Soledad (4) has asked me at least 5,000 times in 30 minutes can she have a piece of candy.

It is 5:03 pm. The answer is “No, you cannot.”

She begins rummaging through the junk drawer.

Soledad: Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!

Me: Yes, Soledad.

Soledad: What’s this? *holds up KFC Barbecue Sauce single use container*

Me: Barbeque Sauce.

Soledad: Oooh, yum. Can I eat it?

Me: No.

Soledad: What this? *holds up a peppermint*

Me: You know what that is. Its candy and you can’t have it.

Soledad: Oh, hmmm. Well, then what’s this? *holds up another small package of those small pastel colored melt in your mouth mints.*

Me: IT’S A MINT. IT’S A MINT. You cannot have it.

Soledad: Whhhyyyyy!

Me: BECAUSE IT’S CANDY.

Soledad: You just said it’s a mint. That starts with “MMMMMMM” not “CCCCCCC” like candy. So it’s not candy. I think I should be able to have it.

Remind me again why we educate these boogers.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

“SSSSSSSSSSSSSS” is for Soledad.

“SSSSSSSSSSSSSS” is also for Spicy.

“CCCCCCCCCCCC” makes the sound “Ka-Ka-Ka” but not in the word “Cider”.

In Cider, the letter “C” is smooth like “ssssssssssssssssssssss”.

Like silky smooth silk.

Like cool jazzy voices that whisper words like baby, jive, and smokin’.

Like velvety chocolate that hits your tongue, and sings your name as it wanders into your spirit, into your soul.

Sssssssssssssssssss. . . .like Spiced Cider with cinnamon, spice, and cloves.

Lord have mercy. It’s holiday time.

Holiday Spiced Cider
Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

4 cups apple juice
2 TB brown sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
½ tsp. whole cloves
½ tsp. allspice
One strip of orange peel (about ½ tsp.)
Cheese cloth, optional
Real whipped cream

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine apple juice and brown sugar. Stir to dissolve. Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice and orange peel. For easy removal of the spices, you can tie them up in cheesecloth. However, I usually don’t because I think they look pretty floating in the punch.

2. Bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Serve in mugs, with a dollop of whip cream and a dash of ground cinnamon.