Caramel and Fondant

Moiya called a few days ago.  One of her large batches of home made candy had gone to sugar and she was going to reboil it.

I told her that I have such a low success that I usually throw the batch out and begin again.  I am dying to know how it turned out.

In the past few days Rebecca has been making batch after batch of caramel.  We may be on the fifth batch -- and I am intrigued for she pours the candy out in a twelve by eighteen inch pan, making it much thinnner than mine.

Each batch she does is a different:  peppermint flavoured, full of pecans, soft boiled and sometimes a harder batch -- that kind you have to hit against the counter to break.

The real feeling that Christmas had started began when Steve asked me where I would be spending the holidays.

"Here," I said to his surprise, "unless it is time for me to move on."

"Oh no," he said.  "I was thinking about your safety and hoping you would stay until the sidewalks are safe in Calgary.

So we spend a bit of the night thinking about Christmas, having our minds turned to it by his question.  The high point of the night for me was turning to utube and listening to the Ukranian Bell Carol (in its satirical form called Ding fries are done).  Then Duncan turned to Auld Lang Syne,  followed by one of his favourite pieces as well as a song he hopes to never hear again, "Heat and Snow Miser".

He played me two different variations.  Before the holidays are over I may be able to sing it.

We reminised about the time the Jarvis Family arrived to spend part of the holidays here.  My high point was sleeping under the tree with the children.  Some memories are precious.

Arta