Sugar Cookie Tradition

I don't have many traditions anymore at Christmas, since the kids are grown and gone. But the one that I still carry on for the whole family is the baking of Grandma's sugar cookies. I usually only make them at Christmas. And I am the only family member to make them. So the pressure is on for December 24th! I have been making them every year I've been married and probably before that, but I can't remember that far back!

These are not just your run-of-the-mill sugar cookies! Grandma's recipe goes back over 100 years when it was passed on to her from my great-grandma. Over the years I've tried tweaking it, but have gone back to using real buttermilk now. Everything else is just as it was then. Grandma gave me tips over the years like only work the dough as little as possible. The dough needs to refrigerate overnight. And just use the bare minimum of flour. Since they have to be cut, that is a very important rule.

A fb friend posted about how she was "channeling" her grandma as she was baking today. I thought of that. How interesting! I looked at the cookies differently! I thought about the star cookie cutter that was Grandma's too. It must be 80 years old and still in perfect shape. I thought about the glass sugar shakers that either she or I bought many, many years ago. Still just fine! It shows they cost $.10! Thinking of those things made the baking so much more fun!

The other important part of this tradition is trying to remember who likes only sugar sprinkled and who likes only icing. I divide the cookies to my different family members and try to remember who likes what. For instance, my husband only likes them iced. For the family sugar-cookie connoisseurs, we just like the sprinkled sugar. Mostly, each family likes a combination, so I can't lose! Over the years, I have added the red hots. But I cannot break with the different shapes. Most of the cutters I have had since I was first married. And I have to make sure I have the ones for Santa to eat!

Anyway, this cookie-baking tradition was made more special today by thinking of my grandma and mom making these before me. I am so grateful this year to be healed of my broken leg and able to keep the tradition alive.

Merry Christmas to all!

Communicate, communicate, communicate...

In all facets of life, communication has got to be the number one issue for relationships. I know this is much easier said than done for many people. It doesn't always come naturally to me, but when the lines of communication are opened it does. Many times I am the one to open those lines. Trust me, it isn't always easy, but the rewards are worthwhile. Often, misunderstandings are resolved. Relationship issues are better understood. Communication allows forward movement. Granted, the answers are not always the ones that we want to hear. But with the willingness to be open and honest with others, respect and trust are often the outcomes. I appreciate that quality in the people that I know and hope that I reciprocate.

I chose this picture because it is one of my favorite places. It is Indian Springs near Palm Springs. It's an oasis in the middle of the desert. The two canyon walls represent two people who communicate and form the living spring with fertile ground around them where life happens. That's how we need to be. You cannot be alone and grow.

In this week before Thanksgiving, I am most thankful to those around me who have shown genuine caring and are willing to communicate with me on all levels of life. You can trust that I will be open and honest in return. Isn't that what life's about?!!

The Gift of Time

I found a quote from Emerson that has been so appropriate..."The only gift is to give of thyself." This pretty much sums up my life's philosophy. From an early age, my family trekked to Rantoul every Sunday afternoon to visit my grandparents. It has been instilled in me that giving others your time is one of the most important qualities you can possess. Who doesn't love when someone wants to be with you without expecting anything in return? Who doesn't love when someone takes time to write a note of encouragement? Who doesn't love when someone calls just to say, "Hi! How're ya doin'?"? Plus I find that giving back to others by volunteering for activities such as making food deliveries or mentoring a child or serving on Council is giving the gift of time from my side. The gift works in both directions.

Just yesterday, I was stopped by a total stranger at the Clinic as I was hobbling by. She was waiting with her daughter for her foot surgery appointment. She stopped me to ask if I would show her daughter my boot because that is what she will be wearing after her surgery and she wanted her daughter to not be too afraid. I was more than happy to share a few minutes of my time and show her how Bling helps to make it a little more fun. Unfortunately, my time with them was cut short when the nurse who was expecting me came out to look for me! That's ok. The woman thanked me for sharing and for having a positive outlook. Hopefully, I passed a little on to her to ease her fears, too.

Working in a nursing home for almost 16 years really showed me the importance of this quote. The residents were so hungry for someone to just sit and visit for a bit or longer, if possible. They longed for the human connection and touch. After my upbringing, this mere gift of giving a few minutes of time to someone else was important to me. I couldn't heal their bodies or give them independence, but I could give them time, a chance to have that human connection.

In all facets of my life, whether it be mother, grandmother, wife, teacher or Councilwoman, sharing my time with others is a priority. So when others reciprocate with me, I am even more appreciative. Since Halloween Cast and now Bling Boot have filled my October, I've had time to reflect on how much everybody's time shown to me has meant. From holding a door to waiting in the dark to driving me to my car to sharing a meal to buying Bling to the many offers of help and encouragement to waiting patiently for me while I hobble, I am so appreciative.

Your gifts of time have not gone unnoticed. THANK YOU!

Halloween Cast Made a Friend!

Halloween Cast is having quite the adventure! I have had the great fortune to meet another Halloween Cast and we are teaming up to make sure life doesn't get too dull while wearing the beloved cast!

It has been so wonderful to have someone reach out who is in the same situation. Trusting each other with our feelings about it all has really been great. It is quite the long distance relationship, but knowing there is another person out there who has Halloween Cast makes the world so much smaller.

We bounce ideas off each other and share tips. Hopefully, she'll find the toe bling and we'll be matching! The picture shows one of her ideas! It's Camouflage Cast. I loved it!

Thanks again to all who have been so sympathetic or who have held a door open for me or who have waited with me when it was dark. I just hope that Halloween Cast II is getting the same awesome treatment!

October Jinx--2010 Style

For whatever reasons, October has been a challenging month for me for several years. This year is once again proving to bear that out! The main issue is the broken leg and Halloween Cast. It is the fourth time in my life and the first time in my adult life that I have broken a bone. It's funny, but I can remember every bit of each time that I broke the others. They include a broken wrist from falling off a horse in October when I was 9. That was complicated by the fact that I developed a case of mumps at the same time. The next year, I fell doing gymnastics and broke every bone in my right elbow. That was complicated by the fact that the doctor used methiolate during surgery which I am allergic to, so I developed 2nd and 3rd degree burns under the cast that needed to be changed every three weeks. Luckily, my growing bone healed and no scars. Oh yes, that swell time was four days before Christmas! The following year I broke my leg ice skating. That was a thigh cast and crutches for three months! No other complications! All in all, this break and cast is relatively easy!

I had the notion that I would be able to just continue with my routine and busyness, but was I wrong! Lugging Halloween Cast around makes me plan my steps and I do not take any that I don't need to! Heaven forbid that I forget something and have to go back for it! It doesn't always happen! Luckily, I did not have too many events or meetings scheduled for October. I will be able to meet all my obligations. It is so important for me to be able to be out and visit with folks. I cannot sit at home and pout. It might take me a little longer and I may have to plan my steps, but I want to be able to go and do everything that I can. With a "little help from my friends" I will. (A sidenote--The best offer of help, so far, has been to be carried down a flight of stairs! I appreciated the offer!) I'm not letting Halloween Cast get the better of me! But I have a new perspective on walking now! My inconvenience will only last 6 weeks, while others' it lasts a lifetime.

Even though, physically, I have experienced a huge inconvenience to my life, all the ways that people have shown me that they care have been tremendous and outweighed my struggles. My school children are so sweet! I am grateful to be able to use a wheelchair while teaching, so they want to take turns pushing me. It's adding a new dimension to our lessons, plus it is reminding me of the years at Champaign County Nursing Home where I was on the other side of the wheelchair! Thank you to all who have shown me kindness!

Halloween Cast only has until Nov. 2nd to be signed and space is filling up! Then it's a new cast and I'm going for the red, white, and blue, since it will be Election Day. Have Marker, will travel!

People

An old song, "People", has lyrics that strike a chord with me. "People...People who need people are the luckiest people in the world..." That's me! I don't think that I could live on an island by myself. No, I know I couldn't! The interactions with others is what life is about. It never ceases to amaze me how those interactions occur. I love how the "small world" factor plays out in my life at least on a weekly basis. Last week, I was visiting a fine wine emporium and the manager recognized me from my Facebook friends! I had no idea that I was *that* recognizable, but it was fun. And a new friend is born!

A verse that I have seen twice now at different sites has also caught my attention. "I thank God every time I remember you." The impact those simple words can have on a person's demeanor is huge. It's always easy to be positive and thankful in the happy moments. But I've blogged before on how that one negative sticks out instead of all the positive things. Instead of dwelling on the negative, be thankful. Since I've been shown this verse twice now, I'd better take it to heart and do it!

Rosh Hashana

My mother died in October, 1997. A few years before her death she learned that her father was Jewish. He had added a letter to his name around WWI, so that people wouldn't know that he was. He was killed in 1936 and his heritage was forgotten until my mother's geneology was being studied. Over the last few years I have wanted to learn more about the Jewish holidays and customs. Being raised Christian, I was never taught about them and I am grateful to chambanamom for articles about being a Jew in Chambana. She helps me to understand what obstacles she faces in instances where diversity is lacking. Plus her writing is entertaining to me,as well!

Today marks the beginning of Rosh Hashana which is the beginning of the Jewish New Year that is celebrated with many symbolic customs. As I read about them, I find that they make a lot of sense to me, as a person. It is my Christian beliefs that form my core, though. But knowing that I have Jewish ancestry makes me want to know more. I am intrigued by the customs and more keenly aware of diversity.

Much has been made recently of different religions around the world. Religion is not just for a day that you go to a building to worship. It is a way of life. I hope that by embracing my Jewish ancestry and living my life by the "Golden Rule" which is to do unto others as I would have them do unto me, I will celebrate the diversity of the world in which we live!

One thing that confuses me, though, is since it begins at sundown, when do you send Rosh Hashana greetings? Today or tomorrow?

I'll send them now, anyway! Peace.....