Christmases Past: So Many Memories!

Christmases past...so many of them...from childhood, beloved family, grandma cooking big dinners, thirty or more around the huge dining room mahogany table she set so carefully complete with salt sellers. You don't know what those are? They are little cut glass round salt holders set at each person's place at the table. Good for dipping celery stick, carrot tips, etc. Out of fashion today but so nice to have. Giant bowls of delicious foods. Pies and cakes. She was so amazing. Born 1864 die 1962 when I was in high school. I loved her so much. We all did. She was the matriarch of our family, Sarah Elizabeth Willis Cline. A true American pioneer! You see, my mother was born when she was 45 years old and I was born when my mother was 40. Thus, it's like I skipped a generation. She should have been my great grandmother...but wasn't it lovely. Because my mother was born so much later than her seven brothers and sisters, my aunts and uncles soon passed away too. By the time I was out of college, that huge family was gone except for three or four people. They passed away shortly after. My parents always seemed like my grandparents. They were always the oldest in my class. And I only got to enjoy them until I was in my mid-thirties because they were, by that time, pushing 80. Think about that if you are having children in your 40s.

Moving ahead to later Christmases: I have spent Christmas in New Orleans, Switzerland, Vienna, Germany, the Grand Caymens, Florida, California, Missouri, Kansas, Charleston SC, Texas, Tucson AZ, Sante Fe NM, on a river cruise down the Danube in Europe, on a cruise to Panama, Costa Rica, Mexican ports, Ecuador, Denver CO, Chicago IL, DesMoines IA, Minneapolis MN, Joplin MO (and many other places). My favorite place is at home in Dallas. We're home this year for the first time in five years at Christmas. Had a lovely supper buffet for friends last week. Delightful. With visit from my dear cousin in Nashville, Donna Jones Torsney. Blessings all
It's time to go Christmas shopping for friends' presents. I'm late doing it!

All Joy
Bettye Zoller
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