PIF Winners and Have You Seen My Sweet Tooth?

Hello and Happy 2009! I am a bit behind in announcing my PIF winners but I'll explain why in a minute. Without anymore delay, here they are!

Jenn from "Vegan Dance If You Want To"
Tara from "The Snowy Vegan"
Guava from "For the Love of Guava"

I'm super excited because I follow these three bloggers and love to hear about Jenn's cooking adventures (plus she's a libra like me so I just know we'd hit it off!), Tara's blogging about her family/cats and her work in the shelter plus learning about life in Alaska is so fascinating, and the adorable Guava who I can't stop admiring, especially now that she's worm composting (oh Guava, you are SO brave!)

I'll be emailing my three winners soon and sometime in 2009 they will be receiving a homemade gifty surprise from me! And because I LOVE Seitan is My Motor, I will be dropping a vegan surprise in the mail to Mihl via Deutsche Post (isn't the German mail logo so cute? Geez, beats our Baldie the Eagle anyday!) whenever I find myself in Germany next. Understandably it's a strain on the ole budget for bloggers who want to PIF outside of North America to North America: $30-40 for a small package (um, tried so I know from experience unfortunately!) and I wanted Mihl to be able to join in the fun without burning a whole in the vegan wallet!

Now onto my holiday recap. Well, things didn't quite go as expected. I baked Veganomicon's chocolate chocolate chip walnut cookies for a potluck on Thursday the 18th of December. The cookies were a HIT! Seriously, one person sitting next to me, not knowing that I baked the cookies, said "these are just amazing." I was tickled pink! And the cider that I pre-mulled the night before (so it had time to cool to be transported yet would have all the yummy spiced flavor) was ALL gone. The entire gallon. And it gave the party the most delicious scent. Peeps were happy. My friends helped me pack up my crockpot and various items I had brought and we headed home, me being the car-pooler. I was feelin' fine!

One hour later, not so fine. Fast-forward to spare you the gorey details which included a 102 degree fever and the entire first season of Dead Like Me (it's really good!) that H. set me up with, finally by Christmas, a whole seven days later, I was back to eating normal food but very bland food. I couldn't even begin to look at my blogger friends' blogs because just the thought of food, especially sweet food, turned my poor tummy. So today, on January 7th, I am pretty much back to normal..except, still the aversion to sweet stuff. What the heck is this all about? I mean, I LOVE sweet stuff so this is surprising but I suppose it will return in time, right? I hope I haven't lost my sweet tooth forever. Has this ever happened to you?

Anyway, I am grateful to have had a wonderful holiday with my family, especially my dear Grandpa who hasn't had a Christmas north since 1977. And then New Year's eve in Boston with my favorite guy, H., who schlepped around in the 4 degree night for First Night without a complaint. I hope your holidays were good, everyone and now, back to blogging for me!