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Here's a nice collection of pictures of Josh, including some I hadn't seen before.





Yum.

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( SPOILERS SPOILERS PENNY DREADFUL SPOILERS SPOILERS )


I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH.

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Damn, it is RAINING out here. Windy, too. Just what we need, yay! I'm glad my BiL wanted to go to the dispensary earlier, as now I'm all cozy with my little stashbox refilled. I'll be going next door to watch 2001 with my nephew in about an hour. He likes space movies so I thought he should see a movie that takes place in real space for once. I have a new batch of cookies I baked last night, and doubtless we will do popcorn as well. Then I have a pile of mending to do, which will be nice to get to work on while I'm wrapped up on the couch watching something fun.

Now this is more like it!

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Cinnamon Cookies

12½ tbsps (just over 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup plus 2 tbsps granulated sugar, divided
1/3 cup light brown sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsps plus 1 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp (4 tsps) vegetable oil
1 tsp water


In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar, brown sugar and lemon zest together on medium speed until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder and 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon and mix until combined. Then add the oil and water and mix until fully combined.

Place the dough on plastic wrap and roll it into logs that are 2" in diameter. (Smaller logs are easier to work with than one long one, so it may be helpful to use about a baseball-sized portion of dough to form each log.) Twist the ends of the plastic wrap as you would to wrap a candy to help you achieve an evenly round log. Freeze for about two hours or until the logs are chilled all the way through. (You can freeze the logs, well wrapped in plastic and stored in an airtight container, for up to a month. Defrost frozen logs before using, but be sure they are still chilled all the way through.)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon until well combined.

With a sharp knife, slice the logs into slices and arrange them on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, then bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies begin to pick up a little color along the bottom edges. Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet or a cooling rack, then store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to a week.

Makes 30-60 cookies, depending on thickness


This is another of those bitchy dryish doughs. I'm thinking that instead of rolling into logs, it'd easier to just press the dough into the bottoms of a couple of muffin tin, to about 1/3" thick. (I'd line them with pieces of plastic wrap to makes sure they're easy to extract.) In the fridge for about a half hour, then pop the dough rounds out and proceed. I suspect that will be MUCH less of a headache then wrestling with rolling logs and cutting them, ARGH.

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Okay, everyone, here's what I know:

The reason all this started happening is that the big email services - Microsoft and Yahoo, and maybe others - are blocking LJ emails because of the volume of emails they send. If you're using one of those two, you won't get any emails of any kind from LJ.

The only workaround at the moment is to switch to a Gmail account. LJ says they're working on getting the others to UNblock emails, but they aren't sure how long it'll take. In the meantime, switch to Gmail. You'll get your emails there.

Oh, and they'll be in the "Social" folder, not the main inbox. (Why the FUCK Gmail thinks the Inbox needs to have THREE separate areas, I don't know. I really hate that service ever since they started all that shit.)

Spread the word!


( And here's a bit of pretty to lighten the mood... )

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Halle-fucking-lujah. FINALLY.

THANK YOU, Goddess.


*hugs her boy* Come here, baby. Tell me all about it. Mmmm...

*shuts the door*



(Anybody here ever been to Ohio? Or know much about it? I have a couple of questions...)
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For the Birthday...


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"Are you shitting me?"

"No."

"You've actually read this?" Casey's holding up Zeke's ancient, water-stained copy of The Lord of the Rings.

"I was bored at camp and it was the only book around." Zeke sounds annoyed. "What's the big deal?"

"I dunno," Casey replies, ( thumbing the browned pages... )

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Just pulled a pair of galettes from the oven. These are a mix of peach, nectarine, and strawberry. I really like the look of these pies, and they're fun to make.

I will sit down to some bean stew and bread, with galette for dessert. Now if only this fucking weather would improve, but at least it's not roasting hot anymore.

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Good goddess, the legs on that man.

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You know how sometimes a picture can make your whole body explode?





*ahem*

Yes.

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Another guest chimes in. I guess this puts the lid on whether High Contrast is an AU or not.

FYI: There is het, but it's implied mostly, so not too squicky, I hope.

---

Sandra
by Serai


( 'Are you sure you want me to do that, sweetheart?' )

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Chapter 18 of High Contrast
Chapter 19