Have just reached land

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I swear to you that by 3:30 today, I felt as if I were stranded in the ocean and had been doggie paddling for days with no land in sight. Just as I was about to call it quits, the boys acceded to watching TV albeit under the agreement that one watch upstairs and one downstairs because god forbid they should share a show. I thought I might, thusly, have reached land and been saved, but no, there were multiple meltdowns about my unwillingness to cook a second dinner after the show, to share my bubble water with Oliver who had a mouthful of nuts and so forth. Crying in the bath, "do I really have to wear pajamas tonight? What about my police gear?", on and on until I decreed that bedtime was nigh, we would not be having stories or seconds on milk and that was that.Jack is asleep in the basement as of 12 minutes ago (6:02p EST peeps) and Oliver is wailing for more milk but I just cannot go in for seconds here. I mean, really, I just reached land safe and sound. Why would I throw myself back in with the circling sharks?!

I'm thinking about a brownie bake-off tonight, but I'm also thinking about crashing on the couch and calling it quits.

Nostalgia prompts dessert inspiration

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Did any of you eat Zingers when you were little? As far as I remember, they're like twinkies topped with raspberry "jam" and coconut flakes. They used to come in three-packs, and I loved them. I haven't had one in yeas, but I still love a good jelly roll, in part because it reminds me of the simple childhood indulgence that was the pack of Zingers. Certain that Zingers contain no actual food products, not to mention that I now find it rather terrifying that a plastic-wrapped food can stay fresh on a cornerstore rack for months on end -what IS in it?- I have long thought about making my own. I was sorting through Nanny's recipe box the other day before I had to mail it back to my mom, and lo, I came across a recipe for the roll part of a jelly roll. Seems easy enough to whip up a basic raspberry jam (WITH seeds), spread that atop a fresh roll base, sprinkle with freshly toasted coconut, and roll. Ooooohhhh. My mouth is watering just envisioning it.

I will keep you posted!