In 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Thousands were killed. Our nation was stunned. A long, hard war was fought against Japan while another was being fought against Germany. The wars ended. Japan and Germany are both now our friends and allies.

In 2001 another enemy attacked our country. The towers fell. The pentagon was seriously damaged. Our nation was stunned. Thousands were killed. A long hard war is still being fought. Do you suppose that one day our grandchildren will consider the nations of Afghanistan and Iraq our friends and allies?

Christmas Spirit

The first snowfall of the season is covering my world with soft puffy blankets of white. The house is filled with the cinnamony smell of gumdrop cake. The lights twinkle on the tree. Silent Night is playing on the radio. Three Christmas cards and my order from Amazon arrived in the mail.

I am officially in the Christmas spirit.

Retirement Living

Retirement is such a big life change that you would think it would make an enormous difference in how life feels. Dennis has been working full time since he was teenager. He has been retired for three days. So far retirement just feels normal. Obviously it is still a very new thing, but it just feels so very normal so far. He is sleeping a little later and has taken a couple of naps He has worked in the yard and put up Christmas decorations. He has worked on the computer. He visited a friend in the hospital. He has gone to the gym and even joined me in a water aerobics class. We went out to lunch one day. We are both curious to see how this retirement living will all work out, but so far it is just comfortable.

Life is good.

We feel blessed.

Christmas Tree

1949
Sue: “Mommy, it's the prettiest Christmas tree we ever had!”
Mom: “Yes honey, it is.”

1959
Mom: “ It's the prettiest Christmas tree we ever had!”
Sue: “Oh Mom, you always say that.”

1969
My children: “Mommy, it's the prettiest Christmas tree we ever had!”
Sue: “Yes, it is.”

1979
Sue: “Children, it's the prettiest Christmas tree we ever had!”
My children: “Oh Mom, you always say that.”

1989
My grandchildren: “Gramma, it's the prettiest tree we've ever had!”
Sue: “Yes, it is.”

1999
Sue: “Grandchildren, it's the prettiest tree we've ever had!”
My grandchildren: “Oh Gramma, you always say that.”

2009
Sue: Whispering heavenward, “Mom, it's the prettiest tree we've ever had!”
My mom: Smiling from heaven, “Yes honey, it always is.”

The Dressing

I stirred and stirred. My mom kept telling me I had to keep stirring the dressing until it tasted good. She would come and taste it often. Sometimes she added a little more of this or that. I stirred until she declared it tasted good. The dressing was an all important item for our thanksgiving meal. I loved it then. I love it still.

I was twenty-two years old with a young family of my own when we moved across the country. It became my job to fix the dressing. I was filled with trepidation at this all-important task. I called home crying that I didn't think I could fulfill this great responsibility. Mom assured me that I could do this.” “Just make sure you stir it till it tastes good.” I made the cornbread and prayed for success. That first thanksgiving on my own I had to re-make the cornbread after mice nibbled their way through most of the first pan. I protected the second batch from the mice. The dressing was good, but not as good as Mom's.

Today my daughter is doing the cooking. I am looking forward to eating a big plateful of dressing.

Here is my mother's recipe for dressing. It is wonderful. You just have to be sure to stir it.

Turkey Dressing
By Gramma Byrtle
             Make a big pan of cornbread. Then add about as much stale light bread as you have cornbread. Crumble all into little, tiny pieces.
            Cook neck, gizzard, etc. of turkey till good and done – use plenty of water for stock to pour over the bread. Cut this meat up (some of it) & add to the dressing – save enough giblets back to put in gravy.
            Beat up about 6 (maybe 4) eggs and add to dressing & add salt & pepper to taste – also a small amt. of sage – too much makes it a mess - about a tsp. I think
            I cook quite a lot of celery & a big onion (cut up fairly good) in pan of water separately & dump all this in dressing too. (a chicken bouillon cube may be used too if you want) (or poultry seasoning may be used instead of sage.)
            Taste till it’s good –I like it kinda moist – not too dry. Stuff into bird just before roasting – a danger of spoiling if you put it in ahead. Left over may be baked in pan separately. Big Mama used to stuff a cloth bag of extra dressing & bake it along side of turkey. I hope you good luck, Sue!
 
            (This letter is the recipe sent from Mom to Sue in 1965 - our first Thanksgiving in Maryland. I tried to follow it for several years, but could never get it to taste like my Mom’s dressing. After that I used Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix.)
 




 

He Is Really Doing It

In early September my husband came home and said something I never expected him to say. I am still stunned by the decision he made that day. He looked at me and said, “It just isn't much fun any more. I think it is time to retire.” My astronomer has always loved his job. He got up each day looking forward to going to work. He loved figuring out the problems of the universe. He looked into the far reaches of the heavens and could see what he called the light left over from creation. Few men found such joy in their chosen career. He has been blessed. He says it is now time to do something else. He is so interested in so many things that he could not do because of his NASA obligations. He wants to have time to work on some of those things. Among other things he wants to write a book about four dimensional geometry (I have no idea what that is). Of course I have a long list of honey-dos to keep him busy and we will probably do some more traveling. He will not be bored.

Yesterday he was given a retirement party by his friends in the lab where he has worked for so many years. I had never seen this place where he spent so much of his life. It is not easy to get onto the NASA campus with all the security they have now. For this occasion some of our children, grandchildren and I went through security and joined the festivities in his lab. This place which all his co-workers refer to as Dennis's Lab is just a big room full of computers and people. It is a place where he is greatly honored and loved. I was told that he is the heart and soul of the lab. When he leaves the sparkle will will be gone. Everyone was given a bolo tie and a fake beard so we could pose for a picture with this bearded, bolo tie wearing, beloved astronomer.The party was just right.

Tomorrow will be his last work day. Monday he will go collect signatures from a large assortment of people as part of the official sign-out procedure. He will turn in his badge. Then he will come home.

The adventure of retirement lies before him. We are excited about what the days will bring.

Full Week End

I spent most of Friday in the church kitchen. There was a memorial service that day for a much loved lady. She was remembered with laughter, tears, good stories and beautiful music. Her ashes were spread in the memorial garden to feed the beautiful flowers and plants growing there. Her friends then gathered to remember, to share, and to eat. These moments seem like such sacred times in life. I feel blessed to be able to help in these moments. I am served far more than I serve.

Friday evening was stargazing night. We gathered with friends on a small, quiet beach on the Chesapeake Bay to enjoy the night sky and the company of good friends. My astronomer brought his telescope. Through it's lens we could see mountains and craters on the crescent moon. It looked like an exquisitely carved ivory tusk. He readjusted the viewing field and there was Jupiter with three planets circling around it. It was an impressive sight. Later we lay on the beach snuggled into warm blankets and admired God's beautiful sky. We saw the great square of Pegasus, and watched as Orin rose above the horizon. We could see the faint spot that is the galaxy of Andromeda. Pondering the immensity of the universe tends to make the world seem to a more manageable size. I saw a great, beautiful shooting star. The cold finally became too much and we had to come home, but it was a lovely evening.

Bright and early Saturday morning I joined more than forty volunteers to help run an H1N1 flu clinic. The public health department and our church joined forces to vaccinate over two-hundred people. It was so well organized that there were no major problems. People began lining up about an hour before we opened and waited patiently for their turn. The weather was sunny and warm and people chatted and visited with neighbors as they waited. I can't say that all the children were thrilled to be getting a shot, but their parents were quite happy and thankful.

Today is Sunday. I do love being a part of a church family and being able to worship God together with people I love. This morning the bell choir played. Playing the bells is one of my favorite things. We shared a big pre Thanksgiving dinner after church. This time I stayed out of the kitchen and just enjoyed the food and the fellowship. I took a nap this afternoon.

Next week will be full of good things.