Another journey around the sun, another year, another Christmas looming up rather like the iceberg loomed over the Titanic. Wee Jamie may be old enough this year to really appreciate it all, but with one thing after another, we didn’t so as much as we usually do to prep for Christmas. I was hustling to finish a romance that I began as a challenge, which I wanted to launch (read – kick ruthlessly out into the world and see if it flew) as a Christmas present for the public, or at least, that portion of the public who adores romance novels and consumes them like a box of gourmet chocolates.

Oh, we got the shopping done, gifts for each other and for Jamie, but the tree is minimal – even with gifts piled up around it (mostly to protect from Miso, Moose, Prince the Magnificent who love to play with the ornaments, or sleep on the tree skirt, and Persephone, who usually doesn’t care). We didn’t put out lights outside or put out much in the way of ornaments. The time just seemed to catch up to us, I guess. We did get the Christmas baking done, and distributed platters of cookies and fudge to the fire department, police substation, some local businesses and a sadly diminished number of close neighbors. Our next-door neighbor passed away late in the fall, as did some others that we had been close to, during the time we lived here. Some other neighbors moved … anyway, we only did two batches of fudge this year with whatever we had on hand left over from previous years, some pecan angel bar cookies and lebkuchen from a recipe that I had been intrigued by for a couple of years. (The lebkuchen was splendid, by the way – a soft bar version made with dates and raisins, and almond-flavored frosting. Recipe included below.)

We will have a splendid Christmas supper though – the usual Beef Wellington, and everything bought to fix for it, although puff pastry was a bit of a challenge to find.

We’ve got some big projects coming up in the new year, including getting my own car running again (since it sat for months in the driveway, as I was too jumpy about driving, after the accident with the Versa) getting Jamie started in regular school, and getting Return to Alder Grove in a print version – so I think we are just resting before the big push.

For the splendid lebkuchen; Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, grease and flour two 9 x 9 pans.

Sift together, 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, and 1 tsp. cinnamon

Beat together with a rotary beater till the mixture forms a ribbon; 1 pound dark brown sugar and 4 whole eggs.

Add 1 tsp. each of orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla extract, almond extracts to the egg and brown sugar mixture.

Gradually stir in the dry mixture, a little at a time.

When completely mixed in, add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 4 oz. chopped dates and 1 cup raisins.

Bake for about 25 minutes (or a little less; test the cake with a cake tester to see if it’s done).

Melt about 6 Tbs. of unsalted butter and add 2 Tbs. hot milk, ½ to 1 Tbs. almond extract, and enough confectioner’s sugar (about 2 cups) to make a frosting of spreading consistency. Frost and enjoy – we like the marzipan-taste of the larger quantity of almond extract, but can be reduced