Category Archives: Eclectic Mix

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Christmas Vacation and the Fun

Getting Ready To Go

The big trip to southern Cal started first with getting all the Black Walnuts picked from the ground under the black walnut trees that graced the south side of the property by the road in the olden days. Dad had several sacks that we used to haul the nuts to the feed store. I never liked the job much but we had it to do before we could head south for Christmas. We worked hard and our hands got stained.

Then we kids were ready to go. But Dad wasn’t. There were always a few ‘little things’ that he needed to do before we could leave. It seemed that we always got to my Grandma’s house around 11:50 on Christmas Eve. She’d greet us at the door of the back porch door. We were glad to be there. They lived in Glendora. We loved being at Grandma Weigold’s house. We loved being with her and seeing our cousins. It was quite lovely. Now Grandma’s house was rather small but we didn’t think of it as ‘too small’. We had our sleeping bags and Paul got the bed on the front porch.

Eating The Delicious Meal

The Christmas meal was fantastic. She did the whole nine yards. There were six kids in my cousins’ family and five in ours so I suppose she did some thinking ahead. There was a turkey, potatoes and gravy (instant potatoes…which I loved), cranberry sauce, two types of pickles, a Waldorf salad (Aunt Louise made it…and it was tops), dressing, biscuits, olives, green beans cooked with bacon, and pies…pumpkin, and cherry and whatnot…always with vanilla ice cream and. of course, Grandma’s sugar cookies cut in circles with red hots in the center. They were miracuously soft. I have the recipe but I can never get them as soft.

We’d open up the gifts and that was special. I remember getting a toy doctor kit, dolls, and play dishes, and clothes even bathrobes. My brother got gifts like western pistols and Etch-a-Sketch. The adults played cards, and we kids just had a lot of fun. Sometimes we’d sing and Grandma or Aunt Louise played the piano. Grandma had a lot of sheet music so Marilyn played the piano quite a bit during our week down there. In the backyard there was a lemon tree and an avocado tree, a clothesline and a couple of other types of trees. We skated on the sidewalks as often as we could. Every Christmas we had a lovely time at Grandma and Grandad’s house.

I haven’t mentioned the other side of the family mainly because they moved up north when I was in sixth grade. We had a wonderful time with them as well. We usually spent a belated Christmas with them and our Cripe cousins. Granda Brumbaugh went to a lot of work as well. I remember she always made a side dish of canned tomato with torn homemade bread that was served in small bowls in the upper left setting in our places. Both grandmothers used their best china and cutlery and napkins for their Christmas meals. They’d make the whole meal a lavish affair. Of course we girls helped wash the dishes when the meal was all finished. We had a system for that too.

My Cousins and Whatnot

As I was writing this blog post I was thinking about my cousins on both sides. We were older than the Staudenraus (Weigold) cousins and similar in age to the Cripe (Brumbaugh) cousins. Our cousins on both sides, including Uncle Walt’s kids, for the most part are still in contact with the family but we don’t talk too often. But this summer my siblings and I took a California trip. Just my two sisters, my brother and me. It was unique. (Around a month ago I wrote about it.) I am glad that the institution of marriage and family means a lot to me and the other family circles. Now that we are older it seems as if we appreciate what binds us more than what divides us.

I think I am blessed…to have my family. Family is a wonderful thing. Some families don’t have the close bond which I enjoy, and I feel for you. But you can make your own substitute family. It’s caring about others that matters. You can offer what you have to your friends, whether they are close or not. People need to know we care. We need to know they care as well. Reach out to someone. Give some food to someone. Help someone out. Be a good friend. Read the bible story of the first Christmas. Share the love. Be kind. Thank God for the food. Thank Him for sending His Son to our earth for us and the ones before us.

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Better than Average Day

I’m not complaining but today was and I mean really was exceptional. It was like every day this summer but it felt cool and collected. My third son and I worked through a pile of junk mail but that didn’t take away from my enthusiasm. It was just a rather nice strong day.

We sat on a rocking bench outside near the end of the day. It couldn’t have been nicer. The plants are the greenish green they’ve been for last few years. They look down-right pretty. All of them. The three boys came on Monday to put some shape in my backyard. It couldn’t have turned out nicer. They worked hard the whole day. I felt blessed and honored by how much effort they put into the place.

Sweet Moment, I Mean, Sweet Day

All three worked hard. You don’t think of times like that when you’re having kids. It’s like an added bonus that comes your way. I am thankful God brought them into my life. In fact, I’m thankful God brought many others into my life; I mean, like YOU! The ones of you I know are a much cherished gift.

God gives me many blessings. In fact, I have been blessed over the years with many good and cherished friends. Each of you mean a great deal to me. Some older, some younger, and some around my age. You all matter. I think of this year and it’s like a breath of fresh air. We can live again. It’s wonderful. Oh, so very wonderful!

Love to Say It cuz I Know It’s True

Some days seem kind of slow, but that’s to be expected. But ALL days are worth living the whole way through. Even the tough, miserable ones. You see, the better days make up for the poor ones. Of course, the poor ones may need a reshaping, a change, a positive upgrade. If that’s true, then you do what you need to do to make a pretty star out of a plunging planet. Yes, you can hope and pray for better days ahead.

But still? The point is YOU can make it better most times. But you have to try. Things don’t just happen unless you decide to help them come to pass. It works this way. You take the day you’ve been given, and you give thanks to God for it. After all, he made the day for you and everyone else in it. Then you ask God to use you to shine his love on someone else, even when you haven’t a clue who that someone else is. It may be the mail person or the child next door. Let your love flow out, around, and in according to the way the wind blows. God’s love is universal. I’m so glad it is.

You Just Never Know

We find blessings where, when, and how we never expect them. Each day has it’s unique flavorings. Some are sharp, Yes, you got this. Some are mellow-yellow. Yup, this one too. Some are brief blips while others are like high flying slides. It doesn’t matter. Every single one counts. Take these flowers. I got them on a day I wasn’t expecting them. Boy did I enjoy them.

I’m not kidding, today is a beautiful day. Take a moment and think of someone to share a gift of love with. Maybe you can’t go see them or even talk to them, but you can pray or do something for them even if they don’t know you did anything. Each situation is different. Keep a smile on your face. You’ll be glad you did. I’ll do the same.

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Heart-Throb

C. Bolton  June 24, 2020 (During the Caronavirus pandemic)

I had the most amazing encounter yesterday. On the days I go into my accounting office (14 hours a week – typically I choose to divide those hours into 3 days), I first go by the Post Office Box, then swing though the McDonalds drive-through on West Addison for a $1 large unsweetened iced tea. (Yes, I really know how to spoil myself! LOL! But I like it.)

I’ve made it a point to get to know the name of the gal at the order/payment window. Anita. Single mom. She works M-F, days only, no weekends. She’s part of a wee moment of my life 2-3x a week. A smile and well wishes – saying her name – that is the least I can do for this woman who so cheerfully and capably serves the community as a McDonalds drive through window worker.

Since the Covid thing hit, she wears a face mask so I haven’t been able to see much besides her eyes. But I can tell when she’s smiling. 😀

YESTERDAY, I asked her how she was and she lit up like Christmas. She flipped her mask below her chin, smiled wide, and said “LOOK!!!!!!!” Her teeth (which had been in a sad state) were beautiful and straight and AMAZING! I told her how beautiful she looked – and she DID. She said she hadn’t had to have any of her teeth pulled, that they were all crowns. That she’d never had nice teeth in all her 40 years, and (tears in her eyes) she said she was just so happy!

I asked what kind of dental insurance she had … and we’ve ‘known’ each other long enough that it wasn’t an overly personal/prying question. She said, “I have NONE!” And went on to tell that one of her regular customers who is a dentist nearby offered to fix her teeth at no cost to her – because she’s such a great presence at McDonalds and so good to all her customers. Anita told me it was $20,000 in dental work, FOR FREE! Her eyes filled with tears. Happy tears. Mine did too. A stunning gift of generosity.

Think about this: no matter how lowly or ‘menial’ your job, your life tasks, your community engagement – good things WILL come to you if you put your heart and spirit into doing the very best that you can.

I am so happy for Anita!

Cherishing the simple lesson her example has brought me.

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