Punderings

Struck out at a variety of stores I’d expect to see them; no pfeffernusse! What’s happened to this holiday tradition this year?

R.I.P. Van Johnson, 1950’s heartthrob and famous WWII era actor; passed away last week. He played Holly in quite possibly the best winter infantry movie of all time, Battleground.

Now I know we shoveled yesterday. And I’m pretty sure we shoveled this morning. And we did everything else you’re supposed to do, too. I’d already been shopping for milk, bread, and eggs, and made sure the shovels were there, and gotten snow tires on my car. Plus putting the big silver windshield cover on my wife’s 4WD in the driveway. Plus getting everything laid out for perfect french toast.

But there’s still snow on the ground – a lot of it. I really thought we shoveled. And I’m pretty sure we made the french toast: it was delicious, even though I didn’t fully dry out the bread like the recipe says. I couldn’t remember shoveling and eating french toast if I didn’t do them, right?

Right?

Oh, no. Oh no oh no, oh no.

You don’t think I’m stuck in one of those time loops, do you?

Oh, no.

A temporal causality loop or something, like the Enterprise has been in a half-dozen times or so. Yikes! and it’s almost the holidays, I’d hate to miss Christmas just because I was in loop 13,497 of this darn snowstorm!

Oh, no.

I really am in a loop; I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve said oh, no, now. OK, think. Think, think, think. I’ve got to send myself a message. Now I’m not Data, so I can’t program anything to broadcast in subspace, but… hmmm. I know! I could write something in the snow!

Wait, there’s too much snow. Guess we’d better shovel some. Hmmm. I seem to remember shoveling already.

I am not making this up. A vote for the Flying Spagetti Monster on a Minnesota ballot – true on YouTube. Wouldn’t it violate the separation of church & state, though? HT2LisRiba.

The perfect french toast recipe, of course. While I’ll happily yield the high ground to anyone preferring a Julia Child one, and I’ll agree to respect anyone who stays classic with Joy Of Cooking, I’m basing mine this Saturday morning on Cook’s Illustrated version below.

Astute readers will note this great french toast recipe also features some cool time-warp technology, since the print date is January 1st, 2009.

My shopping list last night, somewhat chaotic since I brought “the kidlet” with me.

• Dozen large eggs (brown, of course, and organic)
• Gallon 2% milk (organic)
• Loaf of italian (to get just stale enough by Saturday morning)
• Vanilla lowfat yogurt (for when you’ve had enough VT or NH maple syrup)
• Half & half
• More Peet’s Holiday Blend whole bean coffee
• Applesauce (that was the treat my daughter wanted)
• Apples (in case we need sauteed apples atop)
• Lime (in case I need a ginnantonix after shovelling)
• Melty sliced cheese (gotta think about lunch too)

Many thanks to the UH readers for sharing their winter storm grocery lists. BostonZest also has a great Boston resident winter storm prep list too.

I’ll note for UH readers that I already have my Maker’s Mark (highly recommended) along with a bottle of Knob Creek for variety; I salute the polite blogger who left some Orange Sherbet for everyone else; and while we do have beer in the fridge, I must question the Mass Liberal’s cavalier attitude towards the French Toast Alert system. I predict you’ll be hungry when you’re done with that six-pack.

Update: Wow,

Arlington and Lexington are already closing school between 10AM – noon tomorrow due to expected snow. Expect more announcements soon. Darn, I still haven’t bought my eggs!

Sweet: gettin’ new Blizzaks installed Thursday AM before the snow. Still need to shop, so please don’t buy all the eggs at Stop&Shop. HT2UH.

A well spoken judge: “I have every faith in the truthfulness of what you’re about to tell me that I’m not going to listen to.” Real life in Minnesota, not an Arlo Guthrie story of blind justice, too.

HT2LisRiba