My birthday is this week, and I'm turning thirty-four. Even if birthdays aren't as thrilling as they once were, I thought I'd make a list of things I've gained along the way. No one remains forever young, and even if we don't like everything we see in the mirror and realize that some of our dreams might not come true, we should rejoice in the blessings we gain as we get older. One of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes (about another Susan) is from the book The Last Battle: “I wish she would grow … [Read more...] about Things I’ve Learned Along the Way
How to Pack a School Lunch Like It’s 1962
In this post, I'm going to show you an example of what my parents would eat for a school lunch in the early 1960s. They attended rural public schools and all the students brought their own lunches. Baloney Sandwich Mom's school lunches nearly always had a sweet baloney sandwich, with buttered white bread. If lettuce was in season, they would add lettuce. (Since I'm writing this post in January, no lettuce.) "Everyone we knew thought brown bread was terrible." (By the time my siblings and … [Read more...] about How to Pack a School Lunch Like It’s 1962
New Year’s Eve and Nun-Sense
2020 is behind us! Last night I welcomed the New Year the same way I did last year, at a party with friends. This year the event was smaller and none of us went outside to shoot guns at midnight, but we made some wonderful memories that I'll share here. My friend Ada planned the party, and she asked us all to bring a different ethnic food and wear clothing from different countries. Most of us are experienced travelers who enjoy learning about other cultures, so this was a fun twist to the … [Read more...] about New Year’s Eve and Nun-Sense
The World Is My Oyster… Soup?
On Christmas Eve my sister said to me "I have a gift for you, but you might not like it." She then gave me a cold jar of oysters and a bag of oyster crackers. The oysters in the jar were gray and slimy. "Thank you," I said. "I've never made oyster soup, but I can try." On Christmas Day I was invited to a friend's house, so today was the day for making oyster soup. I found a recipe in the Mennonite Community Cookbook. To prep, I watch a YouTube video on how to make oyster soup. … [Read more...] about The World Is My Oyster… Soup?
A Flying Trip to the Empire State
"Do you want to go on an airplane ride?", my coworker, Jen asked me a few months ago. "Clinton," she said, referring to another colleague, "needs to get his flying hours in. We could go together sometime." Although I have been on plenty of commercial flights, the last time I had been a passenger on a small plane was years and years ago. "Sure. When?" I replied. The Saturday after Thanksgiving was clear and calm. I met Jen and her friend Sharon at the Lancaster Airport at eight in the … [Read more...] about A Flying Trip to the Empire State