An Outrageously Sweet Day

Today would have been my dad's 87th birthday and it is so nice that a mention of him appeared in The Shelter Island Reporter yesterday. A couple of weeks ago, there was a reception at the Shelter Island Library for Dad...officially dedicating "Charlie's Bench", the outside reading bench that sits (and is well sat on already!!) in a grassy little nook and officially unveiling the wonderful picture that hangs in honor of Dad in the library's nautically-themed reading area downstairs. Both are affectionate tributes to his love of and service to the library and it is especially nice that the painting is by his good friend, Peter Waldner. My pix of his art isn't the best, but Peter's work of art and his studio are!

My dad loved the library, I mean loved it, and I didn't quite "get it" until after he was gone and I found myself drawn into the community the library creates. Yes, there are tons of books and other goodies there, but it is the feeling when you walk through the door that makes every trip there special. I owe much of the peace and support I found during the last couple of years to those wonderful, friendly people at the library. I cherish his library card because I know now it was one of his most prized possessions.

After the reception, I drove Mom and her friend Agnes around the island and actually came upon a couple of places and sights they had never seen before and some others that were very familiar.

As "girls" of any age will do, we cut loose with some serious girl talk and chatted about everything from the fabulous lip color Agnes had on, to books we were reading, new sights we were seeing and, of course, to foods we were eating. With me and Mom both in the car, that conversation is going to happen! I mentioned how great it was that the reception had LOTS of cookies...Dad's favorite munchie... and that was the cue Agnes needed to give me this recipe. If she says they are outrageously good, that is more than good enough for me! 

Agnes' Outrageous Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (organic if you can)
1/2 cup peanut butter (organic if you can)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg (local is best!)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Beat sugars, butter and peanut butter, vanilla and egg until creamy. Mix in flour, oats, baking soda and salt. STir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonsful 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until light brown. Cool one minute and grab one. Make about 2 dozen.

The whole day was sweet and this pix sums it up...