Here we are with a sparkling new year, ready for our footprints to venture into new territory, or probably not-so-new territory, but perhaps different. I like to peruse the land ahead, figuratively speaking. Decide which new or old path to follow; discover if I’m enroute to a treasure or an adventure or just one of several dead-ends that lures a person forward only to end nowhere. I never consider this a waste of time, merely another of Life’s learning experiences and distractions. Dead-ends can be a gem, perhaps in the journey there; but, then again, dead-ends may be exactly what they are, dead-end duds. It all depends on attitude.

Attitude is everything.  Attitude carries the confidence to tackle whatever obstacles stands in your way–sort of like this Giant Ogre who stops you from the cache of riches behind him. You can only glimpse tantalizing sparkles whenever he inhales deeply. The view is blocked when Giant Ogre exhales, totally blowing you away. Meanwhile, we all know there is a trunk filled with valuables. We just have to figure out how to get around the ogre.

Cleaning out my files for the new year, I found my two unfinished stories. I had great beginnings and honking great endings, but this awful ogre is sitting smack dab in the middle. Thoughts of shooting it and/or blowing it up crossed my mind. I briefly entertained thoughts of bribing the Big Guy with my supply of dark chocolates. The bribe went into my tummy–to fuel my brain, of course—and the Hulk is still glued to the middle, with no intentions of moving along.

Being a serious, never-make-New-Year’s-resolutions Gal, I’m determined to somehow boot the Huge Oaf out and get moving. Enough is enough. Attitude and Confidence may not be enough. I’ll enlist Determination’s help too. My horoscope did say it was my year to shine—destroying the Ogre would make an impressive start.

I really love “sticky notes.”  You know, those little bits of yellow paper with a bit of a sticky back that allows you to tack the paper to anything as a “reminder?” Well, Windows 10 has a sticky note app and it’s great. I highly recommend it. I have a lot of stuff happening—deadlines to keep, stuff I need to do and appointments I need to remember plus all the other things that can clutter up your day. I get to type each day’s reminder on a different colour sticky note, not just yellow ones. Yep, my life is relegated to a colourful strip of sticky note reminders.

Up to a few months ago, the computer’s sticky note system was working well. That is, until the dreaded Microsoft updates. My computer is getting older and it can be persnickety, but each time it gets its updates, something gets lost or changed. This time, it hit the sticky notes.

Poking my computer awake from its sleep-mode, no sticky notes were visible—nothing on my task bar and absolutely nothing on my desktop. I didn’t panic.  I did have my backup calendar–the real one.  Calmly, I headed for my list of apps and clicked on sticky notes. Bingo! My chronological rainbow list of sticky notes bounced back on my desktop.

Today, my sticky notes were missing. Nada on my taskbar; nada on my desktop. I went to my list of apps and clicked on the yellow sticky notes. Nothing. I did it again. Nothing. I had to call in my expert. Hubby went through all the steps I had just done. Not a sticky note in sight. Sighing with frustration, Hubby and I looked at each other and turned the computer off.

Fortifying ourselves with a Dutch Bakery Dark Chocolate Kahlua, we braced ourselves and turned the computer back on. We then repeated the whole process again with no success.  I clicked on “Setting” and typed in “sticky notes.” The sticky note app popped up with a “Reset” button. Next to dark chocolates, I love buttons that I can push, turn or pull.  I pushed the button. It was a post-Christmas miracle—sticky notes were back with its rainbow list. Time to put the computer to bed–I’ll keep my fingers crossed that those darn sticky notes will still be on my desktop tomorrow.

Chaos, confusion, wars and disasters exist around the world, including North America. In 48 hours, the Old Guy will be heaving a huge sigh of relief that he can finally pass everything over to the New Kid, whose cocky confidence of leaping into the skirmish will be his initiation to a brand new year. The Kid will have a lot to contend with. I only hope he knows what to do if those darn sticky notes disappear again. . . . .

(Thank you Gingerbelles and 3Bees for requesting this 2014 post from my Archives. All of you give fabulous parties with not a single hugger-mugger in sight! See you all in 2019)

I’m normally a non-violent lady who enjoys the quirks and foibles of her fellow man, but the one custom I’m not fond of is being bush-whacked by a hugger-mugger. Have you met any? I’m sure you know at least one or two. The reason I’m venting now is because another social season will soon be upon us and there are hordes of hugger-muggers ready to launch their hugs at any given moment.

Generally, these people seem very congenial and friendly until they clasp your hand and haul your unwilling self towards them to give you the mother of all hugs—up close and personal. I’ve  checked my etiquette book and this is one custom not covered well. Chinese people are generally not touchy-feely unless it’s someone we know well—like really well.  But in social gatherings, meeting some stranger for the first time and discovering too late they are hugger-muggers, makes a person think murderous thoughts or at best, a violent solution like a knee to the you-know-where.

Hugger-muggers are very sneaky people. They look so ordinary and normal until they get hit with any excuse for hugs at social gatherings. Give them a glass of wine or two or three and hugger-muggers are in their dangerous zone. This is when their hands tend to roam all over as part of their friendly hugs. Hugger-muggers do not read body language well and will translate a verbal “no” as “yes.”

So, to all hugger-muggers who are perfecting their hugging techniques–take note. I’ll be wearing my Kevlar vest, my 3″ stiletto heels and bringing my 6’3″, 4th degree black-belt martial arts husband. I may be short, but I won’t be defenseless if confronted by any hugger-muggers.

There is something about the Holiday Season, aka Christmas, that I both love and hate. I’ve noticed this as each Christmas comes and goes. I know some of you are thinking, “How can you not love this time of year?” Easy, I say.

The very first thing I dislike is hearing Christmas songs in October. How can anyone possibly think Christmas trees and jingle-bells when Canadians haven’t even celebrated Thanksgiving yet and Halloween hasn’t ghosted by. Early displays of fake Christmas trees mingled with Halloween costumes doesn’t do anything for me except destroy whatever holiday spirit is struggling to survive.

Christmas should be in July because December travelers have to struggle through snow storms, blizzards, cancelled airlines flights, cancelled ferries and buses. Recent powerful West Coast gale-force winds caused extensive power outages that resulted in more winter chaos and holiday headaches for determined travelers. Travelers want to be with their families at this time of year and they go through a heck of a lot to be there.

I love the pastries, desserts and fantastic home-baking that comes out of Christmas. What’s not to like when you’re faced with butter shortbreads, minced tarts, gingerbread, sugar cookies, triple chocolate snickerdoodles, panettone, biscotti, tortierre and so much more. Oh wait–this also includes dark chocolate dipped marshmallow Santas and snowmen. When these are allowed to “age” for a month or two, the marshmallow becomes chewy and that’s the best time to enjoy them.

I hate the postal lineups because people like me, somehow wait ’til the last minute before firing off those overseas or international cards and parcels. This year I had the best excuse of all for being late–Canada was suffering through intermittent “roving” postal strikes.  This meant that even if your parcel or card was processed in your city, it may have been stalled in another city that was the designated “strike of the day.”

Regular shopping goes out the window at this time of year. That’s when the shopping ogres and grinches snarl their demands, apply their pushy ways and display attitude—lots of attitude. Leisurely browsing and shopping are put on hold ’til later, much later.

Now that Christmas is a mere 2 days away, the frenzy has dropped to a simmer because if the  important thing isn’t done by now, then it will likely never be done ’til afterwards and by then, it won’t matter anymore.  Most people are much nicer and the smiles are more sincere; after all, in 48 hours all this will be over until next year. I have this vision of a very weary and battered 2018 passing over the reins to an energetic, bouncy, fully-charged 2019, who’s eager to leap into whatever is awaiting us. That’s the moment in time I love—everything is new and ready for our footprints.

Thank you to all my friends and readers who have been following Chocofigbee—especially those leaving your comments when something I’ve posted connected with you. I always enjoy hearing from you.

May the love and joy of Christmas stay with you throughout the coming year. And, may 2019 be the year you reach for your dream and hold it in your hands. Merry Christmas. Everyone and a very Happy New Year. . . .

When I was growing up, everyone in my family could cook or bake or do both, equally well.  We weren’t fancy cooks or bakers, just good at comfort foods and family favorites. One of the family faves was “Triple Chocolate Doodles” that my grandmother baked.  As I grew older, I realized it was actually a variation of the “Snickerdoodle,” a vanilla flavored cookie dough, soft enough to drop from a teaspoon, onto a cookie sheet. Snickerdoodles were good too, but if your tummy had a craving for chocolate, then the Triple Chocolate Doodles filled the bill.

The problem is, Grandma didn’t have a written recipe for this family favorite. It was made so often, the recipe was engraved on her brain.  It wasn’t exactly a real recipe when Grandma would show her grand-daughters, “Now, a chunk of butter like this, a couple of large eggs, a dollop of vanilla, cups of flour plus a smidge, until the dough feels right. . . .” and as she was talking, my tiny grandma would be beating the life out of the butter and eggs.  Fry’s cocoa powder played a huge part in the recipe as well as lots of chocolate chips. When the cookies were hot out of the oven and cooling on the racks, Grandma would add the finishing touch by drizzling melted dark chocolate over each doodle.

Every time Grandma made these, they were melt-in-your-mouth delicious and absolutely fail-proof. It didn’t matter if you asked what precise measurement would make a “chunk” or  how much exactly was a “dollop?” After all, it had to be the same every time because scientifically, a more or less difference in chunks or dollops would produce a less than perfect triple chocolate doodle, right?  At least, that was my logical reasoning. And another thing, when does the dough feel right?

Well, I just figured out the secret of the family recipe–precise amounts of ingredients won’t work. Throw logic out the window. Go with the chunks, dollops and smidges.  Add lots of chocolate and a heaping amount of love. Triple Chocolate Doodles are still a winner and absolutely fail-proof when you use “Grandma’s recipe” with her own special measurements.

       Okay, my official approval is officially recorded here.  Dark Belgian chocolate brownies and doughnuts still head my list of preferred goodies to co-mingle with my caffeine fix. Danishes are delish and will do in a pinch. Apple, lemon or pumpkin pies are a close second, but only if the pastry and fillings are made the way my Mom and Mom-in-Law, made them. They made the absolute best. But, whatever anyone else prefers, I believe desserts are getting a bum rap–yep, desserts deserve to be heard and seen. . .and eaten.  I’m speaking up for the real desserts.

What brought this on? Well, my fave coffee place ran out of desserts! What kind of caffeine-brewing place ever runs out of Danishes, doughnuts and brownies? Hoo-boy, this one did and not only that, the “vacancies” were filled with new tenants occupying their platters. Stuff like fat-free “Blueberry Bran Muffins,” “Whole Wheat Crackles” and “Oatmeal Quinoa” squares. Well okay, the squares did have cranberries and coconut. The muffins did have a cutesy-poo name like “Blue Mountain Muffins.” Carefully I scanned the display case again. Yep, no buttery croissants. No crisp flaky Danishes. Not even a light-as-air, puff pastry sausage roll. Don’t get me wrong. I have been known to eat the good-for-you goodies, but when you head out for a perfect cup of coffee, then it needs a delicious piece of pastry as its perfect mate.

“Hey, Stan. Where’s the good stuff? Still in your back room?” I asked.

“Too much fat and sugar, Toots. We gotta eat more healthy if we want to live longer.”

“Trust me, Stan. You will be losing a heck of a lot of clientele if you don’t bring back the sugar and fat. I like my sugar and fat—-in fact, I want your terrific coffee and all my fave desserts back.”

I figured, someone had to make a stand for desserts. The healthy ones are okay if you really, really need something to go with that great cup of java. However, the flipside is, if you don’t make a stand for all those delicious goodies made with real butter and  real sugar, then you’re going to be paying for more fat-free, sugarless, wholegrains, healthy stuff you can make and eat at home—free.  Pretty soon, fat-free sugarless goodies would be invading and taking over all the coffee bars in town. Desserts were definitely getting the bum’s rush out the door and no one was speaking up.

Well, I made my official stand for desserts–real desserts–with my caffeine fix. A week later, I stopped at Stan’s for my usual cup of his superb coffee and glanced at his showcase.

“Whoa, Stan! What happened? Your Danishes and Belgian chocolate brownies and croissants are back.”

“You were right, Toots. Not everyone wanted healthy. Apparently my place was their get-away from fat-free and sugarless. But, just in case, I have a few muffins for those who want healthy.”

“Stanley, you did the right thing,” I beamed at him. “I’ll have the cherry Danish and the brownie. It’s been a “dry” spell for your pastries and I’ll have to make up for lost time.”

I love walking and discovering new things. My morning walk takes me to interesting places. I’m very fortunate living in an area where, no matter which direction I walk, it will be scenic with probably water, mountains or beautiful gardens.

Early in the morning is the best time as it’s lively with dogs walking their owners, wandering deer, some errant raccoons scurrying to their beds and those busy squirrels, scampering up trees and dashing across roads. The coffee bars open early and I have discovered some nifty ones tucked in a corner, known mainly by the neighbourhood locals. This also holds true for the bakeries that sells warm cinnamon buns, buttery croissants and flaky pastries wrapped around savoury fillings.

I tell Hubby I’m off on one of my “power-walks” and he knows I won’t be back for at least an hour or even longer. I usually choose a random direction and if I see an interesting road, I check it out.

I know my streets, but where I live, the streets do not move in a straight and orderly line. One street may start out as one thing. When it’s interrupted by hills and lanes, it usually emerges as something else.  I think I have devised my own version of a map of my area. Sometimes my mental map of the area doesn’t exactly match the actual map. I may be      slightly off my planned route, but I’m not lost.  A person can miss a treasure trove of fun things when passing in a car, but as a walker there are numerous things along the route that grabs your attention.

First of all, there is a number of “free lending libraries–many are miniature houses        painted in eye-catching colours and a few are entertainingly creative.

My faves are the Snoopy, draped on the roof of his “house” and the original  piano house.  Next, there are the garden ornaments that makes that particular home unique.      I like garden knick-knacks with a personality and some of the ones I’ve discovered             definitely fits that criteria. I’ve seen the mysterious East reflected in Buddha’s stone face,  the “sleeping Goddess” nestled in the ornamental grass and the “dancing lovers.”

Down the street and around the corner is an attractive birdhouse as well as my favourite “fairy house.”

A detour down a beckoning lane takes me to an unexpected “Keep Out Deer” sign,          no doubt posted by a frustrated gardener. . .

Time to head homewards by a different route—wonder what other fun things I’ll see along the way?

On my  early  morning walk, I saw this  one lonely red leaf, still clinging

to its branch.

It had curled into a heart-shape and I saw it as a positive sign for this

November 11th.

Let’s have more Peace and Love, not War and Hate for this

beautiful World of ours.

Next to coffee, dark chocolate and doughnuts, I like dollar stores.  Do you have them? Victoria seems to have a plethora of them and these stores proliferate like a—well a     dollar epidemic.

My hometown has different versions of dollar stores and their names would denote how organized they would be:  Dollar Store, Dollarama, Amazing $$$ and Dollar Bin to name a few.

I grew up with Woolworth and Kresge. That’s what dollar stores remind me of.

I prefer the small dollar stores. These are stores where the aisles, if any, have a certain method in their maddening, maze-like meandering. That’s when a person, with no purpose in mind and lots of time, may find a treasure or two. The super huge dollar stores are extremely organized. There are signs at each aisle, clearly stating what can be found down its long, neat-n-tidy lanes–no surprises along those pathways.  I like surprises.

Few people ever admit that they found any bargains or treasures or bought stuff in a dollar store, but heck, who doesn’t love a bargain?  I have bought mailing envelopes, file folders and notepads at a fraction of prices found in stationary stores–same brands too.  When I was doing my beading workshops, I found some fabulous beads and leather cords for a pittance, compared to the prices for the exact same thing at a bead and accessory store. Paper crafts are an on-going project and I often found unique stickers, paints and colourful stick-ons–again, for a fraction of the costs at a regular craft store. Party decorations, all-occasion cards, gift bags and wraps are all worthy of buying at you-know-where.

You can’t be anonymous when you venture into a dollar store because you’re bound to meet up with someone who knows you. Having an attitude helps. You know the one—the “yes-I-shop-here-and-I’m-so-happy-you-discover-this-too” works every time.

Hmm-mm, it looks like there’s another new place opening. With a name like “Dazzling Dave’s Dollars,” I bet it may be a larger and more organized store. But then again, it may be one of those smaller ones with treasures packed in every nook and cranny. I think Dazzling Dave should be checked out and maybe, I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

I think wild animals, as well as the domesticated ones, have me figured out as soon as they see me. Take for instance, this young deer that crossed my path this morning. Well, he didn’t exactly crossed my path, the deer was actually in someone’s garden, happily nibbling his way across the buffet of blooms.  I was passing by, on the other side of a low rock wall. At seeing wildlife so close, I whipped out my senior phone and fumbled for the camera setting.  The deer didn’t even lose a beat chewing and munching—he just stared at me as if to say, “Well for Pete’s sakes–hurry up and take the darn picture so I can move over there where there’s even tastier stuff.”  Hubby always told me it’s not what a person say, but the attitude delivering it. He was right. These darn deer have the attitude thing nailed.  When Hubby and I were returning from the Village, across the street from our condo building, two young deer crossed at the pedestrian cross walk with the walk sign flashing.  They then leaped over the rock wall of my building and proceeded to munch their way around the garden–probably their version of a delectable lunch date.

Last week, I encountered a deer, ambling across the road to get to a corner lot where there had been some clearing of brush and trees. I swear this deer knew I was trying to get a decent photo with my senior cellphone. It actually posed–first, turning his head this way and then turning his head that way. I assumed this deer didn’t play poker as his expression plainly showed his disgust at how slow this human was in aiming for a good photograph. While I was still adjusting my camera, the deer turned completely around, showing me his butt-end, which came out perfectly framed and focused on my cellphone’s camera.

When Hubby and I had our little house some years ago, the deer were beginning to invade civilization, but not to the extent the deer invasion has taken place now. I remember coming home and turning onto our street. A young deer had wandered over to the house across the street from us, peeked into the living room window and satisfying itself that no one was home, proceeded to eat our neighbour’s prized roses.  See, it’s all in the attitude.

My area also has lots of dogs. And trust me, dogs have attitudes too. Some dogs are scrappers and barkers. Usually these are the tiny ones. The smaller the dogs, the more feisty and confrontational they seem. And, the bigger the dog, these frisky scrappers are in their element, tossing down their challenge. I love the attitudes of the huge dogs like the St. Bernard or the Newfoundland Bouvier. One swipe of their front paw would be enough to knock a yapper into the next county. But you have to admire their restraint because the look they give is absolutely priceless. It’s as if they say, “Tone it down, Junior and give some respect or I’ll knock you silly.”  The look, just like the parental looks we got as kids, worked too. The noisy “fuzz-ball” instantly quieted until the ginormous dog ambled past and almost out of sight before the gleeful yapper began again.

Cats are notorious for attitude. A cat can out-stare its human and show a range of expressions that its owner know does not bode well, especially if the human left the cat alone for most of the day. The cat’s posture manifests a territorial boldness that reminds their owners exactly who the real Boss of their domain is. Owners develop a deep sense of guilt when they get that look from their feline room-mate.

Again, it’s all attitude and in the animal kingdom, attitude is alive and well.