#30 Boston - Two Cookies A Day, Not More - Dec 30, 2006

It was an event of gargantuan proportions - for those of you who could or would not attend “The Last Cookie Exchange” on Saturday – let’s just say the amount of sugar consumed would have made any dentist delirious and some of us could have used insulin injections to get us out of our diabetic comas. The table was bulging under the weight of the delicacies baked or bought by those sugar-addicted friends of mine, and very accommodating smells wafted through that little residence at 10 6th Street in Cambridge. All the home made cookies were judged on their tastes (presentation was secondary, as long as the stuff tasted good…..). I have to say some of the pastry chefs present turned out quite the pros – the honorable Chris Gibbs for example, who not only dazzled us with his “Coconut Chocolate Jumbles”, the man also brought several (color!!) copies of the recipes for those interested in replicating the tasty treat. Even nutritional information was included - not something I need to know. We know we exceeded the limit yesterday, don’t even go there!



Award Certificates and prizes were handed out after all delights were sampled – Chris’ “Jumbles” placed third; Ana and her daughter Beatriz snapped up second place with their “Extreme Chocolate Cookies”. Winner by a landslide was my friend and running buddy Elaine, who dazzled the crowd with her “Pumpkin Walnut Thigh Busters”. Congratulations to all and a big thanks to all the busy baking bees….. My house sparkled with your presence, your continuous friendship warmed my heart and your cookies expanded my waistline. As they say, a waist is a terrible thing to mind.



At the end of the cookie exchange my friends left for their homes with extended stomachs, and bags full of cookies. Not enough though, as I have cookies sitting in tins wherever I look, and I really should stick to just two per day (yeah, right – I already had two this morning to supplement breakfast….). I will go out running immediately after I am done writing here – you know the whole thing about energy in and energy out. Well, there definitely needs to be some energy out! I am actually so glad that I waited to write my diatribe until today, because you know what - something completely ridiculous happened, and you are not going to believe me anyway – I had nothing to report. Nothing, zip, zilch, nada! I did nothing all week. Came home every night, watched movies, went to bed. Granted, I had running group on Wednesday and Thursday I got a massage at the Chinese doctor’s, but that was it. Nothing! I was desperate and considered sending you an update with stories about the movies I have seen or have Oscar write the update (A Day in the Life of a Little Budgie, Living in Cambridge, MA), but he said he was too busy.



Well, it was necessary to have a quiet week, my stomach was a little upset, and couch time seemed like the perfect remedy. I have been enjoying reading the paper, some new books I got for Christmas and watch movie after movie after movie. I also got sucked into CSI – after renting the first season from the Boston Public Library and watching 23 episodes in less than a week, I have decided that the stuff is pretty much worse than crack. Plus I am officially declaring my crush on Billy Petersen. My friends Irene and Amy went to see him yesterday in Providence, RI in the theater production “Dublin Carol” and I was hoping they could talk him into coming over for some cookies. In the meantime, Season 2 is on order and I will have to have my friends check in on me and make sure that I do leave the house once In a while.



2006 is coming to an end and looking back, it has been an exciting year. I did fulfill my New Year’s resolutions – 10 4000-footers in New Hampshire and a Marathon – very content about that. I have made many new friends and deepened my connections to those who have been around. Love you much.

New Year’s resolutions: there are many. Mountains first, again 10 4000-footers must be climbed. Running- lots of 5 K road races, my goal is to beat 8:30 minutes/mile. Then, I have decided 2007 will be the “Year of Events” – I plan to host many of them for my friends – next on the list is the “King and Queen of Guacamole” – a contest on who can whip up the best guac and salsa!!! Some trips are planned already, including my annual pilgrimage to Amsterdam.



I have still not decided as to how to ring in the New Year – I might attend “First Night” and roam the streets of Boston with thousands of my closest friends. It seems not to be chilly, yesterday’s snow has melted away and a parade might just be what I need. The city of Boston starts the New Year off with fireworks at the waterfront, New York drops the ball, and Eastport, Maine drops the Sardine! Huh? Yes, you read right, the town of Eastport, Maine (only in New England!) drops a 22-foot sardine from the Eastport Tides Institute and Museum of Art – sardines were once a key industry in this quaint seaside community. You think we are weird though? Try Atlanta – they lower an 800-pound peach; Lebanon, Pennsylvania - a 150-pound bologna; Brassville, NC – a live possum in a cage; Tempe, Arizona – a tortilla chip going into a jar of salsa. My favorite though has to be Key West in Florida – A conch shell, a live “pirate wench” and a drag queen named Sushi dropped in a high-heeled shoe!!



On that note - Happy New Year!!



Pet:)