winter months); my “skinny jeans” (this pile is my normal weight stack by starvation measures – according to doctor's assessment; they were bought following my bump from Wife to Widow, in the Winter of 2018 – I’d lost 30 pounds doing death watch: they still look kinda new. I started eating again in the Spring 2019); and my “in-between” jeans pile … the stack I doctored first, because they get the most active duty as my weight yo-yo’s 😉

The 'troublemaker' metal shank.

A folded-over flannel square from an old receiving blanket, to cover the metal; a soft cotton {buffer}.

Pinned into position ...

The stretchy jeggings material is hard to penetrate! OUCH

I dug out an old leather 'thimble' I made eons ago. Now the necessary work is not so painful 😉

Now I can wear my jeans with ease - and less itch.

First 9, of 21 ct. (fat, skinny & in-between; LOL) jeggings, & regular jeans, d.o.n.e.

Now, Monday … and every day following, I’ll be able to comfortably wear my jeans, again 😊

SHABBAT SHALOM ~Cozy

Oy vey – it has been a busy day.

As 4:30 P.M. got closer, I was more than ready to embrace the shalom of Shabbat 😉

I haven’t been home much on Fridays … usually on the road as soon as the sleepy cobwebs clear from my eyes and thoughts – and home just in time to light the candles and pour the wine. But with Fall/Winter early nightfall, I’ll be {in} for the next couple of months.

This morning, I did laundry, and decided to bake bread: that hasn’t happened for a long time ... (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/11/honey-whole-wheat-bread-recipe-makes-2.html) ... I like to bake my bread on laundry day because I can set it on the warm dryer top, for a nice fluffy rise 😊

I also tried a new flavored coffee; I bought it for the chocolate and caramel pictured on the package: it’s s.t.r.o.n.g.

STRONG flavored coffee. Busy day today; I need the 'buck-up' kick. LOL

In between the loads of laundry, and the bread making steps, I noticed that the light pink Christmas Cactus I bought the other day has blossomed. I like Christmas Cactuses – I’d like to find another apricot one; they are so pretty. I had one when we lived on Merritt Drive, but it died (I had it hung on the window frame: it froze to death) during the 2008 cold-snap-blizzard; and I haven’t seen another one on the market since ☹

My wolf, Precious, wading thru snow by the plum tree; Blizzard - December 21st, 2008.

Pink Christmas Cactus blooming & my gifted Spider Plant is thriving very nicely.

Enjoying the warmth of my little cozy nest this Friday; I was walking through the rooms listening to the quiet sounds of the washer/dryer, and smelling the delicious sweet scent of the baking bread – and the old 1973 gospel song, “Sweet Honey in The Rock” shot through my thoughts. And I felt blessed by everywhere my eyes lit upon.

I am blessed with ALL of it. Thank You, Elohim.

I haven’t really taken the time to enjoy my home since becoming a widow the winter of 2018; but I am starting to do that now 😊

Like I have said many times in Shabbat posts – I observe the Shabbat Rest differently than most: I am a laid-back person, living a laid-back lifestyle. I don’t get fancy with Shabbat observances: I make time for the 24-hour rest period (meaning I shut the world’s madness out for 24-hours: it ceases to exit for me). I light a candle (an actual Shabbat candle, or just a scented candle; mood dictates which). I drink 3-ounces of red wine on Friday Eve … and 3-ounces of white wine at Shabbat close, Saturday eve.

Dry, with a smokey aftertaste.

That’s it.

Pretty simple.

These simple pleasures fit the bill for Widow Shabbat observances 😉

I honor Elohei every second of every day, all year long – since 1966, so I don’t feel the need to go all religious to claim my share of the Shabbat relaxation and spiritual revitalization.

For me, the 24-hour Shabbat Rest is all about welcoming ministering angels into my home, as I fix my heart on my Husband Yeshua’s love towards me.

And I make my little queendom nest as cozy as possible, before sundown’s magic hour of Shabbat Shalom sets in 😊