Christmas Cookie Monsters Puzzled, 12/19/09

My brother and Sister-in-law as I have said, love holidays. They love to decorate their home and sometimes even costume themselves. And they have get-togethers to celebrate such things. So one day near the Winter Solstice, they invited Alex, (of course) Barbara and I, Tonya and Dustin, and Rachelle (Derrick gone missing again) to their place one afternoon to bake Christmas Cookies.

This is only our second Christmas with them since they came back to the Lower 48, and so far we've noticed they have a tradition of putting together jigsaw puzzles at yuletide. They buy a new one each year with a Christmas theme, set it out on the table and folks get caught up in it for some silly reason. Don't make sense to me, but I'm puzzled by puzzles and puzzlers for that matter. What a conundrum.
Alistair Cookie (aka Cookie Monster hosting "Monsterpiece Theater" on Sesame Street)

[Hey you know what?

A round cookie with one bite out of it

Looks like a C

A round donut with one bite out of it

Also looks like a C

But it is not as good as a cookie

Oh and the moon sometimes looks like a C

But you can't eat that, so ... ]

C is for cookie, that's good enough for me, yeah!

C is for cookie, that's good enough for me

C is for cookie, that's good enough for me

Oh, cookie, cookie, cookie starts with C, yeah!

Cookie, cookie, cookie starts with C, oh boy!

Cookie, cookie, cookie starts with C!

~"C" Is For Cookie as sung by Cookie Monster (Frank Oz) written by Joe Raposo

“A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand”. Barbara gets aproned upon entering the door by a guy in a funny hat and a bell around his neck. It was Lizette's idea to Bell the Bear, only she knows why for sure.

I sure do like those Christmas cookies sugar

I sure do like those Christmas cookies babe

The ones that look like Santa Claus

Christmas trees and bells and stars

I sure do like those Christmas cookies babe (George Strait)

Things appear to be getting puzzling. Perhaps this be a segue.
Each Christmas, the TLake gang gets a jigsaw puzzle for people to pass the time. Today with the days nearly as short as they will get, seems as though thoughts of cookies be forgotten and working on mysteries without any clues comes to mind.
Tonya don't even think about cookies, she goes straight to the puzzle where she shall remain. A thousand pieces she scans and pans.
She's got the knack, she delves in as the Belled Bear is amazed at how fast her hands move over the table, piecing pieces together. Somehow that's fitting.

"He lives vicariously through himself".

He once had an awkward moment -- just to see how it feels. He can also speak French. In Russian. The police often question him just because they find him interesting. His reputation is expanding faster than the universe.

"Every now and then, bite off more than you can chew, and stay thirsty, my friends."

~Dos Equis' Most Interesting Man in the World

Dustin texts reserving a rubber room.
Alex and Barbara watch in amazement as Tonya's fingers fly. It's a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma!
Over the shoulder of Tonya. First puzzle I've seen without a border. It's Santa, sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer flying through the sky. On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer and Vixen. On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner, and Wolf Blitzer.
Amused and puzzled out.
Cookies forgotten, reinforcements called out for, but apparently not needed. Two red shirts watch a pro.
Santa's favorite elf tells a joke much to the bemusement of this Christmas Father.

What did the elf say was the first step in using a Christmas computer?

"First, YULE LOG on"!

I am color blind. No, I don't not see color, but if colors get close in shade such as greens and blues, reds and oranges, oranges and yellows, well it gets difficult to discern. If I work on a jigsaw puzzle I am at disadvantage because of color. So I must rely on shape rather than shade, and then perhaps enjoy advantage in that regard? No, not in jigsaw puzzles, I guess we all know why. Hardly seems fair does it? Color blindness being mostly a male misfortune?

Oh the singer, he looks angry

At being thrown to the lions

And the bass player, he looks nervous

About the girls outside

And the drummer, he's so shattered

Trying to keep up time

And the guitar players look damaged

They've been outcasts all their lives

Me, I'm waiting so patiently

Lying on the floor

I'm just trying to do this jig-saw puzzle

Before it rains anymore ~ Jagger/Richard, Rolling Stones

I placed a piece, and I'm so proud. Have to be honest, I had help. And so I ponder...

“So now it is time to disassemble the parts of the jigsaw puzzle or to piece another one together, for I find that, having come to the end of my story, my life is just beginning.”

~ Conrad Veidt

Gregory and Lizette although "Christians", recognize, respect and honor many other spiritual traditions and customs. Here Gregory explains the Menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum used on Hanukkah.

Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple after the successful Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy. The Jews found only enough ritually pure olive oil to light the menorah for one day, but the supply miraculously lasted eight days until a new supply could be obtained. In celebration of this miracle, the Hanukkah menorah has eight branches for eight candles or oil lamps, none higher than any other. These lamps are not to be used for secular purposes, such as providing the sole source of light or heat for the room. The Hanukkah menorah has a ninth branch for an auxiliary candle, the shamash, that, by shedding its own light, keeps the other candles from inadvertently serving any purpose other than their ritual one. The shamash is also used to light the other candles. The holder for the shamash candle is generally distinguished in some way from the other eight, traditionally being placed higher than the others, and often in the center, with four of the other candles on each side.
Okay, this is getting serious. If you want to visit with Tonya, hide the jigsaw puzzles.
All came to bake, but worked on puzzles for goodness sake.

Once upon a time, there was a aproned baker who lived on a lake . She was friends with a lazy dog , a sleepy cat , and a noisy yellow duck .

When the cookies were finished, the tired aproned baker asked her friends, "Who will help me eat the cookies ?"

"I will," barked the lazy dog .

"I will," purred the sleepy cat .

"I will," quacked the noisy yellow duck .

"Great" said the aproned baker. And she packed up a bag of cookies to "share" with all those who came to bake but puzzled. And so they ate, remaining cookie monsters after all.

“Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.”

~Robert Fulghum