Almostgotit.com

My son was born in Canada, and not long after we’d brought him home from the hospital, another graduate student baked a tin of these and brought them over to our apartment to celebrate.   They’ve since become an Almostgotit family staple, and my son has always loved them.  Sometimes he’s even asked for these in lieu of a birthday cake, and I’m baking them for him today.

Nova Scotia Oatcakes

3 cups quick rolled oats
3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup shortening
2/3 – 3/4 cup cold water

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together.  Cut in shortening. Add enough water to form a rather stiff, pastry-like dough.  Roll 3/8 ” thick and cut into circles.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes on a greased baking sheet.  Makes enough to fill your cookie jar with enough left over to send with your son to college.

• Variation: one may sneakily substitute 1/2 cup apple sauce (one of those single-serving cups is just right) for the same portion of shortening and I guarantee no one will notice; bolder folk may substitute even more applesauce and the recipe will change a bit but still work fine. 
• You may need to go to the store for more oatmeal before making these.   While there, you might pick up these optional ingredients:  fingernail clippers; first-aid kit; ear plugs; an electric kettle; instant oatmeal, cream of wheat and hot cider mix (to go with kettle)

Nine days.  That’s how much longer we have as a family of four sharing the same house.  I’m not ready.

I still haven’t made him that giant flannel bulletin board I was planning, the one on which he could arrange little felt roads and cars and houses and trains to his heart’s content.  I still have a couple of toddler-sized overalls in my mending basket too (because, who ever actually MENDS, anyway?) 

And what about that cross-country train trip we wanted to do at some point?  We totally forgot to do that!  Never made it to Disney World, either.  I guess I’m not too broken up about Disney World, but Universal Studios might have been fun. 

Bear-bear is still wearing the pajamas I made him, though, and they still look new.  They should, as they were part of the matching set of pajamas I made for both of them just last Christmas, when my son was seven.   

This summer we’ve managed to teach him how to make a bank deposit, at least, and last year he finally learned how to do laundry.  Sometimes he even remembers to close the front door after he’s used it, too.

And today, he’s gone in to vote in the county elections.  They let seven year olds do that now? 

I guess I don’t know very much about anything, any more.