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Nancy Murdock Nov. 24: Roy called from his car, on the way to play golf. It was 70 degrees and a nice, sunny day in Joplin, MO. He reported that he had made a full Thanksgiving dinner yesterday, centered around a 19-pound turkey. He served potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, broccoli with cheese sauce, and three pies. He proudly announced that he had also made his first casserole: the much-loved green bean casserole. He was thrilled to find out how easy it was to make. With all that food and that big turkey, I predicted his family of four would not run out of food for at least a week. He said the turkey would be gone by tomorrow! They have been eating it in sandwiches, etc. For instance, he had made and consumed four turkey sandwiches already today, and it was only 10:30 AM there. It’s a good thing he loves to play golf! He was impressed with my report of Dan’s preparations for the Leskinen-Calder-Murdock Thanksgiving dinner. He remembers Dan at about age 15. When I told about the removal of a large, built-in closet from the room, in order to build a large enough table for us all, Roy said, “Wow! He even made architectural changes!” |
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Nancy Murdock The Invitation We were thrilled to receive an invitation from Daniel Leskinen, Bob’s nephew, to share Thanksgiving dinner with him and his extended family. We sent a YES, saying that we would both be there, and Colleen would also like to come if her trip to Copenhagen fell through. A couple of weeks later, he needed a head count so he would know how big to make the table! Colleen’s plans had changed, as she was booked for Frankfurt, Germany. Ours were still VERY solidly involved with going to Dan’s Thanksgiving dinner. Food Plans After some discussion, we chose our items to take for this banquet: fresh fruit compote and sliced Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses by Bob, and mushroom-onion gravy and brownies with chocolate chips by me. I would have planned a fresh apple pie, but Bob’s sister Barbara DiStefano and others were bringing pies. So if I plan to make at least one pie (my usual quota) in 2007, it will have to be for Christmas - or some day when the urge just overtakes me. The Schedule We had it all planned in advance: when we would cut Bob’s hair, who would cook when, when to leave for the airport with Colleen, etc. But somehow the haircut got later and later in the month, and eventually it landed on the schedule for Wednesday. That would have worked fine, except that my usual Thursday choir rehearsal was also moved to Wednesday. Rehearsal finished late, since we had a lot of Advent and Christmas music to work on. I was operating without my crutches, so by the time we left at 10:15 PM, I was ready to put the leg up on the bed and not move. We agreed we could “easily” work everything in on Thursday morning. The Trip Of course it didn’t work quite that way. It all got done, but we were 20 minutes late picking up Colleen, who really needed to be on time for an international flight. Fortunately, she has preferred status from taking so many trips, so she said she would go through the lines faster than the average traveler. She had gone in to her workplace earlier, after Mass, to print out all the essential documents. And also, we had agreed to pack the car and not return home after our BWI trek. Dinner was to be at 2:00, and we arrived at 1:55 (after prayer at various points along the way). It was gray and rainy and we were glad for all the travelers who had clogged the roads on Wednesday, leaving us an easy shot. We even found a Weis Market for a comfort stop, so Bob was able to buy a small notebook to take notes. And by then, I was ready for a chocolate bar. The Arrival We received a warm welcome by those lovely people. Everything was well orchestrated in a way that appeared casual. Dan said later that they had held several meetings for the past two weeks, so they all knew what to do. We put the gravy, which turned out to be my most tasty vegetarian gravy ever, to warm on the stove. Everything else went into the hierarchy of what was to come in at which point. The table decorators were putting on the finishing touches, the young children were playing under their “kiddies’ table,” and the pets were trying to strike a balance between staying under the radar and establishing their rightful position of importance in the household. Dan was cooking several items and washing pans, and the assigned ladies were watching the oven items. Dan's mother, Barbara DiStefano, was there from Liverpool, NY and it was nice to make a connection with her. She is Bob's sister, and we don't see her very often. Eating Together The youngest boy, Timothy Heron, said the grace for us all. Then we started passing all the dishes around the table. In addition to the turkey and two types of gravy, there were mashed potato, mashed white turnip, corn, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, candied sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, stove-top stuffing, jellied fruit cup, fruit compote, cheese slices, and Dan’s Finnish Nissu bread, which was made into rolls this time. It was a nice, leisurely dinner, with plenty of happy conversation. A very big reason it all worked so well was Dan’s work on the big table. He had remodeled the room beyond the kitchen, removing the big closet. The table was actually in five parts, all at the same height. There were their regular long dining table, two large, sturdy card tables, another wooden table, and his very sturdy handmade table that filled in the slot to make it a rectangle instead of an L-shaped dining area. I am always amazed at what Dan can do. Dan said everything worked out as planned, except that he was surprised that they all came to breakfast! Carolyn’s family, the Calders, always spend the full day together for any holiday. They often go from one house to another, but apparently this year he had said they might as well come for breakfast, because cooking and food service would go on at their house anyway. At least that was what they told him had happened! Many Thanks Bob and I are very thankful for Dan, Carolyn, and their extended family. We were able to be a part of a happy, comfortable gathering on a special day of thanks. We are still thanking God for this event. |
Jean Ogawa, 1999 photo |
Jean Kiyoe Ogawa Nov. 24: How are you? Did you have a good Thanksgiving dinner? It is getting cold here in Tokyo, and the leaves are changing color. Our Thanksgiving Sunday is coming (November 26th). We will have special prayer, and this year the Bishop is coming to our church. Father Lee suggested we join his tour to Wales in June 2007. I am thinking of going. Do you know who from CTK will join the tour? Take care. [Ed. Note: 11/24: Jean is a long-time friend who attends Tokyo All Saints Church, our sister parish. I attended their Thanksgiving service in 1990, as part of a wonderful week with some very nice people. I have now joined the group who will go from Christ the King Church to Wales in June. The deciding factor was that we will be joined by a group from Tokyo All Saints at Heathrow in Great Britain before we start the actual tour. Colleen McKay will also join us at Heathrow. The tour will be led by our priest, who came from Wales. - - NAM] |
Manger scene |
Nancy Murdock Dec. 23: This year I decided to put the larger ornaments on the two trees (each about 20" tall) instead of on pushpins in the kitchen doorway. Some of the items, including the wreaths that normally go in various places throughout the apartment, are on pushpins on the dining room wall, under the quilt that currently hangs there. A smaller quilt, purchased at the silent auction at my guild’s quilt show, hangs over the telephone table in the dining room. This is a very nice hand-stitched Christmas tree quilt by a small group named Hand Piecers United, who meet at Seminole Sampler, where my Sew & Tell quilt friends meet once a month. Bob is very pleased with this purchase! The manger scene was the first Christmas decor to get out of the boxes. I was on my way to church and had just enough time to unwrap and set it up in the living room. Before Step 2, the tree-trimming, two days passed with unmatched boxes decorating the living room But now everything is finished. Three red stockings perch on top of the 50th anniversary quilt, which seems to have found a permanent residence on the couch. Draped over a chair that is rarely used, a gold-trimmed red tapestry from son Roy and his family proclaims “O Come Let Us Adore Him, Christ the King.” Since we have always ended that line from “O Come, All Ye Faithful” with “Christ the Lord,” we were stunned with this message. Our church’s name is “Christ the King.” Isn’t that interesting? I plan to take this to church next Sunday morning, to show the congregation our serendipitous gift. The gifts to our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren got into the mail at various times during this month. We hope that everyone will receive something in time for Christmas, so they’ll know we remembered them. We remembered our siblings, etc., with our Christmas letter, which mainly went out via email. We seem to find modern methods easier to use than the old-fashioned kind with stamps. We used stamps for people whose email addresses we don’t have on file. Yesterday I finally went out to shop for Bob. Fortunately, he had a nice list of items he would welcome, so I had something to go on. Even so, I found that some of them had to be ordered and were promised to arrive at the store in 3 to 5 days. So I am hoping he will like spreading out the fun over more days. I had planned to do small wallhangings for my siblings, close friends, and Sew & Tell friends. Unfortunately, this did not happen. So I guess I have to approach the topic differently in 2007. A strict schedule is in order here! The sewing machine stands ready, and short stretches of activity are in order. Those long days devoted entirely to a quilt-a-thon are apparently over, but I do have ideas I’m eager to start on. Starting is the easy part, though, isn’t it? I need to get to the finishing part. My favorite part of Christmas is almost here. Our choir has been rehearsing for weeks, and we have several services coming up. In fact, our regional Advent Lessons and Carols Service is already finished, and we enjoyed it so much that our church may even host it next year. Tonight we have a Lessons and Carols Service at Christ the King, with Rehoboth Welsh Choir as our guests. They will do four songs, I think, and our choir will also do two. I need to bring some brownies, also, for the after-service snack time. Tomorrow we will have the regular morning service, lighting the advent candles in the wreath for the final Sunday morning. But the one I look forward to all year is at 11:00 PM, with the choir rehearsing at 10:00. I enjoy it so much that this year’s Christmas letter shows the picture I got a friend to take just before we began on Christmas Eve 2004. Once again, we will dress in black and red, and I hope we can help some of the congregation enjoy the service as much as we do. It’s almost Christmas, and I am really excited! |
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Doris Howlett Thank you for the newsletters! I love your web page; it must take a lot of time and work to put that together. We are headed to Mass. this Wednesday for Thanksgiving week. Tim wants to spend this year with his dad and the family. Tim did retire this year from the Prison and now is into Real Estate full time. He enjoys it very much; he has been buying and fixing up and reselling. We had the opportunity to buy the house I grew up in and we refinished the whole house: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 3 sitting rooms, and kitchen - all hardwood floors; the original floors were beautiful. That was a great time, reliving those childhood memories. Well I wish you both a Happy Thanksgiving and take care and God Bless. |
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Tim Howlett Hi Bob & Nancy, from Crisfield, Md!! I have been out of touch for a while but do enjoy reading the many articles sent from relatives. We (Doris, Beth, Brittany, Timmy & myself) are all doing well down here. I have retired from the local prison and have begun full time refrigeration work and also started real estate investing, which is doing well. Down here in Crisfield, this quaint waterfront town is transforming into a condo community. I found my beautiful wife and this great town in 1983 and now many others, including investors, have done the same. I read Uncle Tom's notes and my how it brings you right back in time. Thanks for keeping us in the loop, and we do appreciate the great work "ya all" have done! :) |
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Jane McCauley Nov. 13: Enjoyed the murmuse as usual and printed off the anniversary quilt to show our Hobby Club today. Thanks for sending it. It is raining here today but Ken is still out hunting. He hit 75 yesterday, so it is getting harder for him to walk the woods, but he enjoys it. I have been busy doing small quilting projects and things for a couple of gift shops and my daughter who does craft shows. It is a busy time of the year, as I will hostess Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a progressive dinner for the Historical Society, besides going to Christmas tea at Old Parsonage Tea Room. Lots of Christmas fairs in between. The gardens are all put to sleep now, so can concentrate inside. Sorry I didn't get to see you this year on your trip to N.E. I have been going to the nutritionalist and have lost 20 lbs. (After the picture Bob took of me at the table I saw that I needed to-- thanks, Bob). Winter is my bad time, so I hope I don't regain anything....I try to walk twice a week, but it will have to be inside pretty soon. I see where Tom goes to Silver Sneaker. Ken used to, and I should be, as we are Fallon health and are eligible to go free. Have a nice autumn. (I was going to say Have a nice fall and then thought that could be thought of two ways)....autumn was better. Enjoyed hearing of Margery's trip. They are so brave. Thanks again. |
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