Warning: Some Violence and Much Strong Language.SHE WROTE: Minnesota Dreamin'
So we went to Minnesota and then we came home.
We had a great time. Well, I had a cold but Rox brought me enough drugs that I faked it all weekend. Pills, nose spray, stuff you dropped in water that fizzed, it was amazing. The only thing she didn't give me was her necklace. Not that I'm bitter. Thank you, Rox, you're a lifesaver. If you'd given me your necklace, I'd probably have made a complete recovery. But that's okay.
Yes, folks, we're back Living the Dream. Living the Dream, Part Two. We did a signing Friday at the Midwest Bookseller's Assoc and when I asked somebody what she wanted me to write, she said, "Put 'You're beautiful," and I said, "Ooooh, that's good, and then Bob can write, 'And you're smart, too,'" so that's what we wrote. I think we should write that in everybody's book. And Bob now has taken custody of Moot since I kept losing her. He'll probably have her all butched up the next time I see her, her hair will be cut and she'll be packing heat.
Then Saturday we did our all day workshop and we're going to cut it some more; we keep messing with it trying to make it better so we should have it about right by the time we give it for the last time in Cincy in a couple of weeks. Ro and Mary and the MFW gang did an incredible job setting everything up, it all went off without a hitch, and Bob and I had a great time. Yes, Bob has a great time. That's what he looks like when he's having a great time. Then we went to the Mall of America and did a Q&A and a booksigning. And I got to see Barbara Samuel which all by itself would have made the trip worthwhile because Friday night we got to sit in my hotel room and swap stories about what we'd been doing and laugh and basically do the friend thing. I love doing the friend thing and I don't get to do it with Barb nearly often enough.
Now we're taking a small pit stop and then I'm Living the Dream again on Tuesday as I head for New York on business stuff and to meet Krissie/Anne Stuart to work on our collab book (Bob grumbles in Hilton Head) and then Bob hits the road again on Friday when he lands in NYC for the New Jersey conference. But I'll be THINKING about Agnes all the time. As a matter of fact, as soon as I post this blog, I'm going to go work on Agnes again. Swear to God.
We had a great time with the Midwest Fiction Writers, so thank you, Minneapolis!
179 Comments:
I'm never first! Even though it says I'm first, I won't believe it 'til it posts. Partially because I stop and say something. And I even previewed!
I'm glad you had a great time, Jenny, and I hope you continue to improve in health.
Blogger says you posted at 9:24 p.m., which puts you somewhere in the Atlantic.
Of course, it also says "Sunday", which must be considerably further West - or in some other form of time warp.
monxwa: misery offers neophyte xenophobes wretched attraction
Sing with me now...
"Let's do the TIME WARP again!!!!!!"
Just had to put that out there.
excellent. a new Jenny post. as she's LTD with Bob. and Moot, who will be packing the next time Jenny will see her.
so cool
diane: congrats on being first. :)
Can't wait to see Moot with a sidearm.
Time Warp
Riff-Raff:
It's astounding
Time is fletting
Madness take sit's toll
But listen closely
Magenta:
Not for very much longer
Riff-Raff:
I've got to keep control
I remember doing the timewarp
Drinking those moments when
The blackness would hit me
Both:
And the void would be calling
All:
Let's do the Timewarp again
Let's do the Timewarp again
Narrator:
It's just a jump to the left
All:
And then a step to the right
Narrator:
put your hands on your hips
All:
and bend your knees in time
But it's the pelvic thrust
That really drives you insane
Let's do the Timewarp again
Let's do the Timewarp again
Magenta:
It's so dreamy
Oh fantasy free me
So you can't see me
No not at all
in another dimension
With voyeuristic intension
Well secluded
I'll see all
Riff-Raff:
With a bit of a mind flip
Magenta:
You're into the time slip
Riff-Raff:
And nothing can ever be the same
Magenta:
You're spaced out on sensation
Riff-Raff:
Like you're under sedation
All:
Let's do the Timewarp again
Let's do the Timewarp again
Columbia:
Well I was walking down the street just a having a think
When a snake of a guy gave me an evil wink
He shook-a me up, he took me by surprise
He stared at me and I felt a change
Time meant nothing, never would again
Narrator:
It's just a jump to the left
All:
And then a step to the right
Narrator:
With your hands on your hips
All:
You bring your knees in tight
But it's the pelvic thrust
That really drives you insane
Let's do the Timewarp again
Let's do the Timewarp again
conscripted cherry> I am going to assume you did NOT do that from memory!
CC--you're my hero.
:)
Thanks to Jenny, I'm spending the remainder of my wasted workday picturing Moot in the role of GI Jane. Moot's shaved head and khaki tank top; sunlight glinting off the steely black barrel of her M-15 . She's rising up out of the surf, the Stars & Stripes are snapping in the wind on the beach ...
And Bob, on the dunes, muttering about how a real SF's rifle wouldn't be glinting in the sunlight. (Glinting - like movement - attracts fire...)
Jenny - nothing better than do the friend thing. It makes everything else bearable.
Oh the dreaded conference cold. Did you have the thing where you can hear whatever you are saying echoing inside your head? I hate that. Ah LTD with heavy doses of over the counter drugs.
Tempus fidgets
CC...
What is that from...a play?
I like it
Jenny...
Rest easy, take care of yourself, maybe that neckless will arrive.
Above all....write, write, write.
Looking forward to AATHM.
cpzgvr...green
Crusie proves zits give vigorous Robert
well blogger hits again
jdviyj...blue
Jenny did various vivid individual YEX's jouinly
Louis: I love that you don't know what it's from. For some reason that makes me really happy. It was just everywhere when I was in college and it's so nice to know that SOMEONE was unaffected by all that hype.
It is from "The Rocky Horror Show" which was a stage production and then got turned into "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" when they made the movie of it.
It must be the designated day for Bay Area fires. First there was the one in Oakland that Lou mentioned earlier, then there was one in San Francisco that snarled up traffic and was still being put out when I left the city an hour or so ago. The SF one apparently was a building fire--I think an office building--but the reports I've heard didn't say that anyone was harmed, thank goodness.
Jenny rest, relax, take drugs so you'll be ready for New Jersey. So sorry to hear that you won't be there for that drink Thursday night that I was going to buy for you and Bob. Oh well, maybe another time. I really look forward to meeting you both. See you then.
I am finally thinking about packing. I have a couple of things in the suitcase and a list made of everything else I have to take but the first thing to go into the suitcase was the recipe for the Siberian Dutchman.
I just wanted to let you all know that I virtually bought out the Park Plaza in NYC for you people to have your "they've gone to a conference so we're going to virtually party" party. It will be available after work Thursday night until Sunday at 4 p.m. Roooms and the first round of drinks are already paid for so Party Hardy people and we will be thinking of you too.
That does not mean I will not be commenting between now and Thursday. I will so if you want to talk party stuff that you don't want me to know about that is okay because I have also installed a privacy fence around my comments so I can't read your plans.
blue nhsal
Now hire sexy Alfamale linguists. More fun than strippers.
CC, I'm going to have to assume you've thrown a lot of toast in your day.....
Did you go in costume? Who did you dress up as?
wxbrcv - When Xavier Brings Roses (to) Crusie, Viva! Xavier!
Glad you continue to live and survive the dream! You were at the Mall, you got to work and play, and you trusted Bob (go, Bob) to take Moot home.
Maybe Moot just needs some sun and sand. Hey, not only will she be packing heat, maybe she'll be dressed like a pirate!
I didn't see any mention of chocolate? Where was the chocolate?
(Sorry, I've had too much caffiene today.)
The Timewarp!! Oh the memories. It almost makes me want to go see it again.
On an entirely different note, I found out that my 6-year-old niece is going to be Wonder Woman for Halloween. She has no idea who Wonder Woman is/was, of course... I think she was drawn to the wig and boots and cape. :)
Jenny - glad you had a good time in Minnesota, look forward to seeing you again in NJ. I so wish I could go to the all day workshop in Cincy but the hockey gods have decided to be cruel to me this year. I think this family has got like 7 games that weekend. But at least I get to take Bob's workshop in November with KOD.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I know I've mentioned this before, but you know years ago when you'd go to the movies and actors would be acting out the parts while the movie was playing... yeah will I was one of those actors. What a hoot that was.
Lets do the time warp again!
Okay, off to bed...while my day started out great, it ended pretty crappy, so I'm going to wallow in self-pity and watch monday night football for a while.
OH - enjoy the cookies. I send some more next week with some other goodies.
yeah will I was one of those actors Somehow Jen, that explains a lot : )
You wallow in pity by watching Monday Night Football? I get out my aggression with Monday Night Football. I save Tivo'd episodes of Gray's Anatomy and bottles of red wine for the pity parties.
BUSINESS
Poll reporting again. The voting for the name for our blog is fairly evenly divided (12, 10, 9 and 6 trailing). Now, I should have thought of this earlier, but...well, our cherry/bomb logo, whichever it is, may be confusing with just the "CB" rather than the name written out (in whichever form wins). Just something to think about. With the voting this close, we may have to do a "runoff" anyway. /;+)
In the poll for our name, however, "CherryBombs" is way ahead of the rest (23, 7. 7). Only 37 people have voted in the two polls, and we had close to 50 in the other polls.
If you haven't already, GO VOTE!!!
Cary wrote: "yeah will I was one of those actors Somehow Jen, that explains a lot : )"
Snort, I suppose it would. Can you guess which actor I played. Two hints, 1) it obvsioulsy wasnt the transvestite and 2) it wasn't the lead female.
Any guesses out there?
Magenta?
Excellent, Scope Dope , virtual party at the Plaza! Thanks!! I'm soooo looking forward to taking a virtual break from dissertation reality. :)
osrpvpy - a baby osprey?
You're welcome theresa in pgh I hope you are going to have lots of company at your party. Get Louis and Bryan to find another pole because Lori shined up the other one for us to take to New Jersey. Maybe you could talk glamour geek into giving tango lessons in the ball room. Great place for ballroom dancing with the stars. /,D
Got your message orangehands we'll talk. Sending bribe.
Holy Snarky Blogger! qkqmspk
Quickly keep quaffs, Mayer's saving peace keepers. That's us Candians eh?
LTD! It's almost like being on tour again. Get over your colds, take care of yourselves and, above all, have fun.
SDCB, it sounds like you're feeling better these days. Glad to hear it. Have a great time in NJ with the gang. Will you and CMS keep each other in line or egg each other on? /:+)
eaaezdbl (red)
Eager as an eager zebra, Diane bit Lori.
gitnntko (red)
when a fighter can't knock out his opponent?
ppxrg (green)
Please pat Xavier's rug gently.
BUSINESS:
Checking the voting, it looks like some folks had trouble getting to the second poll. If the link on the first poll page (not the results, the actual poll) isn't working, click here instead.
JJ: those cookies tasted as good as they looked. (which means they are amazing.) and ooo, more goodies.
scope dope: thank you for the hotel and future bribe.
cary: apparently you can watch the new season of Grey Anatomy episodes on abc.com. for free.
i think i will finally get to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show by next year (may have to wait till summer). i've been looking forward to it for a long time, but everytime it played in downtown LA (first friday of the month) something came up.
also, my dorm house is amazing. a group of us just finished flashlight tag. i'm really good at hiding but i also have a hard time catching anybody when i'm it.
CMS wrote: Magenta?
Smart lady. Must be my lips that gave it away, snort.
OH- So glad you liked the cookies. I'm thinking either basic chocolate chips and or some brownies next time. I'll let you know when I mail them.
We used to play flashlight tag at camp when I was a camp counselor, but it was usually after we'd had a little bit too much to drink and well, once when I was it, I tagged a guy taking care of business. I think he then got tagged by everyone who wasn't it. We nicknamed named him Mr. Drain, poor guy.
Living the Dream with Bob and Minnesota Nice with friends. And selling a bunch of books, from the sound of it. Does it get any better?
Hope your cold fades fast, Jenny. Yours too, Bob. Glad to hear my home state treated you well and that no one was carried off by mosquitoes.
Rox, you there? Come over here and give us a description of that health-restoring necklace, would you? C'mon, we'll be nice.
bw
Glad you're on the road to recovery, Jenny. It is particularly difficult to get well while travelling. Take a snuggley and a humidifier, as well as lots of otc meds. The allergy zones you're travelling in can't be good.
First saw the "Horror" with very negiligent babysitter at 13 (yes, I had a babysitter at 13, we spent the summer with my mom in downtown DC, not a nice place in the early 80's). Spent the rest of my teen years trying to sneak back in, by college had a Horror duffle with all necessary items.
OH - wish I was you! I misspent so much college with HS boyfriend, and trying to be a grown-up. Man you "get" to be a grown-up for a really long time after college, so party on with your housemates!
Flinging toast and rice to whoever wants it.
catch-up:
mcb: one of my greatest accomplishments is that I've actually read Les Miz cover to cover. Sad, I know, but it is a huge book.
And about DSS and a chainsaw? Dear lord. My eye started twitching. I'm sure it is coming because he goes with DH to cut firewood (DSS is on clean up detail). I think I already miss the days when he would just go and throw himself down the hill for fun...
cary: LOL at the moot signal and costumes. I'm a little worried no one would show up though. Maybe everyone would just show up and then not do anything. I mean the signal is ... well, moot.
Mmmm ... cookies. C is for cookie, you know.
Random quote (no, I don't know why it popped in my head): Excuse me, ma'am. I speak jive.
wqwziggg: What quandry wants zebras inviting greasy, grimy, gopher-guts?
dhwne: Down here was never ending.
Airplane! I love that movie. Wasn't that the actress who played June Cleaver? Or am I confused again?
Bryan, I think you are right. Or my memory is as faded as yours. Either way works for me.
AHHH, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Many happy memories of flicking bic, throwing toast and rice, ringing alarm clocks, yelling my head off, and occasionally prancing around on stage in one costume or another. Kept me off the streets on Friday and Saturday nights. I have the DVD, and my kids have not quite gotten it yet. When we play it, they just sort of look at us strangely. Especially when we yell out responses. No longer throw stuff at the screen since it is my house I would be messing up, but oh well.
Maybe we could have a Rocky Horror theme in one of the party rooms this weekend. We could invite Meatloaf.
That pole is being shipped as I write...It's a pink one...
GG
Thanks for the info...remember watching "Horror" on TV many, many years ago...thought it a wonderfully wierd movie...remember readng that Susan Sarandon was a teenager and I believe it was her first movie.
Y'all have fun in New Jersey...
cgytjhc...green
Crusie gives YEC the Jenny hotly creative (touch)
well that didn't work
uefdi...blue
usually everyone follows directions individually
Surely, I remember that being June Cleaver. Don't call me Shirley!
bxsduz - but Xavier said don't untie Zaza.
andi and Bryan: I'm pretty sure that was June Cleaver, but I'll do a little digging and find out for sure.
The sick girl was the girl who played the Captians daughter on the LOVE BOAT.
Favorite Airplane Movie scene? Oh God, the blow up pilot who needed blowing up. Still cracks me up.
bjxehtzm - not touching that one.
kl - I love Meatloaf! Geez, my sister dated this guy who had this big old honkin van with an 8 Track player. God, we thought he was so cool and he played Meatloaf all the time. 8 Track? What was the world thinking with that? Heck, my kids don't know what records are, and CD's a slowly becoming a thing of the past.
I'm not sure if I've been maligned or honored to be used in a verification - I guess it depends on how badly Lori was hurt?
One of my dear friends in HS had the best hair for being Magenta. It's odd to look back on Tim Curry as a sex-symbol, albeit a counter-cultural one. Lyrics still pop up occasionally in my head, though the soundtrack got lost in a move many years ago. CC, you're amazing!
If meatloaf does music for our party, we can have "Paradise by the dashboard light", which is a lot of fun to dance to with someone who acts it out with you.
mkhuk: nope. brain off.
Somehowm, blogger just took me back to the Clam and the Squid post from January. I love time travel and how apprapos that in our case it's a time warp.
No wonder I'm so scattered today.
Diane wrote: "If meatloaf does music for our party, we can have "Paradise by the dashboard light", which is a lot of fun to dance to with someone who acts it out with you."
You people must have a key to my youth closet or something. I can't sing to save my own ass, but lipsinking was always fun. At camp me and another guy lipsinked PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT at a talent show when we were like 13. God, if kids did that today, holy crap, they'd be expelled from school. I still can't believe no one said anything to us, and we were allowed to do it. We all knew that that song was all about.
Of course that same summer on a sailing hike in the Narrows in Lake George the girls sailing crew decided to go skinny dipping in broad daylight...um, we got busted by the boys sailing crew. Yeah, I got a new nickname that summer... Freckles. And anyone who read the excerpt from RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, posted a while ago at the killerpassion blog will remember the heroine mentioning something about freckles on her ass. Snort.
And people wonder why I never sent my children to overnight camp until recently, and then the camp they went to was not co-ed. And they were on ice for like the entire day, very little down time.
A few years ago my folks got me one of those "In The Year You Were Born" books. My favorites were the ads. There was an 8-track "changer." The thing took up the entire passenger side of the front seat. Apparently you could have your tunes, but no friends.
Thankfully I can say with complete honesty that I was not responsible for how I was dressed for most of the '70s. I do miss my '80s big hair though. *sigh*
nymowqf: Now yodeling Mondays only: we're quite @#$%!
Ah 8-tracks. What I remember most about them is the way my favorite song on each album was always split between tracks.
CMS: I often go back and re-read Jenny and Bob. It seems like they just started this blog but when I go back there's so much stuff I don't remember ... and its sooo funny!
Really, if you haven't done it, take yourself back in time to January 1 and relive the year thus far. Good stuff in there.
Make sure to post pictures of Moot’s new look!
Diane: I’ve had worse. It’s nothing a little Neosporin, a band aide, and a piece of chocolate can’t fix. Or maybe a kiss if I can get the attention of that guy over there. Oh look, he's in a pickup truck.
(I have no comment about the chance of me being bit again in the near future.)
I'm maiking up CB care packages. And shortbread to take to NJ. I think I'll just have to rotate who gets some which month. Unless none of you like shortbread in which case I'll gain another 20 pounds - or give it to my dad lol
CMS,
I'm 25 years out of college, with my oldest just starting college herself. I am willing to accept care packages if nobody else likes shortbread. I never got enough care packages when I was in school, so am more than willing to make up for past losses. Really. I wouldn't want you to overstuff yourself unnecessarily. CBs always try to help each other. If you really need it to go to a college kid, I'll share it with my DD. Just a thought.
BUSINESS:
Well, we have an official format for our name. We are "CherryBombs." That doesn't mean we have to be compulsive about it in our chats, but anything official, like the blog and the site, will use that format. That choice was way ahead of any of the others, with 68% of the votes.
I think we may need to do the blog name poll again. The most popular (The CB Bar & Grill) only took 36% of the votes. We could eliminate the least popular (6 vote/14%) and vote again. That would leave these three choices:
"The CB Bar & Grill"
"The CherryBomb Bar and Grill"
"CherryBomb Bar & Grill"
Although the first was the one with the most votes, it's the only one that doesn't spell out the cherry and the bomb. With that name, would our logo be confusing? That's not a huge issue, since most visitors will be CBs, but it's a consideration.
In the meantime, I'm deactivating both polls, but here's the page to see the polls and their results: http://www.zazlamarr.com/name%20poll%20results.htm.
I'll try to keep an eye on comments on this post, to see what you think about another vote on the name. Also putting this comment in the previous two posts.
oh, care packages. If it wouldn't be so expensive and take so long, I'd beg you to send one to me, but that's too much to ask.
Re: 8-tracks--when I was really little, my mom had this clunker of a truck with an 8-track player in it. She would play Disney's Cinderella over and over again for my sister and me. Then we used to bug her to repeat the whole thing when we got home, but since there was no 8-track in the house, she would just recite it from memory. She used to do a great impression of the mice: "cinderellie..." My mom's the best. And her b-day is Friday. Better get a "best mum in the world" card for her stat.
I like the "CB Bar and Grill" because it's easier to say than "CherryBomb Bar and Grill"
Thats just my opinion.
ozusqvva....blue
only zaza uses such quiet varied vivacious anecdotes
Zaza: on the blog name,
I rather like the CB Bar and Grill alliteration, myself. But another consideration is what search we might pop up in. Now we are the CherryBombs, but if using CB for the blog title limits the number of times we come up when some little punk is looking for details on making a homemade cherry bomb ... well its something to consider.
andi said...
Glad you're on the road to recovery, Jenny. It is particularly difficult to get well while travelling. Take a snuggley and a humidifier,
WSS, although you can run the shower on hot, with the door closed, and give yourself a sauna, get wrinkles out of clothes and break up some of that congestion, all in one operation. Having travelled with a bad sinus infection and wrinkled work clothes, I know these things.
"Eager as an eager zebra, Diane bit Lori."
Sorry guys, what was I thinking??? /;+)))
jgejqvg (red)
Yeah - CB bar and grill works for me.
"oh, care packages. If it wouldn't be so expensive and take so long, I'd beg you to send one to me, but that's too much to ask.
" Fine Christina, make the rest of us feel guilty for asking for leftover shortbread!
Anyone ever think about a Thanksgiving cookie/brownie exchange? I'd sign up. And not just to receive... We could stock up OH's bribery cubbard in time for first term finals....
trtvflj - Treats Rate Thanks.
Very Few Lurkers Jest.
I like the idea of a cookie exchange. Organizing it could be problematic, but a fun idea anyway. I make a pretty mean pumpkin pie. Never shipped one before though. Huh. Now I gotta think.
I'm for "CB Bar & Grill". It's just the place for CherryBombs to hang out.
Cary said: Fine Christina, make the rest of us feel guilty for asking for leftover shortbread!
Um, I'm in the UK, so in technical terms that means I'm hella far from Canada. I'm sure you are a bit closer (maybe, actually I have no idea where you currently reside, Cary. Sorry about that). So I'm not trying to shovel on the guilt, I'm just stating a fact.
ygtuzxui-you go to ultimately zany (e)xtremes under (the) influence (of leftover shortbread).
Zaza said, "Although the first was the one with the most votes, it's the only one that doesn't spell out the cherry and the bomb. With that name, would our logo be confusing? That's not a huge issue, since most visitors will be CBs, but it's a consideration." And that is the reason I voted for CherryBomb Bar & Grill. But I'd happily go along with the shorter CB Bar & Grill or CBB&G (so I'm a lazy typer).
K.L. - If some people want to do it, I'd happily organize. I have no life anyway... And I love to bake. And getting cookie care packages has to be way more fun than going to the mailbox for just my bills.
cdkydfd - Crusie does kid; you'll definitely find delight
Jenny, I hope you feel better soon :)
Hey CBs :)
I don't have the brain power to catch up on previous comments, so who knows what I've missed, lol - although, I did see the Time Warp. Did any body dance??
We could put the cookie exchange on the site. I'm going to mail stuff from the States because it takes a ridiculously long time for packages to make their way across the border that I live ten minutes away from (phew, long sentence) When I was a kid, my friend's grandmother sent cookies from England at Christmas. I don't see why I couldn't do the reverse. I'm afraid the shortbread is going to be a pile of crumbs though. I'm trying to pack it so nothing moves LOL
Hi Erica! Are you feeling better? You referred to some condition with initials earlier and I forgot to ask what it was -- I guess I'm hoping it was something fun and snarky that you made up and not something serious.
I too like CB Bar & Grill. Maybe if we have to we could say somewhere on the page "Blog Home of the CherryBombs" or something in case someone goes there and gets confused? Though if they get there and DON'T get confused, well, I guess I'd like to have a little talk with them about that.
Cookie exchange? You guys are kidding, right? If my kids found out I made cookies and gave them to someone else I'd never hear the end of it. Never. As it is I'm going to have to be really sneaky to send some of the extras to OH. My sugar cookies are so thin and crisp that they'd never make it intact and the krumkake -- no way.
But you all are welcome to come over to the house one day and share...
bw
vfdrn: verification failed, darn
I have decided that there is no way to ship my pumpkin pies safely (they would need to stay refrigerated), but I have a great chocolate chip cookie recipe and I could happily exchange them. Count me in for some goodie swapping.
i would love to do a food exchange. i make excellent cookies. i also make excellent pancakes but those won't ship as well. and i will be home for thanksgiving, so i would be able to bake then. or the first week of winter break. or spring break. or anytime during summer. (those are the only chances i have to be near a kitchen).
i voted for CB Bar and Grill so i say let's stick with that. (MCB: i don't think it will divert anybody from finding the homemade cherrybomb recipe. it's not that hard. besides, that's mostly passed on orally).
Meatloaf kicks ass. the food actually isn't that bad either.
cary said "We could stock up OH's bribery cubbard in time for first term finals...."
this is a smart woman here. i think we should listen to her...yeah, i'm really greedy, i know.
or some of my family's excellent BBQ sauce. let me think that one over...
I vote for the CB Bar & Grill also.
Just saying...
xuzoy
eXtremely useful (says) Zaza on YEX
I originally voted to spell out the name for the same reason as above, clarity of where the viewer is at. However I actually like the CB Bar & Grill better. So clarity can take a flying leap. I'm all for teh CB Bar & Grill.
I agree with BCB. I say we continue to go with CB Bar& Grill and then underneath it write Home of the CherryBombs, or something similar.
Hi-
My internet connection is acting odd, so....
No, Timewarp lyrics are not from memory- but once I started reading it all came back
Yes, I've thrown my share of toast and rice, and have had a stash of waterguns
Magenta or one of the backup dancers- more years ago than I'm willing to admit
Now, I'm off to sew- I have a Halloween costume that needs made- and since I'm not real sure what I'm doing I'm going to try to get a bit of a head start on things. And in case anyone is wondering- I'm going as Little Red Riding Hood- I'm making the red cape from micro fleece and lining the hood with satin so my hair doesn't get all fuzzy from the static- can't decide if the skirt is going to be black or red checked.
Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
Oatmeal craisin cookies.
Double chocolate cookies.
Chocolate cupcakes with marzipan filling.
Chocolate-dipped cherries.
Blueberry/Cherry crisp with chocolate chips.
All with or without nuts.
It's all good. And I share. Or trade.
Can I help with the desserts menu at the Bar & Grill? Whatever it gets named?
jjaim: Jenny jammed in Minnesota.
lulu: when you say chocolate dipped cherries, do you mean you make the chocolate or grow the cherries or...?
had to look up marzipan. sounds yummy. actually, all of the stuff does.
i think we should try for thanksgiving. just make sure whoever person you get isn't allergic to anything.
ok, so in my paranoid mind i'm wondering which of us is gonna try to poison someone else. i guess we have the trust since we've met each other. but what if BCB, MCB, and JJ are all one person? or christina and dee? or...*sigh* paranoia.
wait, that doesn't mean i don't want baked goods. paranoia can go to hell.
*sigh* my life for cookies. this may be a new low for me. i'll have to think about it.
New note to self: Don't read blog comments before dinner.
Lulu, I think you might be my long lost mama. Sister? Cousin-twice-removed?
OH, ooooh BBQ Sauce. Honey, you can have all the Cary-baked cookies you want!
qznjpwqa - The sound my stomach is making. Thank Bob I stopped at the grocery store on my way home!
Uh, hunger must affect brain function. That was me. Not ME, but me.
Cary
I'm slightly embarrassed to admit it, but I've never seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
I do, however, make a mean oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. And of course buckeyes, which are about 1000x better than a reeses peanut butter cup. Count me in on any cookie exchange.
Christina - maybe once I get settled in Scotland, I'll send you a care package. :)
OH wrote: but what if BCB, MCB, and JJ are all one person?
Oh. My. God.
My head just exploded. Do not ever do that again. Ever.
Shhh. The world is just not ready.
bw
OH wrote: "what if BCB, MCB and JJ are all one person."
Hmmmm, I just had a flipping two hour conversation with BCB? Are you trying to tell me I was talking to myself? Man, I'm good.
good night all.
What the hell? And here I thought it was just a really good soliloquy. The things you learn on this blog.
CC complained indecisively: can't decide if the skirt is going to be black or red checked.
If we are to believe Jenny, if your blacks match you will be adorable.
Really.
But you might need to work on that whole "My what large, ah... ahem, teeth you have" thing.
Trust me, fuzzy cape hair is the least of your worries. After all, you could be talking to yourself. Or to me.
bw
Oh, dear lord, she got a blog of her very own. And think, just a few short weeks ago, she was just another lurker.
Good thing she gave up her ambassadorship. They'd be rioting in the streets; hoardes of silent lurkers ineffectually waving their fists in the air and stomping their feet.
(Shhh... If you listen closely dear CBs, you can hear them all the way down in the basement...)
Actually, I'm using the blog for the so far theoretical cookie exchange. Why should Lori, MCB, and Zaza have all the fun?
I'm not the most technically advanced person in the world, but I have figured out how to post a spreadsheet to the blog. If you want on (or off) the list, e-mail me at (deep breath here) cary_sanz@yahoo.com.
Maybe I'll even figure out how to set up a poll and we can vote on Thanksgiving vs Christmas exchange...
I think the shortbread is going to NJ. It's crumbly and OH would need to scoop it out of the tin with a spoon. Still tastes yummy : )
And a word of advice, don't install a window a couple of nights before leaving town. I didn't do the bulk of the work, yet my hands look like I dropped the window on them, slammed them with a hammer and rammed wood under the nails. Perhaps because I did all of those things lol
BCB: ROTFLMAO.
CMS: uh, i have spoons. but i guess they need to eat in NJ too. :)
oh, Poor Baby, CMS. i hope they get better soon. go soak your hands in water and _____. (let someone who knows what they are talking about fill in the blank).
Hi Everyone I vote for CB Bar $ Grill it has a cetain je ne sais qua that I like.
Still working on the e-mail thingy
Theresa in Pgh--oh, you're so kind. But definitely not something you should be thinking about right now. You have work to finish (channeling Bob--dissertation done yet?) and then the move which would be a pain in itself but you are moving to a new country which makes it that much more difficult. Cherry and optimistic, aren't I? What I am trying to say, very ineloquently, is that you have more important things to worry about than sending me a care package. Although I really do appreciate the sentiment.
Right now though I would rather have a box of Bisquick. Can't find anything similar over here and I really want to make blueberry crumble bars with the homemade blueberry jam I received from a family friend. I'm not usually a jam/marmalade/fruit preserve kind of person, but in the bars, it's wonderful.
OH: just trying to imagine someone opening a carepackage full of pancakes. *snort* The syrup might leak though.
Have I mentioned C is for cookies?
It's barely 9 AM and I've already got a massive sugar craving.
I cannot believe how many of you are worried about broken cookies. Don't you realize broken cookies go perfectly with ice cream?
Speaking of BBQ and shipping food, my sister sent my DH a rack of BBQ ribs from Sticky Fingers for his birthday. It was pretty cool and he was over the moon.
xhkee: xylophoners have kinky eaterys everyday.
btuda wrote: "Speaking of BBQ and shipping food, my sister sent my DH a rack of BBQ ribs from Sticky Fingers for his birthday. It was pretty cool and he was over the moon."
Oddly, this reminds me of the time my dear brother-in-law got me 50 rolls of toilet paper for christmas one year. Then everytime he came over, or called, he asked, "Out of toilet paper yet?" I'd laugh, but DH would say, "Nope, but we need some tissues and napkins." Like I said, my husband didn't marry for my homemaking skills.
OH - rotflmao - what if they are the same people? You're killin' me girl. Meatloaf kicks ass. The food's not bad either. That just struck me as funny too.
I'm all for a cookie exchange, I really want to be on Jen and lulu's list! I can bake up a pretty mean batch of pumpkin-choc chip, double fugde, or cherry-creamcheese. My oatmeal cookies suck though, always too crispy, not chewy. I don't get it.
OH - I will not send a meatloaf though.
ohahslie - green
It's all about you OH today
OH announces how silly laughter is everywhere
bon cheri bomb gasped...
OH worried: but what if BCB, MCB, and JJ are all one person?
Oh. My. God.
My head just exploded. Do not ever do that again. Ever.
No no no. Christina and I are the same person. BCB and JJ are a couple, BCB and me (not ME) take roadtrips together, except for the one I'm taking with Dee TOMORROW! (cue music) and Christina and Theresa are going to share an island across the pond with Tigress once Theresa escapes from from Pittsburgh.
Really its not that complicated.
We had meatloaf for dinner lastnight. He's much nicer in person.
I make a pretty decent cookie, if I do say so myself. Have trouble finding the time anymore, though. Howsomever if we're doing cookies I'll join. I read once that plain popcorn works well to cushion baked goods. Kinda like edible styrofoam peanuts.
Christina (no, not me ... not ME either ... you, over there) if you email me an address I'll see what I can do about that Bisquick thing. And how are you stocked for peanutbutter?
PICTURES, GET YOUR PICTURES:
G-G sent two pictures from Hawaii for me to put out for your viewing pleasure. They're before the logos on the Ideas blog. Go ahead go take a look...
http://cherrybombideas.blogspot.com
Just looked in my bribery cupboard. Feeling a little Mother Hubbard here. (Okay, you people who did offer. That was was lovely of you and when you get to the home, I will make sure you always get the new book releases first.)
It is looking like if I want lots of cookies, I'm going to have to join this here exchange y'all are cooking up. If you let me into the exchange, I hearby promise to do my best not to poison or harm you in any way with the cookies I bake. However, I cannot promise they will be good. Unless you let me pick up a thing of frozen cookie dough from the store, and (let's face it) even then they may not turn out that well.
Yeah, so you're not going to let me in it are you? Darnit. Why couldn't have I got the "bad at directions" gene instead of the "bad at making food items" gene? They have GPS for the directionally challenged now.
Cary: I linked to your blog on the CB Ideas blog, so if people wander to the Ideas blog, they can find the cookie exchange.
I loved the pictures. I want a Tongan too. Maybe if I am nice, Santa will bring me one of my own. Of course I'll have to enlarge the chimney first. Mary & GG, you both looked like you were having a great time.
Cary, I posted on your cookie exchange comments, and I voted.
Umm, y'all know I wrote about the bribe thing just so I could reference Old Mother Hubbard, right?
Whenever we were low on food growing up, I'd yell to my mom, "Yo, Mother Hubbard! It's time to get to the store!"
Inevitably, she would make me write up the grocery list and go to the store, but I got to use her money. Ahh, the good old days.
andi: Try the recipe for oatmeal cookies that's on the inside of the Quaker Oats lid. The regular ones, not the quick oats. They are excellent and addictive. But healthy, right? I mean, they're oatmeal, so they're like breakfast and nutritious and everything! Right? Right??
And I'll even pass on the secret of excellent cookies that I learned from a co-worker who made a mistake once: whatever the recipe calls for, double the vanilla. Makes amazing cookies of all kinds.
I'd participate in the cookie exchange except that I have recently been reminded that I have NO WILLPOWER whatsoever. I bought a Toblerone and ended up eating it all in 2 days. No sweets in the home for the Geek til her birthday/Am. Thanksgiving, then none again til the holidays. So if anyone sent me cookies I'd consume them immediately and undo all the good work I'm doing working out and running and such. Sigh.
In a perfect world, baked goods would fulfull every nutritional need and make you toned and slim.
On that note, time to get to the gym.
BTW: re-photo of me and Tongan: I am not petite. I am 5'5". That gives you and idea of how tall he is!
Lori - Thank you for linking me on your blog! I feel so....special!
Anyone who wants to join the great cookie exchange, regardless of actual cooking skill, is welcome. Visit my blog, leave a comment, vote on a time, and I'll get us all organized.
Thanks to all who are interested!
My cookie tip ... a little extra flour than what the recipe calls for. Not so much as to change the texture of your batter though. Helps the cookie retain some moisture. Also use shiny aluminum sheets for baking if you can find them. Those dark, non-stick "professional" ones always burn for me.
I have also used a drop of rum flavoring in some cookies - gives it a richer flavor. But you have to be cautious and use only a drop because its strong.
Actually, if you leave the butter out for at least 4 hours, you don't have to add the little extra flour. And use real butter (I know, bad, but it makes a better cookie). Also, if you want to keep the cookies soft - put a piece of white bread in the cookie tin and change it daily.
Okay, back to teaching the art of dance to 3 year olds.
I second using presoftened butter in cookies. And really, how can it be worse than margarine anyway.
As to the art of teaching dance to 3 year olds, just have them wiggle till they are out of energy. They will be happy and so will their parents.
Lori, I sent you an email about oatmeal raisin cookies!
A little shortening in cookies can help keep them moist - not too much, because, as Jen says, the butter tastes better, but shortening has a higher fat content than either butter or margarine, so it means you don't have to hover over the oven so assiduously to take them up when they're just done.
I love my airbake aluminum cookie sheet, but I also get very good results with my stone. No scorching any more! It is still possible to overbake (especially the last batch, which I often seem to forget about, as I have mentally moved on once they go in the oven), but they're almost always still edible, since they don't char. I agree that the dark, jelly-roll type pans do burn the bottoms. And they warp, and the dark finish wears off. On the other hand, they have edges, so you can toast nuts in them, if you don't forget you've put them in the oven (no, it's not just the last batch of cookies).
I never ordered any, being cheap and prone to doing my own baking, but I thought the "Fresh-baked cookies, delivered to your door" business - in a college town- had a lot of smarts. No idea if it was successful, maybe most people are more like me.
jjvkjzog: Jen-T's full name on her home planet
Jen informed ... And use real butter
Yes. I prefer real butter anyway, but most especially for baking.
But will the butter 'cream' properly if you've left it out that long? I do take it out in advance of using it, but not that far.
I always use butter, and often substitute half the white sugar for additional brown sugar, makes chewier cookies. And I always use parchment paper to bake on, it doesn't matter the cookie sheet, the parchment really makes a difference.
G-G - that is one big man, because I too assumed you were my height, 5'2 on a tall day!
Lori - my kids call me Mother Hubbard all the time. As long as I'm not the old lady in the shoe, I'm OK.
Can I get in on the exchange - if I send something besides cookies?
I'm not sure I could bake and keep them away from my girls. But, I pack a mean care package. I'd of course include CB friendly staples such as chocolates.
I promise I could include some control friendly items for Glamour-Geek (Can you do sugar-free chocoloates?), and I can do Bisquick and Jam for Christina.
Imagine how much fun it'll be to go to the mailbox and collect all the swaps!
i don't know if i have anything healthy for g-g. i could send some fruit from the farmer's market, but not sure it wont get bruised on the way over.
the only problem is my oven at home is slightly broken so only half the cookies turn out as good as they should.
maybe i should send the BBQ sauce...it is amazingly good.anybody have ideas on how i could do it?
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Marcia and anyone else who wonders: Since this is our inaugural cookie exchange, I'd say its kind of free-form. Celery sticks, BBQ Sauce (OH, not sure either...), crunchy cookies, broken cookies and other ice cream sundae supplies, sugar-free hard candies, chocolate fudge - it's all good!.
I just checked the poll, and it looks like Christmas/Hanukah is catching up to Thanksgiving. If you want to be a part of the fun (and the guaranteed sugar high - sorry g-g), go vote!
The poll is the first post you'll see. If you scroll down a bit, the list as it stood last night is posted on the blog too. If you'd like to add or remove your name, try posting a comment to the blog.
K.L. - I think my comments were set up incorrectly. I didn't get yours...
marcia: thanks, that's sweet of you, but I'm an all or nothing kind of gal. I don't eat that low-fat, low-sugar, low-taste, all-cardboard stuff. If I'm going to indulge, it's got to be high quality, full fat, full sugar wonderfulness. Years ago I made the birthday cake for a friend's birthday--genoise with buttercream frosting. Everyone was in awe of the way it tasted because they'd gotten so used to eating that icky fake stuff.
And margarine is FAR worse for you than butter. Butter is fat, but margarine has those nasty harmful fats that I can't remember the name of right now. The one they're trying to get food manufacturers to label on their products so people stay away from them. That hydrogenated stuff, that's what I mean. Margarine has nasty hydrogenated fat, butter is just plain old animal fat.
I'm choosing to lay off for a while because I really am trying to keep on the exercise and fat-loss thing even though I'm no longer in bootcamp. Doing it on my own and it's been working for the past 4 days(!).
I'll go back to sugar both for my birthday (what's a birthday without dessert?!) and for xmas, no worries. I'm not remotely into deprivation. In fact, I'm going to try going off sugar at home, but if I'm out to dinner with friends and everyone else is having dessert, I'll go for it. I just can't bring the stuff in my home and expect to resist. :)
And I make killer shortbread. And great oatmeal raisin cookies. And brownies from heaven.
G-G, I'm with you. If I'm going to indulge I'd rather have the real thing and really enjoy it. A little of something to be savored over a lot of something else not as good.
Zaza - I emailed you earlier today. No reply necessary, just want to be sure you see it.
I assume since they are being quiet that the Canadians are travelling? I warned Scope not to wear her eye patch at the border ... hope she remembers. Heaven forbid they get stopped and the shortbread get confiscated!!!
Hi Cary,
I just said that I have no food allergies and I am willing to commit to 6 packages of chocolate chip cookies (1 dozen in each package). Does this mean I get 6 packages of other goodies in return?
K.L. - Thanks!
The cookie exchanges I've done previously involved anywhere from 5 to 24 people. In the smaller exchanges, I made two dozen cookies, packaged them up by the 1/2 dozen, and exchanged them with the other 4 (receiving a total of 24 cookies in return).
In the larger exchange, I think we put names (x6) in a hat. I drew 6 names, and those were the people I sent my cookies to. Likewise, 6 other people drew my name, and they sent me some of their cookies.
If done correctly, everyone receives equal to what they sent. Once we know how many people want to sign up, we'll do the math and divide up.
And of course, I've now hit my afternoon sugar low, so coo-kies (picture the cookie monster here) are floating in my brain. I'd better get to work finding my hidden stash of goodies.
Great cookie tips up there, I second all of them. Use butter, more vanilla than required, and parchment paper! And the recipe on the Quaker Oats box is fabulous, but I also have a Martha Stewart one for heavenly oatmeal craisin cookies. And considering my vast preference for chocolate in my cookies, that is really saying something about this recipe.
Anyway, however folks want to structure the exchange is fine with me. Jes' let me know. I'm in.
Our family has a big old tin that our mom used to keep cookies in and would hide in the freezer. We've started passing it around among my B's & S's. When you get the tin full of cookies, you get to eat all those, then refill the tin with the stuff of your choice & send it to another brother or sister. (There are 6 of us.) I wonder where that tin is right now??? I'll have to ask around.
Do we actually have a menu being developed for the Bar & Grill? I'd like to be on the committee at least.
And, any other CBs going to the Surrey Conference later this month? I think I'll be bringing cookies....
jmjuc Juke my joint under cover! (I'm not sure what I just said, but it sounds vaguely dirty.)
I'm working! And Scope just finished packing. Not traveling until tomorrow. Whoa, what did we start with this cookie exchange? I was thinking that the popcorn would interfere wit the flavour of the cookies. But bringing lunch to work today gave me an idea for packing shortbread. That sounds funny, packing shortbread. Not heat, shortbread, I'm Canadian
I amuse the heck out of myself
CMS said: That sounds funny, packing shortbread. Not heat, shortbread, I'm Canadian
Perfectly Canadian! But it also sounds like something Agnes would do. Her hitman is packing heat. She's packing shortbread. Although I think a stout fruitcake would be more dangerous.
(Gah. I have to get back to work here.)
qbmpgwh? I can't say that, my mouth's full of cookies.