The Time To Return Stuff

There should be a name for the day after Christmas.  Oh wait ... there IS!  It's Boxing Day.  Is that because all the relatives are fighting or because people are returning all the boxes they got for Christmas?  

It was December 26 and time for the Cold Moon rising.  Apparently all the moon names were given by the Mohawk people.  This last "cold moon" denotes the freezing icy weather of December, also known as the Frost or Winter moon.  Lucky for us it's not snowing, but a lovely 55 degrees.

Here's the Cold Moon at 4:00 in the morning.  Yes, it really is pitch black outside, but the neighbor's Christmas lights light up the entire neighborhood.  Obviously they make a lot more money than I do!!!

And so it begins ... the mad dash to return all that stuff they got for Christmas that didn't fit, but really they just didn't like.  I knew better, but I had all this time I was wasting.  I'm not good at that, though I did sit on the couch for an hour or two.

I decided to take that infamous lost box to be mailed.  I thought it was too big for the post office, so I went to the Mailing Store.  NOT a good idea.  Traffic was at an all time high.  I can't say what is IN the box ... it's a secret for now.  However, the box is quite big.  $86.00 BIG!!  No kidding ... that's what they wanted to mail it off.  It's not like it weighs in at 50 pounds, nor is it going to China on a slow boat!  Come ON!!!

I drove back home.  Smaller boxes are in short supply, but I finally found one in the garage.  I repacked everything and tried a second time.  AHA ..... MUCH cheaper.  I have to say though, I'm positive if I took it to the post office it probably would have cost HALF as much.  These Postal Stores rip you off big time.  To make it worse, I know it's being put on a slow dogsled to the North Pole, so I'm not holding my breath. All will be revealed in a month or two when it arrives .... IF it arrives.

The best part of the day was actually DRIVING to the mail station.  I got to check out my "new" truck.  No kidding, I cannot believe the difference in the feel and ride of the truck.  That first step is a doozy, but I love it!!  It's a miracle how much better it rides and drives, not to mention the brakes, which will take some getting used to.

Here's what they did.  Yes it was pricey, but probably half what the dealer would have charged for the same work.  It was worth every penny in my book.  Hopefully we are all good when towing.

It was Ho Hum the rest of the day.  I decided to give my back a rest and not sew.  It's getting better, but it's slow.  I really have no patience for this sort of thing.  Cooper and I snuggled while he kept a close eye on his ball.  Don't touch it or you will be subject to the wrath of Khan!!!

For you adventurous type, here's the latest and greatest food adventure.  I received a big gift of popcorn for Christmas.  It came in a fabulously decorated box from Hawaii.  I ... LOVE  ... POPCORN.  I was a little nervous about the words MOCHI and NORI on the box.  I know what that is .... do you?

I carefully opened the first little package and saw little crunchy cracker-like things.  Ok, I can do that.  The directions said to pop the corn, then dump in the package of goodies along with a package of something akin to butter, but it wasn't.  Oil maybe?  They even give you this nice bag in which to "shake it up".  

Here's it is folks ... the latest Hawaiian craze ... SEAWEED POPCORN!!  Yup ... that's what Nori is .... Japanese edible seaweed.  I have to admit it wasn't my all time favorite.  I ate every bit however since it was after all, a present from a very sweet friend!!  I now know I'm not a nori fan.

I tried to wash it down with a little ham, but decided this chocolate mousse would be a better choice.  This is a bag of chocolate chips, melted in a blender with a cup of hot cream.  Let cool a bit, then fold in 3 cups of whipped cream (made with 1/4 cup sugar).  

Do NOT let the chocolate sit on the counter until it hardens up again in the cold kitchen air.  It doesn't fold in so well when that happens.  I could eat the entire bowl of this stuff in one sitting, but I went with one cup smothered in more whipped cream instead.  You don't even need dinner when you eat this!!  It took some time, but the nori flavor dissipated.  

I did have things to return, but after two trips to the store to see a million people in the parking lot, I decided to go another day.  Everyone is after the Christmas leftover sales.  I'll pass.  Somehow or other my house insurance bill comes due at Christmas ... and insurance companies are trying to make up for all their losses on fires and floods this last year.  OWIEEE!!!

The New Year is sneaking up on us fast!!  That means BINGO will be back in action next week!!!  OH BOY!!!!!