2020

2019 was a good year for me. I have a roof over my head and plenty to eat. I have clothing appropriate for each season. I have heat when it is cold and cooling when it is hot outside.

I am healthy. I have a way to get myself where I need or want to be. I have family I love and who love me back.

When I was asked before Christmas what I wanted I realized that I have pretty much what I desire. I have a good life.

I am sure 2020 will be more of the same for me.

For you I wish a prosperous, healthy, and very Happy New Year.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past.

There were five siblings in 1957. From left to right:

Gary, one year younger than me. Died 2010
David, six years younger than me. He will be retiring in just a few days.
Randy, two years younger than me. Died 1970
Becky, four years younger than me. In a nursing home after the effects of a stroke.
Me, ten years old. Retired and writing this blog.

            Merry Christmas to all.

To Give; To Get

Christmas is approaching. I have sent off all the gifts that need to be sent. As a matter of fact, my sister who is in a nursing home because of a stroke has already opened hers.

I love Christmas. I suppose it may be that my family did not have much money. We could not afford birthday gifts for instance. We did get to choose our birthday dinners.

At Christmas, my parents went all out. Santa always left us nice toys.

A big production was made of opening gifts. No grab and rip. Each person was handed a gift in turn. That gift was opened. After we all oohed and aahed over it the next person was handed a gift. It would be a long time before we were able to get to breakfast and we loved it.

Giving gifts has always been my favorite part of Christmas. Choosing just the right gift for each person and watching delighted faces as they open them gives me such joy.

Of course, I would feel a little silly if I did not receive a gift too. In my life, I have received a lot of wonderful gifts.

A good one was my first watch. It was a sign of being more mature and I was glad to be recognized that way. The problem was that it felt hot on my arm. I told my mother and she explained that I would eventually get used to having it on my arm.

After complaining several times I finally had proof that the watch was hot. It had burned me and there was a big blister where the watch had been. My father took it back to where it had been purchased. They examined it and found that a tiny drop of oil that should have been there to lubricate the moving parts was missing. I got a new watch and no further problems.

Probably my favorite gift was from a man I was seeing a few years after my husband and I divorced.  He bought several small gifts in size. He wrapped them each separately and placed them in a quilted tote bag which he also wrapped. The gifts were all nice but what I really loved was opening all those small packages. I really am like a child I guess.

The favorite gift I ever gave was to my grandmother. I was in the second grade. We had been working with modeling clay. I made the bust of a woman. It reminded me of Grandma when it was done. I gave it to her for Christmas with the provision that I get it back when she died. (Children are so tactful.)I checked on my "Grandma" every time we visited her. When she died an uncle and his family quickly cleared everything from the house. No trace of "Grandma" was ever found.

Out of all the wonderful gifts you gave or got what were your favorites?

Being Thankful

We all look forward to the feast we will be offered on Thanksgiving. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, cranberries, corn, sweet potatoes, etc. Then comes dessert. Pumpkin pie is my favorite for Thanksgiving.

Some of the things I serve are prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. If they need to be warm I can put them in the microwave. It gives me more time to watch the parade and spend time with family. Of course, the smell of the turkey permeates the house. It is a comforting smell and makes us hungry.

We eat, sometimes too much. Then we begin telling family stories. It is a good way to reconnect.

What we need to remember are the things we are thankful for.

I am going to share the things I appreciate.

My children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are healthy, loving, active, and intelligent. I was fortunate to have wonderful parents and grandparents. My life has been filled with love.

I married into a loving family and immediately felt accepted. I am basically healthy and alert. My life has been fairly long and moderately exciting.

I live where I wish to be and how I wish to live. I have nice neighbors and a good community. I have everything I need and much of what I want. Life is good.

What are you thankful for?

Veterans

Like many families, my family has a lot of people who served in the Armed Forces. Most of them came home and went on to have families and decent lives. Some were 'lifers' and some only served as long as necessary. I am proud of each of them and I thank them all for keeping our freedom.

My father was in the Navy during World War II. He was wounded but still made it home and had a large loving family. He did not talk about his time at war.

My oldest brother served in Korea on the DMZ as an MP. Things were not as peaceful as we are led to believe. It is, after all, still an active war zone. He came home and eventually married. He and his wife divorced and had no children. He did not talk about his time in a war zone.

My second brother served in Vietnam. He wrote letters to us. Many had tears on them as he told of buddies who had been killed.

He told us before he left that he would not be back alive. He made arrangements for the dispersal of his things. He was right. He did not come back alive.

My brother did not have a chance to marry and have a family. He was unable to continue his life. He was not much more than a child himself.

As the saying goes 'War is hell'. It hurts so many. Most of all it hurts those who served. They seldom speak of experiences. Usually, the most they will say is that they served and where.

They may have physical wounds that we can see. All of them have inner wounds that they do not often share.

Thank you to all the veterans.

Creamed Spinach

We had our first snow today. We have had flurries a couple of times but today the snow melted before it had a chance to make things white.

Today's snow is still lying on the ground. It is not much but it is there.

I had to go to the doctor today so I was unlucky enough to drive in it. The driving was not bad. At least the deer stayed off the road in respect for the first snow. Turkeys were another matter. We all know they have no sense.

I am sure the snow will melt tomorrow. The weather forecast calls for warmer temperatures.

As I was driving home I kept thinking that the snow on the bright green patches of plants reminded me of some sort of food. Then it dawned on me that it looked like creamed spinach.

No wonder I was so hungry when I walked into the house.

Romantic

My husband came from a farming family. They often had little money. He had good parents who taught him the value of hard work and treating people with respect. 

My family moved often. We often had little money. I had good parents who taught me to work hard and to treat people with respect.

We did not know it at the time. We had only been seeing each other for a short time. 

At that time seeing each other meant going to an occasional drive-in movie or driving 'the loop' downtown. The loop was the activity most often because it was cheaper. And all our friends were doing the same thing.

One night we were driving the loop and my husband wanted to take a break. He drove to a little neighborhood grocery store near where his brother lived. He told me he would be right back and ran into the store.

He came back out with a small paper bag. In it were two large oranges. One was for me.

He presented it with a great flourish. He thought those oranges were the most exotic things he ever had and wanted to share them with me.

It was the most romantic thing that ever happened to me.

What was your most romantic moment?