It was “www//fff\\ five day ‘tutorial’ for “cuC”! That’s how one of the Grandchildren phrased it! Translated for the ‘older generation’ they meant: “…whatta wonder weekend of family, fun, food and a ‘tutorial’ for coming-up-Christmas!”
And when Grandma asked: “What’s all this ‘ink’ about ‘Black Friday’ about?” A groan went up from the ‘kids’. “Meemaw, the Sunday ‘New York Times’ had a piece about that! For years and years the merchants have said that if ‘sales’ on the day after Thanksgiving were really good – they would ‘be in the black’ for the year!” Get it?
“Oh, and Meemaw, Kate’s going to give you a ‘tutorial on how to operate ‘Quicken’ on your computer…remember we bought you that ‘software’ last week…have you tried it yet?
That’s what we thought.” (On the ‘Quicken’ box it says: ‘Starter Edition …track your spending.’) The last of the nineteen who were here for Thanksgiving left this morning - so ‘Meemaw’ can get back to her twentieth century non-technical modus operandi!
With thoughts of Thanksgiving there comes memories of the first Thanksgiving, and the landing of the Mayflower, and tracing ones genealogy back to the Pilgrims who signed the Mayflower Compact. And then there are Labrador Lovers who confer about their dog’s pedigree and whether your dog is related to ours and let’s check pedigrees when we’re home for Thanksgiving.
There are two Lab owners in Oakwood (Terry Holton is one) who convinced one of their children that her next Lab should be from their breeding stock. In a flurry of let’s get out our pedigree papers…it was discovered that daughter’s Minnesota Lab had the very same pedigree! So up to Columbus and Sally Bell’s kennels they went on the day before Thanksgiving. ‘Rambo’ Holton did not go, but ‘Ms. Fraser’ did go and she met her Mother (dog breeders say ‘Dam’) named “Legally Blonde’. And ‘Winston’ Sternal got acquainted with his Grand Sire. ‘Winston’s’ owner, Nancy, made all sorts of arrangements with Sally Bell for ‘the pick of your next litter’ – all the while Nancy’s husband was shaking his head “NO”. “Course I know how this will turn out,” said a resigned Ron Sternal. “She’ll finally wear me down and we’ll have a second Lab!”
Sally’s husband was formally the head of the Ohio State University Veterinary School and ‘Round Town’ had a great chat about with him about General Alden Stilson, and Dr. Trent Smith, MFH – all foxhunters and great mutual friends.
“I’ve been calling you since Thursday and leaving you messages on your answering machine,” said Rosemary Huston. “Finally, this morning I put on my glasses and found I’d been calling the wrong number! Anyhow, can you come for dinner tonight at Moraine…Judy Herbruck Brown will be here!”
Rosemary’s dinner was the greatest reunion! The nine guests around the table talked 60 mph about Oakwood High School, about their old homes in Oakwood, about the Miami Valley Hunt, about whether they’d meet in NYC for the Master’s dinner in January, about old, old friends, about bridge games, about Minneapolis, about Colorado, about… And what’s so unfair is – Judy looks just as young, fit, and bouncy as she did in High School! And everyone said it at least twice!
Rosemary invited her guests for six o’clock “…because Judy and Ed have an early morning flight to Denver.” Betty Gilmore, Kathy & Jim Kavanaugh, and Hank Hull all forgot about time and the group closed the dining room after nine. There were a few ‘time-outs’ for visits with Chip Marvin, Cathy Black, and David Butt. When saying ‘goodnight’ Betty Gilmore reminded Rosemary of their weekly bridge game on Wednesday afternoon “…at my house.”
December 2, 2008
Volume 17, No. 49
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