HTP and I met with our landscaper this morning. Right now, HTP is playing with his Visio program that he got for his birthday this summer. We've decided on a landscape design and HTP is in the process of "drawing" it up. It looks good to me. We don't have much of a backyard so the design work shouldn't be beyond our capabilities...I hope. It's all about layers....or so I'm told. HTP, once he's finished, will be able to print up each of the various layers for our landscaper. Irrigation, hardscape, plantings, gravel and stepping stones. With such a small backyard, we're keeping things simple.

I made cookies. My Famous No Sugar Added Multi-grain Chocolate Chip Cookies. I invented the recipe. Yeah me! They turned out great! I've altered the recipe many times but I think I've got it now. I may alter the recipe yet again to cut down on the amount of chocolate chips and even more future calories but I was craving chocolate so what the hey, what's a few more calories here and there. They turned out very chocolatey and very satisfying. I found that you don't need to add sugar...even a little... in order for the cookies to brown so why add any more calories. Sometimes you just need to munch on something sweet and chocolatey with your coffee or tea. I was able to purchase both the Maltitol and SugarFree chocolate chips online.

Old Grey Frog's Famous No Sugar Added Multi-Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup margarine (1600 cal.)
2 cup Maltitol granular sweetener (832 cal.)
3 egg whites (60 cal.)
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (788 cal.)
2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (1214 cal.)
1/2 cup Wheatena cereal (200 cal.)
2 cup sugarless chocolate chips (1572 cal.)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (411 cal.)

Heat oven to 350°F. Beat margarine and sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking soda and salt. Beat in flour, oats and cereal. Stir in chips and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 18 minutes. Cool 1 minute before removing to cooling racks. These cookies are about 112 calories each. You'll have to do the math on carbs yourself. I'm too lazy. However, the recipe makes 5 dozen cookies.

Murphyism of the Day

Fox on Decisiveness

1. Decisiveness is not in itself a virtue.
2. To decide not to decide is a decision.
To fail to decide is a failure.
3. An important reason for an executive's existence is to make sensible exceptions to policy.