It's the most scary time of the year.

The week started with a bang. A Monday morning meeting in which we heard from the CEO saying...no layoffs or restructuring... through December. Then yesterday the state budget came out - with an $8 million dollar cut aimed squarely at my heart. And then I remembered I needed to bring in 4 dozen un-iced and un-decorated sugar cookies.

For the scariest time of the year -- the holiday party. I should mention that for the past several years it's been a potluck affair - that our department slogs in on mass transit. This year we only need to supply dessert. Our group offering - a cookie decorating party. Don't groan. Our party also includes caffeine, a bluegrass band that plays in the subway and some poetry, along with audience participation. The cookie decorating part is tame. It also provides some directed conversation for several hours - hours in which no one complains about work - but instead gets a major sugar rush from the baked goods. So what if the crash hits hard in a few hours. They won't be sitting next to me!

The prepared employee that I am - I carefully shopped for the dough ingredients, budgeted time on Sunday to make the dough, and then chill for 24 hours. Monday night was designated as baking night. Which was all well and good until I knocked one tray of cookies to the floor, and then managed to crush the cookies that were carefully put into the air tight containers.

My brain raced - what could I do? Aha! I called the bakery when I woke up - because, well, that's one place that answers the phone at 6 am.

Do you sell plain sugar cookies - the kind I could use for a cookie decorating party?
Yes.
Can you make custom shapes?
That depends.
I have two cookie cutters, both copper.
Bring them in and we'll take a look. If they won't work you can go through our supply to see what will work.
Okay. I'm coming in.
(grab kid, school lunch, school backpack, office gear and head out. Arrive at bakery with promise of buttered seeded italian roll and a mini-bottle of milk for said kid, and coffee for me.)

May I help you?
Yes. I need to see if the baker can use these cutters to make me some cookies for a holiday party.
I hand over the cutters.
Greeted by silence.
When do you need these for?
Friday at this same time.
Pause.
These are for a holiday party?!
Yes.
The baker comes out.
We can make these, but I've never heard of Christmas Poodles or Winter Retrievers.

Now, I know it was weird. But still, I just needed to pay and get out of there. Because as I've said, the late bell always rings at the same time. So, today, my time was worth more than reshopping and baking, and I got coffee out of it.

My philosophy --- there can only be so many stars, trees, candy canes and bells to decorate. Why not a few poodles. At least people will have something to talk about...

What 'cha reading?

Recently I've had occasion to speak with several children's book authors. And today, of all days, one of my very favorite writers for young and young at heart readers was meeting with my big-cheese boss. And I seriously considered stalking him on the way to the meeting --- which by the way took place in a very big library - before it was open to the public. My schedule prevented me from actually going with the big-cheese boss, but that's another story.

I have a particular soft spot for this author because his writing makes me laugh til my belly hurts - and well, I actually think that's a good thing. The boy loves his books too - and we both agree this writer's take on the three little pigs is spot on.

And now this author has written a memoir. I tested a chapter or two on the boy - and it's a good thing that's all NPR made available because we would have stayed up all night to read. I read an excerpt to the boy. And it had us both laughing til we ached.

Where else could you get questions from your kid about Stuckey's pecan log rolls, barf, heaven, hell - and life-forks - all in the span of a little bedtime reading? I can't wait to hear how the boy recommends this book to his cousins - because he will. I'm just wondering if he'll start with the joke, or the guy-barf. Either way it will be a hit.