Unemployment is a drag

Is it ever. You're like, "Oh you get to sit at home all day and do nothing [not true] and sleep in all you like and blah. Gee poor you!" No really, it blows. I'm so tired of it. The funds from the state are coming at total snail's pace. I got this wee bit and now they're withholding an amount approx equal to my rent because my wee severance money came in and they want to make sure that wasn't payment for work I had done. Um, it wasn't. So pay up.

Speaking of work I've done, I'm doing freelance bits and odds and ends, but as is the nature of magazine freelance work, you don't get paid til the fat lady sings. So none of that has come in either. Which leads me to: living in a town where you don't know many people + no job + no money (which = no shopping) + mild case of depression + stress of job hunting = a really rotten time for all.

But enough of that sob story. Lately I have been a crocheting fool (possibly as a result of above - I am a stress crocheter). Therefore, I am getting way ahead on the ol' Christmas presents. Went back by Hill Country Weavers today to exchange some Cascade 220 for another color for yet another Xmas gift I'm working on, this one in a dear friend's school colors. And that's all the details I'm putting on here. Although I don't think she reads this. But you never know. And I hate ruining a surprise.

As for projects for me, I can share those freely. Like this hat.



While mom was here we stopped by Hobby Lobby and I fondled this yarn just like I always do and mentioned how pretty it is and mom bought me a skein. Score. So I came home and cranked out this hat. I had to add a few extra rows to the pattern because my noggin is so big, plus I like my hats to cover my ears. I'm still considering making a little flower or some such and stitching it on there. I do have some yarn left over. Right now, it looks like a snowboarder's hat. Especially when I wear these sunglasses.

I do most of my crocheting in the evenings while watching tele. I was terribly excited earlier this week when Netflix delivered the last DVD of season one of Mad Men. Now that I have cable I can start trying to catch season 2. Oh wait, season 2 marathon on this Thursday on AMC? HOORAY!! Oh, damnit. Thursday night is the one night this week I actually really wanted to watch TV. And it's premier night. And I don't have one of those fancy devices that allows one to watch something on one channel and record on another. We do things the old-fashioned way around here. You watch what's on, when it's on, on the channel that it's on. That's it.



So now I've got a decision to make. Geeze. This guy is such a dreamboat.



Then again so is this guy. Essentially that's what I'm choosing between. Trust me they both have their charms.

Okay one last bit here. It's.. recipe time!



These are so easy and so addictive. You know those Walkers Shortbread cookies that are so good? Yeah they taste like that. When we were in London they kept a little basket of them in the hotel room and every day, mom and I would empty the basket and stash the little packets away so that the next day, when they came in to tidy up the room, they'd fill the basket again. This continued for several days.

When mom came to visit in August, she brought this recipe, which belongs to the mother of one of the guys she was working with at her last post. His mom would send him these cookies and he'd share with the office and everyone went gaga over them. And eventually, distribution of the recipe followed. It's so simple as to make one suspicious. But really, what's not to like here? Of course they're going to be good.

Shortbread Cookies

2 cups of butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups of flour

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, then stir in vanilla. Add flour and mix well. Spread evenly into baking sheet (9 x 13, which I had, although mom determined this would have baked a little more evenly if I had a jelly roll pan. So FYI on that one).

Bake about 30-35 minutes. Take out and sprinkle with sugar. When coolish, cut into finger-sized pieces. Brew tea. Pretend you're English.