Marilyn's Musings

This is a photo of my father getting ready to carve the turkey, many Thanksgivings ago. That is the kitchen of our home in Los Angeles. My father built all the cabinets. It wasn't a big kitchen, but it was an easy one to work in. So, a list of my thanks: I"m thankful: --that I grew up with a wonderful family, a mother and dad that loved  my sister and me so much. We enjoyed every holiday surrounded by family members. They took us to Sunday School and church, nearly every Sunday, and through example, showed us how important loving and worshipping God is. --that even though I grew up during WWII everyone was patriotic and did all the things we were were asked to do, from blackouts, to food and gas rationing, And despite what was going on in the world, it was as a simpler time. --that they taught us the basics in school as well as having wonderful electives in the arts and music. --that I survived early adulthood, married a good man who served our c...

Thanksgiving is next week, so why don't I write about food?  It will get us ready for the stuffing, and you can interpret that word any way you wish, since on Turkey Day we are first the stuffers and then the stuffees.  But my entry here will not be about the traditional dishes of that day, as much as we love them.  My culinary theme here will be more international, and specifically Italian.  I write mysteries that take place in Italy, a country where I spent nine wonderful years.  And you can't set your characters down in Italy without writing about food.  It just can't be done.  In crime fiction both sleuths and suspects have to occasionally stop for a meal or a snack.  They're people, after all, and that's what people do.  (Have you noticed in British mysteries they're always stopping to drink tea, but nobody ever has to use the loo?  Do the Brits have large bladders?  But I digress.)  So there is always the occas...

My last in-person appearance for 2015 is going on right now as I spend my second day at the Porterville Art Gallery's Holiday Boutique all day today. I love doing this, surrounded by fantastic paintings on the walls, and crafts created by many of the same artists. (I usually end up buying from them and some buy from me.) I am promoting a .99 cent deal on Amazon for Kindle for my book Lingering Spirit from December 7 - 11. That will keep me busy. I do hope some of you will take advantage of it. It is different from my usual writing--a romance with a touch of the supernatural--and one of my favorites. It's not a typical romance nor is the supernatural what you'd expect. As the saying goes, "try it, you'll like it." It's been a busy year, and of course with the holidays coming it will be even busier. I'm cooking a turkey and some side dishes for our church's Thanksgiving potluck, and of course, hosting our family's Thanksgiving d...

In January we're having another wedding in the family. Granddaughter Jessi is marrying her boyfriend, Jerry. This one will be done in the Mexican tradition--at least mostly. His family is handling a lot of the arrangements and his female relatives cooking the food. (Yum!) Year ago when my granddaughter Melissa was married, her Mexican grandmother prepared all the food for her reception and it was amazing and delicious. Back in the day when my children were getting married, I was the one to cook all the food. The first one to marry, Dana, was married in the chapel at the Port Hueneme Naval Base. The reception was held at our house and all the food except the cake came from my kitchen. Next one to marry was Lisa, her nuptials were held at the Presbyterian Church in Hueneme, and again the reception at our house and I made all the food. Mark came next. He and his bride went to Vegas, but again the reception was at our house and I was the cook. (This was the first wedding. The second on...

I'm writing this post the day before Thanksgiving because I know I'll be far too busy tomorrow. Yes, I'm the cook again this year. We'll be having 17 people for dinner--but I'm a piker, my sis is having 30. Years ago when she still lived in Springville, we used to do Thanksgiving together at my house. She always brought the pies and cookies (I don't do well with either) and made the gravy. My aunt always brought the green beans and the sweet potatoes. My mom made her famous green pineapple jello. Of course I did the big stuff, turkey, ham, etc. Others brought other side dishes. Our families continued to grow over the years and when all my sister's kids moved to Las Vegas, she followed. Now she has them, their kids and their kids' kids joining her and her hubby at the Thanksgiving table. When we moved to Springville, we left two grown daughters behind. For a long while they continued to come to Springville for Thanksgiving--but now their children have gro...