Going Dark

Logging may be short and/or sporadic for a few days.  Company is coming tomorrow and there is a lot to do.  Today will be pretty much spent cooking (one of my favorite things to do) and finishing cleaning house (not one of my favorite things to do).  Being a world-class procrastinator, I've left a lot to the last minute...perhaps I just like the challenge of a deadline.  In my defense (and who am I defending against but myself?), there's only so much one can do ahead of time.  Leaves will continue to fall on the deck, dust will settle again on the furniture, Bess and the cats and I will continue to make tracks on the carpet, pies will go soggy...there, those are enough excuses for anyone.  Deb asked me what kind of birthday cake I wanted, but I really prefer pie, and I'm going to make two of my favorites, homemade butterscotch and buttermilk.  I think a person must have ties to Texas to know and appreciate buttermilk pie; most people have never heard of it .  My daddy was from Temple, in East Texas, and the recipe I use was his mother's.  It's a light, lemony custard and the melted butter rises to form a golden brown crust on the surface.  Yum.  Butterscotch, when it doesn't come out of a box, is rich, unctuous, totally sinful and satisfying.  Pork butts will slow bake for eight hours for pulled-pork tacos, to go with guacamole and Pete's recipe for pico de gallo.  The Kids (except for Pete, who will be missed) and friends are coming...enough to have two tables for poker!  Some will be staying over, and I'm planning cranberry-lemon scones for their breakfast.  It will be grand to have the house filled again with people I love...even if it means I have to dust.