# There is evil among us folks....



## terrib (Dec 22, 2011)

I entered a place I have not entered into in a long time…the grocery store. If I wasn’t bumped a dozen times I would be surprised. And what’s up with people not keeping to the law of the road? Oncoming carts (or buggy’s as we call them in the South) on the left and ongoing traffic on the right with enough passing room for us speeders. 

Anyhoo, if that wasn’t bad enough…some spawn of Satan decided to put these delicious boxes of chocolate covered cherries at the end of each aisle. I am on my third box, have two stashed under my bed and am going back for more. My hips look like a renaissance painting but that doesn’t stop me from popping them little buggers in my mouth from sunup to sundown. Seriously yall, I’m addicted! And the lady said they only sell them at Christmas! So I only have two more days to load up…J 

Just thought I’d share my little Christmas addiction with all you good folks and ask: 

What is your Christmas addiction?


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## KarlR (Dec 22, 2011)

"My hips look like a renaissance painting"

About fell out of my chair!

Have a roly-poly Christmas!


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## terrib (Dec 22, 2011)

I am laughing...will do... Seriously when I looked at myself in the mirror last night that is exactly what I thought of, Karl...


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## Sunny (Dec 22, 2011)

OMG terrib... I can't stop laughing... that was funny! 

My addiction used to be egg nog. I love it still, but I've been a good girl this year and have only had a small juice glass of it. 

I find the parking lots to be the worst. People are insane! My sister and I were parking in front of chapters, and this woman didn't like that I got to the only free spot first. She started throwing some nice hand gestures my way. When me and my sister were walking to the store, the woman must have found a spot somewhere else and was walking with a friend. She got lippy and yelled across the lot, "Learn how to f**king drive!" 

I'm the type of person who avoids ALL conflict... but not my sister! LOL.. she's VERY protective of me, and hates when people treat me badly. My sister says to me, "You gonna let her talk to you like that?" I just shrugged my shoulders and said, "Whatever. She's clearly an angry person." My sister said, "That's it! If you're not sticking up for yourself than I am," and she started walking toward the woman and her friend. She yelled back to them, "YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH MY SISTER'S DRIVING B**CH!?" 

OMG. I grabbed my sisters arm, but I didn't have to. The woman and her friend scurried off so fast, you'd think fire was licking at their asses! LOL.

Happy Holidays everyone!!! ;0)


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## moderan (Dec 22, 2011)

I went to Wally World this morning. Mind you, I ride one of them ridey carts cuz of my oxygen situation, and I carry a small oxygen tank. People still get in the way. One couple insisted that I get out of their way because I was hugging the corner going around and they wished to go around the corner the wrong way.
They they called me weird for noticing their idiocy and making comment.
If D hadn't come up that moment and dropped off a million or so cans of Frisky's I dunno what would have happened.
I want so badly to just run amuck and start bowling people over like tenpins. There are just too many a$$hats around.
That said, I don't at all mind Rubenesque. Chocolate-covered cherries are even better in a brandy alexander
I like rum in my eggnog. And lots and lots of vanilla. I'd count calories but I left my calculator in my other life.


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## shadowwalker (Dec 22, 2011)

I work in a grocery store. The stories I could tell... no, no, I just can't do it... you can't make me.


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## Ol' Fartsy (Dec 22, 2011)

shadowwalker said:
			
		

> I work in a grocery store. The stories I could tell... no, no, I just can't do it... you can't make me.



I also worked at a grocery store and the stories I could tell.



			
				terrib said:
			
		

> I entered a place I have not entered into in a long time?the grocery store. If I wasn?t bumped a dozen times I would be surprised. And what?s up with people not keeping to the law of the road? Oncoming carts (or buggy?s as we call them in the South) on the left and ongoing traffic on the right with enough passing room for us speeders.



Yes, I can attest to the South calling carts 'buggies', but I think that any grocery store would call their carts buggies. It's a fact of life.


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## BabaYaga (Dec 23, 2011)

It's become a Christmas tradition with us to tie little, individually wrapped chocolates on our tree. Sitting there on Christmas Day, wearing my fat pants and slowly eating them all is one of my favourite things. That and cheap champagne.


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## The Backward OX (Dec 23, 2011)

Young blondes in Santa suits. And out of them too.


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## garza (Dec 23, 2011)

It's been many years since I was in a U.S. grocery store. Close to 100 percent of my shopping is in the open market where farmers in pickup trucks unload dirt-fresh potatoes, cabbages, and onions. Full bunches of bananas are hung up and eight bananas will cost you a Belize dollar. That's 50 cents in U.S. money. Bottles of pure honey and fresh coconut oil are next to great mounds of pineapple, mango, and and half a dozen varieties of habanero pepper. 

There are no buggies in the market. The buggy is strictly a feature of grocery shops in the Far Frozen North (defined as any area of the Earth north of Key West). And buggy is the correct name, because they all have one wonker-sided front wheel that goes 'floppityfloppityfloppity' as you push it down the aisle searching for your favourite tasteless tinned mixture of additives and preservatives. 

For me there is no Christmas addiction. I've not celebrated Christmas since my changing voice caused me to be put out of the St. Mark's choir at age 12. My celebration this time of year consists of hoisting a pint in honour of the New Year on 21 December. 

terrib - Do the grocery shops also continue to put super-sugary candies and cheap toys at six-year-old eye level in the approach to the check-out stand? The aisle-end chocolates will snag you, and if you have kids you'll have a hard time passing that last hurdle. 

Moderan -What you need for your ridey cart is a modified full-blown flathead V8. Milled heads, reamed cylinders, high-lift cams, and tuned straight pipe exhaust. No one will block the aisle in front of you.


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## ProcrastinationStation (Dec 23, 2011)

garza said:


> Moderan -What you need for your ridey cart is a modified full-blown flathead V8. Milled heads, reamed cylinders, high-lift cams, and tuned straight pipe exhaust. No one will block the aisle in front of you.



Perhaps add a cow catcher, just in case they do.


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## moderan (Dec 23, 2011)

I asked Santa for a cow catcher the other day. He thought I wanted to bet on the Green Bay game. I told him to take the under.


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## The Backward OX (Dec 23, 2011)

"modified full-blown flathead V8. Milled heads, reamed cylinders, high-lift cams" is tautological.


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## Foxee (Dec 23, 2011)

terrib said:


> Anyhoo, if that wasn’t bad enough…some spawn of Satan decided to put these delicious boxes of chocolate covered cherries at the end of each aisle.


I am familiar with the evil of which you speak. Last night I bought myself just such a box, why? WHY?

Because any 'shopping trip' that includes that little money, that much gridlock traffic, constant rain, cutthroat suburban moms cutting me off for parking spaces, shoulder-to-shoulder shopping, and lines at checkout. I'm a country mouse so all this traffic and busyness is out of my comfort zone. Also, by the time that I was trotting out through the rain with my furry hood up, a rapidly wet shopping cart of groceries, (and my chocolate covered cherries tucked under my arm) it was 11:30 pm and I had at least a half hour drive home. At the end of that I had to hide/put away all the things I'd managed to buy.

The top layer of cherries didn't last until I finally got to bed at 3:30 am. Yes, I am zombified but I also have a few more chocolate covered cherries!

Guess what's for breakfast?


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## Gumby (Dec 23, 2011)

Christmas this year is a quiet affair in the country for us. Very nice not to have to brave the malls and all the evil that runs rampant through those places. This is a first for us and I plan to enjoy it.  However, hubby is a full blown choco covered cherry addict and has managed to find them in the local walmart. He has already blown through five boxes and has three more stashed in the back of the pantry... some things never change. I've considered an intervention but he's managed to make me an occasional 'user' too, so what can I say now??


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## Foxee (Dec 23, 2011)

Gumby said:


> ...so what can I say now??


"Honey, I think you need to go get more chocolate covered cherries." ?

Hate to bring this up because it's a whole 'nother addiction but Bailey's Irish Cream chocolates are really really good, too.


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## Nacian (Dec 23, 2011)

Everything starting from my christmas tree to the lights, presents, friends,holidays, snow food wihtout forgetting those hot brandies.:razz:


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## moderan (Dec 23, 2011)

Foxee said:


> "Honey, I think you need to go get more chocolate covered cherries." ?
> 
> Hate to bring this up because it's a whole 'nother addiction but Bailey's Irish Cream chocolates are really really good, too.


So are the lil bottles that you can buy at the liquor counter. They're a dollar each. Stocking stuffers!


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## Foxee (Dec 23, 2011)

moderan said:


> So are the lil bottles that you can buy at the liquor counter. They're a dollar each. Stocking stuffers!


Y'know, this is a really good idea. If I gave my hubster a Starbucks gift card and a lil bottle of Bailey's he'd be set for...oh about twenty minutes. Let's be honest.


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## moderan (Dec 23, 2011)

Here's more evil:





Bacon caramel I was given a pan of this for Xmas.




This monstrosity lasted a whole week.


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## Kat (Dec 23, 2011)

Toffee. A pound of butter, two cups of sugar plus chocolate and nuts. Oh and peanut brittle. I haven't made the peanut brittle yet but the toffee is cooling on the counter. 

I buy my butter at Costco, between cookies, cinnamon buns and toffee--I use a ton.


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## moderan (Dec 23, 2011)

MMmmm toffee. I'll be right over. Tradeja for bacon caramel.


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## Kat (Dec 23, 2011)

Sounds good to me. I've also got some homemade marshmallows left.


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## moderan (Dec 23, 2011)

HooHa! Just opened my gift for today.
An electric knife. Do you think it a coincidence that she lugged home a turkey last night?
There's a drama cooking too. I think I might get heavily into that Bailey's.


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## Foxee (Dec 23, 2011)

Kat said:


> Sounds good to me. I've also got some homemade marshmallows left.


RECIPE!! Please? I found one online but I'm looking for one that uses ingredients that I might actually have!

Edit: And, Mod, ...bacon! You are the king of evil!


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## Robinjazz (Dec 23, 2011)

When I was a boy, Christmas always made me feel so lonely. From eight through thirteen, I used to be a baseball freak, and around Christmas time, the corner schoolyard where my friends and I used to play was always empty. I couldn't wait for the holiday season to pass so the streets could be alive with children again.

One year when I was about ten, I wrote a letter to Santa asking for toy plastic soldiers. When Christmas morning arrived, I dressed myself and told my mom that I was going downstairs to visit my friend Tommy, who had been bragging for about two weeks that his parents were getting him a puppy for Christmas. I wanted to go into his apartment to play with the pup, but when I went into the street and headed for his building, which was two doors from mine, I couldn't believe what I had seen lying atop a trash can--it was the puppy he had gotten as a present.

I'll never forget the awful sight. The poor puppy--white with big brown spots over it body and brown floppy ears--was discarded amongst soiled newspapers, empty milk containers, empty soda and beer bottles, cardboard boxes, empty food cartons. All the garbage was stuffed into a metal trash can, and the poor creature was sprawled on top, with its legs hanging over the edge. It was a terribly cold morning that Christmas, but the weather couldn't compare to the numbness I felt staring at that pup.

After feeling sorry for it, I left the area and began walking around my neighborhood. I was outside in the street for about two hours before deciding I had had enough of the cold. When I got back home, my mother told me that a nice lady had come to the apartment with presents for me. I raced inside the living room and glanced beneath our Christmas tree where I found four big plastic bags filled with toy soldiers. 

My letter addressed to Santa at the South Pole had made its way into the hands of the sweet woman who decided to fulfill my wish. Till this day, I regret not meeting the gentle person who responded to my letter. The world is filled with many generous and caring individuals. And the lady who brought me the soldiers was one.


A few days later I met my friend Tommy, who informed me his dad had slapped shut a door not knowing the puppy was right behind him. The poor puppy's neck had gotten stuck between the door and the door's frame; it died of a broken neck. Till this day, I don't understand why the dad didn't put the dead puppy inside a cardboard box instead of leaving it exposed on top of all the garbage. That was cruel and stupid.


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## Foxee (Dec 23, 2011)

Not exactly an 'upper' are you, Robin?


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## The Backward OX (Dec 23, 2011)

I'll go one better - posts like that should be deleted.


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## Bruno Spatola (Dec 23, 2011)

Right . . . well, I'm glad I stopped by. Nothin' beats a dead dog story at Christmas \\/


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## JosephB (Dec 23, 2011)

South Pole?


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## moderan (Dec 23, 2011)

Bacon


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## Robinjazz (Dec 23, 2011)

Foxee said:


> Not exactly an 'upper' are you, Robin?



There was a Catholic school directly across the street from our tenement. I think I was intimidated by all the fuss made during the holiday. Besides the priests and nuns were very strict. I would just rather spend the day playing in my dungarees with my friends in the street than spend it kneeling in a church all dressed up. And, I'm thankful my parents weren't strict or fanatics about rules (as long as I avoided getting into trouble--I rarely did-- I was left to my own devices). 

 As a boy, I preferred playing with a friend instead of playing with a toy. If that made me a "downer," than that's what I was.


My neighborhood was so overcrowded, the streets always teeming with children and grownups. It was like basic training for human behavior. By the time one reached 10, he or she knew a lot about the ways of people--both the good and the bad ways. I used to like the older people. There were so many beautiful people. Sometimes I get teary-eyed thinking about them. They loved to give to others, yet they had so little themselves. It still amazes me. It was liked the "Christmas Spirit" trapped inside their minds and hearts 365 days a year.


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## Foxee (Dec 23, 2011)

moderan said:


> Bacon


Ah a happy thought...Now that's an upper.


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## Robinjazz (Dec 23, 2011)

Foxee said:


> Ah a happy thought...Now that's an upper.




Up,
Down,
In-between.

Happy Christmas.
Healthy New Year.


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## Tiamat (Dec 24, 2011)

I don't really have a Christmas addiction, unless you count pacing, pulling out my hair, and biting my nails until the confounded holiday is over.  

I had the unfortunate experience of going to the grocery store yesterday where some lady cursed me out for stealing her parking space.  Here's the fun part--my car was in reverse; I was leaving.  So after she shared all of that holiday good cheer with me, I had the sheer pleasure of screaming "GOT GROCERIES!  LEAVING!  AND A MERRY F***ING CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO!"

Then I had to go spend eight hours working retail and waiting on the frantic last-minute holiday shoppers.  

[sarcasm]I just love the holidays.[/sarcasm]


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## Our_Pneuma (Dec 24, 2011)

Christmas addiction? Hmmm.... Smelling fake Christmas trees! 
I'm joshing. 
They're real... and I can't help myself! No matter where I go in public during the Christmas season, those green, sticky, fresh smelling pines are waiting, peering, preying on the weak ones- like me. 
I recently worked a Christmas event, for local community children, when there it was- a ten-foot Douglas Fir, wrapped in warm glowing lights enhancing its indescribable sent. Uncontrolled, I stood beside it sniffing branches and squeezing its little sap pods. After a some wired looks from my colleagues, and even a few kids, I snapped out of my pine-tree-induced-trance, smiled and went back to slinging presents donated by many cheerful givers. 

Damn those trees.


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## moderan (Dec 24, 2011)

I've just gotten done making Kolacky. All of the traditional flavors, and then I added a few more of my own.

Creamcheese, apricot, plum, raspberry, mince, almond are the time-honored ones. I've added jalapeno jelly, prickly pear, orange-chocolate, lemon-vanilla, butter caramel, and herb-infused honey. Pumpkin and cranberry were late scratches and will instead be used for cheesecake. The "herb-infused" are not for the kids.






*Ingredients*


6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

*Directions*
 Preheat the oven to 350°F.
 Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut the butter into the  cream cheese. In a small bowl, sift the flour, granulated sugar, salt  and baking powder.  Work the dry ingredients into the butter/cream  cheese mixture until you have an even, mealy texture.  Knead to form a  stiff dough.  If the dough gets too soft, refrigerate for about five  minutes before finishing.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least  two hours.
 Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness.
 Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into 3 inch diameter cookies (I  used a square cutter).  Keep re-rolling the dough and cutting until you  have used it all.
 Position each piece of dough so that it’s facing you in a diamond  shape.  Using your thumb, make a depression in the middle of each  cookie.  Place 1/2 teaspoon of filling into the depression and fold  opposite ends over each other and pinch to seal.
 Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden.  Let cool  completely on a rack.  Before serving, dust lightly with confectioners’  sugar.  Store in an airtight container.

Filling you can buy or make. An 8-oz jar makes about a dozen cookies.


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## qwertyman (Dec 24, 2011)

Ahem! Stockings.


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## The Backward OX (Dec 24, 2011)

Varicose I assume?


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## Gumby (Dec 24, 2011)

moderan said:


> I've just gotten done making Kolacky. All of the traditional flavors, and then I added a few more of my own.
> 
> Creamcheese, apricot, plum, raspberry, mince, almond are the time-honored ones. I've added jalapeno jelly, prickly pear, orange-chocolate, lemon-vanilla, butter caramel, and herb-infused honey. Pumpkin and cranberry were late scratches and will instead be used for cheesecake. The "herb-infused" are not for the kids.
> 
> ...



Just gained 5 pounds reading this recipe and drooling over the pics.


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## Sunny (Dec 24, 2011)

Our_Pneuma said:


> Christmas addiction? Hmmm.... Smelling fake Christmas trees!
> I'm joshing.
> They're real... and I can't help myself! No matter where I go in public during the Christmas season, those green, sticky, fresh smelling pines are waiting, peering, preying on the weak ones- like me.
> I recently worked a Christmas event, for local community children, when there it was- a ten-foot Douglas Fir, wrapped in warm glowing lights enhancing its indescribable sent. Uncontrolled, I stood beside it sniffing branches and squeezing its little sap pods. After a some wired looks from my colleagues, and even a few kids, I snapped out of my pine-tree-induced-trance, smiled and went back to slinging presents donated by many cheerful givers.
> ...


I do the EXACT same thing!!! I love the smell of them. I stop outside of the stores everytime. I have to get a pine wreath every year, and the scented pine cones to lay around in pretty bowls, just to smell them all the time. It brings a happy feeling for some reason. I'm thinking it likely stems from childhood when we would always go out as a family and cut down our own tree. It wasn't as awesome as the first scene in _Christmas Vacation _with _Chevy Chase _mind you, but we always had fun.

You'll think this one is weird. But I love the smell of Scotch tape, too. Ha ha. It reminds me of christmas! So if I ever see Scotch tape in the store, at a friends, at my place, I must pick it up and take a deep breath through my nose, enjoying the Christmassy feeling it brings any time of the year. Ha ha.


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## doghouse reilly (Dec 24, 2011)

When my wife and i retired in 2007 we moved to a small town in the middle of west Texas.
I'm addicted to the quiet.  Earlier this fall we watched as streams of sandhill cranes honked their way overhead one their way to a nearby sanctuary.  We've seen hawks and woodpeckers, turtles crossing the road, armadillos waddling down the street in front of our house.  For an old city boy like me it's a new experience and it's given me a new lease on life (as well as a lot of writing ideas).

doghouse reilly


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## IanMGSmith (Dec 24, 2011)

Hey Terrib, 

You tryin' be good an' poppin all dem whatsits? titch! titch!

Thank you for a happy fun read.

Merry Christmas,

Ian


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## egpenny (Dec 24, 2011)

I just printed out the recipe for the Kolacky, they look really good.  I'm thinking they'll be fun to make between the MC and the NY.  Maybe a new addiction for me.  I think I lost any addictions I might have had on the last move I made.  Always lose something when moving:victorious:


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## garza (Dec 26, 2011)

The only element of Christmas that was ever an addiction for me was the music. For the nearly five years I sang in a church choir, Christmas with its Bach and Handel was special. Easter was good too. At Good Friday services every year I sang the English translation of 'O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden' - 'O Sacred Head Now Wounded'. It was then and remains my all time favourite melody, ranking even ahead of the 'Drinking Song' from 'Student Prince'. In performance, of course, nothing tops Lanza and 'Drink, Drink, Drink'. 

xO - No, it's not.


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## The Backward OX (Dec 26, 2011)

garza - Dino and 'Little Old Wine Drinkin' Me'?


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