Hello old friend...

 It's two days past Thanksgiving, so obviously it's time to put up our tree, or so it seems when we drive around the neighborhood. Actually, many of our neighbors went straight from Halloween to Christmas outside lights with no pause between.  Bowing to peer pressure, my spouse and I put up our outside lights last Sunday and I'm really glad we did since it was sunny and 50 something last weekend, and windy and 20 something today.  But about the inside tree.  It has been my tradition for many years to put up our Christmas tree during Thanksgiving weekend.  So today was the day.  Since both my first husband and my current spouse had / have lots of allergies, a real tree is out of the question.  However I come from a long line of artificial tree fanciers so this is not a problem for me.  We were the first family in the little town where I grew up to have an aluminum tree.  So sparkly!!  Today, then, was the day when I pulled out and assembled my old artificial tree.  When I say old, I really do mean old.  I purchased this tree in 1983 so it's a little over 40 years old.  And yet, when I fluff all the branches and attach them to the 'trunk' all those old parts suddenly become a lovely Christmas tree, and when the lights and ornaments are in place (between us my spouse and I have many, many ornaments) it becomes a seven foot tall thing of beauty.  Welcome to Christmas 2024, my good old tree.

no surprises...

 Once again thanks to my west coast brother for keeping me appraised of these important dates.  His daily updates are something else I'm thankful for.  Today, not too surprisingly is "National Leftovers Day" and also "National Flossing Day."  I'll leave it to you to attend to your dental needs while I concentrate on the dilemma with leftovers.  Today, when most people were delving into the leftovers, my spouse and I and his son and family were celebrating Thanksgiving dinner at noon. Our second day of Thanksgiving feasting, this time with lasagna, salad, bread sticks, apple pie, and amazing made from scratch whipped cream.  My wonder spouse was the one who whipped up that decadent treat.  There was also delicious fudge and, as we all sat and digested, some very nice wine.  What we didn't have was leftovers, at least until suppertime when we finished off the salad and pie.  Tomorrow, although we should be thinking about fasting, my spouse and I will be exploring the two-day-old leftovers in the frig.  I'm planning on a big fat ham sandwich, and I'm pretty sure there's some fudge left and I could try some whipped cream on pumpkin bread???  Sweet dreams everyone.

On to phase two...

 We have had a lovely Thanksgiving Day - a gathering of eleven family members with lots of hugs from my four grandchildren, and one fiancee, who are almost all taller than I am, and all in their early twenties, in college or gainfully employed.  More hugs from my daughter, son-in-law, son and daughter-in-law and great conversation with my daughter-in-law's mother (my out-law?). My wonder spouse fit right in and even the dogs liked him.  And, oh yes, we did have an amazing array of food.  Everything you would expect - turkey, ham, scalloped potatoes, sweet potatoes, dressing, green bean casserole, relish tray, shrimp, cheese, nuts and mints, fudge (my spouse's contribution), fruit salad with little marshmallows, pumpkin pie, apple pie, pumpkin cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and the list goes on.  Obviously, no one went away hungry.  It was a great, delicious, loving celebration, and lucky us, we get to do it all again tomorrow with my husband's side of the family.  

so good....

 A friend of mine once described my sweet potato casserole as especially excellent because it tastes like candy but you can eat it guilt-free because it's a vegetable.  Throughout the year, I usually make my sweet potatoes three times, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.  It's equally good served with turkey, roast beef or ham.  Today I spent almost an hour assembling all the ingredients, whipping up the sweet potatoes and blending and crumbling the nut topping.  Since the topping recipe calls for some flour to blend the nuts, brown sugar and butter, I use gluten free flour,  then my daughter-in-law can partake.  She loves it.  So here, in case you ever want to try it is my sweet potato recipe.  The original recipe comes from an old cookbook of my mother's which I have tweaked over the years.  

Luci's Sweet Potato recipe

SWEET POTATO LAYER

1 40oz can of Bruce's Yams (drained and rinsed) - any canned yams or sweet potatoes, rinsed well will do.

2/3 cup sugar,   2/3 cup butter,  3 eggs beaten,  1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

 

Drain and rinse the sweet potatoes, then heat them with the butter in the microwave (usually 2 to 3 minutes) until the butter is melted. Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk and mix with an electric mixer until everything is well blended.*

Spread in a glass or metal baking pan - 9" x 13" works well.

*When you whip the potato mixture with an electric mixer a lot of the stringy fiber from the potatoes will stick to the beaters.  I don't mix this back in because I like a creamier texture.

TOPPING

1/2 cup butter (soft, not melted),  2/3 cup flour,  1 & 1/2 cup brown sugar,  1 & 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Blend the topping ingredients together with a wooden spoon or your fingers until crumbly, then spread evenly over the sweet potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees, middle shelf, for 45 to 50 minutes. Cover lightly with foil for the first 25 minutes, then uncover so it will brown.

You can keep this warm in the oven at a low heat for a couple of hours if neecessary.  Also, you can prepare it the day before, cover and refrigerate, and bake the day of your dinner.  I like things you can prep ahead. 

Eat hearty everyone, and have a blessed and tasty Thanksgiving.

 

 

the slippery slope....

 Today, according to my west coast brother is "Good Grief Day" and "National Cake Day."  Both strong indicators of what is coming our way.  I say coming 'our' way because I'm assuming that your eating experiences will be similar to mine over the next six weeks (I'm expecting that there will be some leftovers even into 2025).  I am already thinking "Good grief, not more food." and the feasting really doesn't officially begin until day after tomorrow.  Here's how it has begun for me.  1.  I bought a new pair of size 10 pants. It is my size now but will that last?  2. I bought three fruit cakes (don't laugh, I like fruit cake) from the Amish grocery.  Two are left. 3. My spouse and I had delicious cheese laden pizza for supper last night and there are leftovers in the frig. 4. I took a friend to lunch at 'Cheddars' today and had their delicious glazed rolls as well as a dinner size lunch.   5.  Arrived home to discover that my wonder spouse was making his amazing fudge, his mother's recipe, some with nuts, some without, to take along as a little extra for Thanksgiving dinner.  6.  I was handed a spoon and  invited to 'clean out' the pan that the fudge had been cooked in.  Ever one to be helpful, I couldn't refuse.   

You see where I'm going with this?  In addition to Thanksgiving feasts (I will have enjoyed three when this week ends) and a traditional Christmas dinner, and, at our house, a New Year's Day buffet, we are about to be deluged with incidental, but always delicious, extra goodies, including the candy canes on the tree and bowls of candy and nuts just sitting around.  Of course one can always say 'No thank you.'  Ha ha ha, like that's going to happen. 

What, already???

 Today, according to my west coast brother, is "Shopping Reminder Day."  Really?  As if we need reminding.  Every time I turn on my TV or check my email or Facebook I'm reminded of things I really should be buying for myself or someone else this holiday season.  I evidently need these things to make my life complete or to make me the most popular gift giver in my family.  Except for lots of turkeys in the grocery stores, we seem to be skipping right over Thanksgiving.  Do you remember Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when you could get up super early to stand in a cold line outside your favorite store, usually with friends, so you would be first through the door when it opens and first to snag the fabulous toy (remember Cabbage Patch Dolls?) or electronic gizmo that your child or spouse or grandchild or niece or nephew is longing for, at an amazing bargain price? Well, that fun is almost gone.  Stores have been advertising Black Friday bargains since just after Halloween. No pushing or shoving, you just click a few buttons and whatever you want will show up at your door.  Where's the sport in that?  But I really do wonder how many people are buying mattresses or new dining room tables or pickup trucks or luxury cars as Christmas gifts?   Maybe yes to the dining room table if you have lots of company coming.  Enough of this pondering.  I'm in my fluffy robe and slippers with my laptop before me and a cup of hot cider beside me, so it's time to start shopping.  

re

It pays to advertise...

 When I was selling real estate we were taught that you often need to reach out to a potential 'cold' customer with mailings or phone calls (in the olden days) at least 10 times before you get a positive response.  That's why so many TV ads are less than 30 seconds long but repeated frequently during a show.  It isn't just to give you more time to get a snack.  Well, I think my spouse and I are just about to become two of those customers thanks to some persistent advertising.  Over the last several years I have received numerous emails from a painter (or his children at this point?) that I knew and used during my real estate days, and also to paint the exterior of my house when I sold it 10 years ago.  He always did good work, but I really haven't needed painting services since, so when I've gotten his emails three or four times a year I have just deleted them.  However, my spouse and I have been talking about hiring someone to do some touch up interior painting for the last several months.  When I mentioned to him that I had just received another email from my painter offering a special deal, a 10 percent discount, on jobs scheduled between now and Christmas, we decided we should call to get a free estimate.  Then we took a walk through the house.  Eight rooms and lots of woodwork later we had an idea of what needs to be done.  I'm not sure if it will all be done by Christmas, but I am pretty sure it will give my painter a very merry Christmas.  Ho Ho Ho.  

dining out..

 My spouse and I and a couple we are friends with dined at Joseph Decuis in Roanoke this evening.  Notice I didn't say we ate out, or had supper or even had dinner with these friends.  When you eat at Joseph Decuis you DINE!  It was a fine dining experience in every sense of the word.  We started with wine, then we each had the acorn squash soup which was delicious.  My husband and I each had their famous wagyu beef filet with sweet potatoes, so tender, so so good.  Then we finished it all off with pumpkin creme brulee for dessert.  We usually don't have desserts when we eat out but it seemed so appropriate for the season.  But beyond the food, the dining experience was made special by the wait staff.  We had one waitress specifically assigned to our table.  She took our orders, kept our wine and water glasses full (and did it very elegantly).  But when it came time for each course to be brought to our table, there was no one struggling to carry a large tray laden with dishes of food.  Instead four wait persons came to the table and placed each course in front of each of us simultaneously.  Our waitress did ask if everything was to our liking after we had taken a few bites of each course, but not with annoying frequency.  She also waited until everyone was finished with each course before removing the plates and then bringing the next, and we never felt rushed.  All in all, it was a fine fun dining experience; the kind of dining you might want to do about once a year.  The fact that for two of us our tip was $50 will help you understand why.  

game on...

 This evening, since my daughter-in-law is out of town, my son came over to our house to play some Scrabble.  He always liked the game as a child and my spouse and I enjoy it, so it seemed like a good way to pass an evening.  My wonder spouse and I play Scrabble quite often and usually end up scoring over three hundred points each and with scores just a few points apart.  Therefore we approached the evening with confidence.  We even went out for Thai food to help him relax (maybe make him a little sleepy?).  Well, here's how the evening actually went.  We played two games.  He won the first by 60 points over the next highest scorer and the second by 39 points.  We figure we were closing the gap.  If we could have played five more rounds either my spouse or I might have won.  Sadly (or perhaps gladly) all of us are too old to stay up all night.  So my son shall remain the victor 'til next time.  

Hallelujah

 This evening my spouse and I attended Handel's Messiah.  It was performed by the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra and chorus, plus four soloists and it was magnificent. I could go on and on. It was outstanding, excellent, exceptional, moving, a joy to hear and see.  But what surprised me was that it was fun. I loved hearing the old familiar story of the birth, life, death and resurrection, and the promise of life eternal, sung so beautifully. This was a first for both of us. We had heard the Hallelujah Chorus, of course, multiple times, but never the entire Messiah. As I said, this was the first time for each of us, but it won't be the last. 

'tis the season..

 Here we are in mid November and it certainly is the season in our house to prepare for Thanksgiving (yummy) and Christmas.  It looks like we could have as many as 18 people at our house for Christmas dinner which makes me very happy.  But it also seems to be the season for scams.  A friend of mine very recently lost $2,000 in a scam and today I had a voice mail asking me to confirm a charge of $1,400 for some computer equipment which I certainly didn't authorize.  I deleted it of course, but that really is a very sneaky kind of scam because if you call the number they so conveniently provide to tell them it's a mistake, they will need all kinds of financial information from you before they can 'correct the error.'  Another type of seasonal scams is pleas for money for dubious charities.  Did you know that you can go on line and check out charitable organizations to see what percentage of the money you donate actually goes to help the people or animals you are intending to help, and what percent goes to staff salaries and promotional materials?  Take some time to check things out.  Please understand. I'm really not being a grinch.  It's the season to give and give generously, and I do.  Just make sure that the money you donate will really help someone, not just line some pockets.  Happy Holidays, Ho Ho Ho!!

in awe of the masters

 Yesterday evening and this evening my spouse and I watched a two part history of Leonardo da Vinci, aired on our local PBS station.  It was very well done and completely captivating.  While watching it though, I was reminded of two very different experiences I have had while viewing famous works of art in Italy.  On my first trip to Italy, about sixteen years ago, the friend I was traveling with had planned ahead and made reservations for us to see Leonardo's Last Supper.  You must have tickets well in advance to see this masterpiece.  Viewing it was a wonderful, peaceful experience.  Only a limited number of people at a time were allowed in to see it, and I think we were allowed to spend a half hour there.  It was an excellent experience.  

By contrast, during my most recent trip to Italy in 2023, with a very good tour group, we were taken to see Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling; another amazing work of art by an equally talented and renowned artist.  To see this masterpiece, our travel group of about 40 people was herded into a long corridor with several other groups.  We then proceeded to walk through what felt like five miles of chambers and corridors until we finally arrive at the chapel.  There we were allowed into the chapel in a group so large that it was literally "standing room only."  We were packed so tightly that we couldn't move around much at all.  We simply stood and craned our necks to see as much of the ceiling as we could see from our vantage point.  I can say I've seen the Sistine Chapel ceiling, but it certainly wasn't a satisfying experience.  Such a contrast.

Ring ring

 My west coast brother has informed me that today is "National Princess Day" and "Pushbutton Phone Day." Now, I am not a princess.  I don't even own a tiara, although that would be elegant.  However I do think I'm qualified to celebrate today because once, long ago, I owned a princess phone and yes, it was a push button phone. Actually that's not entirely accurate.  Back in the day we didn't own our own phones but leased them through Bell Telephone or whoever happened to be the service provider in your area.  So I guess it would be more accurate to say I had the use of a princess phone.  I had this phone while I lived in my little, but so cute, attic apartment in Monticello, NY while I taught their.  It was the first chance I had ever had to choose my own phone.  I opted to go with the slim line, oh so modern looking, turquoise princess phone with the push button display in the receiver.  It was so cool.  Of course, it didn't take pictures or allow me to check my email or send texts or share my exciting life via Facebook or whatever, and I certainly couldn't slip it in my purse as I left my apartment, but it was excellent for making and receiving phone calls, local and long distance, and just so sleek and elegant.  1967 was a good year for telephones. 

Going bananas

 In the children's sermon at church today the pastor used a speckled brown banana to teach that you shouldn't judge bananas or people by how they look on the outside.  She peeled it and showed the kids that it was still good inside.  As she was summing up she mentioned that bananas are usually good and good for you, to which one little listener, who was obviously paying attention, responded "Not if you eat too many."  I'm not sure how today's littlt expert learned that lesson but his comment reminded me that my grandson learned the same lesson the hard way.  My grandson was three and his little sister was one. They and their mother were living with us temporarily after her divorce. My daughter and I were both working so my then husband, who was retired, became Daddy Day Care.  Early on during this arrangement, he labored under the assumption that if toddlers were off in another room being quiet, the were behaving themselves.  Ha ha ha ha ha.  One evening when I got home from work I was starting to put a fruit salad together for supper.  I reached for the large bunch of bananas that should have been on the kitchen counter.  I had just bought them the day before.  There should have been at least eight fhere.  When I asked where the bananas were, my husband didn't have a clue, but my little grandson took me by the hand and led me into his bedroom.  There, in the one foot space between the bed and the wall, was a large pile of banana peels. He and his little sister had had quite a feast.  Strangely enough, he didn't want bananas for a long time after that.  Happily, their papa learned to pay attention to what they were up to from then on.

That's my state...

 Today, according to one list, is National Indiana Day.  I can't figure out why it's today because Indiana became the 19th state on December 11, 1816. 12/11/1816?  And all my Googling has not explained it. It has repeated it several times over but not explained it. However, today is also National Fast Food Day, National Check Your Wipers Day and National Button Day.  Once I saw the whole list, it became obvious to me why it's National Indiana Day.  We Hoosiers definitely need working windshield wipers, especially from November through July or August.  And we're practically the home of fast food.  After all, Wendy's was founded here.  As for buttons, it seems that for a few years a small button factory on Willow Sreet (city unknown, although there is a Willow Street in Vincennes, Indiana) produced as many as. 3000 buttons a week from fresh water mussel shells. This was around 1846, somewhere along the Tippecanoe River, and yes, that's in Indiana.  You can Google much more history about buttons if you're really interested.  So whatever the reasons, happy Indiana Day, and get those wipers checked.

check this out...

 Today I received a reorder of checks in the mail.  In this order are 60 checks, which will probably last me through most of 2025.  I'm laughing a little at this because I can remember when checks came in boxes of 200 or so per box (in nice little tablets of 25 of course) and were ordered in batches of 400 to 800 at a time.  Everything was paid for by check (or cash of course).  These days utility bills, mortgages, credit card bills, car payments, taxes, whatever you may owe, can all be paid "on line."  You simply transfer money from your checking account to whichever bills you are paying.  Or, to make it even simpler, you can set up automatic payments and you don't have to lift a finger.  Sometimes I wonder if there is any real money there at all of if it's just numbers adding and subtracting as the weeks and months go by.  Of course, I'm in that lovely stage of my life, retirement, where money just shows up in my bank account every month.  When I was in college, so many years ago that BSU was still Ball State Teachers College (it became a  university in my senior year) we freshmen were required to take a class called Personal Finance where we were taught, among other things, the correct way to fill out a check, and the correct way to balance your checkbook.  When was the last time you balanced a check book?  Things have come so far that I don't even write a check for my church donations anymore.  It simply comes out of my savings account once a month.  It does make me a little self conscious in church when they pass the collection plate and I don't put anything in.  Of course, I'm not the only one.  I would guess that more than half of our congregation members are giving on line these days.  I sometimes wonder though how it looks to people live streaming the service.  They probably think "Wow, people in that church sure don't give very much."  Sometimes I wish that we had little signs on sticks saying something like "I give on line" that we could wave at the usher as he or she goes by. These would be similar to, but maybe smaller than, the old fashioned fans supplied by funeral homes for those hot summer Sundays before air conditioning.  They had a balsa wood handle and  a picture of Jesus on one side and an ad for the funeral home on the other.  If you remember those fans you are part of my generation for sure.  So if you actually are still writing checks for some things it's ok.  Why do you think I needed to order sixty more?

ELF

 Elf is off the shelf.  Do you remember the 2003 movie "Elf" starring Will Ferrell?  The Fort Wayne Philharmonic took it off the shelf, dusted it off, and presented it in concert this evening with their amazing orchestral accompaniment.  The story was every bit as good as the first time I saw it and the live music just added to the joy.  I was really pleased, but not surprised, to see many more children in the audience than at a typical performance. What a great way to introduce kids to the philharmonic.  If you ever get a chance to see a movie presented this way, take the opportunity to see it.  You may not get to see anything as special as the great spaghetti with maple syrup scene, but you will enjoy it.

shuffle and deal

 According to my west coast brother today is "National Bread Pudding Day."  I do love bread pudding, and the adventure I associate with it.  When I was much younger and fairly new to the real estate game my boss and I went to a national Century 21 convention in Las Vegas.  We stayed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino on the old strip downtown and it's still one of my favorite hotels ever, although I admit I haven't been back for a long time.  In addition to introducing me to bread pudding, which I had never heard of before (it was delicious), my ever thoughtful boss also introduced me to the joys of Black Jack, still my favorite casino game.  She was very good at Black Jack and took time to teach me the basics of the game.  Don't worry, I didn't become addicted and I didn't loose great gobs of money, but I did have a fine time and never lost more in an evening than the cost of a good dinner.  I still follow that rule, or try to.  $5.00 tables are getting harder and harder to find.  I would rather gamble in Las Vegas than anywhere else, which means I haven't gambled much in recent years.  I did think about gambling on our cruise last year but the casino was the only place on the ship that allowed smoking, and breathing that air was a gamble I wasn't prepared to take.  I was interested though to hear that a casino is going to be built in New Haven, only a few miles from where we live.  Maybe my ever patient spouse and I will give it a try sometime, but only at non-smoking $5 tables, and only if they serve bread pudding at the buffet. 

open that book

 Today is "National Young Readers Day." Thank you to my west coast brother for this information.  I have just this week begun to tutor a second grader who is struggling to learn to read, but I have great hope that by the end of the school year he will have improved substantially. I would like to think that my one hour a week will help, but I was much more encouraged when he told me that his mother takes turns reading with him at home.  I think kids who get read to at home, by parents, grandparents, or older siblings, will always do better at reading in life.  Interestingly, one of my favorite read aloud memories involves me and my west coast brother.  When I was 16 and he was six, I read the novel "Lassie Come Home" to him. At the end of the book we both burst out crying, but don't worry, they were tears of happy relief.  It's a great book. 

While today is a day to celebrate young readers, I am still an avid reader and so is my spouse.  Perhaps reading keeps us young, at least mentally.  Some might say childish but I prefer young.  I would like to give a shout out to the Allen County Public Library and all its branches.  From 50 years ago when I took my toddlers to the ACPL Bookmobile that parked down the street, to today, when the many branches throughout the county meet the needs of my aging eyes, I thank them.  These days they provide an amazing assortment of large print books and books that I can download on my tablet.  Hooray and thank you to the ACPL.  If you haven't been to the library lately, go and check them out.  I'm sure there's a branch near you.

Veterans Day

 First, "Thank you for your service." to all the veterans out there, especially my west coast brother, my daughter and my son-in-law, who will soon be retired from the military.  My daughter and son-in-law have both come through multiple deployments without serious injury, for which I am eternally grateful.  

On a much lighter note, my daughter told me that they would be getting free meals today and I applaud those restaurants that give free meals to veterans on Veterans Day.

I am amused though by all the sales going on.  I've heard so many ads for sales on mattresses today that I've lost count.  If they're so over stocked perhaps they should consider giving every veteran a free mattress.  There are also sales on other furniture of all sorts.   La-Z Boy does seem appropriate. Let those guys and gals truly relax on their special day.

Enough of this musing.  I hope you had a chance to thank a veteran today.

Say that ten times fast.

 My west coast brother has informed me that today is "International Tongue Twister Day."  I'm not sure why it's an international special day, but that's only because I don't remember enough high school French to create a non-English tongue twister.  Having said that, my all time favorite tongue twister is 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'  Even reading it, it's hard to say it ten times fast.  I grew up in Woodburn, Indiana (the smallest city {city because it has a city style of government} in Indiana) and our local favorite tongue twister was 'How much wood would Woodburn burn, if Woodburn would burn wood?'  As it happens, historically speaking, Woodburn burned quite a lot of wood.  Woodburn now stands in about the center of what was once referred to as the great black swamp, which spread for quite a distance from east of Fort Wayne into what is now Ohio, explaining why the land around this area is so flat.  When Woodburn was first settled, more than 160 years ago, enterprising farmers, mostly German, fresh from Europe where hard physical work was the norm, set to work clearing the swamp, and eventually tiling the fields to drain them, providing extremely fertile soil.  The challenge was that it was all heavily forested.  Those trees had to come down.  Some were used to build houses and barns, but many were simply burned, hence Woodburn.  In 1871 there was a forest fire which, according to one source, halted the growth of the little city but sealed its name as Woodburn (even though there were some attempted name changes later).  So how much wood would Woodburn burn?  Quite a lot as it turned out. An interesting side note - the earliest settlers would keep smudge pots smoldering and smoking under their tables to keep the mosquitoes away while they ate.  Life was not all fun and games back then.  

pure fun!!!!

 First, a special Thank You to my long time reader C.V. for her very kind comment on my recent Celebration of Life blog.

This evening's fun was the concert presented by the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, "Tango Rhythms and Latin Dances."  Much of the music played was by Argentinian composers and very light and lively.  I was amazed and amused by the sounds being produced by our often oh so traditional orchestra.  How did they play the same instruments they always play and produce such a different sound?

One of the very special treats of the evening was guest soloist JP Jofre, playing the bandoneon, accompanied in one piece by our own Violetta Todorova on the violin, the whole piece was beautiful and their duets were blissful.  

In case you don't know what a bandoneon is (I certainly didn't until my spouse Googled it before the concert started) it is a variation on the accordion, more closely related to the concertina. It was invented by a German instrument maker, Heinrich Band, and is most popular in Uruguay and Argentina, where we're going in February.

All in all, a positively delightful evening.

being a good spouse

 Among many other volunteer positions that my wonder spouse has, he is in charge of mailing out our neighborhood association dues notices, and then collecting those dues.  He also responds to inquires from title companies checking if association dues have been paid.  Many homeowners don't seem to realize that unpaid association dues, plus any late fees, are a lien on their property and must be paid off when they sell their property.  Most of the people in our association pay their dues every year on time.  One unlucky soul recently had to cough up $800 for unpaid association dues before the sale of his house could be completed.  Our dues are only $48 a year so that's a lot of unpaid dues and late fees. 

This is the time of year when the statements go out, and I, attempting to be a good wife (you know - for better, for worse) have been helping in a small way.  Yesterday I stuffed 400 envelopes. Happily his printer prints the addresses on the envelopes.  I want to be a good helpmate but hand addressing all those envelopes would have been just too much.  Also happily, the envelopes were self sticking so no licking.  That would have been icky.  Today, again without licking, I put the stamps on those 400 envelopes.  My spouse, in case you're wondering, was not just sitting around while I did these chores.  He was organizing and printing out the special notices (one year, two years, three years, etc. past due) to those few recalcitrants who are behind on their dues.  

So the next time you get an association dues letter, think of the poor person and, quite likely, his or her spouse, behind the scenes, toiling away to get those notices sent out, and pay your dues.  Or better yet, volunteer to take over the job.  We're not getting any younger.

Even more about compasses...

 My west coast brother has shared the following story with me after reading last night's blog.  He said that this is a story he heard long ago about the Tates Instrument Company.  During WWII they made compasses for use south of the equator.  After the war a lot of Tates compasses showed up on the surplus market and were bought by private pilots.  Since the Tates were oriented to the South Pole, pilots would end up going the wrong way, which gave rise to the saying "He who has a Tates is lost."  

I know, I know, a pun is the lowest form of humor. But, and this is no joke, I'm having a problem posting my blog tonight so this is all there is. 

Which way is up???

 My west coast brother has informed me that today is "Marooned Without a Compass Day."  Fortunately for me, I seldom roam far enough from home to need a compass and if I have gone that far we are likely to be in my husband's car which has a compass built into the rearview mirror.  That does come in handy occasionally.  But with GPS even that isn't really necessary.  However, now I'm wondering, do compasses work the same if you're south of the equator?  As soon as i wrote that question I realized that I could Google the answer and so I did.  Bottom line, a compass made specifically for the southern hemisphere will work better there than one intended for northern hemisphere use.  In fact manufacturers of compasses customize them for five different geographic zones.  Just Google the question yourself and you will learn more than you ever wanted to know about compasses.  In case you're wondering why I even care about this it's because, in February, my wonder spouse and I will actually be travelling in the southern hemisphere, and while we will mostly be on a ship, you just never know when a compass might come in handy.  

still counting...

 I voted today, as I'm sure most of you did.  Then this evening I attended a church committee meeting, totally unrelated to politics. At the meeting a wise young man, realizing that we all had the election on our minds, gave us some good advice.  Among other things he said take a deep breath (or several as needed) and decide on a time to turn off your TV and go to bed.  I've decided that the time is now, so good night.  Sleep well.  The world will still be turning in the morning.

Here it comes...

 Election Day is almost upon us.  I don't mean to make light of it, at least not too much, but I did have to laugh when my west coast brother sent me the 'day' for today.  It happens that today is "National Waiting for the Barbarians Day."  I think that some people are so tense about this election that they actually do envision an invasion of barbarian hordes.  Can you imagine what it was like in the Dark Ages when barbarian hordes were actually rampaging around Europe, and, especially if you were a serf, tied to the land, you might nor have had any forewarning of doom on horse back coming your way?  Compared to that, life in these United States is not so bad.  So tomorrow go vote, if you haven't already, and on your way home or while you're waiting for results (which I fervently hope are clear-cut and decisive) take a deep breath, or several, and count your blessings.  

another saint...

 Today we celebrated All Saints Sunday at First Pres. It was a lovely service with candles lit and names read, to remember the saints who had died this past year and also those we chose to remember from the past.  Their names were all printed in the bulletin.  We sang "For All the Saints" and "Blest Be the Tie that Binds" and it was all quite moving.  It naturally got me thinking of all of the saints in my life and this evening I want to honor my mother who was a truly good person.  From an early age she had wanted to be a nurse but her mother, a pastor's wife, didn't think that was an appropriate job for a well brought up young lady (whatever that means) and insisted that she become a teacher.  So my mother became a teacher and worked at that career for several years.  During the summers having lots of summer jobs and travel adventures that I loved to hear about.  But after her mother died, when Mom was 33, she started working toward her dream. She was accepted for nurses training at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.  I have no doubt that she would have been a marvelous nurse, but during that year she met and fell in love with my father, an Army sergeant, and they got married.  Sadly, that was the end of her nursing dreams, because in 1943 you couldn't be married and be a nurse.  Fast forward twelve years and Mom was teaching third and fourth grades full time at our little Lutheran elementary school.  Although she never wanted to be a teacher, she was a wonderful one.  I asked her once, while I was at Ball State, studying to be a teacher myself, what her secret was to being a good teacher.  Her answer "You must find something to love about every child."  She must have succeeded because for years, whenever I have been back in my hometown, someone will say "Your mom was my favorite teacher." or "I loved your mom."  She died much too young, at 56, but she will always be remembered with great love and admiration.

just for fun...

 Don't go if what you want is high-brow sophisticated entertainment. But if you want a ridiculously silly evening of comedy, I highly recommend the play currently running at Arena Dinner Theater.  It's on for one more weekend, so you still have a chance.  "Murdered to Death" is a spoof on every Agatha Christie novel ever written. Even Miss 'Maple' makes an appearance.  The cast did an excellent job of bringing the zany characters to life.  From the doddering butler to the blundering detective, aptly named Inspector Pratt, the actors were great fun, and very well cast in their various roles.  

Kudos also to the caterers, Walnut Hill Catering & Events,  The meal was one of the best I've ever had at Arena, featuring smoked beef brisket.  It was the best brisket I've ever had.  Truth be told, I've only had beef brisket twice in my life, but this was far and away the best.

All in all, a delightful evening.

a gift...

 Today I attended another Celebration of Life/Memorial Service.  That's two this week if your counting.  Not too surprising since I have attained a certain age.  I didn't know until I saw the dates, but the deceased was only a year older than me.  That gave me something to think about.  As I was driving to the service I was having some rather uncharitable thoughts about why I was even going.  While I knew the deceased, we weren't particularly close, and I was really going to be supportive of her husband who was ten years older than his wife and, from what I had been told, very shocked as well as grieved by her unexpected death.  I do know what he's going through because my first husband died very unexpectedly.  But even with that knowledge, I was still doubtful that I should be bothering to go since I might not even get a chance to speak with him.  As it turned out I was right about that.  His family was, rightfully, very protective of him.  During the service, his daughter read a beautiful 'family remembrance' which she had written and in which she stressed, among other attributes, that her mother had been excellent at organizing things.  I had to laugh at that because I think, probably sacrilegiously, that she was still organizing things from heaven.  That's because, before the service began, a good friend from my days in real estate, whom I hadn't seen for nine years, came up to me and suddenly it was like we had never been apart.  I did not go to the funeral expecting to have a pleasant time at the reception, but that's exactly what happened.  I'll take little miracles however they come along.