Traditions

Tis the night before Christmas and all through my brain Christmas traditions are falling like rain.

How on earth did Hickory Farm's summer sausage become a part of our Christmas tradition? Seriously? By accident.

I don't remember the year or how old I was at the time. I'm not even sure if this happened Christmas day or Christmas eve. But it was one or the other. It was before I graduated high school. The holidays were here, but electricity wasn't. A big storm moved through taking the power with it. Our cookstove was electric. Our heat stove was propane. Mom made potato soup on top of the heating stove. For the meat portion of our "holiday" meal we used a gift package of Hickory Farms meats and cheeses.

And a tradition was born. Not so much in the home of my youth, but in the home where my kids grew up, the traditional took root. With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays who doesn't like the idea of one quick, easy, snacky type meal? I embraced it without a second thought. I know at least one of my kids is carrying on with this tradition.

How can we have Christmas without A Christmas Story? Not going to happen. It's not a tradition from my childhood, but it's a tradition from my children's childhood.

The last tradition that I'll share today. Chocolate covered cherries. My paternal grandfather gave each of us chocolate covered cherries for Christmas, plus enough money to buy a second box after we ate the first box he gave us. A box of chocolate covered cherries conjures up an image of Granddad in his overalls, cigar smoke, the scent of pine trees, cooking ham and zesty oranges. I hear the cackle of Granddad's laughter, Mom rolling pie dough, Dad snoring infront of the heat stove in the living room, my brothers and sister playing, laughing and fighting intermingled with my own kids laughing, playing and fighting. That box of chocolate covered cherries blends over five decades of Christmases into one fantastic image that includes hearing, seeing, smelling, touch and love.

Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you.

Tis the Season

As Christmas draws closer and closer we sneak a peek at the new year. With the new year comes a time to reflect upon where we are in our life.

That's what I've been doing lately. Reflecting. Navel-gazing.

I think I'm at the spot in life where it's time to consider a new path. It's scary. But I've been unhappy with this path for some time now. The upside? It paid the bills. The downside? It keeps away from family and friends. Is the money worth it? At one time, yes it was. Now it's not worth it.

I'm getting older. My husband who started out older than me is still older than me. :-)

I want to spend time with my family and friends.

My new goal is to never spend Christmas alone as long as I have at least one family member above ground.

But would I be at this point in my decision process if I weren't spending this Christmas alone? I'm not sure I would be. I think I'd still be attracted to the money.

Suddenly the money looks pathetic compared to laughter and love. It looks cold compared to family and friends dropping in unannounced. It looks meaningless. I realize we still have to have money to live, but we can have less and have a better life.

So, it appears it's time for me to stop traveling. It also appears it's time for me to find a new occupation. As I look at the options available, I realize there are so many different things I can do.

I have no idea where I will be this time next year. Not physically. Physically I will be home. In my house. With my husband, dogs, family and friends close by. What type of job or occupation will I have? Not a clue. But it's an exciting time for me. Because when I leave Alaska I know I'll be going home and this time I'll stay.

Truffles, cookies, oh my

Today I'm making truffles and cookies. I found a little shop here in Sitka that sells a jalapeno chocolate bar. Oh. My. Goodness. Was it hot! Several of us tried to eat a chunk of that chocolate. We couldn't. It's that hot. So, I decided to take the rest of the chocolate bar and dilute it down by making it into truffles with more chocolate and heavy whipping cream. We're at stage one right now. The chocolate is melted and the cream/chocolate mixture is cooling.

Next on the list are cookies. Love cookies. I want to make snickerdoodles. Of course some chocolate chip cookies and a batch of my favorite sugar cookies. When I was growing up the sugar cookies were referred to as Aunt Myrtle's sugar cookies. After losing the recipe I finally found it under Amish Sugar Cookie. I still think of Aunt Myrtle when I make these cookies.

Pictures and links to recipes after they're ready.