The perfect ending . . .

I came across these words the other day, attributed to the late actress and comedienne, Gilda Radner. They sum up perfectly what she called . . . "The delicious ambiguity" of life.

"I wanted a perfect ending . . . Now I've learned the hard way that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment, and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next."



The truth is, not one of knows what the next month or year is going to bring, or even what the next two minutes or hour is going to bring. It's all unknown to us, and perhaps if we did know, we'd all want to just lay down and give up now!

I love life with all of it's twists and turns . . . all of it's hillsides and deep valleys, it's ups and downs. I love the adventure of it all . . . the good and the bad. But then again, perhaps I've not been truly tested yet . . .

I only know that through all the things I have experienced up to this point, the most important thing that I have learned is that I need to grab each moment for what it is . . . to squeeze all the joy that I can out of the here and the now . . . to use each day as if it were my last, and to make each and every moment count, as if it were the best moment ever!



One thing is for sure . . . these lives we live will not last forever . . . there is an ending to every story. We may not know how it ends, or even when it will end, but we do know it will end . . . and when it does . . . I want to feel like I have made my story count for something, and that I have left something of substance and meaning behind. I can not put this off for tomorrow, for tomorrow may never come. I must make today count, for all that it's worth.



One thing that those of us who have the knowledge of the Gospel have though, that is very precious indeed, is . . . the knowledge that this life is NOT all that there is . . . what comes after is infinitely more beautiful, and more precious than anything we can know or experience here on earth. That is a comforting thought to me when times are bad . . . it helps to give me the strength to move forward. It gives me something else to look forward to, and whilst I'm not ready to leave here just quite yet, leaving here does not hold the power and sting of fear that it would, had I not that sweet knowledge to cling to.

Some people call faith and religion a crutch. It is not a crutch, but a source of strength for me and of power. I don't know how people can cope without it!



I love peanut butter. In cakes, pies, cookies, and even in savoury things! I also love peanut butter and jam together! It's one of my favourite combinations, although Todd does think I am a bit nuts to love it the way that I do! I think it is a North American taste . . . that sweet salty thing . . . these lovely cookies showcase it perfectly. They are one of my favourite cookies, and know what?? For a man who doesn't get sweet/salty . . . he always eats a fair number of them when I bake them!!




*Peanut Butter and Jam Cookies*
Makes about 30
Printable Recipe

Delicious peanut butter cookies topped with a dab of strawberry jam and baked, and then iced with a lovely peanut butter icing when done. Scrummy yummy!!

for the cookies:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
few drops vanilla
1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup soft light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
strawberry jam

For the frosting:
1/4 cup plus 2 TBS icing sugar, sifted
1 1/2 TBS milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4.

Sift together the baking powder and flour. Set aside.

Blend together the peanut butter and the butter with an electric hand mixer, until fluffy and well combined. Add the white and brown sugars and beat until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, just to combine.

Shape TBS of the dough into balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Press down a bit with your fingertips, and then with your thumb, gently make a dent in the middle of each cookie. Spoon about 1/2 tsp of jam into these dents. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and done. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool.

Make the frosting by beating together the peanut butter and icing sugar. Beat in the milk, a little at a time until it reaches a good consistency for piping. Place the icing into a plastic sandwich bag and squish it all down into one corner. Snip off a tiny bit of the corner of the bag and pipe the frosting onto the cooled cookies. Enjoy!!



Over on The English Kitchen today . . . yes, it is spaghetti on toast, cheese toast.