Sunday, December 15, 2019

Snow is falling

I guess I'll stop calling the people who give us the local forecast "weather-guessers".  They've been getting more accurate in the past few years.  Yesterday they said we could get anywhere from five to eight inches of snow today, and while I muttered "yeah, right" a few times, I was a little apprehensive.  This morning I got ready to go to my two churches as usual, since the snow was very light, not even turning the ground white.  Cliff warmed up the car for me and we headed to town.  Pulling out of our drive, he offered to come back and pick me up at the first church and take me to the second.

We were only about half a mile from home when I decided to use common sense.  Both churches are very small, and a lot of the attendees aren't spring chickens and will likely stay home.  The Baptist pastor at least will have family there to hear his preaching, but the Methodist preacher travels some distance to preach at two churches every Sunday, Wellington and Odessa:  Wouldn't I feel silly if I were the only one to show up, and it would be just me, him, and his wife in attendance; he might feel obligated to carry on as usual with two people in the congregation. 

So, I told Cliff to forget it; he turned the car around and brought me home.  Gabe was happy to see me return so quickly.  I got back in my warm, comfortable flannel-lined jeans, an insulated shirt, and a sweatshirt and began to wash the dishes left from my cooking yesterday; our tractor club's annual Christmas dinner was last night.  There's always so much good food with those people, I seem to end up bringing most of what I take home.  Yesterday I decided to make barbecue meat balls, a recipe of my sister's.  Most of the recipes I use for holiday dinners are family ones.  I never realized what an almost sacred thing these recipes are to me until last night.  The meatballs were a hit; a fellow sitting across from me at the table said, "Boy, these meatballs are good!  Did you make these?"

I told him yes, and mentioned it messed up too many dishes in the making of it because the many many meatballs (three pounds of beef) had to be browned before I put them in the oven.  A lady sitting at our table said, "I have a recipe for meatballs:  I don't have to brown them; you can just put them in the oven to bake."

Did I thank her and ask for the recipe?  Oh no, I was sitting there thinking, "Surely she doesn't think I would trade MY OWN SISTER'S recipe for another one!"  I said, "Oh, really?", trying to sound interested.

That's when I realized I'm a family-recipe snob.  All the things I simply must have with a Thanksgiving dinner must be made!  Christmas dinner without my grandma's noodles?  That can never be!

And now I'm chastising myself for not getting that recipe, because the lady is an excellent cook.  I may ask her for it next time I see her.  But I'm telling you, nobody's recipes can trump those of my mother and sister, because nostalgia is involved.  Still, I should give them a chance; what could it hurt?

Just my thoughts as I sit here missing church, trying to pass the time.

Yours,
Donna




5 comments:

  1. Well I'm envious of your snow. All we're getting here in the Tennessee wilderness is rain. I drove to town twice last week and stocked up on lots of supplies. I won't have to go again for a long time.

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  2. Weather forecasters are mostly now meteorologists with degrees from Mississippi State. They are way more accurate and have many more maps and other information from satellites. Glad you decided to not risk it. I have a certain way I make my Christmas cookies, and no one can mess with it. If they want to make their own (different) cookies, that's fine, but I don't vary my recipes. :)

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  3. It's true we do become ripe snobs. I always like mine compared to others. I like my own cooking and would rather eat in than go out to eat too. Still I do like trying new things. You could probably bake your meatball recipe in the oven instead of browning it on the stove and save yourself some work. Just saying....try it you might like it.

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  4. I have changed a few recipes but for the most part they stay the same if my mama taught them to me.

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  5. i collect recipes from our deceased relatives. so a good recipe is something you want to pass down through the ages. i hear you about the snow. we had 3 inches yesterday and another couple inches on top of that today. its sure pretty to look at, but isn't too cool to drive in.

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