Holiday Nonsense

Let’s catch up.

I did not make my Nanowrimo goal. Not even close.

However, I take comfort in the fact that I was working on my edits for Infinite Azure from my editor for the last two weeks. Actually, I’m still working on them.

Now that its December, my baking is in full swing. I have made a shit ton of cookies and a couple of fruit cakes. Most of that went pretty well, that is, until I got to the marshmallows.

I’ve made marshmallows a few times now and they always came out great. My plan was to layer caramel over them and then cover them in chocolate and make marshmallow pops. The marshmallows went fine. Even making the caramel turned out great. My problems began in the process of construction. There’s a reason I don’t work with tempered chocolate. That shit never comes out right for me.

I forgot to spray the plastic wrap so the bottom of the marshmallow sheet is now stuck to the plastic lining the pan. I gave up half way through for many reasons
- it was taking too long to separate the marshmallow from the plastic wrap because that shit is sticky.
- I didn’t buy nearly enough chocolate for the whole pan of marshmallows.
I made a caramel sauce, thinking it would harden in the freezer. It did not, which means that the plastic wrap I sprayed and layed over it stuck to it.
The sticks are ripping the marshmallow because of the sheer weight of them.
I forgot to spray the rack I placed the pops on after dipping them in chocolate.
- I realize now that I should have placed them on wax paper because the wet chocolate seeped through the grid in the rack and solidified it to the rack as it dried.

Look at these nightmarish things! They look fine on one side, except for those two at the top left, that was the last of the chocolate. Turn them over and there’s a definite cracked grid pattern.

I think, next time, I’ll go smaller and just make them individual marshmallows. Also, wax paper. I’m going to put them on wax paper.

Ross said they tasted great (even though he doesn’t like marshmallows). So, I guess that’s something.

I basically have all my christmas shopping done, because I’m that person that starts in August. Now, I’m stressed out because I don’t have anything to do and I feel like I’m forgetting something.

I might go buy some things for myself to put in my stocking. Besides, no one knows what I like better than me . . . right?

I bought myself a treadmill. Let’s be real, here. I wasn’t willing to spend a bunch of money on it because the odds of me sticking with it and using it regularly are questionable at best. I am nothing if not self-aware.

However, I’ve been waiting for this shit to show up for days. It’s like they keep putting it on the truck, driving by my house (waving), and then driving away.