STILL IN SALEM

Well,I'm not REALLY still in Salem. I've just been very very lax about blogging.

I'm in PA with Tom, Ann and the grandkids. But I'll write like it's extemporaneous and let y'all catch up.

The time is Salem has been spent catching up on friend's lives, meeting new folks at Church and spending lots of time with Carol and the kids. Her two weekday jobs, combined with getting the kids to school in the morning, means leaving the house before 7 and returning home around 6:30. So at least 3 nights a week, I go to her house and fix supper. Her kids are REALLY picky eaters and I take it as a personal challenge to change that.

With some success.

I had not made the sauerkraut chocolate cake in a long time and didn't want to take anything less than perfect to the Milan's. So I made cupcakes a couple of days before just to make sure the recipe I found on the web was the one I remembered. I told the kids, "I'm going to give you each a half a cupcake while they're still warm from the oven. But here's the deal. You have to help me make them, AND after seeing what goes in them, if you LIKE them, you must agree to at least try ANYTHING I put in front of you after that." When I stuck the open can of sauerkraut under their noses, they almost ran from the kitchen gagging. But Andrew creamed the butter and eggs, Emily measured flour, sugar, etc and we made the cupcakes. They loved them. Andrew argued and argued for another, but it was bedtime, so I told them they could have one for breakfast.

Emily still turns up her nose and rolls her eyes at things based on appearance, or even name. But Andrew got it. He tried Garlic Shrimp and decided it was too spicy. My fault, really. I do get a little heavy handed with the garlic and red pepper sometimes. He also tried salmon, and loved it. He asks for it regularly now. Whoops. Maybe we'll have to limit his taste tests to some less expensive stuff.

I mean, he REALLY gets it. On "leftover night" we were all having something different to clean out the single helpings from the fridge. I had some General Tso's chicken. He looked at the breaded chunks of chicken in sauce and asked, "What's that?" When I said, "It's deep fried 'possum guts." He enthusiastically replied, "Can I taste them?" He took a big bite. After he decided it was only "OK" I told him it was just chicken. He didn't change his verdict.

Emily is still a work in progress, but a quick "one out of two" ain't bad. And it's worth the effort to put something in front of Emily just to see her expression. If you've had a young daughter in your household, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's a classic. Emily is a master of "the look".

So sorry I don't have pictures. I lost my camera. Just one more reason to "buy cheap" on eBay. I really think it's gone. But I have managed to lose things in this 34' of space that I have "found" days - or weeks - later. Oh well, I'll get another one and then the old one will definitely show up.

Life is Good.

Easter in Salem

I got back to Salem just in time for Easter service at Our Lady of Nazareth. We usually have four Masses each weekend. But for Easter Sunday we have one BIG service at a Civic Center. The previous ones have been in Salem but this year it was in Roanoke.

Several years ago when this was suggested at an Arts and Environment Committee I said, "That's the most stupid *%$# thing I've ever heard in this Committee. There is just NO WAY you can turn that big empty space - where the Monster Truck Mud Races were yesterday - into a worship center."

BOY, have I been proven WRONG WRONG WRONG.

Year after Year.

Dozens of people; hundreds of flowers, trees and shrubs; yards and yards of ribbon prepare the place on Saturday.

Dozens more musicians, dancers, banner carriers, servers, and readers join Msgr. Joe Lehman and several thousand parishioners in a Celebration that brings tears of Joy

every

single

year.

These pictures are from previous years. This year was just as beautiful.







My Joy was even greater this year because I attended with Carol, Emily and Andrew. That would have been beyond wonderful. But it got BEYOND beyond wonderful when Emily Milan (For those few of you who haven't been paying attention, see Dec 13, 2007 Blog entry) asked for a ride to the service. So I sat with Emily Wheeler on one side and Emily Milan on the other. Can you say, "Very Happy"?

Followed by a wonderful dinner with Carol and kids. Then dinner again with the Milan's. The hostess, Nancy Trent had suggested that I bring a vegetable. I told her that was so boring, I'd bring a dessert instead - but I'd put sauerkraut in it so there'd be a vegetable. The chocolate cake - with sauerkraut - was a hit. And a couple of people even believed me when I told them what was in it!

The following days fell into my old routine, with the addition of my new family, of course. I helped at the OLN Nursery's 11:30 Mass. Mostly new kids since I'd been there, but we made friends quickly.

They may look a little sad - but you should have seen them BEFORE they crawled onto my lap. They were both crying their eyes out -



My incredible "Church Family" just keeps growing as I meet new little ones and their parents through the nursery.

Life is Good.