Indulgence for Distraction

Today I will be hosting a birthday party for my dogs who just turned a year old.  Eccentric?...maybe, but I saw in this occasion the opportunity to provide much needed distraction and levity from a rather challenging year.  

So, planning began as well as the shopping (yes I know, it is Holiday season and shopping is already nuts) - banner, streamers, plates, party hats...and then there was the baking, yes, baking.  

My kitchen is frequently covered in oat flour and molasses due to the demands of a growing organic pet treat business however, somehow, this was different.  As much as I love baking pet treats this time I NEEDED to - I needed the creative challenge of "winging" a recipe, I needed the whir of the blender, I needed to knead the dough and carefully place the cut shapes onto the baking sheets.  I needed to disappear into the depth of a task and come out the other end, covered in flour and peanut butter and molasses and a huge smile.  

Can this personal indulgence really give my spirit the boost it needs?  Well, the doggy ice cream is setting, the cookies are attractively placed on platters, the decorations are up, and I am smiling.  You decide.