Cindy Lou's Mom

If you have seen the newest version of the Grinch, you know that Cindy Lou's Mom is in an unofficial competition with EVERYONE for the best lights, especially her perfect neighbor, Martha May.

Here at the school, there are several times during the year when we have these "potluck" like events. We are asked to bring a desert. My "Martha May" has always been this perfect haired goddess who makes the most awesomely wonderful tasting and beautifully table decorating deserts. She rarely has the time to actually participate in these potluck things but we all know who she is and how amazingly talented she is and we all wait with baited breath to see if she will show up with one of her gourmet concoctions.

This Christmas, we had our annual Christmas desert potluck. Now let me emphasize that the competition I'm about to describe all takes place in my own head (and probably the heads of all the women on campus).

I spend hours deciding what desert will be better than anyone else's and how I can dress it up to be PERFECT! This year I decided homemade, from scratch lemon meringue pie and key lime pie would be the key to me "winning" this cooking competition. Remember, I'm in contention with a culinary student, two cafeteria gurus and several mom's who make fondant covered birthday cakes... I'm really in trouble. Every year some disaster befalls my creation: soggy pastry, missing ingredients, time crunch issues or something like that. I'm plagued to never have that perfect desert.

My lemon pie is no exception. Today, I forgot to put in the egg yolks and had to start over, my meringue wouldn't stiffen up, and my filling overflowed the pan. As I clean up the GIANT mess, I think about the upcoming party with fear and loathing. As I wash sugar and egg whites out of my hair, I hope the mostly uneventful key lime pie will be better... It will most likely taste good but I doubt it will be pretty.

There is only one unofficial judge in my mind (as our boss has decided to go on a diet and this makes him totally incapable of judging). This person loves sweets and everyone makes sure he gets a little of their creation. Like Jim Carey being stuffed with fudge as the Holiday Cheermeister, our friend is watched on every side (albeit subtly out of the corner of our eyes) for his reaction to each and every bite.

Well, tonight I will find out how I did. I will be watching and it will be all in good fun. At least my presents for the gift exchange will be pretty! And so will my little Cindy Lou!