Edda came home ill on Monday which was the same day we were having the Martin Secret Santa. Jeremy and I had a back-and-forth about who should go and who should stay home with Edda. In the end, I went – I had baked the desserts and I was more invested in the gifts that I had bought – it was a really nice evening, esp since Jane was in town and we got to hear a lot about her job. I did bake a “main dessert” – these chocolate chip brookies which are …fine but not amazing.
My fruitcake – which I started in October ended up…ok. The last layer of royal frosting on the outside dried to a plaster-like consistency and cracked severely when the knife went through it to slice. I was hoping that I would end up liking fruitcake – but really, I ended up deciding that a chocolate cake is much much better. I’m disappointed because I have a lot of fruitcake, but I’m happy I tried this recipe.
Jeremy, unlike me, has two weeks off of work. The office just closed down, no need to use vacation time. He’s been busy as a bee at home, organizing the battery drawer, sorting through our electronic trash. He’s going faster than I can deal, because I usually do the final getting it out of the house, but I’m behind.
I’ve been thinking a lot about houseplants in our house. I think we are at the maximum number (about 30) and now it has to be one-in one-out. I’m a little worried that I’ve crossed over to too many plants, but Jeremy assures me that that is not the case.
This tree stands at alert in our stairwell, it’s from Gene – well over a decade old. I unbraided it a long time ago, and it never looks fantastically happy, but it keeps on going and the trunk is surprisingly thick.
This is a pineapple plant from a grocery store. I think someday it’s suppose to pop out a pineapple and then die. But I think it’s never going to get enough light to do that. I got this from my friend Hiroko who did successfully grow a pineapple in her front yard.
This fiddle leaf fig tree I found on the side of the road with one leaf. I’ve had it now about 3 years and it grew really tall and then I chopped it back. It needs a lot of light which is why I think my neighbor tossed it, it lives for the summer on my porch. In the winter, I try to just have it not die.
