Imbolc Recipes

Like all Sabbats, the meal is a big part of the celebration. Along with cheeses and other dairy products, this has become the regular meal for us for Imbolc.

Potato Soup

5lbs white potatoes

1 large onion, chopped

stick of butter

6 TBS flour

3 cans milk

salt and pepper to taste

fresh parsley, chopped

Garnish: Grated Cheddar Cheese, Real Bacon Bits

Peel potatoes and cut in to bite size pieces. Put in large soup kettle.  Add just enough water to cover potatoes. Cook until tender but still firm. Removed from heat. Skim off 3-4 cups of the water.

While potatoes are cooking, chop onion and cook in large pan in butter. When the onions start to brown, add flour. Stir well and cook a few minutes. Slowly add milk. Stir until heated. Pour milk mixture in to kettle with potatoes and stir gently to mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, add parsley to soup and stir to mix.  After ladling in to soup bowls, garnish with grated cheese and bacon bits if desired.

Irish Soda Bread

I have tried several recipes for Irish Soda Bread, but this one from Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet, is my favorite.






6 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3 TBS corn starch
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Pour all the buttermilk in to the bowl at once. Stir using a wooden spoon, just until dough forms. Pour contents of the bowl on to floured board and knead a minute or two until everything comes together.

Divide dough in two equal portions and shape each in to a round loaf. Place loaves on a large ungreased non stick cookie sheet. Press to flatten slightly. Sprinkle a little flour on top of each loaf. Cut an X on the top of each loaf. (I usually cut a pentacle for the Sabbat breads) Let rest 10 minutes.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Loaves sound hollow when done.  Cool on racks. 

NOTE: While I love the Irish Soda Bread Baking Dish I have (pictured), it is more decorative for me as I prefer the free shaped loaf this recipe makes.

Imbolc

(Pause the Playlist Player on right side of this page

before starting the video.)

As Imbolc approaches I am starting to gather my recipes and items needed for our ritual at home. February 2nd is also very special because that is my husband's birthday! Over the next few days on my blog I will share more on how I observe this Sabbat which also marks the anniversary of my Solitary Dedication. For today I will share this recording I made during Imbolc 2009. The Self Healing incantation I am using was written by Ellen Dugan.



40 Tips for an Exceptional, Superb & Powerful Life!

Following up on the theme of motivation, I had posted this as a note on facebook at the beginning of the year.  I wanted to share it here both to archive it in my blog and to hopefully provide some inspiration for others who may happen to see this. This had been passed on to me some time ago, but I do not know the source or author. It is one of those posts I think worthy of revisiting from time to time as a healthy reminder to enjoy life!

40 Tips for an Exceptional, Superb & Powerful Life!

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. Record your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement:
"My purpose is to____ today."
5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did in last year.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past. Negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. Burn the candles, use the nice bed sheets, Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. So stop complaining about the weather, the job, the rents etc etc
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
34. The best is yet to come.
35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
36. Do the right thing!
37. Call your family often.
38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
"I am thankful for ___."
"Today I accomplished ____."
39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
40. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

Graduation Day

For the last two months I have been going to Physical Therapy following our auto accident in November. The first month I went three times a week and then twice a week this past month.  I had an amazing team helping me regain movement. My Physical Therapist excels at his job and was a lot of fun to work with. The fact that I am a Baltimore Raven's fan and he is a Pittsburgh Steeler's fan gave us a lot to talk about and tease each other with through the play-offs. The thing I will miss the most is the neck massages. He knew exactly where the spot was that hurt and worked out the pain for me over the two months I have been there. The assistants were just as much fun to work with and really encouraged and motivated me to get through my exercises. I will miss them, they made getting up and going in at 7:00am enjoyable. No small feat considering I am not a morning person.

Today was my last session.  I have for the most part regained the movement in my neck and shoulders that I lost at the time of the accident. This therapy has also benefited the preexisting lower back issues. The staff sent me off with a list of exercises and bands, along with my official T-Shirt to prove I made it through with flying colors.

It has been easy, even fun, doing the exercises with my own team of cheerleaders. Now the hard part begins. I am on my own. I need to discipline myself to continue to do this by myself. I don't want to loose the mobility I have gained. I have been doing fairly well meditating on a regular basis, so now I just need to incorporate exercise in to my routine. I would love to eventually get back to Yoga, something I did years ago. I need to enlarge the graphic above and hang it where I can see it as a reminder!  

Food for the Mighty Warrior

I was quite happy to not have to venture out yesterday.  I love snow and I don't mind driving in snow, but throw that wintry mix in, I stay in. My husband on the other hand had no choice, work as usual.  I wanted to have a warm, hearty meal waiting when he got home. I enjoy being able to be home and cook and take care of him and the house. NOW, before I get any angered posts from working women, I spent time in corporate America and was part of the work force for many years. I believe a woman's place is anywhere she wants to be! I just happen to want to be a Domestic Goddess! 

I was a busy kitchen witch yesterday making the recipes that follow.  I must share a funny story about the pie.  My pie looked beautiful when it came out of the oven.  Funny thing was that when I was putting the crumb topping on I thought it seemed to have a different consistency and look than I remembered. After supper my hubby took a little nap while I cleaned up the kitchen. Later we sat down to enjoy our coffee and pie and watch television. We both ate a few bites before saying anything. I finally said okay, this is not right, way too sweet. When I looked at the recipe again I realized my mistake, I used white sugar instead of brown sugar. Well that pie went in the trash! These are the moments that keep us humble!

 

Corn and Potato Chowder
I copied the original recipe from a cookbook on a visit to Border's years ago. I do not know the source. This recipe reflects my modifications.

2 TBS Mazola Oil

2 TBS butter

1 onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, crushed

3 large white potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 large carrots, peeled and cubed
1 green pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
32 oz. (4 cups) vegetable stock
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
12 oz. can evaporated milk
15 1/2 oz can butter beans
11 oz. can kernel corn
Fresh parsley, chopped

Put oil and butter in large soup pot.  When butter has melted, add onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add all the vegetables.  Heat until sizzling, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.  Add vegetable stock and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add milk, butter beans and corn, including liquid from cans. Continue to simmer until heated through.  Stir in fresh parsley.

Copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits

makes 12 biscuits

2 cups Bisquick

2/3 cups milk

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup butter melted *

1/4 tsp garlic powder *

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix Bisquick, milk and cheese to form a soft dough. Drop by spoonfuls on to ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Mix butter and garlic powder. Brush on warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet.

* My variation on this recipe is that I pat the dough into a rectangle and cut 12 portions from this. I roll them gently before putting them on the cookie sheet, which I spray with Baking PAM and then flatten just a little with the bottom of a glass. I use Tastefully Simple All Natural Italian Bread Seasoning. Mix 1 TBS Italian Bread Seasoning and 1/2 cup melted butter, let sit 30 minutes. I brush this on before baking.

Apple Walnut Crumb Pie

This is a quick & easy pie!

Pastry shell

Can of apple pie filling (or your fresh apple mixture if you like)

2 TBS butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal

3 TBS chopped walnuts

Roll your pastry dough and line pie plate. Pour in pie filling. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter in to the flour. Mix in sugar, oatmeal and nuts.  Sprinkle evenly over the top of your pie filling. Bake 350 degrees 30-35 minutes, until crust is lightly browned and center of pie is bubbly.

I wonder if I can convince my hubby to grill us some steaks tonight?

Snow Nurtures Day Dreaming!

A fresh blanket of snow greeted me when I peeked out the window today.  It is to taper off a bit this morning and then pick up again this afternoon with the possibility of 4 more inches of fresh snow.  This gives me the chance to gather some more fresh snow for our Imbolc ritual! I did gather some earlier this month when I wasn't sure how much snow we would have, but Mother Nature has been gifting us quite regularly with fresh snow since then. One can never have enough snow in reserve for magic & divination!

I was to have gone for Physical Therapy this morning, but woke still feeling a little stuffy & with a headache, so I decided to stay home. The headache has since passed for the most part, just sniffling now. My plans for the day are to make a pot of Corn & Potato Chowder and fresh biscuits for supper. My mighty warrior deserves a good hearty, warm meal after braving the elements today!  Other than performing some kitchen witchery, I think most of today will be a day spent daydreaming as I watch the snow gently falling. Occasionally some birds fly by and perch in the tree outside my window for shelter, the wind is swirling the snow in pretty designs, some little toddlers are playing in the snow down the street ......  Oh, yes, I was saying.  See, I just drift along with the snow!

While I daydream on this snowy day I do understand not everyone shares my love of a Winter Wonderland. I shared this on facebook a few days ago and will close by sharing it here.

So many of my friends are getting cabin fever as we approach Imbolc and anxiously await the time when we can return to play in the greenwood. For now, give thanks for the snow that nurtures and protects all that lies dormant beneath the earth. Soon we will celebrate the awakening of the land with the first stirrings of spring! Blessings my friends!

(Pause the Playlist Player on right side of this page

 to enjoy this little escape to a greener realm)

In Search of Elusive Ancestors

Over the course of our lifetime we become interested in many things.  Some of those interests fade with time, while others increase.  For me, my genealogy has been the constant interest in my life.  As a young child I enjoyed spending time with my older relatives and listening to the stories they told.  I was surrounded by reminders of the ancestors through the pictures that hung on the walls in our home as well as the homes of my grandparents and other relatives.  I remember how I particularly loved to go in to my great grand pap's room and sit on his bed and study the pictures of his family that hung on the wall.  Those wonderful big oval portraits were my link to that part of my family.

My devotion to the ancestors springs from the early influence of my older family members as well as the importance the ancestors play in my spiritual path. Over the years I have collected many stories, photos and data from family members as well as research from libraries and archives. I have 3 file drawers full of stuff to sift through and boxes of photos. Trying to organize my genealogy was, in part, why I started to blog. I realized I had started several different blogs at various times over the years. I have now condensed everything on two blogs this one and  "My Victorian Parlor" That blog is where I will, as time allows, continue to share stories from the past about the lives of my ancestors as well as share posts on my love of the Victorian Era. The post HOW IT ALL BEGAN includes some basic information on my ancestors. Another post is on my Great, Great AUNT HATTIE.

The data part of my Family History has been coming together on Ancestry.com.  Yes, I love those little blinking green leaves! I have a lot of work to do yet on this.  I have the main lines pretty complete, now I am working on the related families.  If you click my tree above it should take you to my public tree.  Take a look, who knows, we could be distant cousins! 

MAIN PATERNAL LINES - Spalding, Webb, Bigham, Beall, Trucks, Elder, Emenheiser, Daugherty, Rojahn, Keller  (Pennsylvania, Maryland)

MAIN MATERNAL LINES - Steiner, Mundis, Brenneman, Himes, Neal, Griffith, Albright, Flowers, Schoenberger  (Pennsylvania, Maryland)

HUSBANDS' LINES -

Present Husband - Deeter, Esterline, VanBuskirk, Giles, Krick, Weaver, Reinhard, Richard (Pennsylvania)

Second Husband - Sprenkle, Hayes, Roucher, Baer, Martin, Eyster, Hershey, Stoner, Spangler (Pennsylvania, Missouri)
First Husband - Graybill, Heck, Erwin, Fitzsimmons, Baish, Kahn, Mummert, Kling, Zellers (Pennsylvania)

Monday Musings

Woke up to a balmy 3 degrees outside.  Forecasters say our high today will be in the low teens, HEAT WAVE! Fighting a cold I think, trying to stay ahead of it! Pumping in the Vitamin C today.

The weekend went to quickly.  Hubby and I enjoyed getting out and about together.  Remember, the trip to the grocery store was a must. Well, here is how that went.  Saturday we got up with the intention of going to Wal-Mart and Giant. First stop was the post office. We decided to go to York since we were hungry for a good steak from Longhorn.  After a good lunch we checked in with our daughter to see if they were home for a visit, but they were on a mission. They were getting ready to take our oldest granddaughter to get her learner's permit. So excited for her and yet terrified at the same time. Not so worried about her because she is very responsible. I worry about the other people on the road not paying attention, talking on their cell phones, driving recklessly and in general being a hazard to others.

We can visit another time, on to Wal-Mart. We like going to the one in York because it is larger than our local one and the selection better. We normally shop there on a weekday when we go down for an appointment or to take the grands to one. Shopping there on the weekend is a whole different experience and I call this experience insanity! The place was packed with shoppers and the noise level deafening. We both had things we wanted to look for and went off in different directions. I picked up a few items. Having had enough of the screaming kids, parents screaming back, people running in to me with their carts and just rudeness in general, I headed for the refuge of the greenhouse. I was all alone. What bliss, I was surrounded by plants and quiet solitude! While enjoying my private little sanctuary among the madness, I called my hubby on the cell and asked what he had picked up and had he seen how long the lines were? We reevaluated our need for the items we each had selected and decided we didn't need anything that bad to wait that long. We also realized that the Giant down the road would be just as bad. So we had an excuse to put grocery shopping off till the next day and returned home with only restaurant leftovers!

When we got up Sunday, we knew we had no choice, we had to do this.  But, why not make it fun. Hubby suggested going for breakfast first and it didn't take much to make me say yes to that! We lingered over our coffee after our meal, chatting and both knowing we were procrastinating the inevitable. 

Finally, we arrived at Hell, aka, the grocery store. We actually had fun and gave ourselves a few laughs along the way.  It isn't as bad when you have someone to shop with. Though he did say it never takes him and hour and a half to shop. He is a no nonsense shopper on mission with a list when he goes to the store on his own. I have to check out all the new stuff, read labels, examine all the selections of one item, select the perfect produce, meats, etc. He was teasing me at how long it took me to pick 3 boxes of pudding. Well there are so many choices!

The biggest laugh we had was in the produce section. He was standing a counter away from me with the cart when I was picking out my onions. I yelled over to him and asked him how many onions I had on the list. He is searching through the cart looking for the list. I turned around to find it laying on the pile of onions.  Forgot I put it down while I was making my selection. When I announced I had found it, another couple, close enough to hear us, also got a good laugh!

After surviving the grocery store it was on to refuel the truck. With what we spent at the store we had extra discount points to use on the gas. So did all the other Sunday shoppers. While waiting for our turn we both agreed we could drink a milkshake. Our favorite Ice Cream Shop is on the way home.  WHAT!? They closed for the month!?  What is wrong with these people? For some reason I crave ice cream more during the winter than in the summer. Rita's Italian Ice is my summer vice! Well on to another shop we knew of outside of town.  Unreal, they were closed as well.  Ah, Friendly's.  They are open year round.  VICTORY, we had our milkshakes and triumphantly sipped these on the way home.

Now that we had all those bags of food, we needed to get them in the house and put away.  Again, teamwork makes this more bearable.  As I finished putting the groceries away, hubby kept me company and we had a good laugh over our afternoon adventure to the store. A successful mission, the cupboards are full and fridge and freezer stocked as well. 

I am equipped to cook and bake once more and will be enjoying that among other things this week.  One goal down, grocery shopping accomplished!  Now on to the curtains!

Wishing you all a magical week!

The Perils of Perfectionism

One of my best traits is also one of my worst.  I am a perfectionist. I learned from the master, my mother.  Martha Stewart, another influence on my style and behavior, has nothing on my mother.  I have often said I would eat dinner off my mother's bathroom floor because she was just that meticulous of a Domestic Goddess. Dust did not exist in our house, the kitchen counters always sparkled and clothes were always clean and pressed. Beds were made daily. Our house was always neat and tidy. Not that we didn't live in our house, we just knew we should clean up after ourselves. What my dad and I didn't do, my mother did. Her cleaning and her eye for decorating made our home a beautiful place.

My grandmothers were also huge role models for me. Both just as amazing Domestic Goddesses as my mother.  Grandma Helen left me play in the kitchen and got me interested in sewing and hand arts. My first years of sewing were simple hand projects and then I advanced to using my grandma's treadle machine. I struggled with sewing in Home-Economics because the teacher tried to tell me different ways to do things than what I had learned. Obviously in my eyes my grandmother was right, this teacher had a lot to learn!  As hard as my grandmother tried, I never learned to tat, something she did beautifully and I wished I could learn. My Grandma Spalding did magic in the kitchen and even more on her sewing machine. She took in mending and would custom make clothing for her small community. Grandpa had a job at the Paper Mill, this along with Grandma's sewing income helped see the family through the Depression and the hard times during WWII. 

When my uncle came home on leave during WWII and proposed to my aunt, my grandmother made not only the bride's dress, but her attendants dresses as well, in about a week's time.  She was well known for the magic she could conjure up with a needle and thread. I have the bride doll she made me for my first Christmas and use that now for our Imbolc celebrations. I also have several handkerchiefs she embroidered and then tatted the edges of for me. Her wedding gift to me was a beautiful set of embroidered pillowcases with tatted edges.  She made my mother a set as well. I have them both now and treasure them very much.  A few of her crocheted pot holders and towels have survived over the years. When she was older and living at the Retirement Village, she kept busy crocheting, embroidering, tatting and knitting.

It is with much gratitude I can say I inherited the talents for cooking and sewing from the women of my ancestry. The cleaning, well, it is passable to me, but I know my attempts would not meet my mother's approval. It isn't that I can't do it that well, I just get side tracked and take short cuts on it! I don't dust and clean every single week, she would shudder. She did this several times a week!  I can say I do this for the most part at least every couple weeks!

My culinary work shines. I feel my mom and grandmothers are all watching with approval and guiding me when I create meals and baked goods from their recipes. I grew up being taught to always do my best and I know my best is good in the kitchen. I also am good at crafty things, both my parents were very creative and artistic. They influenced and nurtured my love of this by teaching me and doing crafts with me as I was growing up.

As for the sewing. Yes, I am good at sewing, but I am my own worst critic. I know I hold my standards too high and compare them to those of my Grandma Spalding's. I really do love to sew, but in the last 10 years or so, it seems to have become a real stumbling block. I am terrified to make that first cut in the material. Once I have overcome that obstacle, then I stress over the stitching.  Will it be even and smooth enough.  I cannot tell you how many seams I have ripped out that probably didn't need to be, just because I didn't think they were straight enough or might be off by a smidgen of an inch.  Ridiculous behavior! Behavior I am trying to unlearn and get back to where I can sit at my machine and create in joy! 

A perfect example of this is the set of curtains I am working on.  They are lurking behind me as I type, the cut pieces laying across the ironing board, ready for me to press the edges for the first seams. They are laughing at me because they know I am afraid of them!  Seriously, I am a big girl now. They are only curtains, straight seams! But wait, what if they aren't straight enough. What if they aren't exactly even on both sides??  Damn you perfectionism!  It is maddening!  Sabrina, I promise these will be done before Riley graduates!

So, there it is, my deep dark secret of the week. I ask you my, blog followers, to hold me accountable for this! I should be able to finish these this week. There should by a post by February 1 that they are finished!  If you do not see it, you may reprimand me here in the comments!

* * *

UPDATE - February 9, 2011 - THEY ARE FINISHED!  A little over a week past the date I had hoped for, but the curtains are done! Can't wait to deliver them Friday.

Making A Bucket List Is On My Bucket List

Some people may wonder why so many people blog.  I am sure there are as many answers to that as there are bloggers, but for all of us, the obvious common answer is we enjoy writing.  Relatively new to the blogging community, I am finding many kindred spirits among the writers.  Through our blogs we can share our musings and from reading others, we can learn and gain inspiration.

Yesterday, a fellow blogger friend posted a really great blog on doing a Bucket List, or actually, more than one, lists for different areas of your life and interest.  I will not bother to try to paraphrase her work, rather invite you to visit my friend, The Boondock Witch, and read her great post! 

I know at least one of my daughters has written a bucket list.  This is something I thought about doing for a long time, but it never got further than that, thinking about it.  One time I did try to start this list, but I was in a bit of a maudlin period of my life then and honestly couldn't come up with ideas for my bucket list.  This task kind of floated to the back of my mind, mixing in with other assorted abandoned ideas and the cobwebs in my mind.

After we get back from battling the grocery store demons, I plan to sit down and make another attempt to start on my own personal Bucket Lists!

Click the icon to read "The Bucket List"

To Hell and Back (aka - Shopping!)

If asked what my least favorite task is, I would quickly answer grocery shopping! Well, any shopping for that matter! I love making up my menu for the week as I linger over my assorted cookbooks and recipe files. I am very organized in compiling my shopping list as I make up this menu. I keep this file open on my computer and update it as other items come to light to be added to the shopping list. The list is even categorized, and I also keep a list for Target, the craft store, etc. It is carrying out the task of shopping that I struggle with and admittedly, many times, it gets passed to my husband who says he actually enjoys shopping. So I feel I am making him happy when I send him out there to shop, right? 

Maybe it is the crowds, I am not one who enjoys large crowds of people. Now our grocery store is not that bad, other than near the holidays and on days when there is snow in the forecast. It still amazes me how people panic shop when they hear the word snow! It is almost impossible to find bread, eggs and milk in the store when this happens. What do they eat?  Apparently french toast and eggs and they drink only milk? To me this does not make sense considering that during our worst blizzard conditions last year, all local roads were open in a day. 

I digress. Back to my own dislike of this task.  If I have to shop, I do thank our local Giant for having a wonderful selection and a clean store. Their produce is fresh and if I don't get to the butcher, I can pick up meat here that I am as confident in as we can be these days. I do enjoy the smell of the floral shop at the front of the store. That is a nice treat during the winter months when all plants and grass are lying dormant under the snow.  Another treat is the aisle of bulk candy, of course this is not a plus when trying to watch your weight.  I try to keep my candy purchase limited to Swedish Fish. 

As I maneuver through the store it is always interesting to study my fellow shoppers. There are always the screaming children, who like me, would rather be somewhere else at the moment. We all have encountered those shoppers who in some warped way think the grocery store is a speedway, racing up and down the aisles in a frenzy, banging in to your cart or worse, you. Another highlight of the experience is when you encounter those "pleasant" shelf stockers who feel you are in their way when you excuse yourself as you try to reach your desired item over their mess of boxes. The nerve of me to disrupt their work!

I was always taught to smile at people.  It seems that in today's world, that can result in varying reactions. An older person almost always smiles back and many time will engage in conversation. As I walk away I feel good because I am sure for some folks that live alone, this may be the only opportunity that day they have to talk to others. Then there are those who will smile back, others who give you that half hearted smile and still others who look at you as if you are mental.

Grocery shopping has become a real challenge to the consumer.  We try to figure out the best deal with all the sizes and brands.  Of course the bulk package is cheaper, but do I really need 20 lbs of rice for just the two of us? Economy size isn't always the best deal if you end up throwing half of it out. I am very strict about following sell by and use by dates. I have discovered you really need to watch lately as I have found things on the shelf either very close to the expiration date or even after. (Not at Giant, another store that is closer, but one I really shop at only in a pinch.)  I also look very suspiciously at employees behind the deli and bakery counters and watch their habits.  Yes, I am fussy!

The worst part of the whole grocery shopping experience can be at the check-out.  While my husband likes to play with the self check out, I do not. So I am left at the mercy of the cashier and if lucky, a bagger. He laughs as I stalk the check out lines looking for certain clerks that I either know are competent or at least look like they are. When I started working at 16 I was taught the importance of customer service and we were constantly reminded of this.  Not sure too many retail businesses do that as much these days.

First, let me emphasis the story I am about to share did not happen at Giant. For the most part, I give their clerks a good grade. There is always a bad egg or two in any store, but for the most part I usually have a decent check out experience at my favorite grocery store. As for the other one.... well, rarely. Beware retail folks, I am that customer who will complain to the manager, as well as tell them when an employee really does a great job! Not only will I tell the manager when an employee has done a great job, I personally tell the employee too, because it is a rare thing in retail stores today!

So here is my story. We had been out running errands and only needed a few items at the grocery store. Since it was on the way home, we stopped at "the other" store. We come up to the check out and there is a line in the middle where the clerk was working hard to check out the folks in her line. On one side another clerk has closed her line and is yelling past the working clerk, carrying on a conversation with the clerk on the other side of the conscientious employee. This one has no one in her line so I approach to put my items on the counter. She stops talking to the other clerk long enough to tell me to go to the center line as she is leaving at 3 and is going to close her register soon. First of all, the time was 2:55, not 3:00, the time she was scheduled to work to.  Secondly, we did not have that much stuff, would have taken probably a minute or two to check us out.  Thirdly, she gives me a look that tells me she is annoyed I interrupted her conversation with the other clerk which she has now resumed.

My husband knew what came next. He has seen that look on my face on other occasions. He and our granddaughter moved to the line with a number of other people in it. I went to the office and explained the situation to the manager. As I rejoined my family, the manager invited the clerk to join them for a conversation.  Needless to say she didn't get to leave at 3!  I am still waiting for the day I actually can compliment someone at that store.

There are a few exceptions to my dislike of shopping. While I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have been in a mall in the last 5 years, I do enjoy small stores. I can spend a lot of time in our local Metaphysical Shop and will gladly spend an hour or more at A C Moore and JoAnn Fabric shopping for craft supplies. I will also wander in to Borders for a latte and browsing on occasion.

The only grocery shopping experience I can say I truly enjoy is when we venture a little further from home and go to Wegmans. This is like the Super Bowl Champion of grocery stores! When we go there we enjoy eating at the Asian Buffet before we shop. They offer a wide variety of foods from local to ethnic. The wine shop is convenient to pick up a bottle for dinner. But for me, the best reason to go there is the bakery. Great marketing strategy on their part since the bakery is located just a bit off to the right of the main entrance. The smell of fresh bread and baked goods greets you as soon as you enter the store. To complete the art of temptation, they offer samples. Yes, our cart usually has a healthy dose of items from the bakery.

I have just examined my cupboards! No pasta, no canned veggies or soups, condiments running low, staples like Bisquick and rice among the missing, it is a sad sight! My husband and I have been doing emergency grocery stops for the past week.  It is time for me to finish my list. We have no choice, my husband and I must be brave and go face the horrors of the grocery store tomorrow. 

To my fellow shoppers,

be green and don't forget those reusable bags!

What Can We Do For Our Nation?

Perhaps it is the full moon affecting me, my mind seems to be bouncing all over the place today.  It started out that way.  Driving to physical therapy shortly before 7, the Full Moon was glowing with a fuzziness about it. According to weather lore, which is usually as accurate as the weather forecast (sometime more), snow is on the way.  The "experts" say 2-5 inches of snow can be expected overnight.  I love snow and especially love watching it as it falls in the silence of the early morning hours!

Thoughts of what I wanted to do today, this weekend and beyond were racing about in my mind.  Occasionally my thoughts drifted back to my rather bizarre dreams of last night, probably a result of reading "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe before bed. When I got home the news would take my mind off to the past to reflect on this, the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's Inauguration.

The news reminds me of the number of years that have passed since my arrival in this lifetime in 1957.  Hard to imagine it has been 50 years since the Inauguration of President Kennedy. Not quite 4 years old, I was too young to have first hand memory of the day. The Inaugural Address he delivered that day though would be ingrained in us as we grew up and is preserved for future generation to hear and read.

Most Americans are familiar with the famous quote from this address: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country." But do you know what follows? A call not only to America, but to the world echoed in his words... "My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." As I did in my reflection on Martin Luther King Jr's speech, I encourage you to take the time to read the full text of the Inaugural Address of President John F. Kennedy.

In our house, I remember that my parents had a picture of the Kennedy Family in a frame on one of the tables in the living room. The picture above of President Kennedy hung on the wall, next to one of Pope John XXIII.  A commentary on the people they admired. As I got older I would remember discussions of President Kennedy's presidency, but the first vivid memory I have of a first hand connection was the day he was assassinated.  I was 6, but like others of my generation, this would provide a memory of a defining moment in our nations history. Through my parents and teachers, the impact of this and the ideals of this administration would be made more clear over time.

Historians and others have written much about this beloved President and his family. At the time of his death he became almost sainted in the eyes of the nation. Obviously not everyone held the same admiration for him as my family did, but to many, he was a great man. Later years would reveal that he was human and had some indiscretions of his own. Something  I am sure has been true of every President in our nation's history. Obviously I do not want to see some lunatic in office, but I feel sometimes we spend too much time trying to dig up dirt on people's past rather than looking at what they have to offer in the present. I have to wonder how many potential great leaders are lost to time due to fear of running for public office because a scandal of past poor judgement would be uncovered.

Administrations are not perfect. But when you look at the overall contributions of them, you see that they all can claim some level of accomplishment as well as failures. Though the Kennedy Administration was cut short, he brought the issue of Civil Rights to the forefront. Service to fellow man was key and brought to life with the Peace Corps. I reflected on this mobilization of the nations youth a few days ago when I heard of the death of President Kennedy's brother-in-law, Sgt. Shriver, the first director of the Peace Corps. 

Another revelation in the news today, a reminder that the first of the Baby Boomers, those of us born between 1946 and 1964, will be turning 65 this year. We were a generation committed to change and bringing about peace and human rights. I think we have fallen short. Over the years we blended in to the very establishment we protested years earlier. Many of our voices changed from the shouts of protest to whispers of discontent or worse yet, complacency. I challenge us, as we become the Senior Citizens of our nation, to awaken our former selves.  Let us not waste these years of wisdom, but use them to support those causes once so important to us. Though aging we are still a force in numbers.  Let our legacy as "Boomers" be that we DID make a difference in the world we leave behind when we transition to the next.

Once Upon A Midnight Dreary.....

Happy Birthday Edgar!

Yes, a second blog for the day, but I must pause to pay homage to one of my very favorite authors.  I have a page in the works in tribute to EDGAR ALLAN POE on my Victorian Blog.  Haven't had the time to work on that one much, must tend to this soon!

Living fairly close to Baltimore, I have had the chance to visit the Poe attractions. I grew up seeing the reports on the news each year about a mystery visitor coming to Poe's grave on the anniversary of his birthday. Roses and a bottle of cognac were the offerings to the author from this mystery visitor.  But last year, for the first time since 1949, the visitor did not appear. The vigil for this year began at midnight and sadly dawn would bring with it the reality of another year without the visitor.

Perhaps we will never know the identity of the person who honored Poe each year on his birthday. If it has been the same person all these years, obviously they would be at quite an advanced age by now. The news reports indicated the folks who showed up for the vigil in the wee hours of today left roses behind when the vigil ended at dawn.  So despite the fact the single yearly visitor did not appear, the most important thing is that Poe was still honored!  As the full moon rises this evening, I will read The Raven and raise my glass to honor Mr. Poe in my own way!

Winter Comfort Foods

Yesterday we woke to an additional 4 inches of snow on the ground with a crust of ice on top.  My husband made his way off to work. As I watched him scraping his truck I decided to plan a good hearty meal for him to enjoy when he returned home. After all, he was out there braving the elements and I have the luxury of being in my warm home all day. I always welcome an excuse to play in the kitchen!

Early in the day I chopped the vegetables and put together a big pot of beef stew. I let this simmer on the stove all day, by about 3pm I was really getting hungry from the smell!  Now, what to have with it?  I picked up my notebook filled with recipes for baked goods and it opened to the page with my great grandmother's Sally Lunn Bread recipe. I hadn't made that in ages and decided this would be perfect with the beef stew!  One of my older cousins has a "receipt" book that belonged to our Great Grandma Annie. In this book she had recorded things like birthdays, addresses, dates family members entered the military, death dates, events of note and the like. Scattered among the pages were a few of her recipes. I photocopied these and pasted the Sally Lunn recipe, along with her picture, in my own recipe book.

Great Grandma Annie's Recipe

for Sally Lunn Bread

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup of sugar

2 level teaspoons of baking powder

2 cups of flour

2 eggs

1 cup of milk

Cream the butter & sugar. Mix and sift together flour and baking powder and add to the creamed mixture alternating with the milk. Add the well beaten eggs and bake in a loaf pan in a moderate* oven from 30-40 minutes.  

(* 350 degrees)

While the recipe didn't say, I greased and floured the pan. Mine took about 50 minutes until the tester came out clean. By the time my hubby came home the house was filled with the smell of the stew mingling with the bread. With the bread fresh out of the oven, we enjoyed a warm, hearty meal. Delicious! The sweetness of this bread really complimented the stew.

After I decided on the bread, my next thought was what to do for dessert. I had to work with what was in the house because I didn't get for groceries on Monday like I had planned. My cupboards are getting a bit bare. I looked in the refrigerator and noticed the jar of applesauce. APPLESAUCE CAKE! I put this in the oven while we were eating so we could enjoy this warm. Divine decadence! The smell of fresh baked goods lingers in the air this morning.

Applesauce Cake

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup applesauce

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Plump raisins in rum a few hours or overnight.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
Cream butter and sugar. Add applesauce. Beat until well blended.  Stir in flour, soda and spices. Drain any remaining rum from raisins. Fold in raisins and nuts. Spoon in to the cake pan.  Bake 40-45 minutes, until tester comes out clean, at 350 degrees.
Serve warm. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of cake before serving.
Also good topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Huck & Tom - In An Altered State

Illustration by E.W. Kemble - 1884

The quest to change the past strikes the literary world. It has been reported that Alan Gribben, who is identified as a Twain scholar, is in the process of publishing a book that will combine the classics; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.  There will be some revisions though to Mark Twain's original words.  Reportedly the original works contain a total of 219 instances of the derogatory N-word. 215 in Hukleberry Finn and 4 in Tom Sawyer. The proposed revision would change this to "slave".

Before offering my rant, I must state upfront that I absolutely despise the word in question from these works and I can say it is one I have not used. My stand against the revision in no way is my promoting acceptance of use of this word in our society today, though unfortunately it is still uttered in ignorance by some. My objection is to censorship of any topic and people trying to change or cleanse history.

Altering books with a word that was used openly during the period of history these classics portray will not change the fact it was used. I have read journals, letters and diaries from the Civil War era that also contain this word. Newspapers used it as well. I read them with the understanding of the period of time they were written in. We cannot erase or change those times. Sterilizing our history causes us to see the past through rose colored glasses. Historian George Santayana's famous quote rings true, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.". How will future generations know of the injustices of our past if we continue to remove references to them?

Mark Twain was born in 1830 and died in 1910. He witnessed life before and after The Civil War and The Emancipation Proclamation. Tom Sawyer was published in 1876. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was first published in England in December of 1884 and in February 1885 in America.  These books portray the lifestyle, thoughts and feelings of the people of that period of history. I have to wonder what he would have to say about these proposed changes.

Personally, I say rather than banning these works or altering the text, let these literary works be an opportunity for teachers to engage students in open dialogue. Discuss why and when this word changed from acceptance in society to one of the most derogatory words of our language. Use literary works such as these to incorporate and explore factual history. Encourage students to further research the treatment of the slaves, what happened when they were freed, the continued discrimination, rise of the KKK, how the Civil Rights movement increased, etc.. So much history to be discovered, let it stand as it was.

Removal of the N-word is not the only revision proposed to these works. "Injun Joe" would now be called "Indian Joe" and the phrase "half-breed" would be changed to "half-blood".  My personal rants on the injustice to the Native Americans will be held for a future rambling. Every ethnic group has some derogatory label attached to them and they have been used throughout history. This does not make it right, it just is a fact of human nature. To erase references of them from memory will not erase the hurt they inflicted or the fact the hatred was there in the first place. Why not examine cause and effect of these actions and again, hopefully learn from this.

THE RECENT PAST

Thanks to mass media, it may be harder to erase the true tone of our country in the later part of the 20th century and beyond.  Historic events are recorded on film, reported in newspapers, published in countless books and magazines and of course everything is out there on the Internet. In addition to these sources, there is the personal documentation by individuals through their own journals, blogs and photography to preserve the events of their lifetime. The words of our world leaders, entertainers, sports figures as well as everyday folks are preserved for us to review. The reality of war, injustice, natural devastation as well as the good of humanity are documented. Let us preserve these in tact so that future generations may see how we lived and learn from the good and the bad.

Television shows started to change to reflect a more realistic view of society by the late 1960's. The topics of racism, anti-war sentiment, feminism, sexual preference and divorce were addressed openly, though still censored to a point. These shows live on in syndication, on the web and on DVD. 

All In The Family was one of the most controversial shows of the era when it debuted in 1971. Unfortunately, we all knew someone who acted and thought like Archie Bunker. The show openly depicted the changing attitudes in America at this time. Archie was the disgruntled bigot, constantly defending his views, spewing his racial stereotypes and defending the "US of A". This would stir many heated debates with his liberal daughter Gloria and like minded husband Mike. These same debates were occuring in homes around the country as the Baby Boomers were questioning their government. The family was rounded out with Archie's wife, Edith, the mild mannered, long suffering, "ding-bat" caught in the middle. Edith's outspoken cousin Maude brought the subject of feminism to the small screen in her visits and later Maude became the first spin off, airing  Sept 12, 1972. 

Archie's neighbors were the Jeffersons. Putting a black family next to Archie would prove for many interesting dialogues in this sitcom. The Jeffersons become the second spin-off of All In The Family, premiering in January of 1975.  The Jeffersons portrayed George moving up in the world with his successful business and moving his family to a "deluxe apartment in the sky", where he would encounter new neighbors Tom and Helen. I believe this was the first time a bi-racial couple was portrayed in a sitcom.

I compare these to the controversy over the literary works of Mark Twain to show that they too give a snapshot of a period of history with all the flaws and successes of the day. If we allow our literary work to be altered to cleanse history, how long will it be before someone tries to erase or revise other forms of expression that portrayed life as it was known by those who lived at the time it was created.

Do we allow censorship or revision of the written word in a book? Should a movie or television show produced reflect an altered interpretation of life just to be politically correct? What about a work of art created, a musical piece composed, or any other form of expression? Do we suppress the truth or do we view these as learning tools to understand the social and political climate of our country when they were created? 

I end my rant with an excerpt of a script I found online from The Jeffersons. Tom is the white man, married to Helen who is black. While this dialogue between a white man and a black man is a script for television, it could have been heard around the country as well at the time this show aired. Can we learn something from reading this script, or watching the actual show, in the context of the era in which it occurred?  I say yes. Just as we can learn from any unaltered expression!

The Jeffersons: The Breakup: Part 1 (#2.16)" (1976)

Tom Willis: [Helen and Louise are fighting] Now, now, now! This is no way to break up over crazy George.

George Jefferson: HEY! Who you calling crazy, honky?

Tom Willis: [enraged] Don't call me honky!

George Jefferson: Huh! Why are you so sensitive all of a sudden?

Helen Willis: He's not the only one!

Tom Willis: How would you feel if I called you nigga?

George Jefferson: [appalled] Huh! He called me nigga!

Helen Willis: That's no worse than honky!

George Jefferson: You're right. Nothing's worse than a honky except being married to one!

Nurturing the Dream

"We must learn to live together as brothers or we will perish together as fools"
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Election night, November 4, 2008, my husband and I watched with great interest as the returns came in from around the nation. Something I had not thought I would witness in my lifetime was happening.  We had elected our first president of African American descent. I proudly supported Barack Obama and campaigned for him during the primaries and general election. I cried tears of joy that night, just as I did when we watched the Inauguration a few months later. I saw in him hope, just as his campaign stated. He was full of hope then and I believe he still is. Each president comes to office filled with his own hopes and dreams and goals for his administration to accomplish. Those dreams take more than one man to accomplish, they take the cooperation of the cabinet, senators and congressmen. The input and action from the constituents of these elected officials can further put a dream in to action. Let us agree to disagree, but work together toward the common good of our nation. It takes all of us to make a dream come true and for change in the country to come about.

It is no secret the political climate in our country is at an all time low. The recent events in Tuscon have brought that to the forefront in our media. Not that we didn't know it before. Recent elections were filled with mud slinging. Actions on the hill are filled with partisan politics. How about serving the people instead of a party for a change? Perhaps in tragedy we can find a ray of hope that this will force reform and change, not only in politics, but the media as well.

Most people can quote a line or so from the famous I HAVE A DREAM speech delivered August 28, 1963 in Washington by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  But I wonder how many people have actually ever read the whole speech.  On this day that we have set aside to honor him, I invite you to take the time to do so. Just as it is now, the climate of the nation was unsettled. The racial tension at the time this speech was given was explosive and in this speech Dr. King is asking people to refrain from violence to attain their goals. The dream of peace, equality and unity filled his heart and so it should ours. This dream is still a work in progress. 

I was born September 24, 1957.  The headlines from the newspaper the day I was born were filled with news from Little Rock, Arkansas and the fact "students of color" were being escorted to school by members of the military to carry out orders of desegregation. I am old enough to remember signs of the past in my hometown. There was a comfort station in the center of town and at the bottom of the stairs on the right there was a door that still had the sign "Colored" posted on it.  No longer in use, but still a reminder of the recent past. I also remember the same sign over a water fountain at one of our drugstores. Over time these disappeared. There were no black students in my class in my elementary school, but through other activities I was involved with, I did have exposure to our black community. It was close to the end of my fifth grade year when Dr. King was assassinated. Just as when President Kennedy was killed, my family and I gathered around the television to witness the days that followed. Sadly, two months later we would again witness senseless violence when Senator Kennedy was killed. Much unrest followed these tragic events. There were riots in my home town in 1969. I witnessed others across the nation by way of the news on television.

I became interested in politics, the peace movement and civil rights at an early age and credit my parents for this. They encouraged discussion and we made it a point to watch the news together after supper. I began to understand the world was still a very unequal place. By the time I was in Junior High School my circle of friends was more diverse. I noticed when my friends and I would gather in public we were scrutinized and judged. Looking back, I now realize what a vital part of this nation's history I have lived through.

While I applaud the steps toward equality that have taken place in my lifetime, we still have a long way to go. We give lip service to tolerance and equality for all, but how much action do we support our words with. Each and every person in this country needs to embrace and live the idea of equality before the dream is fully realized. As long as there is discrimination against even one person based on their gender, race, sexual orientation or religious beliefs, we have not attained the dream. 

In celebration of his life, today I honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by pledging to continue to nurture his dream and promote the idea of equality. Why not join me?

The Ghost Balloon

During the last holiday season my father was alive, someone left a foil balloon for him that said Merry Christmas.  It was tied to his bed and stayed inflated through January 10th when he passed.  I brought the balloon home with me the day he died and put it next to the desk in our front room.  The days following his passing were pretty much a blur.  Relatives and friends were contacted, funeral plans made and we gathered to say goodbye and bury my father on January 13, 2000.

There were things about the funeral that will stay forever ingrained in my memory.  There was the private time with the family in the back of the church when we closed the casket, the last I would look upon the earthly vessel that carried my father's amazing spirit for almost 70 years. I tucked a few personal things into the casket that had special meaning to dad and I. A treasured flag he got on a school trip that he had hanging in his room for many years, the religious medals and scapular that hung on his bed at home and then later at the nursing home and a Peppermint Patty doll, something that was a loving tie between him and I.

The service at the church ended and as we began the trek to the cemetery rain began to fall.  The procession took us through the small town where he grew up and as we passed my grandparents old house memories of times spent there with my dad came flooding back.  We continued on to the small country cemetery where my mother and his parents were already interred.  As we turned in to the cemetery the rain stopped and there was this small opening in the clouds and rays of light streamed from that opening.

On the hilltop, where the grave was located, the Military Honor Guard of about a dozen Veterans stood with flags proudly waving in the wind. The bag piper stood silhouetted against the sky at the very end of the honor guard. This took my breath away and I thought of how this much reflected what my dad loved. You know those moments you sometimes have, when laughter would not be appropriate, well I had one of those at the cemetery. I had to contain myself as I could just imagine my mother yelling "how could you have that noise at my grave".  As much as my father and I loved bagpipes, well, that was how much she didn't. I knew my dad was pleased the pipes played that day.

The casket was carried to the grave and following a brief service, taps was played and a 21 gun salute sounded a final farewell to this proud Navy Veteran.  As fellow mourners began to leave, I stood for a few moments at the foot of the casket, really rather numb. So many emotions flowed through me in the last few days. The sadness and loneliness I felt was overwhelming, but there was at that same time, joy. My father had suffered so much during the last few months. He now had transitioned to another plane and the pain and suffering his earthly body endured had ended. Those who had gone before, who he missed and longed to see, were welcoming him. I kissed the foot of the casket and returned to the car with my family.  As we left the cemetery the rain began to fall again. Following a gathering at a friends house for lunch, we returned home. I remember watching the clouds as we drove home and it seemed as if they were glowing despite the fact the rain was falling from them. As we crossed the river we saw a rainbow. I felt dad was letting us know he was just fine.

The week that followed the funeral was difficult for me. I had been strong through the 8 months my father had been so ill and through the funeral.  It was after that everything hit me. I was so close to my dad and missed him so much, I still do. But, I was given a wonderful husband who would be there for me, just as my dad had been all my life to that point. My husband, kids and grand kids were my strength now. I will never forget our wedding reception in November of 1998. When I danced with my dad, he said "I am so glad you have found someone like him. Now I know you will be okay should something happen to me." I dismissed the thought of my dad not being around, but later wondered if somehow he knew his time here was coming to an end.  Only a few months later he was taken to the hospital with an aneurysm and never fully recovered from this, passing 8 months later.

There were a number of things that occurred following his passing that I feel were his way of letting us know  he was checking on us as well as assuring us he was okay. Some were just little passing moments that I felt his presence, others a bit more pronounced. The rainbow was one, that Christmas balloon would be another.

The house where we were living at the time had a huge double living room, with a curved archway separating the two rooms.  The front part of the living room was used as our office area. The room in the back is where we watched television and gathered as a family. An open stairway was at the back of this room and we had a sectional hutch in front of that. Now you have to understand this was an old drafty house with high ceilings and the air current came down those steps and flowed in toward the front room. 

It was about 2 weeks after the funeral.  My dad's balloon was still floating next to the desk in the front room. We kept remarking about how long this balloon had stayed inflated. The kids had gone to bed and my husband and I curled up on the sofa to watch television.  I caught something moving out of the corner of my eye and told my husband to look. The balloon had started moving across the ceiling in the front room. We watched as it deliberately moved toward the room we were in and dipped down to navigate under the archway and then back up closer to the ceiling on the other side.  It continued at the same pace across the room in front of us.

This movement defied the natural flow of the drafts in those rooms. It floated to the top of the hutch at the stairway and then moved downward, coming to rest next to the case that contained the flag from my father's casket. That is where it would stay until I moved it several months later to put it in a box of mementos. My husband and I both just looked at each other, convinced dad was letting us know he was with us. I felt that the fact he brought attention to the flag was a sign he approved of the send off we gave him at the cemetery. We were glad that we both witnessed this so we could say with certainty, yes, that happened!

 I still have that balloon!

Dad's flag sits on a dresser in our walk in closet

and the Ghost Balloon is behind it.

Computer Cat

Continuing on the subject of computers, I must share a funny story about the lengths my husband goes to so that my computer needs are met.

The Queen

First, let me tell you about Cleopatra.  I have shared the home of several cats and dogs in my lifetime and have loved them all.  But our cat Cleo was unique. We often remarked that she seemed human from the way she would be so attentive to you when you talked to her. The expressions on her face changed with her moods and reactions. I met her when I started dating Silver Wolf and we bonded from day one. I moved in to his house which at the time was also occupied by 2 kids, 2 cats, 2 dogs and 2 birds. The birds passed not long after I moved in, no connection, honest!  The 2 cats and 2 dogs came along when we moved to Maryland in 2000. 

Cleopatra and I shared much time together. Where I was, she was there too. Cleopatra was perfect and could do no wrong in my eyes. Our favorite spot was at the desk. I would be working on the computer, she would be curled up on top of the monitor. She would leave for short periods of time to get something to eat, tend to her litter box needs and make her rounds to the bedrooms to make sure the kids were asleep and then return to her perch. 

This routine continued in the new house in Maryland.  However not long after we moved Silver Wolf bought me a flat screen monitor.  He set it up for me.  After dinner that night Cleo jumped up on the desk and did her usual ritual of walking across the keyboard, leaving a cryptic message on the screen for me.  After I would pet her for what she deemed was the appropriate amount of time, and she consumed her treats, she would move on to her perch. Now, as sleek as Cleopatra was, she did not fit on top of the flat screen monitor.  She jumped up and went right behind it.  After consoling her I turned to Silver Wolf and told him he had to put the old monitor back on the desk.  He looked at me and I know he wanted to argue this point, but understood that in the pecking order of the house, Cleopatra was on top.  And so he put the big, clunky old monitor back and all was well in Cleopatra's kingdom once more.

When we lost her, I mourned her passing deeply.  All these years later I still miss her love and companionship. Several weeks after her passing my husband got brave enough to ask if he could put the flat screen back on the desk which I reluctantly allowed him to do.  The Queen's royal perch was retired. 

A Milestone for My Husband

My husband was recognized for his 25 years of service at his company luncheon today.  This is a real accomplishment in today's job market. While his title has changed several times over the years, he always has been responsible for the computer systems at his company.  His latest and current title is IT Coordinator (Information Technology).  He is my "IT" guy too.  While I love using my computer, if I break it, he fixes it.  I know little of the inner workings of the program end of the computer. He has taught me a lot about the computer and I have learned a lot on my own as well.

We often talk about how computers have evolved over the years since we started working. Punch cards and countless rooms that housed all the computer equipment are foreign to the computer technology students of today. Smaller and faster, wonderful improvements for sure. While we could entertain ourselves for hours with Pong, the kids of today would consider that boring. Hubby now loves his WWII games and I am much happier to be able to play games like Sims, Roller Coaster and Age of Empires. Of course we can't forget Farmville online! Which by the way, Farmville posted a message this morning saying they would be down for maintenance this afternoon. THE HORROR! Hubby is soon going to send me to Farmville Anonymous, which if it doesn't exist, should!

I am so proud of my husband.  His work ethic is that of the old school. He takes great pride in his work and is certainly a loyal and dedicated employee. The worst job related event I have experienced with him, since we were together, was the Y2K hysteria.  His company was one of the smart ones that had been preparing for this for years and they were pretty sure everything was compliant. Still, there was concern for the chance of some unknown glitch to surface. We were at our oldest daughter's house that New Year's Eve. Shortly after midnight his phone rang and I think we all held our breath.  I watched his face as the operator reported to him and with each "OK" he replied with, I swear I saw a line disappear from his brow. The call came to an end with "great" and we all celebrated the fact the millennium arrived and all was well in his computer kingdom.

I do look forward to the time when he will retire so we can spend more time together, but for now, I am happy to know he is at a job he likes. Changes come in the world of computer technology daily. It will be interesting to see what is ahead. 

Love you Silver Wolf!  Congratulations on your accomplishment and a job well done!