Santa Claus Will

Our conversation changed unexpectedly.

Possibly it was because we noticed snowflakes falling gently but persistently outside the dining room window.

The unexpected sight was not particularly welcome since another week of October currently remains on our calendar.

Halloween is yet a week away.

Few families have begun to think about buying a Thanksgiving turkey or making cranberry sauce..

And many voters still haven’t filled out their absentee ballots.

However, since my two friends are both optimists, they quickly changed the subject to Christmas cookies.

And who can deny that it is an absolutely delightful topic of conversation and certainly not controversial.

Upon return to my apartment, I decided to abandon one and all of the looming items on the list I had created earlier of “Things to do”.

Instead I would make a batch of butter cookies.

Despite a decided limitation of space in my home, I do have a wonderful oven, and of course, my ever faithdful Cuisinart traveled with me when I abandoned NY six years ago.

So I proceeded, and nothing seemed to go well.

Despite the butter being frozen, and the flour appearing lumpy, I persisted.

Even when my faithful aged Cuisinart seemed sluggish, and weary.

The appliance absolutely refused to operate at capacity, and I wondered if that was due to recent lack of use.

However. I rejected any inclination to abandon the project since it was also blocking out a view of the continuing snow,

Eventually, the butter melted into the sugar, aided by the vanilla and seemingly welcomed the lumpy flour.

At long last, all three ingredients seemed to recognize each other and merge.

While putting parchment paper on the aged cookie sheets, and placing the tins in the highly efficient electric oven, I came to a quick decision.

Although I have had to relinquish many things, i.e. dancing the tango, shopping on Fifth Avenue, lunching with my favorite daughter, Midnight Mass at Madonna Heights, and most of all, embracing those I love,

I can still make butter cookies,

So while the familiar aroma saturated the small apartment filling it with memories of other years, other kitchens, and of course, other cookies, I reached for my Ipad.

And I ordered a new Cuisinart before it is really time to make Christmas cookies this year.