MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

THE MOST WONDERFUL, MAGICAL TIME OF YEAR!!

This is the most magical, joyful time of year for me. We've packed a lot of stress and high expectations into the month of December. But all things considered, there's no way to exceed the ultimate gift of Christmas.

It's the time of year when all over the world, believers, and many nonbelievers feel the tug to be with their families and loved ones and celebrate their ties to each other. Love is love, no matter what you call it, how you give and receive it, or how you celebrate it.

For a long time love involved a Rum Cake. It was my Daddy's favorite. No matter what I cooked, or how long I worked in the kitchen, my food didn't always suit Daddy. He was nice about it, and appreciative, and even supportive and complimentary, but there were times when the jar of peanut butter sitting on the table was his favorite thing. He said it wasn't what was on the table, but who was around it that really mattered. Except for the Rum Cake—the same rum cake you all have made over and over again—nothing new or different—no added twist. He loved my Rum Cake, and I tried to always have one on hand. It made me so happy to see him really enjoy something I prepared just for him.

The last Rum Cake I made he hardly touched. He was already on a journey that would separate him from worldly things. We saw it happening day by day, little by little, but that love I felt when I was close to my Daddy never went away. Even when the spirit left his tired body, his love was still there.

So, I'm making another Rum Cake for Christmas, in gratitude for his Love, and in memory of all the wonderful, happy times we shared, and the deep conversations, and the life lessons, and even the hard times. I am so grateful for that Love that continues to be part of my life.

Celebrate the season and enjoy each moment with those around your table!

Merry Christmas!

Rum Cake

1 cup chopped pecans

1 package butter golden cake mix

1 package vanilla instant pudding mix

One-half cup light rum

One-fourth cup water

One-half cup Mazola Corn Oil

4 large eggs, beaten

Hot Rum Glaze*

Preheat oven to 325º.

Grease and flour a bundt pan. Crumble pecans in bottom of pan.

Mix cake mix, pudding mix, light rum, water and corn oil until blended. Add eggs and beat for two minutes on medium speed.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 60 minutes.

Remove from oven, and while cake is still hot pour Hot Rum Glaze over cake. Leave in pan for 30 minutes.

*Hot Rum Glaze

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter

One-half cup light rum

Boil all ingredients while stirring for three minutes. Pour over hot cake.

Wrap the cooled cake in saran wrap, and then foil to store. This cake tastes better a day or two after baking. The cake seems to take on a more intense rum flavor.

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

(The sweet potato part of this pie is adapted from a recipe in Well, Shut My Mouth! By Stephanie L. Tyson and is absolutely one of the BEST pies I have ever tasted.)

(makes 2 deep dish pies)

Pecan Layer

2 deep dish pie crusts (Marie Callender's are great if you don't want to make your own)

One and one-half cups pecan pieces

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

one-half cup brown sugar

one-third cup melted and cooled butter

Preheat oven to 350°.

Divide pecan pieces evenly over the bottom of the two pie crusts.

Beat eggs, corn syrup, vanilla and brown sugar until thoroughly combined. Add melted butter slowly while continuing to beat. Divide this mixture between the two pies. Bake for about ten minutes while preparing the sweet potato layer.

Sweet Potato Layer

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, baked and mashed (I cook them wrapped in saran wrap in microwave for about ten minutes)

one-half cup sugar

1 T flour

3 eggs, beaten

1 can sweetened condensed milk

one-half tsp. Cinnamon

one-half tsp. Nutmeg

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Lemon extract (optional)

one-fourth cup butter, melted

Mix the sweet potatoes, sugar and flour. Add eggs and combine. Then add sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, lemon extract and butter, mixing to thoroughly combine.

Remove pies from oven and pour this mixture gently over the pecan mixture. Fill the pies to the top and return to oven for 45 minutes, or until set. May have to cover crust edges with foil while baking. Some pecans and filling will rise into sweet potato layer.

Cool for one hour before serving with whipped cream.

Making Memories

Making Memories

Vegetable beef soup has been on everybody's menu lately. Nothing goes better with a wintery-mix than a big pot of soup. If you haven't already satisfied your comfort food cravings, you're in luck: the meteorologists are predicting more of the same.

I've been at home in Galax for the last couple of months. The first week it snowed just enough to give everything a good covering. The wind blew, the temperatures dropped and everything froze right where it stood. It was like a time warp for me. The roads were slick and a little dangerous, so I shifted into four-wheel drive and headed to the grocery store for the necessary ingredients: stew beef, onions, celery, carrots, canned tomatoes, potatoes, and my frozen vegetables of choice. By the time I got home it was already mid-day, and I knew the beef needed to be stewing to be tender by dinnertime.

I was moving around the kitchen pretty quickly when Mama pulled out her pressure cooker. I owned a pressure cooker once in early marriage, but was so fearful of its energy that I sold it in a yard sale. Mama is fearless, as were my grandmothers. She seasoned the meat with salt and pepper, roughly chopped some celery and half an onion, and added it all to the pot with beef broth and a good amount of butter and brought it up to a simmer. She clamped that lid down like she's done hundreds of times before, stuck the jiggle thing (pressure gauge) on and turned up the heat. When it started jiggling, she turned the heat down and let it cook gently for thirty minutes.

Meanwhile the smell of our evening meal filled the house and brought back so many memories of years gone by: snowy days playing outside until every pair of gloves and all my socks were icy wet; being pulled all over town on the sleigh hitched to Daddy's German Shepherd, Flint; having to be 'swept' clean of snow by the back porch broom before entering the warm house that smelled of soup—those were the days, the really wonderful days of my winter childhood. The memories came flooding back as that pressure cooker jiggled on the stove.

After the first few weeks, our soup started coming in a different way: it was delivered by our wonderful friends and neighbors in big containers, with cornbread wrapped separately for whoever needed a comforting, sustaining meal.

All this vegetable soup and cornbread sustained us, and Daddy loved it. It was probably the very last thing Daddy really enjoyed eating.

Perry, Daddy, Goose, Papa: he gave us all the tools to carry on with a great life. Now it's up to us.

Happy First Birthday, "Annelle's Table"!!

Here's to Another Year!

Annelle's Table is celebrating its first birthday today, and what a year it's been for us both! There have been lots of changes, and if memory serves me correctly, I could be in for an interesting year number two. We never had 'terrible twos' when the kids were hitting their second year, but there were challenges every day. By the time I figured out how to deal with one, it was already tomorrow, and there was a brand new challenge!

With all the changes, one thing has remained constant: the circle of family and friends that is the cornerstone of my life. I'm very grateful and thankful for each and every one of you! So, here's to another year of sharing myself, and the things that are important to me (foodfoodfood) with you! Thank you for listening...

Big Week for Annelle's Table!

Two Wins in One Week!

First, the official press release from Twitter on the Gourmet Girl's Magazine Cookie Crawl:

Well, it's official! If they say it on twitter, it must be so: Congratulations to @Annellini Winner of GGM's Cookie Crawl and to @BigButzBBQ runner up.http://www.kitchenrap.blogspot.com Thank you to everyone who voted!! Now we can move on to something else--And my congrats to BigButz!

The Ricchiarelli are truly delicious, and while a labor of love, I look forward to making them again!

2009 Chickie Award – And the Winner is….

January 11, 2010

The 2009 Chickie Award contest featuring top recipes for 2009 has selected its winner:

Manicotti with Red Sauce submitted by Annelle Williams of Annelle’s Table from Martinsville, VA.

Hosted by The Food Wine Chickie.

This is my very favorite recipe. I'm glad everyone liked it! Thank you all for taking the time to vote!!

Kitchen Closed for Today!

No Cooking Today--Just Knitting!

As I posted yesterday, the 'rhine' has me in its grips, and thank goodness I have plenty of leftover chicken soup. You know, chicken soup is successful in relieving those nasty 'rhine' symptoms--and if you put enough garlic and Mongolian Fire Oil in it, you can actually taste it!

Rhine-Swine-Whatever...

To entertain myself, I've been knitting. It's so darn cold, and I feel sorry for all our doggies, so I designed this little knit scarf for Pepper. He really likes it, but he still doesn't want to go outside unless absolutely necessary. Jib, on the other hand, doesn't seem to mind the cold at all. Nellie, the matriarch 20 year old cat, is very contented to snuggle with me near the fire. When Jib comes in, he shares her throne.

Beginning a New Decade--YES!!

"Ten in 10"
I'm not wishing away my time, but I am so ready to wave bye-bye to the first decade of the 21st century! As I told my son's principal when we finished 3rd grade with a horrible teacher (we prayed for her every night), OK--we made it through, but please don't ask me to put up with crap like that again.

Whatever comes, I'll deal. My plan is to be better prepared personally and I've already begun.

There are many, many books, blogs, programs out there to help us get a better start, but I found one that really appealed to me. 'Ten in 10' from The Recipe Girl: http://www.recipegirl.com/2009/12/12/ten-in-10-ten-weeks-to-healthy-in-2010-here-are-the-details/

This isn't about things that will magically happen overnight, when the calendar turns to January 1st. It's about making a personal plan to become a healthier person in 2010, and taking the first ten weeks to work on ourselves. Ten weeks is not too long--it's not too short--it's just right! So, come on Goldilocks, let's get started!

Check out the website, and then work on your own thoughts.

Here are mine:

There are a ton of ideas out there about beginning the New Year with a plan...but your Ten in 10 idea really appeals to me for several reasons. First, it's not an 'all or nothing' sort of attitude. I really believe life changes happen gradually, and while I'd like things to be different TODAY, I know that's not going to happen. Also, Ten Weeks is a good amount of time to really implement good changes...make them become good habits, and hopefully a real part of 'the rest of our lives'. But it's also not an overwhelmingly long amount of time. My first thought was, 'Yes! I can devote ten weeks to making changes that will improve the rest of my life.'

So, I'm Annelle Williams, Martinsville, Virginia. Sixty years old with high blood pressure, high cholesterol (both controlled by meds), twenty pounds overweight, and family history that says: lose the weight and move more!

My passion is cooking...I'm a retired pharmacist, wannabe really good cook! And I also enjoy writing about it all.

I play tennis a couple of times a week...love it! But need to add a good doggie walk every day (for me and the dog!)

I've tried to convert to healthy cook, but that did not satisfy, or interest me...I'm sorry!

I love to use fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, but I also love meat, cheese, butter, sauces, olive oil, fresh pasta, homemade breads---good food.

My plan is: 1) Write everything down in a food diary. My sweet daughter-in-law who is very successful with a healthy lifestyle taught me the importance of the food diary. She also taught me about working out, but that lesson didn't stick quite as well as the diary. Now we're going to do yoga, which is very appealing to me!

2) Get control of portions, with more fruits and vegetables, less meat, bread and pasta.

3) Take the dog for a walk every day.

4) Incorporate yoga classes.

That's it for now, but I like holding the thought that I can change as I go.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

If you're interested, check out The Recipe Girl--I think you'll like her!

Christmas Cookie Party

CHRISTMAS-TIME IS THE TIME FOR COOKIES!!!

And decorating parties!

With Mommies, and Daddies and Children of All Sizes!

And Lots of Cookies!!

Sugar Cookies (Martha Stewart)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• 2 tablespoons brandy, or milk

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; add dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated. With mixer running, add egg, brandy (or milk), and vanilla; mix until incorporated.

2. Transfer dough to a work surface. Shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.

4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

5. Decorate with Royal Icing

Merry Christmas!

Oysters Williams--AKA Rockefeller

Sadly, I don't have a picture of the oysters, but I thought it appropriate to showcase my favorite pirate on this Hallowed Eve!

Sometimes the things that happen unexpectedly work out better than my very best plans.

Yesterday morning our neighbor down the street called, offering a tub of fresh oysters—about a peck. I know NOTHING about oysters, except that you only eat them in months sporting an 'r'. OctobeR—check, so I said 'yes'. I have google. Surely I can figure this out.

And I know I love Oysters Rockefeller—well, let me say I 'enjoy' Oysters Rockefeller. The diet plan I just joined emphasizes that you don't 'love' food, you 'enjoy' it. Whatever. I 'enjoy' oyster shots, too.

After checking all my best food sources, I had a plan formulating, and left for the grocery store, via the liquor store. Seems Oysters Rockefeller recipes all have some kind of licorice flavored alcoholic beverage involved. One look at the prices, and I was about to leave, when the lady at the register asked if she could help. I told her what I was trying to do, and she had the answer: Anisette $9/bottle—that was more like it. She assured me we would never know the difference between that and the $30 Sambuca. She also gave me an oyster tip: put them in the freezer for a little while, and they open much easier. Sounded like good advice, since another neighbor uses a similar strategy with clams. Plus, I overheard the cash register lady saying while I was searching for cheaper liquor that her husband was a shrimper—had to shoo the cat out of the bed whenever he got home from a trip. That qualified her as a legitimate seafood information source to me.

My grocery list consisted of: fresh spinach, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, bacon—well, to be honest, I couldn't find a recipe that even mentioned bacon, but bacon makes everything better—plus a bunch of seasoning stuff I had on hand: salt, pepper, tabasco and Worcestershire.

Just as I got home from the store, Doug came in from a morning golf game. He was armed with more oyster information from his personal oyster authority. Seems we should put the oysters in the oven at a high temperature for a few minutes, until they opened on their own, and proceed from there.

We opted for the oven method.

I also bought a box of rock salt at the store, and after lining a sheet pan with foil, I covered the foil with a nice layer of salt. I've been served oysters on the half shell resting on a bed of rock salt. There must be a good reason, or not, but I didn't want to take any chances.

So oysters went into the 450° oven for about ten minutes before they started opening on their own.

Meanwhile, I made the 'Williams-Rockefeller' part. Chopped up six slices of thick bacon, browned it and removed it from the pan, leaving enough bacon drippings to cover the bottom of the pan. Added half a sweet onion, finely chopped, 3 garlic cloves, minced, and after the onion was transparent, a 9 oz. Bag of baby spinach well chopped went into the bacon drippings. Stirred to combine and cooked until spinach was wilted. Then added about one-third cup shredded parmesan cheese, two tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon salt, half teaspoon pepper, one teaspoon Zatarains Blackened Seasoning (just because I was looking for more heat), dash of Worcestershire Sauce, and Tabasco to taste. Doug came in for a taste test, and as we tasted and re-tasted, we decided we'd better stop tasting, or there would be none left for the oysters. It was GOOD!

When the oysters began to open, I took them out of the oven and removed the top shell loosening the oyster from its lid. Next I poured about a teaspoon of Anisette onto each oyster along with a few bacon pieces. Finally about half a tablespoon of spinach mixture went over each oyster and a sprinkling of toasted buttered bread crumbs. Back in the oven for about 7 minutes, until everything was nice and hot and browned. And then we ATE them... Just delicious.

Can't wait to hear what I 'should' have done, but for a test drive, I'd say we were cruising!

Thank you, Bill and Maria for the oysters, AND the perfect wine pairing: Prosecco!

Annelle & Ball???

I've been waiting for the movie Julie & Julia for months. I read My Life in France and the Julie and Julia book, and have even been spending more time than I should perusing the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, comparing them to similar recipes that have made their way into my files.

I never think of making a French meal—my first thoughts always go to Tuscan Italian, which is so similar to our Southern fare. The more I read, the more I realize that the basic techniques Julia Child taught are common across the board. Whether you call it white gravy or bechamel, you still make it the same way! Coq au Vin, Pollo in Fricassea, or my Dad's best Camp Chicken made in the big cast iron skillet all share the same basic techniques, and vary only in a few ingredients.

With all my expectations, I was still unprepared for the affect the movie had on me. I walked out hungry for more 'Julia', wanting to connect with a 'Julia' of my own who loves the art of cuisine, loves to eat, and loves to cook. She was a woman who embraced the quirky changes of life, while never sacrificing her passions, and did it all with a good sense of humor and joie de vivre.

So, in honor of Julia's gusto and fearlessness, I took a step I've been toying with for several years. Last Saturday Amanda Wingfield of Patrick County and Melanie Barrow of the Henry County office of the Virginia Cooperative Extension joined forces to give a Canning Workshop in the new Spencer Penn Community Kitchen. The class was full and with our instructors, we had all the canning expertise anyone would ever need.

I can't tell you how timely this class felt. Mastering the Art of French Cooking was written for the American housewife, and was published at a time when cake mixes and TV dinners, time savers of every kind, had become the norm in the American kitchen. Julia reconnected people with real food, fresh food, and the art of cuisine.

It seems that we have been in a similar place, giving fast food way too much control over our eating habits. Now, we're realizing that for health reasons, cost reasons, esthetically pleasing taste reasons, we need to reconnect with our local farmers and gardeners, and the food preserving experiences of our mothers and grandmothers. It's worth the time and effort. And with the help of the classes led by these experienced food preservers who taught from the Bible of preserving, the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving Food, we can get back to the basics of really good, healthy, locally grown foods.

So, now I'm planning to 'can' my way through the 'Ball Blue Book'--well, maybe not entirely, but I'm looking forward to lots of creative experimentation.

Bon Appetit!

Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream Frosting for the 4th!

Our July 4th in Beaufort is a homemade three day holiday. We have a two year tradition--I think two consecutive years counts as a tradition!

Webb, Maxie and Brady bring their Moms and Dads, we dress in our red, white and blue pirate attire (very patriotic pirates) and cheer for the tractors, fire engines, Bodacious Beaufort Babes, a few flag-sporting dogs, the big double decker red bus, some unidentified dignitaries, and the belly dancing Sea-quins. Lots of candy tossing and hurray-ing. Then off to the beach.

No Fourth would be complete without kicked up hamburgers on the grill. We followed with Coconut Cupcakes for dessert and a batch or two of Pain Killers, finishing just in time for fireworks.

There were Ouuuuuu's and Ahhhhhh's all around!

Can't wait until next year.

Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream Frosting

We found this recipe in Cooking Light magazine, and it's really delicious. The cupcakes are nice and moist, and the frosting has a great 'twang'. I had to go to a health food store to find the potato starch (and be sure it's starch, and not flour), but it's worth the trip!

Cupcakes:

1 cup all purpose flour (lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level with knife)

3 T Potato Starch

1 tsp. Baking powder

One-half tsp. Salt

Three-fourths cup sugar

2 T butter, softened

1 large egg

1 large egg white

Two-thirds cup low fat milk

2 T sweet coconut (I added about twice as much.)

One-half tsp. Vanilla (a little extra vanilla, too)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Add paper liners to a 12 muffin pan. Spray liners with cooking spray.

Whisk to combine flour, potato starch, baking powder, and salt in small mixing bowl.

Cream sugar and butter until consistency of wet sand.

Add egg and egg white separately, beating well after each addition.

Add flour a little at a time, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour.

Fold in coconut and vanilla.

Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups, and bake for 18 minutes, or until muffins spring back when touched in the center. My flexible muffin pans required several more minutes to bake.

Cool a couple of minutes in pan, then remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Icing:

3 T butter, room temperature

1 tsp. Half and half

One-half tsp. Grated lime zest

1 T fresh lime juice

One and one-third cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Combine butter, half and half, lime zest and lime juice in medium bowl, and beat until smooth.

Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth.

Frost each cupcake.

(For added coconut, pour about a half cup shredded coconut into a bowl, and dip the top of each frosted cupcake into coconut.)

Grilling Favorites for Father's Day

Do you need a new grilling recipe for Father's Day? I have a few tried and true recipes and some grilling tips for guaranteed success. Mix and match menus by using the basic recipe as the entree, the main ingredient in a specialty sandwich (quesadilla, taco, etc), or the foundation of a full meal salad.

Grilling is by far my favorite way to entertain during the summer months. From a grilled flank steak (London broil or skirt steak) it's easy to go to a layered steak salad, sliced beef on grilled flat bread with a complimentary salsa, or a steak quesadilla--several different meals from one basic recipe.

The same holds true for grilled fish. Grilled Fish Taco with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Salsa could certainly be served more formally by adding cheese polenta or grits to the plate as the base for your fish. Top with avocado salsa, and add a little marinated red cabbage on the side to finish the dish. For a casual get together, have all the ingredients ready along with grilled flour tortillas, and let your guests become creative.

Grilled pork tenderloin is equally versatile. From the more formal presentation to the delicious salad meal incorporating orange slices, avocado, and salad greens, or a cubano sandwich featuring the thinly sliced pork, provolone cheese , and plenty of pickles, you have a variety of meals from one basic recipe.

And then there's the humble chicken. Beer Can Chicken continues to be high on my list of favorite ways to grill chicken. I don't know the history of this grilling technique, but I do have a mental image: friends camping together, enjoying a beverage, with a chicken to cook for dinner, and no clear idea of how to accomplish the task. Coudos to those friends! Propping the chicken on a half filled can of beer resulted in a deliciously moist chicken with wonderful grilled flavor. And the uses for the cooked chicken are limitless.

Don't forget dessert! Grilling fresh fruit caramelizes the fruit giving it a more concentrated sweet flavor. Sliced peaches and pineapple are my favorites. Serve with the ice cream of your choice for a grilled fruit parfait. Or lightly grill flour tortillas, brush top with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and add grilled fruit for a grilled fruit fajita.

Choose your favorite recipes, perfect the techniques, and make this an easy, grilling summer.

White House Garden 3-17-09

Some time ago I saw a TV special on Alice Waters and her efforts in California to begin a school program teaching young kids how to grow and prepare their own healthy food. They have garden plots at the school, and the kids prepare, plant and work the garden as a school course for credit. Then they take their produce to the kitchen and go through the entire process of preparing meals (including the cleanup).

They ran another segment Sunday night on 60 Minutes. Ms. Waters is totally invested in the Slow Food movement. She was instrumental last year in a city Slow Food Symposium in San Francisco, where they literally planted a vegetable garden outside City Hall. And she walks her talk at her restaurants. Her latest idea, and I think it will happen, is to have a real garden at the White House. Already, Michelle Obama has shown more than a nodding interest in bringing healthy food to the White House and ultimately to the nation.

A ‘Victory Garden’ is a great idea, but there is so much more to it than having a garden to supplement the food budget. Let’s think about the big, green, energy conservation, being more responsible, being the stewards of not only this earth, but of our own bodies picture. The Big Picture. If we begin with the part we can affect immediately, it would be our health. Taking responsibility for what we eat, how it is prepared, and where the ingredients come from could make a huge difference in the health of our families.

Now, I know there are varying degrees of interest. Everyone doesn’t live and breathe food, but it would be well worth our time to get interested. Just imagine what a difference it would make if we eliminated childhood obesity, and the adult health problems we could avert by being more conscientious about what we eat, AND, what we don’t eat. That’s not even considering the love affair with flavor that’s hanging out there waiting on us.

I’m just thinking out loud. I know it’s hard, and takes time and planning. And it takes a community of interested people, but I love the idea. Michelle Obama, get that garden planned and planted. We need high profile role models, and, as much as I dislike the title, we need Slow Food for Dummies. People like me could think it to death and never get it done without a little basic help.

With age comes so much wisdom! 2-11-09

There is so much to say now that I’m older and wiser. For years I’ve avoided talking about my intuitive sixth sense. I’ve been ahead of the curve about several trends, but never wanted to seem pushy about what I knew was coming. Now that I’m older, I feel I should share my wisdom.

Take flip-flops, my first real obsession. This began when I was very young. The only available flip-flops were the rubber kind from the dime store. The colors were basic: red, blue, yellow and green, and I had a pair of each. They were intended for summer wear, and mainly promoted at the beach. I found myself flopping into fall, kept them handy even in the winter months, and then was anxious to slip into my favorite pair as soon as the warm days of spring appeared. Before long, there were great flip flop designs showing up, expanding colors, materials, and different soles. I loved it. I’ve owned close to a hundred pair over the years. My family and close friends can tell you that I have been the flip-flop queen forever—way ahead of the curve.

Here’s another obsession that was on target: the gourmet cup cake. I’ve been into gourmet cupcakes forever. And way before Martha Stewart started using her ascending pyramid of cupcakes for special occasions, even weddings, I was all about the cupcake cake. Years ago, I went to K-Mart and bought various sizes of heavy plastic plant saucers, and little pots to stack between them. Doug drilled holes and attached them together, building my first multi-tiered cupcake stand, just perfect for serving various gourmet treasures.

Here’s my latest passion (it’s political, so brace yourself): this whole country is going to have to get over itself, and step up to the plate. We have over-indulged to the point of disgust. I get mad at myself when I think of all the wasteful things I’ve done. There was no question that eventually, this crazy way of living was going to end, needed to end, and that equilibrium would return. Our focus needs to shift from ourselves, to being more mindful of each other: to what we can do to be better caretakers of our world. I’ve seen this coming for years. However, knowing and doing are two different things. It’s like my adage about being proactive: doing nothing gives the power of influencing the outcome to someone else. Well, here we are, having turned our backs on good sense. We haven’t been proactive, and now we’re at the mercy of a world whirling out of control, and more people than I can believe are still in denial. We need to come to our senses, and step forward together with positive efforts to make this world the place it was intended to be.

I was right about flip flops and cupcakes, and I’m pretty sure I’m right about this.

The Other Side of Sixty 2-4-09

I turned sixty today—that’s 60 years old. Those who have already crossed over this mark and adjusted to the shock of being older than dirt, are snickering about how I’m just a young’un, while those who haven’t made it yet are intentionally refusing to give it conscious thought. Being new to the dirt pile, I can still remember yesterday when I secretly and fearfully looked at sixty and didn’t like what I saw.

To begin with, I planned to be better prepared. I’ve been working on this moment for years, but somehow it still sneaked up on me. Every time I turn around, something that I should have been prepared for is overtaking me. I flop between not wanting to be anal, and being so laissez-faire that the truck runs me over before I know what’s happened.

My hair is a mess. By now I really thought I would have found my best hair-do to see me through the next (dare I say last) third of my life. Something I could count on. But no. I have not become one with my hair, its coarse, wavy texture, or its thickness everywhere except in front where it’s getting white and thinning around the hairline. I hate spending so much time messing with it…

Then there’s the weight problem. I meant with all my heart to be at a good weight when I celebrated this day. Instead, I’m twenty pounds overweight, and critically close to the obese marker. My BMI is high, my blood pressure was high until I started medication, and my unruly cholesterol is now controlled by an occasional statin and a MUFA diet.

Who is this person in the official birthday picture blowing out the proverbial flame of youth on the birthday cake? She looks like someone I might like to know, but she surely doesn’t look like me. For years I’ve been really hard on myself, and always thought I looked worse than I really did, but finally it’s caught up with me. If that is really ME in the picture, then I have exceeded my own expectations and actually look worse than I ever thought I would.

But for all the bad things that came with sixty, there is one thing that is far better than I could have ever imagined. I’ve never been surrounded by so many people I truly care about at one time. There was a moment when we were all gathered around a large dinner table. I looked around the table where many conversations were going full blast, and marveled at having all those diverse people sitting at one table enjoying the company of each other. As far as I could tell, everyone was having a great time, and I felt blessed, really blessed to have such a wonderful group of friends and relatives.

That’s the bonus of aging, and it’s not to be taken lightly. While I didn’t do a very good job on my hair and weight, my ‘loved ones’ pantry is fully stocked. This very unlikely group came together and found common ground. I’m not saying that you have to be 60 to have a good group of friends, but mine is certainly shaping up and I love them more each day!

There were many faces not present at that table for various reasons, but they were there in my heart. My being is a conglomeration of all these relationships. So, here’s a new ‘ism’ for you…we’re not really what we eat, but we are who we love. That’s true of all ages, and gets better with time, just like the really good wine we were drinking.