5 thing Friday - big cookie, pipe fixed, nail gun, coffee tables, college loans

 I've been really craving sweets every day after dinner.  At first I tried dried fruit with a few chocolate chips mixed in.

Then I thought, "why am I denying myself something good?" like a reasonable person would wonder, and I found a recipe for a giant one to two person cookie in 17 minutes.

It makes exactly enough for Scout and myself and is so delicious when warm from the oven.  A basic recipe and high quality chocolate chips is all you really need.

{2 T soft butter, 2 T brown sugar, 2 T white sugar, creamed.  Add one egg yolk, 1/4 t. vanilla, dash salt, 1/2 t. each baking soda and cornstarch, 1/3 c. flour, chocolate chips, 15 minutes at 350}

The saga of the broken pipe from New Years Eve is complete.  It cost me $200, hurt my relationship with my daughter, and was on my to do list for 5 months. I came across a name in Mark's handwriting for a handyman.  Long story short, I called him, he fixed it, he was very weird, made me feel uncomfortable, I'm never calling him again.

So many lessons learned.

I know I said I wouldn't lend anything again.  And I may be sorry I did lend this nail gun.  But the trade off (hopefully) is that I will foster goodwill, get some tips on how to use it myself, and help another single lady with limited income to learn to do for herself. What good does it do to let things rot in your garage when they could bless someone else, if only on loan?

I was so proud of myself for doing the kitchen cabinets that I also did the ancient coffee table in the den, ca. 1989.  I don't have a before shot but it had seen some things, man.  Its older than all of my kids...

It really needs a rug in here to break up all that brown.

The before on the living room coffee table - dated April 1960 on the underside.

The after.  Less impressive results than the den table.

But since it was an "add on" project, it cost me nothing and it looks nicer than it did.

Aaanndd this room could use a rug, too.

12 years ago, The Girl was accepted to Baylor and just this week, she told me her student loan to the State of Texas is paid in full.  Through scholarships, grants, part-time jobs, and parents she did finish at Baylor and is a full-fledged CPA.  But yes, sadly, there is still an outstanding student loan.  I have no doubt it will be paid off, too.  And it was well worth the investment.

Gina