Mummers

I used to enjoy the stringbands. I remember going to the Mummers parade when I was a teenager and into my 20s. I had family who lived in South Philly near Broad and Snider, which is approximately where the parade began, so the folks weren't so drunk yet.

But the best part was the stringbands. I recall dad watching the parade on TV and commenting about the costumes, which ones he likes, and then which band(s) sounded the best. I don't know how he could tell which costumes were the best because we had a black and white TV, but he gave his commentary along with the TV hosts.

Well, today, I was able to catch a rerun of this year's Mummers parade -- the stringbands. I was so very disappointed.

I don't know what happened to the marching band. Now it's a run-around the street band. The costumes -- which I saw in color -- were just plain ugly. Very few sequins or feathers. It looked to me like they went to an Oriental Trading Company catalog and ordered costumes for their bands. And the music? Well, I couldn't really call it that. Maybe it was the way the microphones were picking up the various instruments.

I recognized a few of the musical numbers, but mostly the songs were unfamiliar. You know, folks, some songs just done lend themselves to stringbands. Banjos are made to play certain types of songs, and so are saxaphones. Clarinets? Yikes. All I heard was squeaks.

If you want to know more about the Philadelphia Mummers parades, go to: http://www.gophila.com/C/The_Holidays_in_Philadelphia/497/U/The_Mummers_Parade/1489.html

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Concerts and the Club Diner

Why this situation came to mind I don't know, but it did.

I was about 10 years old and my music school teacher took several of her students into Philadelphia one evening to hear the Philadelphia orchestra. My parents got together the money for me to go with them. But they didn't give me any other money, except for a nickle, in case I had to make a phone call.

I didn't know that the others who went to the concert would want to go to the Club Diner in Bellmawr on the way home, but they did. There I was at a diner with no money. So, what did I order? Nothing. There was nothing on the menu that you could get for a nickle. I just said I wasn't hungry.

However, lesson learned. Of course when I got home I was blubbering. And the next time I went to a concert with the music school students, I had a whole dollar to spend, if I needed it -- which I did.

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Family Christmas -- new families

None of the families that attended today's Christmas party at my home here in Northern Kentucky lived in Runnemede. Few of those who attended have ever been to Runnemede, but they have heard my stories of our Christmases many times.

Today, we continued another tradition. Each year we try to get the entire family together for our family Christmas. Today was the designated day. I've included the pictures but can't caption them because I can't see the pictures on my screen, only gibberish, and don't know where to add what each picture is. I do know that one of the pictures is my daughter Cyndi and her look-alike daughter, Toria. Becky is in two of the pictures, one where she is getting things set up for me in the kitchen, and another of her just resting afterwards. One picture is of Adam, he wears glasses and every says he looks like Alan. I do not see that at all. I think he looks like his other grandfather, "Doc", who is now with the Lord. The little girl showing off her dress is Ellianna. Such a pretty outfit she was wearing yesterday.

We had fun, fun, fun. The children were attentive and played well together. My games went over like lead balloons, but the children got their gifts and they were happy.

We also celebrated Alan's 65th birthday. Alan really seemed out of it yesterday and I think the whole birthday thing went right over his head. But he received a really nice gift, a hand-held GPS thingy to replace us taking and smothering ourselves in the front seat with his extra large laptop. We'll see if he ever uses it. It he doesn't, I will!

Now the house is quiet and I'm truly enjoying the quietness of the evening.

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Day after Christmas sales

Did we have day-after-Christmas-sales when I was growing up? I don't remember that we did.

I do remember one day-after-Christmas, though. I was 14 and had receive $30 for Christmas. I wanted to buy some new clothes and a get a new pair of shoes. So, the day after Christmas I headed into Philadelphia with my money prepared to get a couple of skirts, two blouses, a sweater, and a pair of shoes. Yes, you could get that much back then with $30. You can't even get a pair of shoes for $30 these days. But I digress.

I got into Philly. It was closed down. Not a single store was open, and it wasn't Saturday or Sunday, it was a Thursday. I was so bummed. I mean who would have thought that the stores would all be closed the day after Christmas. Just because all the stores in Runnemede were closed, I didn't think Philly would close as well.

SO, I got on a subway (Broad Street Subway) and headed south to visit with my Uncle Joe, Aunt Rita, and Joanie before I went home. Also back in those days a 14-year-old girl could ride a bus into the city, get on a subway, and even head back home after dark, and not have to worry about being abducted or worse.

I have never gone to any day-after-Christmas sales because I just don't like crowds. And after my experience in Philly when I was 14, I probably never will.

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First Date

One of my readers asked for detail about my first date with Alan, my husband. I don't recall our first date, isn't that awful? Who doesn't remember their first date with their spouse. I don't. I suppose the first date I remember is a banquet we went to -- a group of churches put on a banquet for all the teens in their respective churches. It was a Hawaiian Luau. Authentic Hawaiian food was served.

Alan took me and paid for my food. I'm pretty sure that was our first real date. Oh we'd been together before, but not on a "date" date. We would just hang out together at church activities and everyone knew we were a couple. If the church had a skate night, Alan and I got in a car together, and skated all the skates together. One time we were sitting too close while waiting for an all-skate (during a ladies only skate) and were told to break it up -- in other words move apart. Be pure. Yikes! I hope my dad didn't find out!


Anyway the Hawaiian luau was such a nice event. It was outdoors (of course), and the only thing was that the weather was cold and I was freezing. Alan took off his jacket and then he was freezing, and I was still cold.

The food was delicious except for the poi. Never could get that stuff down, but the rest of the meal was very good. Of course, I've always been one who could eat almost anything. I have even eaten fried grasshoppers and chocolate covered ants -- and not on a dare. I ate them just because I wanted to try them. And since I actually enjoyed them I ate more and even bought a jar of grasshoppers for myself.

So, that's a reminisce of my first date with my husband, Alan.

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It's Christmas Eve

Alan and I attended a Christmas Eve service at our old church. It's been years since I've been to a CE service and I just had to go. Don't know why. I recall my father dragging me to Christmas Eve service over at the Lutheran Church. Our church didn't have a service, but he always went to the one at the Lutheran Church. I guess I would have appreciated it more if I didn't wish I was out with the other kids from my own church who were partying together and caroling all over town. And I wish I was home enjoying my mom's seven fish dinner, an Italian custom I didnt' even know about until I watched the food network. I thought it was just something my mom did. She never told me it was an Italian tradition.

So, to all your Runnemede folks out there who might read this: Merry Christmas to you all.

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