Theme Party

My son is far away for his first year of college, but I'm thankful for the technology that keeps us connected. 

I woke up today to this little gem, an insight into his college life.

The boy remembers his mother's literary heart.

Thanksgiving Lyme Update

It's been 4 months since I last posted a Lyme update, and I have seen so much improvement. For starters, I still have no lingering Lyme symptoms, so that is a big, wonderful thing. I do, however, still have issues stemming from the facial paralysis that resulted from the Lyme infection. 

What does that look like for me? Let's start with a few pictures.

This is the last picture I have of my smile before paralysis.

Current smile

You can see that the right side of my smile doesn't quite work. BUT. This smile is more smile-ish than it was 4 months ago! (You can see that here.) You can also see that the eye on the left side of my face is more droopy-- but this has nothing to do with paralysis; the paralysis on the right side of my eye decreased the right eye's normal droop. You can see that eyebrow is higher, too. The chin is also uneven.

Current resting face--creepy.

The real news over these last few months is that I have more function. Before I couldn't blink or close my eye without pushing it closed with my fingers. As time went on, I was able to close it while still lying in bed in the morning--but only once or twice a day. Now. . . 

I can close my eye!

It still doesn't function exactly normally when I close it, but it's a big improvement. I still cannot blink, but my husband says that when I try, the eye closes more than it used to. I can also wink now. 😉

Another change is that I rarely need to use eye drops because now my eye produces an overabundance of tears. They call it crocodile tear syndrome, and, like not producing tears at all, it is an annoyance. BUT. At least my eye is now hydrated!

When the weather turned colder, my acupuncture doctor told me to avoid the cold or cover my face up very well because the cold would be bad for my face. Boy, was she right! I'm finding that exposure to cold air increases muscle spasms on the right side of my face. 

It wasn't so many years ago in my house that right after lunch was nap time for the little ones. Guess what. Now it's nap time for me! After lunch, my children shoo me off to bed for a 40(ish) minute nap. Sleep and rest help nerves heal, and, boy, do my facial muscles get weak throughout the day. I must go to bed earlier at night most of the time, too; otherwise my facial muscles just sort of stop working very well. It becomes difficult to focus my eye, and there is general discomfort. BUT. It's not pain (as it was in the beginning)!

So that's my update. From what I gather, facial paralysis caused by Lyme Disease doesn't get better quickly, and I don't really like that. 

BUT. 

I can be thankful that I am learning much-needed lessons in patience and self-care. 

I am thankful that my life is such that I have the opportunity to do what I need to do for maximum recovery (nap and rest). 

I am thankful for the progress-- slow, but steady. 

I am thankful for my supportive family and friends.

I am thankful that I have a cozy home to enjoy even if I can't be outdoors much. 

I am thankful I have wonderful doctors-- both our family doctor and the doctor who does my acupuncture. 

I am thankful that I have enough function to do my daily tasks. 

I am thankful that I am no longer in pain and that the antibiotics seemed to take care of the Lyme Disease. 

I am thankful for the prayers that have been offered on my behalf and for my God Whose steadfast love endures forever.

The Regency Ball

 For the last two months, our family has been preparing for a Regency ball planned by my friend and fellow Jane Austen lover. 

The whole Lyme Disease thing put a serious kink in costume sewing, but the children stepped up to the plate and learned some stitching skills since I couldn't. I should also add that I had two friends donate significant hours to help the kids with the sewing tasks. The last few days I was well enough to do some stitching myself. 

And the last few hours before we had to leave for the ball, I was hearing Mrs. Bennet's voice from my favorite Pride and Prejudice movie shrieking, "Make haste, make haste!" Even as we were driving, we were sewing buttons and hooks and eyes. The children went into the venue to help set up, and I sat in our van pinking seam allowances. 

In the end, the costumes weren't sewn perfectly, but I thought my crew looked quite handsome. And what's more, they had such a blast learning some challenging dances. Little has been talked about since the ball except for the ball. It seems our family wasn't the only one enthralled by the evening; plans are already being discussed for a winter ball. 

My crew

Tea for all! 

This was an occasion to wear his great-great grandfather's pocket watch and chain. 

The only down side for me was my eye. I did dance the first few dances, but then the eye on the paralyzed side of my face became too tired? dry? uncomfortable! to stay open. And since the muscle that closes the eye doesn't work and the muscle that opens it does work (always if I open the other eye), I spent the rest of the ball sitting down with my eye patch on and with my eyes closed. I was still able to hear the dancers' feet get the hang of each new dance as it was taught. That was a neat experience!

I call this my faux-Regency/pirate look. I swear that is really a smile.

Lyme Update

Thank you to everybody who has been wishing me well and praying for me! 

I wish I could say that I'm all better now, but I can't. I DO think that most of the symptoms from the Lyme Disease have resolved: no fever, chills, aches, etc.

However, the facial paralysis triggered by the Lyme is the most difficult part to deal with. I never imagined all the things that would be affected by half of my face not moving (though I should have since my nephew has a host of health issues because of his paralysis). Some of the things affected are:

My eyes:  My right eye doesn't blink. I can close it, but only partially. Enter a host of eye drops (the two boxes were samples from my eye doctor) to help keep my eye hydrated and protected. I have tried unsuccessfully to tape my eye shut at night. Also, my vision is often blurry in that eye. From what I read online, that's normal for this condition.

New additions to my bathroom counter

My mouth:  My tongue feels funny, and I can't taste on the front of my tongue. I can't use my muscles properly to move food around in my mouth, and I can't properly open my mouth to eat. This was interesting when I tried a sushi roll yesterday; I had to use a fork to cut each piece smaller. I prefer to use a small straw to drink; if I don't have a straw, I have to use my other hand to push my lip agains the edge of the cup so I don't dribble out everywhere. Cleaning food out of my right cheek is difficult, and spitting is impossible to do in a proper fashion. (Is there a proper way to spit?)

My speech is a little slurred, and I certainly can't whistle. 

My ear: My right ear is quite sensitive to sound. Sometimes sounds are a little distorted. 

The big one is PAIN:  The right side of my face and neck and my right ear have a lot of nerve pain! Sometimes the pain is so bad that I can't sleep. The pain has sometimes caused me to despair. Yesterday I went to my doctor and she gave me some good recommendations for pain relief. 

One was acupuncture, and I had my first appointment last evening. I was impressed by that doctor. She was very experienced and had an air about her that gave me much confidence. The treatment did relieve my pain for a time, but more importantly, when the needles were in, my mouth barely drooped. The doctor said that is a good sign. I suppose the muscles were responsive. Whether or not it foretells recovery, it at least gave me some hope. I have another appointment scheduled next week.  (Also, for those who might be wondering, the acupuncture treatment was not uncomfortable.)

As I wait for further healing, I am trying to continue to rest, continue to take my medicine, and continue to try to eat well (a pot of nourishing and healing chicken broth will be made today). My friend cautioned me not to jump right into doing my work around the house again so that I can continue to heal. She is a wise friend, and I will follow her advice.

Sideling Hill Sunset

 Tonight we saw a beautiful sunset. It is the time of year that the sun sets right in the cut in the mountain. The picture doesn't do the colors justice, but I'll post it anyway.

Easter Present

Alleluia! 

He is risen!

Because I didn't get a new picture of Jesus this year. . . 

Have a wonderful Easter!

Easter Past

My dad told me that it was national siblings day today (or yesterday), and folks on Facebook were posting pictures of themselves with their siblings. Since I don't do Facebook (except for my Etsy shop), I thought I'd post a picture here because I love my sisters. It's a bonus that my mother was in the picture, too.

Ta-da!

That's me, right there in front wearing the crocheted purple skirt and vest. My sisters are the ladylike-looking ones on either side. 

I'm fairly certain I was all dolled-up because it was Easter. I was blessed then to have two wonderful big sisters, and I am no less blessed now!

Sink with a View

I need to clean my kitchen window, but the view still makes me pause and admire every time.

Merry Christmas

To everybody who finds a way to this tiny corner of the blogosphere, may you all have a delightfully merry Christmas. And should you be in a decidedly un-merry situation, may the One Whose birth we celebrate grant you His peace and comfort.

Saturday Morning

We are having a slow Saturday, and it feels good!  What does it look like?

For my husband it looks like this:

For me, it looks like making muffins, folding laundry, washing dishes, and putting up a new shower curtain.

For my children it looks like an Advent project, playing house, reading stories, making yogurt, and listening to 8-tracks.

I hope your Saturday is just as cozy.

Gratitude List 2019

I need an attitude adjustment. The holiday season begins this week, and instead of facing it with a pumpkin spice latte in one hand and a frosted sugar cookie in the other, I’m dreading the whole thing. You see, my mother passed away in September.

Those of you who have lost a mother will likely understand the difficulty of putting into words how I’ve felt since then. It’s an actual physical ache somewhere near my heart that only goes away fully with sleep. Who would have guessed that every last thing in the world reminds me of my mother and my loss and my sorrow?

But that’s not what Thanksgiving is about. Enter my old and neglected friend, my yearly gratitude list. Maybe a little gratitude can change my attitude. I’ll give it a try for 2019.

I’m grateful that my daughter thinks it is disgusting when people bite their toenails. That my son thinks technology is interesting and fun; you should see the the digital doohickeys he creates for my online shop. That another son attempts to keep me on track at the Friday night auctions so I don’t do something stupid like accidentally bid on rusty old c-clamps. 

I’m grateful for little boys who whisper big dreams of playing in the NFL before drifting off to sleep. I think I’m thankful that diaper days are over. And for my “baby” who at the age of four can do so many big-girl things on her own but who still wants me to help her sometimes. Being needed feels good.

I’m thankful when people apologize to those they hurt, even when the hurt was accidental. Sincere apologies do make a difference.

I’m grateful for Jane Austen’s novels that I binge-read this summer; if I had read them in junior high, I would’ve ditched New Kids on the Block for Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightley. Also I’m grateful for my lovely oldest daughter who encourages me to watch movies based on Austen’s novels.

I’m grateful for my mother-in-law’s homemade tomato soup which she continues to make for others despite the fact that eating tomato products puts blisters in her mouth. For dark chocolate, for Earl Grey tea, for freshly ground coffee, and for any friend (or stranger) who supplies me with these indulgences.

I am thankful for emu oil and arch supports because arthritic feet are no fun.

The organist at our church has considerable skills; you should hear her play on Reformation Sunday! I’m thankful God gifted our congregation with her talents. And I’m thankful for my son’s beautiful singing voice; his strength of both voice and spirit lifted me up in some of my darkest hours.  Also for my youngest children who flock to me when I cry; how can concerned, loving little faces attached to hugging arms not bring joy?

For my sisters, I give thanks. Without them I’d feel so alone because only they understand my sadness completely. For Daddy who cared for my mother’s needs so well as her health failed. And for my mother because she taught us all how to love each other.

I’m thankful for the man who organizes all my messes, who entertains the children by playing video games when I need a nap, and who doesn’t flinch when I wipe my tears and my nose on his shirt. And babies! My niece is having one tomorrow, and I’m ecstatically thankful; every mourning family should have a new baby.

Mostly I’m thankful for a loving Father from whom all of these blessings flow. I sincerely wish for you all a happy Thanksgiving.

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My Thanksgiving rolls are rising!

That gratitude list was long overdue. This recipe is years overdue; it’s been hanging on my kitchen cupboard since the last time I wrote a newspaper column. My friend from church shared it with me, and it is a versatile one—suitable for any holiday get-together. 

Quick Fruit Dessert

1 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. almond extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 can fruit filling

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the almond extract. Next mix in the flour and baking powder.

Butter a 9 x 13 inch cake pan and pour or turn mixture into pan. Spoon in the pie filling in 6 to 16 spots on top of mixture. 

Bake at 350℉ for 30 to 35 minutes or when none of the flour mixture comes out when you insert a toothpick. You may top this dessert with powdered sugar.

Recipe note: You may use only 2 eggs if that’s all you have, and either homemade or store-bought fruit filling will work. You may also add more flour if the consistency seems off.

**This column was printed in the November 27, 2019, issue of the Hancock News.

In Case You Were Wondering. . .

We haven't turned our heat on yet. Last week we had one cold day and night when the wind was blowing. I got all worked up and actually wrote a game plan on our whiteboard because I did NOT want to capitulate earlier than last year (which happened to be today, October 22nd).

Yes. A game plan.

What is a game plan for the heat game? Well, I listed all the things we could do to warm up inside the house instead of turning on the heat. Baking squash, putting on more blankets and socks, and lighting candles all made the list. I won't even embarrass myself by listing out (for the whole world to read) all of my great ideas. Let it suffice to say that the entire whiteboard was covered.

So what did the kids do? They ran outside to play and left the door open. Seriously. Some of them didn't even wear a jacket. They did, however, like the baking cookies idea.

Since then, it hasn't felt too cold in here. I'm hopeful because we will have close to a gazillion guests at our house this weekend, and that means lots more body heat and lots of cooking heat.

I am soooooo prepared this year for my heat game. Anybody else playing along?

Good Friday

 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

~John 3:14-15

**This picture that my husband took as we walked home from church last night seems perfect for today.

Happy Heat Day

Well, today's the day. My husband woke up and turned on the heat. It is chilly in here, and since our garden did nothing this year, we have no pumpkins roasting to keep the house warm.

Hmmm. . . maybe yesterday was heat day because I turned on one of the heaters in the addition last evening before bed for a little while. I was chilled to the bone from being outside all afternoon making cider.

But then again, does it count that yesterday we had a heater going in the garage so everybody could warm their hands while making cider?

This heat game I made up is so confusing!

Because I'm writing the blog post today and because my husband turned on the main heater this morning, I declare today-- Monday, October 22, 2018-- the official 2018 Heat Day.

Click here for last year's Heat Day post.

Oops. That wasn't the "official" Heat Day 2017 post. Evidently, this year is an EPIC fail with my game. Today I definitely lost my heat game. Losing a game you make up and change all the rules to in which you are the only player-- I think that is just pathetic.

Oh, well, always next year.

Ta-da!

Way back in December, I was wanting so badly to post pictures of the completed addition to the parsonage and the new and beautiful wood floors, but we decided to wait until we had an open house for all the congregation to see it in person first.

Well, today was the open house, so now I must post pictures.

To tease you a little more, first I'll show you pictures of our improved front flower bed. We worked to get this in shape to welcome people for the open house. The kids worked with us planting some new flowers, moving rocks away, spreading mulch, and then moving the rock edging back in place. I should also point out the lovely rustic trellis my husband made last week to replace the older and decaying one; I think our clematis is loving it as much I am.

Ignore the messy porch in back. We fixed that up, too.

Creative circles of rocks

And now, since you've been waiting for months and driven to distraction most of your days just wondering how our building project turned out on the inside. . .

Ta-da!

This picture of the hallway was taken way back in December. The following pictures I took today after our guests had left and after we'd (mostly) cleared the table.

Our dining room

The school room (from the dining room)

And, finally, part of the addition-- the playroom/sewing room/sitting area. It's a big space!

Did you notice Calvin found his way into most of these pictures?

I realize I've left large parts out of this mini-tour. I don't have a picture of our television/living area because the kids were all lounging around there when I had the camera out. Also, I decided to ask the boys for permission before posting pictures of their new bedroom online. But at least you have an idea now and can finally sleep well tonight.

Thank goodness, right? 😉

We truly love this space. We are still figuring out how to use and decorate some of the space (and you know decorating is NOT my strong suit), but it has been a joy to see the beautiful floors each day, to enjoy the sunlight streaming into the living area, and to be able to spread out a lot more.

I feel so blessed that our congregation takes such good care of us. Thank you.

SaveSave

Building Project Update-- Big News!

We had a few hiccups in the final lap of our building project. The Inspector said we needed a larger window in the bedroom for egress, so a special one had to be ordered. It came in during the cold, cold weather of last week, but this week was quite mild and perfect for tearing out the "old" window.

Making the opening just right

Newer and larger roll-out window (bad picture--sorry)

The window stuff happened on Wednesday. Also on Wednesday our favorite electrician helped us by moving our Dish cable through brick walls and crawlspace and into an outlet so I can now turn on cartoons to babysit to entertain the little ones while I prepare dinner on "difficult" days. 

Thursday we were on pins and needles waiting for The Inspector. When he came, it was quick and painless, and we were left with a new signature on the bright yellow sticker inside the gray electrical panel.

YES!!! 

I did a little happy dance.

We have much work ahead of us still. We need to finish finding places for the things that we've moved about and move the two oldest boys into the new bedroom. Then we plan on moving everything out of the old boys' bedroom to paint the walls and clean the carpet. After that, we'll be moving things back into there for the other two boys (one of them is still sleeping in our room). 

The only other thing left (that I can think of) is the concrete pad for the patio out the back door, and that will have to wait for spring!

Last Christmas-y Post

Sorry, folks, I don't have any pipers piping to show you for the 11th day of Christmas, but I do have a few highlights of our Christmas this year.

We didn't have a place to put a Christmas tree before Christmas, and the flooring wasn't finished until the Friday before Christmas. We didn't return home until late that night. On Saturday, my husband headed out to do some needed shopping. He looked several places for a small Christmas tree and finally found one just right for us this year. He left it in the Suburban until the children were in bed, and I decorated it that night so the children could be surprised in the morning. 

I picked out one ornament belonging to each person in the family plus a couple of extras. I made a construction paper star for on top, and found a scrap of ribbon in my sewing stash that one son said, "really made the whole tree perfect." It wasn't our usual big get-up, but not one single person complained.

I splurged on a coffee treat for my husband. Coffee By Gillespie makes a 1517 Reformation Roast plus a few other theology-themed blends that I couldn't pass up for the pastor in our house. He's tried the Reformation Roast, and while we normally prefer a different roast, this blend is quite the palate-pleaser and smooth. We can't wait to try the others in the sampler.

On Christmas Day we did have enough of the house put together to enjoy a nice dinner, but we had no special dessert. That problem was remedied by a kind church lady who gave us a box full of tasty and prettily decorated mini-bundt cakes. Everybody had the chance to pick lemon or chocolate AND taste part of the other flavor. 

This dessert was the perfect opportunity to use my new (old) snack plates and cups that I bought at an antique place. I had been looking for a few more sets because my husband found several (but not enough for our entire family) at a yard sale this summer. I was thrilled when we found them on our pre-Christmas date (provided by the kind baby-sitting of a church member for several years running). If you're interested in the pieces, I found a blog post by a collector that shows a vintage photo of ladies using these.

We put a Hershey's kiss in the ashtray part of the plate, and eggnog was a perfect beverage for our cake treats. I can see me using these trays so many times for special tea parties or snacks with the kids. 

And that's our Christmas round-up. Enjoy the last two days of the Christmas season.

Grateful 2017

What happened to Thanksgiving this year? It seemed that one day I was starting school back in September and the next I was trying to figure out what to do with all the turkey leftovers. I have been busy, but at least thankfulness doesn’t have an expiration date. That means it’s time for me to write down this year’s gratitude list.

I’m thankful that swallowing pennies isn’t normally fatal. Same goes for tiny Legos.

I’m thankful that we’ll soon be able to move into the new addition at our home. I’m also thankful for getting to know the guys who made it happen. 

I’ll bet I’m not the only one in this community who gives thanks for Loaves & Fishes, all the cool treasures on their shelves, and the dedicated people who make it nice for the rest of us. I’m also thankful for our library, the treasures on its shelves, and for Lisa, Ruth Ann, and Pam, who make it nice for the rest of us.

I’m grateful our garden produced so many delicious green beans this year. I wish my bean-hating son could say the same.

Just like her mommy, my toddler giggles with excitement at nap time; I’m thankful for that.

There’s nothing like fresh eggs at breakfast. I’m so glad I’m able to eat them frequently thanks to our guineas and my friend’s chickens.

I’m thankful for my daughters who are teaching me to appreciate the pretty things in life.

I’m thankful for my sons who don’t know the difference between tights and leggings and who still think all of the pretty trappings of girls are dumb. I am begrudgingly thankful for their growth spurts even if that means I now have to look up to my oldest.

Pinterest and Krumpe’s Do-Nuts deserve a spot on this year’s list. Ditto for the occasional coffee.

Words cannot fully express the depth of my gratitude for potty-trained little boys.

I’m thankful that my parents still call to check on me if I don’t call them often enough. It makes me think they still love me a good bit.

I’m thankful for my hearing. I love sitting in church on Sunday and hearing my children’s sweet voices sing my favorite hymns and my husband’s strong voice preach about the Bible and the promises it holds for me. And, of course, I am most thankful to God, Who created all the beautiful words and music in this good, good life.

************************************

I’m also thankful that some foods taste better than they look. Last night we had split pea soup, and, man, does that stuff look disgusting! We tried every trick in the book to get the 4-year-old to try it. He was eventually slurping it straight from the bowl (even after the required four bites). If you’ve shied away from split pea soup because of the looks, this cold weather is the perfect time to change your ways and enjoy a tasty treat. 

Split Pea Soup

16 oz. split peas 

3 quarts water

1 small ham shank

1 large onion, finely chopped

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. oregano leaves

½ tsp. ground pepper

1 bay leaf

1 ½ cups thinly-sliced carrots

1 cup finely-chopped celery

Rinse and pick any rocks out of the split peas. Put the peas, water, ham, onion, garlic powder, oregano, pepper, and bay leaves into a big pot. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 ½ hours. Remove the ham shank and dice the ham. Add the ham bits, carrots, and celery to the pot and simmer, uncovered, for 2- 2 ½ hours. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

*This column ran in the Hancock News on December 6, 2017.

Five on Friday

With my husband being out of town this week, my thoughts are only coming in spurts. I guess that makes it a perfect time for a Five on Friday post.

1.  Restaurant Recommended.  A few Sunday afternoons ago, we were driving around the Hagerstown, Maryland, area looking at flooring for the new addition. It was nearing time to eat supper, and we had no idea what we were going to eat. Eating out is so expensive, but we also felt like enjoying a good meal. We were indecisive about what type of food we wanted, so our food decision was postponed until we found our hungry selves cruising the shopping center where Lowe's was located.

First I ran into the sushi place to see what it looked like; predictably, the prices were higher than we were willing to spend. Then we noticed a huge sign on a restaurant called Fajita Grande that said kids eat free on Saturdays and Sundays; it was a no-brainer. 

It was a smallish (but not tiny) restaurant, so we were lucky it wasn't crowded. Our service was friendly and quick, but the food was even better than the service.

Not the best picture of my delicious food

The fresh salsa was perfect for our family-- not too spicy for the little ones but with enough flavor to keep the rest of us wanting more. And other than the meals of the kids who chose corndogs and french fries, the food was fresh and tasty. (To be fair, I didn't taste the corndogs or french fries.) I'm not a big fan of the rice at most Mexican restaurants, but the next day I gobbled up my leftover rice cold because it was so good. And my entree was out-of-this world delicious. The meat inside it tasted like it was just grilled, and it was so good I want to go back right now and eat it again.

So, basically, if you like Mexican food and happen to be in Hagerstown, eat at Fajita Grande.

2. Etsy Update. I opened my Etsy shop hoping to earn some passive income with a hat pattern. To date, I've not sold a single pattern or hat. I have, however, been more successful selling craft supplies like toilet paper tubes, guinea feathers, acorns, and teasel. I have several vintage items that came with other things we bought at auctions that I'd like to list, too, but I simply haven't had much time to list more items.

3. Confirmation. Our oldest was confirmed earlier this month. It was a big deal, and we had a house full of family. After the service I learned that many people had tears in their eyes. They bet I did, too. I didn't. I was too busy wrangling the baby. But I was awfully happy and proud.

4. School. We've been plugging along in school. Interruptions have been plentiful, but we've pushed on. One thing we do that makes me feel successful is memorizing poetry. I've found that we get a great return on just a couple of minutes a day spent memorizing one or two lines of our poem of the month. A nice by-product (?) of this practice is that I can teach elements of poetry in tiny, non-overwhelming chunks. It's not a chore when you slip a metaphor or alliteration discussion in here and there.

5. Riding the Potty Train. My baby boy is now finally potty-trained. He was good with #1 for several months before he consented to sitting on the potty for #2 without serious bribing or begging. He's so proud now, and I am so happy to have only one in diapers.

Dottie

September kicks off a month of seasons-- football season, hunting season, and the obvious fall weather season. For me, September brings the opening of birthday season. Three of our children were born in the last half of September. On top of that, six aunts, uncles, and cousins have birthdays that require phone calls or cards.

But one birthday we’d been looking forward to will be bittersweet. Our friend Dottie was to turn 99 this week, but instead of eating a little cake with me and the kids, she’ll be partying at the greatest feast ever. You see, Dottie died last week, and while she’s in a better place, I’m still sad.

Dottie made me feel good about myself. Every time I visited, she told me repeatedly how much she loved me, how wonderful I was, how good my husband was, and how beautiful my children were. It didn’t matter that her eyes couldn’t see so well or that she never saw me at my worst; Dottle repeated those words of love so many times, I couldn’t help but believe them a little bit.

Dottie stroked my ego, but that’s not why I’ll miss her so much. When I visited with Dottie, she out-talked me. “You’ll have to forgive me,” she’d say, “but I am a talker, and I just love people. I can’t help it; that’s the way I am.” I didn’t need to forgive her because I adored her for it; I understood her because that’s exactly the way I am, too. I think we must have been kindred spirits.

Every time we left Dottie’s house, she’d stand on her front porch or, when she became too unsteady on her feet, just inside her front door and wave and throw kisses until we were out of sight. That’s special.

Visiting Dottie

I might not be able to throw her a birthday party this year, but I can celebrate her life. I can celebrate by throwing kisses and hugs and loving words of every kind all over the place. Who knows? Maybe it’ll make somebody around me feel half as warm and fuzzy as Dottie made me feel. 

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In our house, September is also applesauce season. My husband makes quarts and quarts of it. Dottie ate applesauce nearly every day, so we usually took some to her when we visited. I’ll miss that.

While applesauce is good on its own, it’s also delicious in baked goods. These applesauce muffins are just the thing to pair with your favorite coffee or hot tea on a chilly September morning.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Muffins:

1 1/2 cups oats, uncooked

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup applesauce

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3 Tbsp. oil

1 egg

Topping:

1/4 cups oats, uncooked

1 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 400℉. Prepare muffins pans (enough for 12 muffins) by lining with paper cups or by greasing pan. In a small bowl combine topping ingredients, mix well, and set aside. 

For muffins, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl; mix well. In another bowl, combine applesauce, milk, sugar, oil, and egg; blend well. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.  (Do not over-mix.) Fill muffin cups almost full. Sprinkle with reserved topping, patting gently. Bake 20-22 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool muffins in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm.

*This column ran in the Hancock News September 20, 2017.