For What It s Worth: Goodbye to 2004 years ago
By MARCELLA BRUCE
Contributing writer
Christmas time pretty well spelled the end of 2004, and that new arrival, 2005, is still wearing a top hat and a diaper! I hope both events were blessed and happy (and in that order) for you and yours.
Where I live, there are still a few reminders of Christmas in view. My Swedish Christmas tree still adorns the dining room table, complete with candles, little Christmas wreaths and bright red wooden apples. It's a reminder of earlier connections to Lindsborg and Marquette. And, there are still a couple of poinsettias alive in spite of my non-green thumb; also a "Made in China" small, metal all-of-six-inches-tall chimney sweep man, a cheapie purchase I couldn't resist. Of course, I haven't put away the Christmas cards yet. They'll get another read-through to re-enjoy before I bundle and box them.
So, it's time to bid "goodbye" to 2004 and offer thanks for being able to spend it with "in the flesh family" as well as "on the phone family." At Pratt we had almost as much fun opening gifts as we had watching Bandit the Cat burrowing under the wrappings with only his head peeking out. It's almost a part of the holiday scene.
Now it's time to get work days ahead started with organizing tax stuff for April!
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I'm looking forward to a planned trip in February to Clovis, N.M., for a visit with my cousin-sister Ruth followed by bringing her back to Hillsboro for further visiting. We never seem to run out of things to talk about or enjoy. At our age, parents, aunts, and uncles are long deceased, but we have marvelous memories and most of all we each have immediate family to enjoy.
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The one New Year's resolution I made, to walk daily, is already weeks behind. Perhaps I should have made it to start in spring???
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I have a book of quotations by well-known people that I get out now and then to enjoy again, and there are certainly some gems among them.
How about this one on etiquette: "Etiquette is the noise you don't make eating soup." — Levinson
And this one from Goethe on encouragement? "Correction does much but encouragement does more. Encouragement after censure is as the sun after the rain."
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This recipe called "Tuna Oriental" popped out at me from my file recently and offers a variation to the tuna fish casserole.
Tuna Oriental
4 ounces macaroni
1 (7-ounce) can tuna
1 cup chopped celery
1 can celery soup
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped pimiento
2/3 cup milk
1 (3-ounce) can Chinese noodles and 1 (3-ounce) can french fried onions
Cook macaroni in boiling salted water six minutes. Drain well. Combine macaroni, tuna, celery, soup, water chestnuts, soy sauce, pimiento, and milk in 1 1/2 quart casserole. Mix well. Sprinkle noodles over top. Bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes. Makes six servings.
MCSEC board to meet
The Marion County Special Education Cooperative Board of Directors will meet for its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in the Marion County Special Education Cooperative Conference Room at 302 West Eighth in Florence.
