Rooting around in the bowels of the internet for a blog topic, I came across a list of monthly observances for November. Yay, a blog topic! So,  November is….

…NaNoWriMo-or national novel writing month. The worthy goal of this is to start on 11/1 and writing throughout the month, finish an entire novel in November. Doesn’t matter if it’s good, it’s done. As a librarian, I approve of this since some really good published books got their start as NaNoWriMo books, including The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. We even have write-ins every Saturday this November from 12-2 pm so you can come and work on your masterpiece in the company of others. However, my personal writing? I’m pretty sure I stopped writing around the age of 12 and the world really does not need more of that from me. Next!

Ambrose Burnside, with glorious mutton chop beard

….NoSHAVEmber or Movember. This is a movement where you “forgo shaving and grooming in order to evoke conversation and raise cancer awareness. Learn more about how you can get involved and start getting hairy!” The following conversation happened between myself and my husband over Movember:

Me: Are you going to do No Shave November?
Bryan: *strokes chin* I was thinking of just shaving my chin and doing an Ambrose Burnside.
Me: Um….
Bryan: *brings up photo* See, like this.
Me: *through gritted teeth* Sure, dear. It’s your body and I will support whatever you do with it.
Bryan: You didn’t sound very believable.
Me: I was not trying to sound believable. However, I want wife points for not immediately screaming.

So, yeah….no. Next!

Meet Alexandria, the Pomeranian

…Adopt A Senior Pet Month. Awwww! We did adopt a new dog in April, but she was five and not particularly senior. However, I am all for adopting dogs who know what they’re doing. The first time we brought Alexandria into the house, she found the back door, investigated the backyard, peed and demanded a walk. I think I cheered. This is the first dog I haven’t had to spend two months convincing not to pee in the house! Huzzah! So, please adopt older pets. They’re so much easier when they know how to live with humans.

However, she’s not senior…just older, so, Next!

…Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month and National Peanut Butter Lovers Month. And we have a winner! As you may or may not know, I have been eating gluten free since 2002. (And Bryan is cow’s milk free, but that’s another blog post.) And peanut butter is the best thing ever if you’re gluten-free. Protein-y goodness. Mmmmmm. Peanut butter cups. Peanut butter crackers. Peanut butter sandwiches. India and I even had a discussion this morning about how much we love Peanut Butter Captain Crunch, which is alas not gluten-free, but they’re making some acceptable GF substitutes now. Yum!

However, if you are gluten-free and asked to bring something to a potluck, let me recommend my peanut butter cookie recipe. It’s the one thing that non GF people usually scarf down too and I like to joke it’s because we’ve removed all the good stuff and left only the yummy stuff:

Only the yummy stuff peanut butter cookies
*Dairy & gluten free*

Pre-heat oven to 350. Prepare a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicon mat (seriously, don’t go without this step.)

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar (granulated or powdered)
1 egg

Mush everything together. Put on baking sheet a tablespoon-ish at a time. Don’t bother to criss-cross them with a fork-it won’t stick.

Bake for about 10 minutes-or until the peaks of the cookies are slightly browned.

Take out of oven and let cool down. Don’t skip this step as the only thing holding these cookies together is the fact that they’re cold. Once they’re cool, congratulate yourself on using parchment paper as otherwise they will weld themselves to your pan. Remove from pan one by one and place directly into your mouth until the pan is empty.

So, there you go! Happy November everyone!