'molasses cookies'

(photos are from a day trip to the Salt Cathedral, built in salt mine)
A lady in the office, Maria Pilar, enjoys coming into my office to chat. Last week it was discovered we both have a love for cooking/baking. Once this came out, the treats started... Tuesday it was a milkshake (quick side note, if you want to taste the worlds best milkshakes, come visit), Wednesday she brought me a piece of apple pie, Thursday, an arepa. First, I told her she needed to kick the habit of bringing me things to eat because my stomach really was not built to hold so much and second, I would make her chocolate chip cookies. That was until I discovered her favorite were ginger aka, molasses cookies which is fantastic because those happen to be one of my favorite cookies also. Well the adventure starts here...

After translating the ingredients and researching the difference in high altitude baking I set out on my mission. First task was finding the ingredients: ground cloves, ground ginger and cinnamon, plus molasses, HA! Right. I might as well have ridden an elephant into the store asking for the isle where they kept the penguins. I was able to find fresh ginger, whole cloves, and something roughly translated as burnt sugar, which their version of molasses. I returned home to no measuring units but to be expected and easy to deal with.

Next surprise: Myriam has NEVER, EVER used her oven, never. I wish you could have seen her reaction when I asked about making cookies. She just kind of blankly stared at me, realized what I had said, repeated it, and then said, "The oven? I don't know if it even works." We figured it out after many attempts and coaxing the heat source to stay lit. Long story/evening short cookies were eventually produced, although they don't taste quite like molasses cookies, I succeeded in my first attempt at baking.

Halloween is celebrated here. Kids dress up in costumes and trick or treat at the stores and malls, all day long. They were so cute wandering around in their costumes, playing in the plazas. With the coming of Halloween I began to miss the delicious smell of fall. On Friday, when I left the office just for a moment I caught a whiff of fall. The crisp, damp, cool and somewhat smoky smell in the air, I absolutely love it (how nice would it be if you could send smells like this in a jar). My mind may have been playing tricks on me, whatever it was I am not complaining.

Oscar was doing really well and was supposed to come home last week but he began retaining fluids and had to go into the ICU. Now that that is under control, he has developed bronchitis. With one complication after another, I am impressed with the strength Myriam seems to be pulling out of some secret box of infinite reserves.

Myriam gets frustrated at times with this situation she cannot control and there are moments filled with such heaviness for the love of her life. Yet she accepts it, faith has not left her and she still finds time to laugh and enjoy. By no means is it easy but the attitude Myriam has is real and honest, and she does not blame. It is as if she is really able to see beauty, wherever she goes.