Thanksgiving with Jennie and Josh and David

Hello hello!

I’ve been visiting my children who went and grew up.  Actually I’m glad they did but sometimes it leaves a void in my life thus THE BLUE TOWEL RECIPES BLOG.  A while back I noticed in the library an exercise bike with a large desk-like-structure on the handlebars and there was a lady typing away and cruising nowhere on the bike.  I thought aha kill two birds with one stone, exercise and work on this blog.  So I dusted off the lap top my sweet son-in-law gave me but could only use it in the parking lot at Starbucks because I do not have access to internet at my home. Too complicated to explain.In the backseat of my car was my camera equipment, the lap top, and my pocketbook. Crooks stopped by my house, searched my car, and stole the afore mentioned items.  Called police and reported it. The fools used my credit card at the Target and were videoed. Police found them and my camera equipment but not the lap top or my purse. Never go to the airport without a hard copy of your driver’s license because the girls at TSA get to do a full hand search of all your private parts and then they take your yogurt and then they search every bit of everything and then after about an hour they decide just because you had your credentials stolen and had not received your proper id you were not a terrorist and let me proceed to the proper gate. I then flew to Phoenix where Jennie lives with her husband, married August 20, 2016.  We then drove to San Diego to visit his brother and celebrated Thanksgiving with nine wonderful people. I was going to cook but got cold feet because all had been planned and I didn’t want to get in the way. I felt like I had visited The Jetsons because every modern device was available, lights that glowed in any shade imaginable, three stoves, it was far more than this humble girl from Alabama could digest.  Then they said go up to the new model homes being built. So Jennie took me to homes that even The Jetsons couldn’t imagine.  Fancy, fancy, fancy! Being with Jennie and Josh and his family was a real treat.

David teaches in Goldsboro, NC. After a wonderful visit with one of Momma's childhood friends I drove to Raleigh to visit with a friend I met on the St Andrew's C&C trip to Israel, Greece, and Rome. Imagine a 17 year old flying to JFK to meet 28 other people for an adventure that no one could imagine. Beth and I talked and remembered and truly I treasure each memory. Drove then to David's where I was blessed with enough laundry to keep me busy the entire day while he taught.  That night I took him to Kinston, NC to the Chef and the Farmer restaurant for an exquisite dinner. Sixth grade Social Studies is his field and he is doing so well.  He is off to Europe for Christmas. 

The first Sunday in Advent has just past which makes me remember Aunt Jennie and her nut cake. This was an annual experience which took two days to make. At about ten years old I would watch my Great Aunt Jennie make her nut cake.  The first thing that happened was Daddy had to get the whiskey for the nut cake. Because it had liquor in it we were not allowed to lick the bowl.  Aunt Jennie would sit in the car while the liquor was purchased, a lady did not go in such places. She would hand Daddy three crumpled dollars and say Mac get the cheapest whiskey you can because it is just for the flavor.

You might think of Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory although Aunt Jennie never sent cakes to presidents only her dear friends. One-year momma said Truman Capote was reading A Christmas Memory at UAB.  There he stood swaying a bit tipsy and began telling his story. As he proceeded through, “child of seven whiskey on her breath” and other quotable portions of his story. He got more and more sober and I wonder if his drunken stupor was an act. By the end, which left me in sobs of tears, and he was weeping as well but very coherent.  That evening was sheer magic, Truman Capote reading A Christmas Memory.

I have looked for the Nut Cake recipe to no avail.  Still looking so hopefully I will find it for the next blog recipe. Sorry.