FAMILY BAKE DAY 2015

Anthony displaying his peanut butter cookies
A moment before the shot above, Aunt Wanda's dog, Abby, rushes in to sniff his crotch.

     I'm posting this way after the fact, but I think we did this on December 12th, the Saturday before my last week of work before winter break. I wanted to have homemade stuff to give coworkers and students.

Mom in her cute apron

     Mom, Anthony and I all gathered at Aunt Wanda's house, and made all sorts of good stuff. Lemon bars, chocolate chip cookies, pretzels dipped in stuff, peanut butter cookies, and various other cookie-like things. I'm getting over a flu right now, so I can't think too much about that, or it'll be barf time again.
     But we made lots of great stuff and had a really good time.

Aunt Wanda presiding over baking supplies

     This has been a tradition with us for the last five years or so, to gather for "Family Bake Day" sometime around mid-December.

Me with my chocolate chip cookies

Mom and me working on the pretzel goo

YOU CAN'T CATCH ME: Vintage Cookie Cutters

"YUM, YUM, LEAP FOR JOY, TRY AND CATCH THE GINGER BOY"
     In December we had Family Bake Day at Aunt Wanda's house, and she keeps turning up all these awesome old antique things every time we turn around. I don't know where she keeps finding them, because we've helped her clear out her garage and stuff several times. But her late husband lived in that house for many years, and apparently never threw anything away, and even kept things in their original packaging forever, when not in use.
     I love this old "Ginger Boy" cookie cutter. Is that racist? Somehow, calling him a Ginger Boy instead of a GingerBREAD Boy seems like it could be offensive to gingers. But, not being a ginger, who gives a shit?

"GINGERBREAD BOY COOKIES" & "DECORATING FROSTING"
     Dude, there's even a recipe on the back!

Note the weaponry and strange hat.
     This other one is probably not quite as old, but still of vintage stock, I think. I don't understand its weird hat. And why do we have to bring guns into it? Stop the violence, Gingerbread Boy.

ORIGINAL ART : Santa & His Elf (the e-card version)


     This is a drawing I did last week, but I've colored it in Photoshop and added a cheery caption so it's like an e-card now.
     I was inspired to make the drawing into a card because I received a Christmas card from Bentley Little, who is one of my favorite horror writers. He always designs his own scary/snarky Christmas cards, and I feel lucky to be on the list of recipients. Here's a combined scan of the front and inside of this year's card:

     In case you have trouble reading it, the inscription says, "Happy Holidays! (don't tell Sarah Palin, but I am a major general in the liberal/gay/atheist/Jewish war on Christmas)"