A Christmas Miracle

The following is a true story that happened on Christmas Eve, way back in 2012! 

Jesus is the reason for the Season!

I ran to the grocery store today for those last minute things,  Everyone was in a bad mood and the cars were doing their best to run the pedestrians over.  But I went on my merry way and smiled at one and all.

I decided to stick my head in the drug store next door.  The lady at the pharmacy was yelling because they had just run out of flu shots...Fa-La-La-La-La!

 I picked up the things I needed, and then saw a little, inexpensive Nativity set in the Christmas aisle.

 

 

I have a plastic set, from Hallmark.  I got in when the nieces were young, so that they would be allowed to play with it. 

 

 

Mary lost her halo in an unfortunate bungee jumping accident years ago. 

 

One year the Shepard was lost after Christmas.  He showed up in June.  We are pretty sure he went on a six month bender.

 

But all this time I KNEW exactly what I wanted in a real Nativity set.  When I would find one that was close, the price tag would deter me.  I mean, I could hire actors for the month of December to dress in costume for that price!

 

When we were in Naples this year, I had planned on going to the famous street where nativity sets are made and buying one.  With the Blog Fodder complaining the whole way about how we were going to get that home.  (If I have to clutch them to my chest the whole flight....)  However, we were in Naples on Sunday, and the shops are closed that day.

So here I stand looking at the inexpensive little nativity set, and it is really close to what I wanted.  So I bought it.  I took it home and cleared a space on the mantle, and started to unpack the set.

Stable...check

3 Wise Men...check

Sheppard...check, and has joined AA

Donkey...Check

Cow....Check

Joseph..check

Mary....Check

Um....something is missing!  Where is Jesus?  Did he wander off? Is he still in the box? Nope!

Dang!  Jesus is missing!

Now, I don't have high expectations on a $7.49 Nativity set, but Jesus is something I kinda require!

We did check the box and did not find “Jesus not included” or “Just add Jesus”

Back to the store and three sets later (headless sheep, no star...) I have the whole cast and crew!

Phew!

Update:  Since then, we have added other figures to the scene. 

Native Americans from New Mexico, a Christ-moose from Alaska, Alligators we have Heard on High, David, Artemus, a streetcar from San Francisco, an olive wood angel from Assisi, St Francis’ lizard, a gondola from Venice and presents and a mini nativity set for the baby Jesus!

The Dreaded TSA Notice….Da-Da-Duuuuuuhhhhhhh!

With all the traveling I do, it was bound to happen.  I had a checked bag searched by TSA.  My bag was locked with a TSA lock, and it was not obvious when I picked it up, but I opened the bag, as saw this….

Now, I was flying just a week after the terrible terrorist attacks in France, so I understand heightened security.

Sending out prayers to the victims, families and people of Paris.

But what could have gotten TSA’s attention. 

I was flying out of Rochester NY on a work trip, but started in Erie PA the weekend before, visiting friends.  It was a cold, rainy windy day on Saturday, so naturally, we went wine tasting.

That area of New York is known for their sweet wines – Made from Concord Grapes or ice wines.  There were some dry wines, and some grapes I recognized, but we spent the day celebrating sweet wines!

At one of our stops, I tried a wine called “Hot Kisses.”

Oh really!?!?!

It was a sweet wine, but it was spiced with Thai Chilies.  It wasn’t overly hot, but had a nice bite to it.  If you ever had a pepper jelly, it was along those lines.  So I bought a bottle.

As I was not expecting to buy wine, I had to wrap it carefully and pad it with clothing in my suitcase, which I then checked, to go home.

I wrapped it in the bag it came in

And then in a souvenir bag I had

And then in the hotel laundry bag.

 

But I can see how a tall, cylindrical, liquid filled item might get some attention.

When I pulled the bottle of wine out of my suitcase, the inside back was knotted

 

And the outside bag had been “spun” closed.

 

It was pretty obvious to me that the TSA agent was male, ‘cause only guys take such great pleasure in spinning plastic bags closed.  But with the care he took in repackaging my wine, I could tell he was a lover of fine wines too!

So, stay safe out there, drink some fine wine and remember to enjoy life!

Tahini? That is the same as Wasabi, right?

As you can tell from the title, I don’t do a lot of international cooking.  It may have been suggested that I don’t do much cooking at all. 

E-hem! 

I’m a pretty good cook, and I haven’t killed anyone….yet! 

But, backing up a little, I strongly believe that we are sent the people we need in our lives, when we need them.  And I have been blessed with a lot of great people.  

My family lives on the opposite coast from me, so I don’t get to see them as much as I would like.  But when I need them, they are there. 

I did have the great pleasure of spending 3 weeks near my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Joe’s.  I also got to hang out with my cousins Linette, Joe and Dayleena and my godmother Mary.  It took me back to happy times of my childhood.

 

And then there is my best chum, Lorraine, who is always willing to follow me around the country for laughs and giggles.

And our favorite place to visit is the White Trash Bed and Breakfast, ran by Ray and Dave, who open their home to me whenever I am in town.

Nearer to home is my camping group, who understand my tolerance of camping and help me to survive the “rough” camping we do in comfort.

 

Then there is my 2 internet groups….

One is my cruising buddies, who I “met” in 2000.  We’ve been on tons of fun cruise and land vacations ever since.

But today’s blog is about my other group.  We were all born the same year.  That is our common link.  The rest of the people involved will give the name of the message board and the year we were born.  I stick with women born in the same year.

We are from all over the country, and chat online on a daily basis.  We help solve problems, groan at our issues, cheer our successes and basically support each other in every way.

I recently had the great pleasure of meeting up with some of these women IRL (in real life) in October in Indianapolis

 

 

 

 

 

and in November in New Jersey.

 

 

 

In New Jersey, we had a lovely selection of snacks, including homemade hummus.

 

 

Oh yum!

So I got the recipe.  Hummus requires chick peas, garlic, olive oil and Tahini.

 

Ta-what?

So I went to three stores.  I looked in the international food section.  I looked in the deli section.  I looked in the baking section…I even asked!  I even thought maybe I could substitute something else, like wasabi.  I mean, a half of a cup of wasabi wouldn’t make it too spicy hot, would it?

 

Finally at the third store they were able to point me to the Peanut Butter aisle.

Really?  What is this stuff?  In case you are curious, it is ground sesame seeds with olive oil.

 

And no, I wasn’t really going to put wasabi in my hummus.  I didn’t want this to be my first culinary homicide! 

How did it turn out?  I’ll tell you as soon as I am home long enough to make it!

 

PS, this was our dessert, made by our very own professional cake baker.