Nuts in the City during the Holidays.

Thanks to galant Charles, this Rat King in our lightwell missed the Nutcracker auditions. He'd been using the downspout for direct access to the breakfast crumbs. Peanut butter got him. Quick kill.
I'm looking into where The Meshuganutcracker is playing (predictive spelling has gone mad with that one). Any ideas?

100 Apple pies

For the last 23 years on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, our sculptor friend, Don Rich, has gathered a few folk and 600 apples at his foundry in Oakland. He fires up the ovens in the morning and we peel, core, mix, bake and laugh. The pies are given to neighbors, friends, firemen, policemen - and if you bring the glass Pyrex pan back, you're on the list for next year.
Here's his secret: cut the apples with a fork (makes little "flavor ridges)." His philosophy "Never move a pie when it's still hot." Good advice not only for pies.

Healthy Thanksgiving

In honor of the kids' schedules, art talents and everyone's dietary preferences, we did a non-traditional-no-turkey-Saturday dinner. No birds harmed only vegetables farmed. A Whole Foods Produce Production (the meal starred perfectly poached salmon with salad, potato boats, persimmon pudding and rustic apple tart in supporting roles).
Yum ! And we are so looking forward to NOT driving, cleaning, sweeping, polishing, shopping, washing, stacking, chopping, mixing, stirring, tossing, mashing, carving and, above all BASTING. Put on the latest hit "It's all about the Bass" and make your own parody if you need to get into pre-dinner cooking aerobics.