Im saddened to say I cannot attend. My 3.5 year old girl got the gastrointestinal virus last night. So Ive had the pleasure of cleaning up puke all night. I cant very well leave her in this condition with a sitter today. So, my plants are all dug up and potted and my canna lily tubers are cleaned and dried. Im not sure where any of you swapppers live but I live in shrewsbury. If anybody lives near shrewsbury and has room to bring more plants, please respond. Or if anyone lives near shrewsbury and wants some plants during the next few weeks, let me know. Im sorry and bumbed. But, alas, I guess when it comes to health, families are allowed to take precedence over hobbies. Hope you all have fun....greg

I make the peanut butter cookies for my stepdaughter that only contains a cup of peanut butter, a cup of sugar, an egg, a teaspoon of vanilla. Bake at 350F 10 minutes. Sometimes I make a "thumbprint" and fill them with jam or chocolate. They have no leavening, so they won't puff up or spread, so if you make them small, they'll be small. Ann T's chocolate meringue cookies are yummy too. Chewy Chocolate Meringue Cookies Source: Wives with Knives/The Cafe Sucre Farine 3 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2-1/2 cups chocolate chips 4 egg whites 1 tablespoon vanilla extract optional ingredients: dried cranberries, dried cherries, toffee bits Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. Add egg whites and vanilla; mix with a fork or electric mixer on medium until batter is just moistened. (Do not overbeat or batter will stiffen.) Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets in evenly spaced mounds. Bake cookies until tops are lightly cracked and glossy, about 15 minutes. Cool briefly, then carefully remove from parchment paper with a spatula. Cookies may be soft and fragile so proceed carefully to lift cookies and place them on racks to cool. Do not wait too long to remove them from baking sheets, for they will stick, even to parchment paper. Repeat with remaining batter. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Notes Chris’s (The Cafe Sucre Farine) notes: ~ I found that slightly rounded teaspoons of batter work best. I tried making bigger ones and they did not bake as nicely. Also, make sure to leave plenty of room around each one as they will spread. ~ When I made these cookies I found, through trial and error, that if I lightly buttered the parchment paper, then left the cookies right on the paper till they were cool there was no problem removing them. ~ I tried them with 2 cups of chocolate chips and a cup of roughly chopped dried cherries �" fabulous! I also tried them with 2 cups of chocolate chips and 1 cup of toffee bits, even better!! There is the ever popular flourless chocolate cake: Flourless Chocolate Torte 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 1/2 tablespoon 1 pound semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup amaretto 8 large eggs 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt Confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder, for garnish Fresh raspberries, for garnish Directions Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Using 1/2 tablespoon butter grease a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with a parchment round. Cover pan underneath and along sides with foil and set in a roasting pan. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Combine the chocolate, butter, and amaretto in a metal bowl set over simmering water or in the top of a double boiler. Melt the mixture, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes; reserve. Meanwhile combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy and almost doubled in volume, about 5 to 10 minutes. Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula. Repeat this process 2 more times - until all of egg mixture has been folded into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into prepared springform pan and place in the roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides. Bake until cake has risen slightly and edges are just beginning to set, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove cake from roasting pan and cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove foil, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Remove cake from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Remove springform pan sides, invert cake onto a large plate, and peel away the parchment paper from bottom. Reinvert cake on another large plate or serving platter and garnish with confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder immediately before serving. Too bad it's a drive away, or homemade ice cream would go well. Elery makes a cheesecake with a crust from gluten free gingersnaps, and crème brulee is just cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, basically. And there's always fudge, truffles, caramels, assorted candy. Have fun! Annie

Well darn you both Flamey and Gravey, though I doubt Gravey will lose any sleep over it. :-) But who's gonna make margaritas now??? Nita, I figure I'll have the get-together now and when you finally do make an appearance in CA, it will just be reason for celebration once again. You know even though the Bakersfield gathering was, what, 10-12 years ago? My hubby still tells people about Nita, the lady who rides a pretty trike around the country. I had to let him down gently not too long ago and break the news to him that you are driving an RV now. :-) Jodi-

Awwwww sweet family Haley! My gosh Bella and Luca are getting BIG! They look like 2 pea's in a pod though! I am not sure of games, the only thing I can think of is one where you ID spices? You remove labels from the spice jar and number them. (be sure you write down what they are with the numbers before you remove the label! LOL) Pass around and make everyone try to guess what they are. I did find a description of a 1950's "housewife duties" that you could read? Its sure to cause some laughs and "discussion" From a Home Economics class in the 1950's... Housewife Duties * Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed. * Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. * Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it. * Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables. * During the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction. * Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet. * Be happy to see him. * Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him. * Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours. * Don't greet him with complaints and problems. * Don't complain if he's late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work. * Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. * Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice. * Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him. * A good wife always knows her place. I know you will get tons of ideas here, hope this helps a little!