Happy Fourth and What's Cooking

Actually, there's nothing much cooking here today. I have a little baking planned, but I can't even seem to get myself moving to do that.

Tomorrow is the neighborhood 4th of July party.

I adore our neighborhood. We're a small group on a country road, with the closest grocery store 10 miles away. So none of this getting in the middle of your baking and then realize you need one more egg, or a stick of butter. But. That's not my problem today. I have all the sugar, flour, butter, milk and eggs that could possibly be needed. My problem is deciding what I want to bake.

I'm sure the neighbors are sick to death of my chocolate pound cake, and probably my lemon blueberry pound cake too. Truth be told, they're probably praying I never show up with another pound cake ever. But I love pound cake! And I especially love baking a pound cake in one of my really cool bundt pans. These pans come in all sorts of fun shapes. I only have a few, but keep promising I'm going to treat myself to another one or two - and wishing I had already picked up one in the shape of a sunflower. Or maybe the carousel. But. I didn't. big sigh. I do have two pans I especially love - they make "mini bundts." and they're adorable!! My favorite regular size bundt pan is the cathedral. I use it a lot. My friend Cat gave me a sandcastle pan and it's a beauty, except the little cake turrets seem to burn during baking and I haven't figured out a way to keep that from happening.


Oh Laws, I did it again, didn't I?

Wandered off talking about pans, when what I really want to talk about is this pile of cookbooks at my feet.

You know - with the internet being so chock full of recipes for anything anyone could ever want to cook or bake, we really don't even need cookbooks any more. But, as anyone who has ever been a collector of anything knows - "need" has nothing to do with it. For me, being a lover and collector of books also includes a cookbook fixation. I've given away quite a few recently, but there are some that I love and can't imagine parting with. Oddly enough, some of them are cookbooks that I have never ever tried a single recipe from. And then there are the "old faithfuls" that I reach for regularly. And there's that group that includes cookbooks that are so beautifully done that they're for sitting and enjoying simply for their beauty, certainly not to be placed in the category of "just a cookbook." Still another group would be those cookbooks that might contain only one single recipe that gets used over and over again. Wouldn't it be simpler to write the recipe down and put it in my recipe box? Or type it up and keep it on my computer? Well, truth be told - I've done that, but I still want to hold on to those cookbooks. Those are the ones that have been with me forever. They've been packed and moved from apartment to apartment to house to house, from state to state. They're not going anywhere.

Here's a few of my faves.

It only seems right to start off with the one I started the day out with. Earlier today I was just simply planning on baking a pound cake. Then I started "over-thinking." To the point that now I've convinced myself that the neighbors just truly do not want to ever see another pound cake from the Barley household again, ever, ever. But. If I do ever make another pound cake (probably tonight, who am I kidding), this is the first place I'll look for a recipe. The Pound Cake Cookbook by Bibb Jordan. If you can find a copy of this - grab it. It is a perfect little gem.


If I decide to do an old fashioned chocolate cake instead, the very best one I ever made came from a recipe in the Hershey's Chocolate Classics cookbook. It's the Chocolatetown Special Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting. yummm . . .


As for the cookbooks I've never actually cooked out of - well, here they are:

The Pooh Cookbook inspired by Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne by Virginia H. Ellison, Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. Most of us don't need a cookbook to tell us how to spread Marmalade on a Honeycomb (don't swallow the beeswax), which is the first recipe in this delightful little book, but - we might sometimes forget some of the other very important lessons it has to offer. Like sitting quietly while enjoying the sweet wisdom of Pooh.

Another cookbook that's so much more than a cookbook is The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life. It may very well have a recipe for the best ever Country Ham with Bourbon Glaze, and it might possibly tell you some of the most delicious ways to cook up some crab, but what I can promise you it has for sure is some of the best story-telling having to do with food and friendship you'll ever hope to read.

I've never tried a single recipe from The Nero Wolfe Cookbook by Rex Stout. And I have to admit, there really aren't too many recipes in here I'm even tempted to try. But anyone who's a fan of Nero Wolfe and Archie and has drooled over some of their meals while enjoying their adventures will love this little treasure.


The last book I have here that I've never cooked out of is Earlyne S. Levitas' Secrets from Atlanta's Best Kitchens. When I moved to Atlanta in 1968, most of these restaurants were in business and were quite well known. Some of them did open later. I was lucky enough to be able to try several of them, and was saddened when I watched them, one by one, close. By the time I moved away from Atlanta in 1997, the only one still in operation was The Varsity. Now, I have some fond, fond memories of The Varsity, and still think their onion rings are the ones by which all onion rings should be judged. But some of the other restaurants listed in this wonderful cookbook stir up strong memories as well. The Midnight Sun was the place my mom and dad wanted to go when they came for a visit. It was always a dressy, special occasion, and one we always looked forward to and were never disappointed. Those of you who are, or were, long time residents of Atlanta will remember many from the list which includes Pity Pat's Porch, Chateau Fleur de Lis, Gene and Gabe's, Herren's, Hugo's, Justine's and The Lion's Head, along with a few more.

Here are some of my favorite old stand-bys that I know I can count on -

Country Living Country Mornings Cookbook -

Farm Journal's Country Cookbook

One of my very favorites, Somethin's Cookin' in the Mountains, which is not just a cookbook, but also a pretty special guide book to the North Georgia Mountains. Again, though - sadly, an awful lot of what was included in this book is no longer with us.



and finally, some favorites because they're just sweetly done and fun - Susan Branch's Heart of the Home cookbooks. They're all illustrated with Susan's watercolors, and include little snippets of poetry. They're just a joy.

and they make great gifts!

I know many of you are cookbook collectors also - and I'd love to hear about your favorites, please. There's always room for one or two new cookbooks on the shelf . . .

And by the way - - -

Happy 4th of July, everyone!!

SOUTHERN LIFE by Patricia Neely-Dorsey

Taking one of our little meanders off the usual path of mysteries and crime fiction, please make welcome Patricia Neely-Dorsey.

Patricia is a Meanderings and Muses visitor who figured out fairly quickly that I share her love of "things Southern," and was kind enough to share one of her poems with us. It's one which perfectly portrays some of the gracious simplicity we cherish about the south. And also seems quite appropriate as we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July.


Patricia Neely-Dorsey is a 1982 graduate of Tupelo High School in Tupelo, Mississippi. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. After living for almost 20 years in Memphis, Tennessee, working in the mental health field, she returned to her hometown in 2007. Her first book of poetry was published in February, 2008 (Grant House Publishers). Patricia currently lives in Tupelo with her husband James,son Henry,and Miniature Schnauzer, Happy. She is a proud, active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.,an avid reader and passionate writer.

Patricia's Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems is "a true celebration of the south and things southern." The author states, "There are so many negative connotations associated with Mississippi and the south in general. In my book, using childhood memories, personal thoughts and dreams, I attempt to give a positive glimpse into the southern way of life. In my book I try to show that there is much is more to Mississippi and the south than all of the negatives usually portrayed .I invite readers to Meet Mississippi (and the south) Through Poetry ,Prose and The Written Word."


SOUTHERN LIFE by Patricia Neely-Dorsey

If you want a glimpse of Southern life,
Come close and walk with me;
I'll tell you all the simple things,
That you are sure to see.
You'll see mockingbirds and bumblebees,
Magnolia blossoms and dogwood trees,
Caterpillars on the step,
Wooden porches cleanly swept;
Watermelons on the vine,
Strong majestic Georgia pines;
Rocking chairs and front yard swings,
Junebugs flying on a string;
Turnip greens and hot cornbread,
Coleslaw and barbecue;
Fried okra, fried corn, fried green tomatoes,
Fried pies and pickles too.
There's ice cold tea that's syrupy sweet,
And cool, green grass beneath your feet;
Catfish nipping in the lake,
And fresh young boys on the make.
You'll see all these things
And much, much more,
In a way of life that I adore.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Neely-Dorsey
from Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life In Poems
AUTHOR WEBSITE: www.patricianeelydorsey.webs.com

A Few of My Favorite Blogs

There are a ton of terrific blogs out there.

No matter what you might want to read about, chances are you can probably find it in the land of the blogs. Some are better than others, and new ones are popping up every day. In addition to the blogs I love which have to do with mysteries and crime fiction, I've found several blogs I enjoy dealing with a wealth of different topics. Everything from being an introvert, to hats, to tree houses, and tea parties, and an ever growing abundance of sometimes obscure, arcane, esoteric, and/or just plain ol' fun "stuff." Everyone on God's green earth should now be able to find a blog out there to fill their wants, their needs or maybe just a daily fix for whatever sparks their fancy.

I've decided that there are some blogs I'm going to squeal about. Just 'cause. My favorites are, of course, shown here in my blog roll, but if I read something that I find especially interesting in some fashion, I'm going to mention it here in case you might find it interesting too. And I hope you'll share some of your favorites in return.

Want to read about food? (This is one of my favorite topics, for sure). Want to read about food written by someone who also happens to share our love of books, who reads a LOT, and owns more books than the average human being, AND, as an added bonus, writes beautifully? Then you need to be finding your way over to "will read for food: notes from a bookseller-at-large." I love this blog. It's written by Nicki Leone. Nicki is amazing. As you browse around this site, you'll find other things of interest that she does, and that she writes about, and you'll wonder how on earth she finds the time to be involved in so much, and still have the time to share it all with us in her blogs and newsletters. You know how we all have said at some point, "I'd read her grocery list and enjoy it?" Well. Nicki is one of those writers. And she's generous with her gifts, and with her knowledge.

She's also a contributor to "BiblioBuffet: Writing Worth Reading, Reading Worth Writing About," which is another of my favorite places to visit. Have you been there? Don't miss it. If you're here at Meanderings and Muses, you're obviously a reader, and you just need to stop by BiblioBuffet. You'll be happy I sent you. Promise.

Nicki also writes a newsletter - "Lady Banks' Commonplace Book," which is a newsletter for people interested in Southern literature, sponsored by booksellers who are members of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) and featuring an overview of literary news and events as found on Authors 'Round the South.

I hope you'll take the time to read some of Nicki's work. You'll be a fan in no time. Just like me.

Another blog I enjoy is "BREVITY's Creative Nonfiction Blog; Write Hard, Write Smart." Since I've started blogging I've become very interested in creative nonfiction writing, and this is a great spot.

and one more.

This is a brand new blogspot, and it just so happens Harley was invited to participate. And - bless his lovely Corgi heart, he invited me to come along. Check out, please, "Coffee With a Canine." It is TOO fun!

Split Personality by Sandra Parshall

Sandra Parshall was born and raised in South Carolina, and the first job that paid her for writing was that of weekend obituary columnist on her hometown paper, The Spartanburg Herald. She eventually became a reporter -- after putting together a feature on her own initiative and giving it to the editor to prove she could do it. From there she went to jobs on newspapers in West Virginia and The Baltimore Evening Sun. She covered everything from school board meetings to a mining disaster, health care in prisons, poverty in Appalachia, and the experiences of Native Americans living in the city.

Sandy has written fiction since childhood, but didn't find the genre she felt comfortable in -- mystery/suspense -- until a few years ago. The Heat of the Moon was her first attempt at psychological suspense. Her friend Babs calls it "Sandy's pecan pie dream book" because the entire story came to her during a fitful night after she had overindulged in holiday dessert. With its publication, she’s setting off on a new phase of life, and making a lot of new friends along the way.

She has lived for many years in the Washington, DC, area, and currently shares a house in McLean, Virginia, with her husband, a long-time Washington journalist, and two unbelievably spoiled cats.

www.sandraparshall.com
DISTURBING THE DEAD--Benjamin Franklin Award Finalist
THE HEAT OF THE MOON--Agatha Award winner










Split Personality by Sandra Parshall

When I see the beautiful pictures Kaye posts here of her mountain home, part of me feels an almost irresistible urge to pack up household, husband, and cats and move immediately to some remote spot where I would be surrounded by nature and spared the intrusion of most humans. But another part of me holds back, listing all the advantages of living in the Washington, DC, area and asking if I really want to give up all that.

I want both. I can’t have both.

And that, I think, also defines my feelings about being published and being required to promote what I’ve published. I want everyone to read my books. I want everyone to know my name. At the same time, I want to live in seclusion, spending my days writing with never a thought for selling.

When I have book signings scheduled, I dread them in the same way I might dread major surgery. How can I, with my fundamentally shy, retiring personality, spend two hours in a bookstore, begging people to buy my books? I’ve done it before, but I can never quite recall how I worked up the nerve. Each time feels brand new. But personal contact with booksellers and readers is important – and if I’m having a good day, and people are buying books, after the first hour I’m no longer anxious and I’m actually enjoying the event. I’m still exhausted by the end of it, though, because it’s such an unnatural exertion.

I experience the same contradictory reactions when I attend Bouchercon. I’m relaxed about Malice Domestic because it’s local (I can come home at the end of the day) and relatively small and many members of my Sisters in Crime chapter attend. I see friendly faces everywhere I turn. Bouchercon is another story. It terrifies me. I am the littlest of little fish in that enormous pond. I am as starstruck as any other fan when I pass famous authors in the halls or stand in their signing lines, and if I ever end up on a panel with Big Name writers (that hasn’t happened so far), I probably won’t be able to utter a coherent sentence. Observing the stars of the genre from a distance, I find myself wondering what the heck I’m doing there. Who do I think I am, presuming to mix with such people? The reclusive side of my nature takes over, and I flee to my room for a period of restorative solitude. After a while, I start wondering what I’m missing, and soon enough I’m in the flow again, feeling lucky to be there.

I know other writers who are torn between a need to be alone and the need to get out into the real world and sell their products. And I know some who are so outgoing, who have so much fun at appearances and conferences, that they’re reluctant to return to the hermit-like existence required to write a book. Still others move freely and happily between their public and private lives. The notions I used to have about “the writer’s personality” went out the window when I started meeting professional writers and realized that they’re as different from one another as people in any other line of work, and no label fits all of them.

The label I would give myself is Split Personality. Like a cat, when I’m in, I want to be out, and when I’m out, I’m yearning to be in. It’s a little late to change my basic nature, so I’m learning how to pace myself at conferences, how to avoid doing so much promotion that I can’t get back into the mood to sit alone and write, and how to enjoy both halves of the writer’s existence.

I’ll probably never run off to a mountaintop to live like a hermit, but I’m learning how to create my own little oasis and retreat to it when the world overwhelms me.

Sissyfriss Sockmonkey and Lou Lou Skiptoo Host a Tea Party

You may remember that today is Tea Party Day. We're joining Vanessa from A Fanciful Twist in hosting the 2nd Annual Mad Tea Party.



You may also remember that Donald and I discovered we have a conflict today and almost had to cancel the party, but my girlfriend Sissyfriss Sockmonkey jumped in and agreed to host it for me. This all worked out beautifully 'cause today is the day Sissy's book group was meeting and they all agreed it sounded fun to have a full fledged tea party. And it should be great fun!

But poor Sissyfriss is a nervous wreck. She always throws really lovely parties, but gets awfully nervous beforehand. She's asked her best gal pal, Lou Lou Skiptoo, to come early and help her get things ready. Sissyfriss and Lou Lou have been very best friends since the cradle. and oh my - do they have stories to tell. Whew. The trouble these girls have managed to get themselves into . . .

But. they're grown up ladies now and all that silliness is behind them.

So.

They're both here and I'm leaving!

Things are like 42 whirlwinds around this house!

These gals are busy bustling about and I hear the tinkle clink of dishes and wine glasses (wait - - - - WINE GLASSES!?!?) coming out of the china cabinet.

AND the dessert caterer has arrived! How Lovely! We've used these folks before and they do lovely, scrumptious desserts!

Donald and I are on our way out the door, but I hope some of you will stop in and enjoy the party. And I promise to post pictures as soon as I get home.

I did manage to get Sissy and Lou Lou to sit down long enough to snap a picture of the two of them. They are adorable!!



(wine glasses? It's a TEA party . . . .
oh my . . . .

it's going to be fine fine fine
I am not going to fret about this

gonna be fine


wine glasses?? . . )






Part Two




Well, okeey doke.

Donald and I are home, and things look as though a good time was had by all!

Poor Sissyfriss and Pitiful Lou Lou must have worked awfully hard 'cause they're both sound asleep on the bed and snoring to beat the band!!!!!! (don't tell them I mentioned the snoring, okay?).

From the number of wine bottles we found in the trash, it is no wonder they're sleeping and snoring. big sigh.

They left the camera out for us with a note that neither of them are very computer savy, so would I mind loading their pictures, so I'll do that. And I'll try to include a few of their little notes they left me giving some party highlights.

Sissy and Lou Lou enjoyed the desserts we had when we threw ourselves the Meanderings and Muses Milestone party to celebrate having 10,000 visitors. They enjoyed them so much, they hired the same dessert caterer. I'm sure hoping they saved us some!!


From these pictures, I'd have to say it looks as though there was a good turn out! I recognize some of Sissy and Lou Lou's friends and wish I'd been here to visit with them. I see Harley here saying "Hey!" to Benjamin.

Benjamin hasn't been by to see us in forever!

While Sissyfriss was welcoming guests and mingling, Lou Lou Skiptoo took care of putting out dishes for the dessert buffet


This is Maudie with Lou Lou,

and this is Victoria

and these are just a few of the goodies they're having


and here's a couple pictures of some more of Sissy and Lou Lou's guests



From the looks of these pictures, I'd have to say we almost had the makings of a Teddy Bear's picnic here.

Ahhhh - and here's a clue as to where some of that wine went . . . . . . .







And after Sissyfriss Sockmonkey and Lou Lou Skiptoo said their final goodbyes to their guests, they did what all girlfriends do after a party.

Sat down for a chat about it.

and chat they did.

They had themselves a "Post Party Replay," complete with giggles, snorts, and another glass of wine.

And they agreed that it was a fine fine party, and that everyone had themselves a gay old time.

And then they took a nap.

Summer Reading - Part One

Seems it's that time of year when we start seeing Summer Reading Lists all over the place. And - - since I'm one who cannot for the life of me resist a list, I, of course, have my very own summer reading list. ta da!

The one book I'm really impatiently awaiting and tapping my toe for is Pat Conroy's newest. SOUTH OF BROAD. This surprises no one, I'm sure, after the love note to Pat Conroy I left here awhile back. If I were a wealthy woman, I'd buy one of those ARCs available at abebooks.com for somewhere between $50-$75.00. But, big sigh, I'm not. So I'll just continue the toe tapping thing till August 11th when it will finally be released.

This from patconroy.com:

"Against the sumptuous backdrop of Charleston, South Carolina, SOUTH OF BROAD gathers a unique cast of sinners and saints. Leopold Bloom King, our narrator, is the son of an amiable, loving father who teaches science at the local high school. His mother, an ex-nun, is the high school principal and a well-known Joyce scholar. After Leo's older brother commits suicide at the age of thirteen, the family struggles with the shattering effects of his death, and Leo, lonely and isolated, searches for something to sustain him. Eventually, he finds his answer when he becomes part of a tightly knit group of high school seniors that includes friends Sheba and Trevor Poe, glamorous twins with an alcoholic mother and a prison-escapee father; hardscrabble mountain runaways Niles and Starla Whitehead; socialite Molly Huger and her boyfriend, Chadworth Rutledge X; and an ever-widening circle whose liaisons will ripple across two decades-from 1960s counterculture through the dawn of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. The ties among them endure for years, surviving marriages happy and troubled, unrequited loves and unspoken longings, hard-won successes and devastating breakdowns, and Charleston's dark legacy of racism and class divisions. But the final test of friendship that brings them to San Francisco is something no one is prepared for South of Broad is Pat Conroy at his finest; a long-awaited work from a great American writer whose passion for life and language knows no bounds."

In the meantime, I have some additional books on my Summer Reading List. These are only some of the novels I'm looking forward to reading - we'll do another list in a week or so. But for today, I'm going to kinda stick with a theme - beach related, and southern. Two of my favorite things, in reading and in life.

Here's another August release. One of my favorite series ever. I look forward to Margaret Maron's newest "Deborah" every August. As soon as I get my hands on one, I race through it to see what Deborah's latest adventure entails, then sit down and read it again savoring each word. I welcome Deborah Knott and her family into my home with open arms and talk about her like she's a real person.

SAND SHARKS takes Deborah to Wrightsville Beach. I'm particularly looking forward to this one. Wrightsville Beach isn't far from Topsail Island, where Donald and Harley and I spent a week in May, and blogged about right here. Twice! I'm still finding myself looking at the pictures we took while there and dreaming about being back. It's a beautiful part of North Carolina, and since no one captures atmosphere, or writes a better sense of place than Ms. Maron, I'm especially excited to see what SAND SHARKS brings us. The series remains at the tippy top of my "auto-buy books."

Speaking of Topsail Island. Diane Chamberlain writes beautifully about this enchanting spot. Her latest, SECRETS SHE LEFT BEHIND, is ABSOLUTELY on my list of Summer Reading.



Surprisingly, I've heard very little chatter about the new Rebecca Wells novel. THE CROWNING GLORY OF CALLA LILLY PONDER will be released in July. I'm thinking perhaps Ms. Wells' last novel, YA-YAs in BLOOM was a bit of a disappointment to some fans of the earlier Ya-Ya novels. I liked it just fine. Mostly, I think I was especially blown away by the fact that Ms. Wells was able to even write that book while she was suffering dreadfully with Lyme's Disease. I'm excited about reading this one. Amazon.com says "The novel is chock-full of Southern charm and sassy wisdom." Sounds good to me. I'm a fan of Southern charm and sassy wisdom, for sure.

Sticking with my whole "wishing I was still at the beach" theme I can't seem to move beyond this year, I'm also looking forward to reading Patti Callahan Henry's DRIFTWOOD SUMMER where three sisters reunite to save the family’s beach-community bookstore.


One of my favorite writers of "All Things Southern" is Dorothea Benton Frank. She has written a sequel to her very first novel, SULLIVAN'S ISLAND. RETURN TO SULLIVAN'S ISLAND promises a return to a breathtakingly beautiful place, with some of the most eccentric, wild and funny characters you'll ever hope to meet. If you're not familiar with Ms. Frank, do check out her webpage and learn how she came to write her first novel. It's quite the story.

Another perennial favorite of mine is Mary Kay Andrews. Her newest, THE FIXER UPPER finds us carrying on with another of her courageous, outrageous southern women characters who is, by God, going to show the world just how strong she really is. And will have everyone falling completely in love with her while doing it.

AND I'm excited about the next Bobbie Faye adventure. Toni McGee Causey's WHEN A MAN LOVES A WEAPON comes out in August. Bobbie Faye is a HOOT and I love her.



You know who is missing from this list? A woman whose writing I love more than I can even say - Anne Rivers Siddons. I haven't seen any mention of anything new from her, but we'll just cross our fingers and hope it'll be soon.

O.K. - that's a partial list of what I plan on reading this summer. Now let's hear what's on your list!

Happy Father's Day

Daughters and their daddies.

There's a special bond between the two, and if you grew up with a dad like mine it makes for fun and lovely memories. And some terrific stories when you're all grown up. All grown up maybe, but at times miss your dad so badly you feel as small and unprotected as you did when you were 4 and wanted him to chase away the monsters living in your bedroom closet.

Here are a few of my memories of my dad . . .

From the time I was 3 months old until I was 16 we lived in a wonderful old apartment in Cambridge, Md. The Arcade Apartments. I loved that place. All the rooms were big and spacious and the living room and the dining room had big bay windows with window seats. The kitchen was huge and our stove was an old one that sat up on legs. Remember those old stoves? Anyone else have one of those?

A friend of my mother's, Clara Rook, kept bringing me little chicks one Easter. Those pitiful little chicks that people would dye pink and blue and green at Easter time? AWFUL! and, of course, they usually died fairly quickly, bless their hearts. Well, my sweetie pies didn't. They just kept getting bigger and bigger. In an apartment! Daddy knew I loved those chicks. Every time the subject came up about them being too big to live in an apartment, I would start crying. Finally my dad put some chicken wire around the legs of that old stove and put the chickies in there. You just know how much my mother loved this, right? The chicks just kept growing and one morning I woke up hearing my dad yelling some pretty bad words. The chicks had knocked down the chicken wire and they were all hopping on Mom & Dad's bed. For real.

The chicks went to granny's that day. I was told they were going there so they'd have a big yard to "play" in. uh huh. Sunday Dinner. I'll never get over it. We went to my grandmother's for dinner and the minute I walked into the dining room I spied the fried chicken on platters on the table. Mother tells me I just squalled "My Sweetie Pies! Oh Nooooooo - You've cooked my Sweetie Pies!" and cried and cried and cried. Heartbroken. And nobody ate fried chicken that day.

I have a million memories of that apartment. But let me set the record straight - it wasn't a fancy big city type apartment. This was small town living. And we were not wealthy people; not by any stretch of the imagination. There was no private entrance into our apartment. There was a downstairs lobby, and in the lobby was the entrance to the Arcade Movie Theater. If we were out and arrived home before the movie started, it meant mingling with the line of people buying tickets to see a movie before we would get upstairs and into our apartment. Since it was a small town and everyone knew everyone, it sometimes took awhile to get through all the "Hi, How are You's?" and get up the stairs to home. And, since neither of us had a key to the apartment, which meant it was never locked, we also never knew who might be there waiting for us when we did get home. But it seemed there was always someone. It might have been one of my many aunts or uncle or cousins - there was a gracious plenty of them. Or it might be one of dad's cronies, or one of mother's girlfriends, or friends of mine from school. Amazingly enough now as it might sound, it was never cause for concern back then. It was just an accepted thing. That apartment was, as my mom often said, "Grand Central Station." (There are enough of these stories to keep this little blog of mine going for the next several years.)

There was also a jewelry store owned by Mr. & Mrs. Henry DeVoe in the lobby of the Arcade. Sometimes on Saturdays they would babysit me while Mother did the grocery shopping if Dad had to work. It was the beginning of my love affair with jewelry. Mr. DeVoe was my buddy - he opened my first charge account. Remember the silver bands we called "Friendship Rings?" They were $1.00. Sterling silver bands for $1.00. Can you imagine? Well, I loved those, but would lose them often. He would let me charge one and pay him on installments out of my allowance. About the time I'd have one paid off, I'd lose it and he would let me charge another one.

There was also a beauty shop, and an insurance company and I was in and out of those places like I owned them. I don't know why those people put up with it. If some poor woman was having her hair washed, I'd just march right over while she had her head in the sink and strike up a conversation.

I don't think I'd trade my growing up years in Cambridge for a beezillion dollars.

My dad played basketball, and was apparently quite good. While growing up, I would hear stories about his basketball career. Many times in school my teachers and parents of my friends seemed stunned when realizing who I was - that I could be Alan Wilkinson's daughter and not have any more athletic ability than Adam's house cat was just not understood.

I had been gone from Cambridge for many, many years, and my dad had been gone for many years when Donald and I were home for a visit. We had gone out to the High Spot for dinner with our friends Pam and R.T., who I grew up with and graduated from Cambridge High with. Pam said there was someone in the restaurant she wanted me to meet - he had been a friend of my dad's. When she introduced me, he said he had played ball with my dad and besides my dad being quite talented, he had a trait which he admired even more and that was the simple fact that my dad was also a gentleman - off and on the court. "A good, clean playing ballplayer," he said. and I promptly burst into tears.

It's a lovely thing to have someone remember your dad in such a sweet and simple, exceptionally special way.

He was a very good man, my dad.

"My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it."
Clarence B. Kelland

1. Lewis, 2. Irvin, 3. Roy, 4. Ethel, 5. Alan (my dad), 6. Pop Pop (Irvin), 7. Belle, 8. Grandmother Laura Mae. Picture taken by older brother Ed

Dad taught me to ride a bike - and I vividly remember when he was trying to teach me how to drive a car he made a comment or two about how the bike learning experience had been a whole lot more fun and less traumatic for both of us.




We were all three HUGE Oriole fans and it was a very big deal and very special occasion for us to go to Baltimore for a game. Not as big a deal as going there for a Colt's game, but still a big deal.





And pretty special to get to Ocean City too. (Think he's wondering "What's with the HAT?!)

Pop Pop's 90th Birthday - July 18, 1965

In front - Aunt Belle, Dad

In back - Uncle Lewis, Pop-Pop, Uncle Irv, Uncle Roy, Aunt Ethel, Uncle Ed

Deep sea fishing - Morehead City, NC

"It's sad when our daddies die. It makes one less person inside."
Pamela Ribon.