PROCEEDING TO 2011

Mixed holiday season! Lots of snow for Christmas Day with long spells of bitter cold and impossible roads. Still it was merry. My daughter-in-law ordained only hand-made gifts in the family so all creativity was tested and passed with flying colors (no fair counting clichés).
Hand or homemade was an excellent idea since nothing is made in the USA except Omaha Steaks which likewise was a smart gift received. Hope we continue it. While looking for made in the USA items I discovered www.usamade.com and www.itsy.com, both recommended. I recorded a reading to disc as a gift and received a disc, a wonderful montage of family home movies circa 1950-1960s that should’ve been subtitled Leave it to Beaver’s Happy Days. Wonderful to review the ham displayed. My youngest but older brother thought it hilarious to act out the intricacy of chomping an apple to death, romancing his wife followed by beating her… and it was. Visiting northern family spent quality time enjoying our beach and golf lessons from their Dad. When the latter became too intense (and golf lessons always do) they spontaneously broke into cartwheels and flips leaving him to display his perfect Ben Hogan swing alone. All understood the concept of moving because it’s a movie. Half those performing are now deceased so that made the gift more precious. My own stellar performances were how to move at a traditional Savannah New Year’s Eve party of that era (though not at my usual Johnny Harris’s) and passing a seemingly endless supply of babies (my own, nephews and nieces) back and forth with relatives. Interaction of the then youngsters puts the similar professional TV version to shame for humor. OMG (an expression I hate but it allows one the illusion of not breaking one of those 10 biggies) were we happy but poor then!
OMG to the nth power! Just answered knock at my door: Remember my neighbor who likes to cook? I call her Meals in Heels. There she stood with a huge container of baby back ribs, collard greens, cornbread and black-eyed peas! It was two hours before suppertime but the aroma forced me to the table to finish off half the greens immediately with a pinch off the bread. Fabulous! For the unknowing there is a cast iron menu on New Year’s Day for Southerners but I was working so hard I’d totally ignored/forgotten it as I often do. The superstition is no greens= no money all year, no pork= no ease, without Hoppin’-John (black-eyed peas and rice)= bad luck. I’m good for a banner year with enough left over for the same feast tomorrow. Happy New Year!