Lair of the Ice Demoness

A couple of addenda to previous journal entries before I settle in with my chamomile tea and the Discworld novel, Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett. First, the Christina Aguilera Back to Basics album is a two cd set. I was writing about and definitely prefer the second CD in the set. Second, if you decide to attempt the City Ham recipe from Good Eats, either line your pan with foil first or remove the ham from the pan when applying the brown sugar and crushed ginger snaps. I didn't do either and had to scrub off burnt/baked on sugar from the pan. Luckily they were both enameled and so the mess didn't adhere as readily but still a few sessions of soaking and scrubbing were required.

Well, I took yesterday off to get the cleaning done and then procrastinated. At about 4 pm, I was looking at what I had left to do when I realized that I was obligated to go to a holiday party with a friend who had just started working at her new job on Monday. She and I had lunch on Tuesday because she now works in the same area and we discussed this holiday party for her new job and I said that she should go. She's quite an introvert and needed someone she knew there so I was basically told, if she should go to this party, then I'm going with her. I'm somewhat introverted, but not as bad as she is. It was fine actually, and I got to have stuffed cabbage which I don't get very often since the Klingon doesn't like it. Well, he'll eat the filling but it seems like a lot of work just for him to "skin" the thing. Anyway, I got back around 10:30 pm and spent the rest of the time tidying up. I went to bed at 1:00 am and I've still got some sweeping and mopping to do. I got up around 8:30 am due to a phone call from this same friend who was under the impression that I would be up already. I'm making a ham (two actually) for dinner that takes about 6 hours of preparation. I'm using the City Ham recipe from the Good Eats show (Alton Brown). This is the first time I've made it, but a co-worker of mine makes his this way and says it's good. I think my husband's family is arriving at 2 pm to day so I have a little bit of time to finish up. My mother-in-law is bringing sweet potato casserole and cheesy hash brown casserole and pumpkin pie. I'm making the ham, apple coleslaw from the Sandra Lee, Semi-Homemade cookbook and Prince Edward Medley vegetables (green beans, wax beans, carrots). I think my mother-in-law is also bringing Swedish Limpa which is a sweet rye bread that she makes. Time to get sweeping and mopping!