Gonna Bake Brownies Today...

Dare I?
Oh yeah.

For the last two months I've been on a self-imposed sugar-free diet that was scared into me through the watching of a youtube lecture by an obscure nutritionist. He warned of the dangers of high fructose corn syrup and fearlessly exposed the hidden agendas of coke companies who have plotted to turn the world into little gaseous blimps of obesity with arms and legs.

I figured that since school had started with a crazy rush of activity, and I only had time and energy to exercise once or twice a week, I had to do something or I would gain back the hard fought two pounds (four if I took off my shoes) I had managed to lose over the spring and summer by sticking to a grueling schedule of exercise:  walking, working out, climbing stairs, and even swimming with the ancient "water walkers" up at the city pool.
Sad, isn't it.
So, barring the very occasional relapse into a donut sin, I've kept my resolve, and I plan to keep it up. (Except for Thanksgiving Day...because I figure I daren't disdain all the God-given deserts after I've been so thankful for them.) And I've managed to lose another four pounds.
(And don't you dare make the obvious comment that my muscle turning to flab would account for that or I'll mark your comment as spam and report it to the blog police!)

Brownies are calling my name.
And I have no fear,  for they are sugar-free brownies, and there is sugar-free frosting to put on them.
We found them at the end of the well-stocked cake mix aisle at the supermarket. See for yourself: There are now sugar free vanilla and chocolate mixes. True, there is no great variety yet--no cream cheese icing for pumpkin-spice cake, nor gingerbread or pineapple--but I'm dreaming of the day when they will all be there.

Meanwhile, we've experimented a little over the past few weeks. The chocolate cake is a little dry, but it moistens nicely with applesauce in the mix. The vanilla cake--turned into cupcakes and made with applesauce instead of oil--is palatable, but problematic in the gastro-intestinal side effect domain. (In short, if you eat five or six of them, you need to seek out a lonely island instead of company, and you will understand how a volcano feels.)

But the brownies...well...they are nearly perfect. Today, I'm baking brownies!

Lots of Little Visitors this Evening

We've had lots of little visitors this evening. First, we hear the slam of a car door, then a few excited squeals, adult cautionary voices, and the fast pitter patter of strange feet coming up the sidewalk. We've had bugs and princesses, cheerleaders and super heroes. Most are carrying light sticks and little sacks for candy, which is appealing to them, but not any more than being able to ring the doorbell and wait for a benevolent human with a bowl of candy bars in her hands. Most of the little ones are already eating candy; it creates a sticky mask across their upturned faces.

The adults hovering behind these creatures remind them if they don't say thank you fast enough, and grab them before they dart into the street. A few older ones have been unaccompanied, but even those waited patiently while I doled out the reward.

This little lady was quite elaborate in her pirate costume. Whatever she was wearing, I think it involved too many layers, because she looked a little warm...maybe it was just from running from door to door. Her brother said he was a jester, but he looked like a harlequin to me

All evening I kept surprising those who knew me from our Wednesday night church program for children.
"Hey! You're the story lady! I didn't know where you lived!"
Well, now they do, and I think that's a good thing.






Now they know a safe house in the neighborhood. The candy corn girl, cheerleader, and lollipop-licking superman go to our church. I invited them in so I could see their costumes better and decided to start taking pictures.

It is cool outside, but by no means cold. In short, a perfect evening for some family fun. Around here it's all a treat.