Under the Sea

This frozen baby octopus is from shop.fultonfishmarket.com.
The children did not buy baby octopus, but
this picture will give you an idea.

Second day off, 4-day MLK weekend. Back to school tomorrow.

Punchy loves her friends, V. and F., very nice twins, and they came over to our house when their mom went to work at 9. They stayed til about 2:45, when their sitter came. My Elaine came at 3. Sis was also in the house, and we enjoyed seeing her. She dropped off her dog, Buttercup, a spunky little pal we will happily watch for 10 days while Sis travels to California. Sis also brought a pizza.

Here is how we spent the day with V., a girl, and F., a boy--both fifth graders, like Punchy.

• Baked a chocolate cake layer from good [Namaste] mix.
• After texting the twins' mom to be sure I could send them all to town without me, they walked in the brisk cold to Kings to get butter and pure vanilla extract, to make snickerdoodles. I gave them $20, because the price of vanilla extract has gone sky-high. I hoped they could get a small McCormick bottle. They planned to go door-to-door selling these treats.
• They came home with pink, frost-nipped cheeks, having spent my $20 plus a few dollars Punch had in her purse--on 1/2 pound butter, a big frozen octopus thingy and 3 mochi [pastel, dough-wrapped Japanese ice cream balls].
• Made a Joy of Cooking silky chocolate sauce to pour over the layer. Nice glaze. I wanted them to do the mocha sauce, but the twins don't drink coffee. 
• Steamed the octopus; it was kind of creepy, with suction cups and all. But all three ate it, I think?, and made some video about it, using my phone.
• Accidentally dropped the tray of chocolate cake slices on the block.
• Came back and ate some cake.
• Made snickerdoodles dough. Then, since they were out ringing doorbells to sell, I rolled the dough into balls, dunked them in cinnamon-sugar, popped on cookie sheets and baked.
• They made $13.25 selling the goodies. I kept $5. Sis had to bring me a brand-new bottle of vanilla from her Connecticut cabinet. Fortunately, she had it, since I could not use the $12.99 octopus in cookies.
• I did a lot of dishes--bowls, measuring cups etc. 

As a mother, I have been at home and in the workplace. I would have to say this 5.5 hours was kind of tiring, though I did listen to some good music in the kitchen. And that tiring was even with the kids out for groceries [15 min. walk each way, plus time in store] and for peddling. But the thing is, when Punch has a schoolday off, we have to have a play date, activity, project or class planned or she will be apt to sit on electronics.

Saying good night to you early. Out working for a while and hope to continue at home.

TCOY

1. Made a meatloaf using half ground beef and half ground turkey. Should be good for sandwiches.
2. Private Benjamin. My therapist helps me.
3. Having mushroom barley soup. Veggies, one point for me.

$MSOOP

• $20 for octopus plus.
• $9.06 plus $1 for tip jar at Marcel, for soup and iced coffee. $10.06.
• 2 mini boureka pastries, one with spinach and one with cheese, and 2 oz. bag salt and vinegar potato chips, $6.16 plus $1 for tip jar.  $7.16.

TOTAL: $37.22