What Fool Am I--- To Brave Today

Oh Miss Faye,

I trust you enjoyed your holiday as much as I did mine. And I'm sure that Santa was as good to you as he was to me. I do think the best gift of all, as I told my brother last night on the phone, was the rain. I know it didn't rain hard, but what fell had to sink in. What a glorious site to hear the pitter patter of rain drops after the pitter patter of reindeer hooves. Hmm, maybe the rain was to clean up the messes left by the team?

Oh, the agony of it all. I had to put on all my armour and head out to the Fayette Pavilion in order to exchange two gifts of the wrong size variety. Memories of Christmas past had me in a sweat as I mentally prepared myself for the LONG lines. I fretted. I panicked. And then, away I went before good sense could kick back in and keep me warm in my pjs playing with my Christmas toys.

What's this? Where are the masses? Why are there parking spots close to the front of the stores? Has everyone come and gone already or are they just waiting for me to show up?

The first store was a breeze. There were five clerks for checkout today, compared to the two last week. I stood in line for about 3 minutes and painlessly made my exchange. Hey, this was ok. Let's head on to the big box at the far end of the Pavilion. Ok. So there weren't so many empty spots. Maybe that should have been my first clue.

So, the line at the main checkout is long. Hmm. The second clue. Nah. They are all buying the after Christmas markdowns. I'm just going to swoop in, find the right size in slippers, exchange them with a smile, and be off to that electronics store to do some serious shopping.

Third clue. They have empty racks where the slippers were just last week. Oh, there they are. Scattered here and there. Ah, there's the style. Grab........ aggghhhh. They don't have the right size. Now my feet are regular sized, no special needs. Why can't I find my size? I'm starting to pant. I search through the small discarded slippers on the bottom rack, and viola! They have one pair in the store in my size. Alright!

Feeling back on track, I head off to the back of the store for an exchange. I search for the end of the line. Oh dear. Now, I'm getting eye glazing from all those who are standing in this line waiting to see one of three clerks who can assist. Five minutes go past. Then ten. Now I'm starting to panic. If I didn't mind cold feet, I would just leave. But I can't as I wore out last year's slippers two weeks ago and my tootsies are turning blue.

Follow the line. I must follow the line. Here I am at the start, and only a mere twenty minutes of waiting-- all to exchange one pair of slippers! I've lost my smile by this point and just want to escape. The lady working behind the exchange desk doesn't seem so merry, either. Maybe she's been waiting the crowds to leave. At least I get to leave when I shove my slippers her way, along with the receipt.

I fight my way back out of the store, too tired to do anything else. So, I skipped the electronics store and came home. Home to my little house and my nice new slippers that fit. I think I'll wear them for a couple of days straight. And with any luck at all, it will rain a few more times before the end of the year.

Go Natural, You'll Never Go Back

Afternoon Miss Faye,

I spent the morning trying to get the last of the fixins that I need to cook a Christmas dinner. After searching high and low for fresh cranberries, I finally located them at the baby Kroger in Peachtree City. The sweet lady who always checks me out was looking all festive in her Santa hat, complete with her usual big smile. As she was ringing up the groceries, she remarked she had never even had fresh cranberries. She was a canned jellied cranberry sauce kinda girl.

I almost fainted right then and there. The canned stuff?? Bah, humbug!

A strange feeling came over me. Now, Miss Faye, don't you go to thinking I was getting a red face again. No. I felt charitable. I knew I had to save her from the sauce.

Quickly, before the feeling passed, I blurted out my recipe for fresh cranberry relish. It's so wonderful that I think I'll even give you a gift by sharing my secret with you.

Take one bag of cranberries. Add one big naval orange. Do not, and I repeat, do not peel it. Just cut the orange up into several sections. Be sure you have washed the orange well. Place cranberries and orange into a food processor. Turn on processor and make sure the cranberries and orange are all chopped up together. Add sugar. Some like it sweeter than others. I add about a cup of sugar to the cranberry-orange mixture. Refrigerate and let it sit overnight. Done!!

Once you go natural, you'll never go back to canned!!!

Enjoy!

Miss Etta

Dazzle, Sparkle, It's Christmas Lights

Oh Miss Faye,

One of my dear cousins who lives up where it's been snowing called last night. I asked him about barbeque and all the fixings. He told me they can get barbeque although it doesn't taste as good as the kind he can get when he comes home.

Apparently the national chains all claim to have pit cooked. Although, I just can't understand how they can just sit around a big hole in the ground with a freshly butchered hog on the fire at all those national places. I much prefer the local kind, where I can see and smell it cooking.

Anyway, the bad news is you can't find Brunswick Stew up north. He says they typically just find french fries and a salad. Now, just what is barbeque without a super Brunswick Stew and cole slaw? Well, before I get too carried away, let me tell you what I wanted to say today.

Have you been down Sandy Creek Road? It's the road between Fayetteville and Peachtree City just off of Hwy 54. If you haven't, you must make the effort.

Lordy, there are two families who truly have the spirit of Christmas. Why, their houses and yards are all lit up for the season. There's snowflakes, Santas, reindeer,elves and all. Of course, my favorite scenes are those where they remember the reason for the season and honor the birth of Christ. I think my absolute favorite display is the one where Santa is kneeling before the manger. It's just spectacular.

There is no charge to ride through, and we were even lucky enough to see Santa in person the other night.

So, Miss Faye, please take the time to ride through the light displays. Why, before we know it, we'll be hearing you belting out the verses to all those favorite Christmas songs.

Many thanks to both the Gaddy and Abernathy families for their gifts of lights to the county.

Miss Etta