I heard on the radio that yesterday was declared, “The Most Depressing Day of the Year.” The announcers went on to cite that the joy and festivities of Christmas/ New Year were over, the debt from the aforementioned fun times was rolling in, the weather was dreary and spring seemed an impossibly far way away. “In short,” he announced, with confidence, “people have nothing to look forward to.”
At the very same time in the early morning hours Claire, at Bumpy’s, was encouraging me to go for a Pear Granola muffin. “I know you’ve tried the chocolate coconut, banana blueberry bran and lemon meringue,” she said, citing the daily muffin offering sitting on the counter. “I promise you, if you don’t like it I will buy you a muffin next time you’re in.”  As I walked out of the door, Americano and Pear Granola muffin in hand, I find myself wondering. Is it bad that a barista knows your name AND your love of muffins? Not to mention the fact she knows what KIND of muffins you’ve tried and liked?
As I was chowing down on my Pear Granola muffin I found my mind wandering to my grocery list. I also found myself breezing through the Smitten Kitchen’s online desert section (kindly shared by Darling Friend and Amazing Chef Mat). I make a note to add White Chocolate Chips and sugar to the grocery list. I run through mentally the deserts I haven't made yet from my most-favorite-cookbook-ever The Happy Baker Chick (I don't get star struck but I think if I met Erin I might actually cry) and remind myself I will need a fabulous desert for Sunday Night. 
What is going on with me? Why the sudden desire for all things sugar?
In the past few weeks there have been some small batches of tough stuff. A lovely woman from work, Soraya, passed away unexpectedly leaving shock waves to ripple through the company. The Mechanics called to tell me my car brakes will be $600 to fix. A job in Victoria fell through.  I got passed up for an interview for a different job I wanted. Waking up in the mornings to darkness and walking home in the early evening hours to dark, and the temperature continued to fall further under the -20C mark on the barometer, things seemed a little gloomy indeed. 
A co-worker of mine brought me a date square last Friday with a note. I am sorry about your friend, it read.  I ate the date square slowly thinking of the kind gesture but also of Doug, because I know these are his favourite. I have to admit, it was delicious.
A couple of evenings ago I threw on my adorable apron my Grandma made me for Christmas and whipped up a batch of cookies: Peanut Butter Coconut Chocolate Chip cookies (in the Happy Baker Chick cook book this is “Erin’s Go To Cookie”). I turned on a rad online radio station for electronica, rocked out in the kitchen while baking, and then Hillary and I ate a few warm cookies right from the oven. I brought some cookies to work, and shared some with Jody and Grant.
On the “Most Depressing Day of The Year” as I drank my Americano and chewed slowly my delicious Pear Granola muffin I smiled. I don’t want every batch of sadness to be followed by an incredible binge pig out session. It is reassuring in a small, sweet, warm, fuzzy way that a little batch of sugar and love (in its simplest form) goes a long way.