Friday, October 07, 2005
DECEMBER.....1997
December. My first December without Bear. I was determined to make Christmas happen as it had every year of my life. I didn’t want to be a grieving widow with the Christmas tree in it’s box and me piling the Kleenex up a little higher. If Bear wanted me to be happy and smiley at his funeral, this was a piece of cake. All of the preparations began taking over my thinking and I knew this would be one of my best Christmases ever……because I was thinking of all the things I could do to make everyone else happy.
I was like Scrooge on Christmas morning. I was so eager to get on with all the things I wanted to do….so Becky and I began planning what to bake, the candies to make and all of the goodies we could think of. She was working but she wanted to be more than just help with the planning. We could envision the month with platters of offerings on a table set with candles and more bears for a centerpiece. The first day of December when supper was over we made two batches of Betty Bryant’s Heath Bars and a batch of Rum Balls. That was our starting gate.
Later on we made Biscotti’s, fudge and peppermint almond bark, Bon Bons and Spice Tea Mix. I made cookies, candy and snack foods until our kitchen looked like a deli shop. Our friends, Frank and Betty Bryant came the first weekend in December and we did lots of shopping together. (Frank’s funeral is today as I write….my thoughts are with the family.) They were always such fun company…..ready for anything. Guests like that are a joy to have. It was a good way to start the month off and I shall miss their visits.
After they left Sunday afternoon, Becky and I made Thumbprint Cookies (Barb’s favorite) and a couple of cheese balls. The next day Fred, Ron and Becky stopped by after work for a few minutes. I had cookies for Fred and a Fruit Cake for Ron, their personal favorites. Over the years I baked a lot of calories for those two boys. Their enjoyment always made the effort worthwhile for me. They thought the days were over for their baked goodies after I retired and they tried to talk me into baking for profit. No way. It was much more fun to bake and give away. They couldn’t ruin it for me……..not at all. Baking for hire is work…..baking for someone’s pleasure is high pay.
I cleaned house all the next day and made last minute touches everywhere. Our first guests were Deb and Dode, her mother. Deb was a clerk who became an Examiner. We had a nice visit, just the four of us. I intended keeping our guests in small groups who were connected, somehow. The evening was magical with the tree lights in the living room and all the candles in the kitchen. If I do say so, the table was beautifully arrayed with beautiful crystal, milk glass and poinsettias. Of course the bears and candles felt right at home with the rest of it.
The next evening, another co-worker came, whom I’d known for many of the years I worked. She was in a different field (as a Photo Vision Clerk)……..but we saw each other weekly and were good friends, also known by Becky. The next night another friend came. Each day I would get family packages ready to mail and then get ready for the next guest. I was beginning to feel like a jolly little inn-keeper. This same pattern went on until we finished our list and last of all was the neighborhood dinner. I asked the other two couples on our street to join Becky and me in an early Christmas meal and they were happy to do so since they neither had family to share with.
By the 19th of December we had our last guests and finished up cards and gifts. I was surprised by several visitors who dropped in to wish me a merry Christmas and took time to have some coffee and cookies with me. It was a wonderful season, with all of the family able to come except John and Barb and L.J. We always celebrate when it’s possible for us to get together because of the distance and the weather is not good at holiday time.
The year ended and as I looked back at the blessings I had much to be grateful for. Yes, I lost my husband but we had loved each other. My mother gave me a cross-stitched piece that she made one time and it said, “To love and be loved is the greatest joy on earth.” The truth of that gave me peace. I had a good family, a nice little home, many friends, my health, enough money to keep me comfortable and a lot of love left over to give to someone. For now that meant my family and friends. As God would have it….there was someone else down the road that I knew nothing about. For now I was content with the way things were. That’s what God does. He makes you happy…..no matter what, or where or when…….
Until next time,
Essentially Esther
I was like Scrooge on Christmas morning. I was so eager to get on with all the things I wanted to do….so Becky and I began planning what to bake, the candies to make and all of the goodies we could think of. She was working but she wanted to be more than just help with the planning. We could envision the month with platters of offerings on a table set with candles and more bears for a centerpiece. The first day of December when supper was over we made two batches of Betty Bryant’s Heath Bars and a batch of Rum Balls. That was our starting gate.
Later on we made Biscotti’s, fudge and peppermint almond bark, Bon Bons and Spice Tea Mix. I made cookies, candy and snack foods until our kitchen looked like a deli shop. Our friends, Frank and Betty Bryant came the first weekend in December and we did lots of shopping together. (Frank’s funeral is today as I write….my thoughts are with the family.) They were always such fun company…..ready for anything. Guests like that are a joy to have. It was a good way to start the month off and I shall miss their visits.
After they left Sunday afternoon, Becky and I made Thumbprint Cookies (Barb’s favorite) and a couple of cheese balls. The next day Fred, Ron and Becky stopped by after work for a few minutes. I had cookies for Fred and a Fruit Cake for Ron, their personal favorites. Over the years I baked a lot of calories for those two boys. Their enjoyment always made the effort worthwhile for me. They thought the days were over for their baked goodies after I retired and they tried to talk me into baking for profit. No way. It was much more fun to bake and give away. They couldn’t ruin it for me……..not at all. Baking for hire is work…..baking for someone’s pleasure is high pay.
I cleaned house all the next day and made last minute touches everywhere. Our first guests were Deb and Dode, her mother. Deb was a clerk who became an Examiner. We had a nice visit, just the four of us. I intended keeping our guests in small groups who were connected, somehow. The evening was magical with the tree lights in the living room and all the candles in the kitchen. If I do say so, the table was beautifully arrayed with beautiful crystal, milk glass and poinsettias. Of course the bears and candles felt right at home with the rest of it.
The next evening, another co-worker came, whom I’d known for many of the years I worked. She was in a different field (as a Photo Vision Clerk)……..but we saw each other weekly and were good friends, also known by Becky. The next night another friend came. Each day I would get family packages ready to mail and then get ready for the next guest. I was beginning to feel like a jolly little inn-keeper. This same pattern went on until we finished our list and last of all was the neighborhood dinner. I asked the other two couples on our street to join Becky and me in an early Christmas meal and they were happy to do so since they neither had family to share with.
By the 19th of December we had our last guests and finished up cards and gifts. I was surprised by several visitors who dropped in to wish me a merry Christmas and took time to have some coffee and cookies with me. It was a wonderful season, with all of the family able to come except John and Barb and L.J. We always celebrate when it’s possible for us to get together because of the distance and the weather is not good at holiday time.
The year ended and as I looked back at the blessings I had much to be grateful for. Yes, I lost my husband but we had loved each other. My mother gave me a cross-stitched piece that she made one time and it said, “To love and be loved is the greatest joy on earth.” The truth of that gave me peace. I had a good family, a nice little home, many friends, my health, enough money to keep me comfortable and a lot of love left over to give to someone. For now that meant my family and friends. As God would have it….there was someone else down the road that I knew nothing about. For now I was content with the way things were. That’s what God does. He makes you happy…..no matter what, or where or when…….
Until next time,
Essentially Esther
