I must be hallucinating/Academy Awards

I must be hallucinating because I look at the calendar and it says 22 May 2010. Last frost date for our area is supposed to be May 15th...only these aren't pictures of frost. It actually snowed last night....of course, not much and it's probably all melted by now. But still. (insert a joke about global warming here...)

Now, for a type of snow it's OK to see any time of the year:

One of my favorite treats while I was serving my mission was a cookie called Alfajores (remember the "j" is pronounced like an "h"...they really need to find a new name for them...). Anyway, in a recent Relish Magazine insert from the newspaper there was a recipe for authentic alfajores. You first make the dulce de leche filling by taking an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk, putting it in a large pot, cover with water and let it boil for 3-5 hours (always keeping it covered with water, of course). Let cool. After you put your cookies together, you sprinkle them with snow--uh, powdered sugar (or dip them in chocolate...which I have never personally tried, but it sounds fabulous).

If you want the recipe for the cookie part (which is a melt-in-your-mouth cookie because it's half cornstarch and half flour) go to this link:

http://www.relishmag.com/article/39695.html

ACADEMY AWARDS

Glen has a group of people that are his Academy. They go to the plays...sometimes each night of a play...and then meet, make up categories, and decide on winners. There are 2 types of awards...the beginning theatre students win "Mini-Glennies" and the theatre 2, 3, and 4 win "Glennies." When his theatre 2 was a separate class from the theatre 3 and 4s, they won Semi-Glennies. I miss the Semi-Glennies. (I know, I'm nuts, but I love Mini-Glennies, Semi-Glennies, and Glennies together...too cute)

After the Academy has decided, we all meet and have an Academy Awards show at the auditorium. Alex got an award for playing Tiny Tim in "A Christmas Carol" last December (above is a picture of the entire play winning an award). Glen got a Mini-Glennie for best director--of course, that doesn't mean as much when you know he was only in the running against himself. He was a riot, running up on stage as if he were all excited and nervous. Eric was nominated several times, but didn't win. :(

Another thing that happens at the Academy Awards it the changing out of the ITS (International Thespian Society) officers. Above is the hat-passing-off ceremony (or whatever it's called). Eric was webmaster and Alicia was President.

Alicia as Glinda the Good Witch.  As you can see in some of the other pictures, those presenting awards dressed up as characters...

Great fun.