'Tis the season...

...for rum cakes, and that's what I'll be baking today. (They are one of about five dishes I can actually cook that's worth consuming.) While my mother is out of town, I'm taking over the kitchen, setting my computer up on the table to keep me company, and plan to have a nice, low-key, much-needed day to sit back and catch up on all my pre-holiday work.

I'm also on puppy duty while Mom's gone, which means that right now the little one is roaming around the kitchen and laundry room, blocked out of the rest of the house by baby gates. Every now and then, I go check on her because of a phenomenon described by Dr. Denis Leary: The Dangerous Quiet.

Last time I did this, she had found the booze. At least, she'd found my stash of it, stored in the laundry room while I'm living with Mom. She was trying to chew on one of the glass bottles, with limited success. Smart puppy.

Just now I can hear the sounds of a squeaky-toy being abused, so I'm less worried.

Last night was the Magic Fedora Christmas Party, which was buckets of fun. I remembered to bring the Cat in the Hat this year, so he was in attendance, and stationary_jew supplied a very tasty turducken! Sadly I couldn't stay too long - dogs awaited my return - but I very much enjoyed it.