November 30 - I hope you all had a very happy, healthy and fun Thanksgiving. Mine was great. I cooked for my brother and some of my friends.

My friend Kathy (since 1st grade) and co-worker did also. She wanted to make her mom’s dressing, I wanted to make my mom’s stuffing. Kathy made candied yams, I made the yams with marshmallows. We had a few different pies with ice cream and cool whip and whip cream.

I am still full. When you host dinner everyone wants to help do the dishes, I always say no sit and relax. I used very fancy thick Thanksgiving paper plates. I was going to do the dishes the next day lol. I did some on Saturday and finished up on Sunday. I had to let them soak.

I had my brother Teddy, Kathy her husband Danny and her brother John. We ate like pigs and had a great day. My youngest brother and I were talking about how since our parents are no longer with us our traditions have changed. We are going to get the 5 siblings together before Christmas so we can be together.

I will be spending Christmas with my brother Teddy who lives in Narrowsburg, my sister will be in Boston with her daughter, older brother with his family and my youngest brother (The Drag Queen) told me he is working LIPS Christmas Eve and will sleep Christmas Day. Thanks to Facebook I talk to them every day.

The holidays are so emotional thinking of childhood memories. My dad putting up the tree and getting frustrated with the lights, but singing along to Christmas songs as my mother made us all hot chocolate. Did you put tinsel on your tree as a kid? My mom loved that stuff. We would still find it on the floor in March. On Christmas Eve sit in front of your tree with the lights out and look at the tree and squint and think of your favorite Christmas memory, I do it every year. It’s like looking through a kaleidoscope.

When you go into Pete’s Market in Narrowsburg you will see a Christmas tree with paper ornaments on it. If you would like to help local kids out this Christmas season you can take one and return an age appropriate toy.

There will be a donation barrel. Barrels will also be in St Francis Church and Narrowsburg Post Office. Monetary donations for food or Toy Drive should be addressed to Ecumenical Food Pantry, P.O. Box 54, Narrowsburg, NY 12764. In the memo part of the check please put food or toys so the money goes to the right place. For larger food donations call Joanne (845) 252-3971.

If you have any news to get out there, please email me before Friday night.

Keep smiling and have a great week. You can e-mail me at leeniebeans@ citlink.net or call (845) 252-3568 if you have any news. My new deadline is Friday.