Well, it's been a long couple of weeks, or is it months by now, since I put my fingers to the keyboard and tapped out a note from the "Wild, Wild West Coast."

Roomie's getting better in leaps and bounds. Good thing, too, since I've got the same darned virus I got at the end of last year. It's a dilly wherein I'm either feeling passably okay or feeling like I fell out of a plane without a parachute, then got run over by a Panzer division! Bottom line: This is NOT Fun!

Weather is doing its northern CA thing: cold, wet, foggy, drizzly and a little real rain tossed in for spice. But, heck, miserable as it sometimes is, it sure beats snow (sorry, y'all, about this), hail (Columbia?) or worse.

We're putting together citrus curds (lemon, lime, orange, tangerine) this weekend, along with pates (meat/veg.) and some sweet breads. Next week, I'm baking breads (cottage cheese-dill, pumpernickel, olive and onion), some for us and the rest for friends. This is the most baking I've done in months (been taking care of roomie), so it's as though I'm a base beginner again. Kinda fun in an ironic manner in that, after so long away from baking, my creative juices are screaming to be heard (much like my muscles after 2-3 days of this).

I'm also baking up some brownies (my "cheat" version with cakemix), but adding some "real" cookies, too. Roomie's making her eggplant caviar (Russian) which I can't wait to taste, along with a couple of items she has culled from her recipe binders. (She's the organized one with a binder while I print off mine on 5X3 cards, after having to create a wp "style", that is. Otherwise, my thousands of recipes are still on the PC and, yes, I back it up weekly.)

Otherwise, things about pretty quiet around here which, after the past 4 months, is about as wild and crazy as I can handle.

So, what's been happening to the rest of the crowd, hmmmm . . . ? Haven't seen much from my darling friend, DavidVA, lately. Same goes for Miz Trish, Miz Elly, Mis Page, Miz Molly, Miz JuneMA, Miz Beege, Miz Lisa, Miz Angel, Mr. Jim CA and so many, many more of you -- what's happening?

Bright Blessings upon Miz Alexandra Jayde and great big ((((((HUGS))))))! to Miz JoAZ, not to mention Miz AJ's lovely new Mom (who's name I can not recall, mea culpa, darlin') -- Mazel Tov!

Miz Betsy, Webmistress extraordinare, the boards look fabulous! You and Bob are my favorite wizards; the boards ebb and flow with terrific graphics while continuing to provide excellent information and specific forums. The sponsors are great, too, in that they are visible without being overpowering. I really do visit them (that should make 'em happy), thus appreciate the visuals! What the heck, I always look for the wallpaper, too, much akin to lickin' the center out of the cookie first. Reckon it's the 5-year old deep inside who still loves toons!

It's been a really great year in a whole lot of ways, everybody, and p'haps a not so swell one in others. Best of all, we're all "still" here together; at the end of the day, that's what matters!

Happy Holidays from the Wild, Wild West Coast!