Saving The Dome

For teens and young adults of the 1950's, 60's and 70's, it was the place to go during the warm months of May through October. Even after fast food places moved in, the destination was "The Dome". It was the home of the best hamburgers and the thickest malts.

Carloads of boys and girls met there or it was where you went after the movies. The management provided a speaker phone and a lighted menu behind glass and your order was delivered by the newest crop of car hops from the local high schools. Leaving the parking lot of the Dome, you could "drag the ave" and check out the cars and the opposite sex. In the 1980's, the building was destined for destruction after the land sold to a chain retail store. The son of the owners taught at the high school and after some finding some money The Dome moved to its new location at the end of the foorball field where it has served as a concession stand for athletic events. Fast forward another 20 years and the building is in need of repairs. School board members, parents and residents who remember the building fondly have come together to raise money to repair it. At the football games they have offered hamburgers and malts. It is a great effort and I hope it succeeds, but there is something missing from those thick malts, or maybe it is just nostalgia for a time gone by.

Due to Technical Difficulties

I made this big deal about writing and getting back to being creative for myself and my students, however, it hasn't worked out so well. It is the fifth week in the school year and I haven't posted one blog. My uncle reminded recently that there is a book in my future. Right now, I am lucky if I even read one page much less write one.

I told my students I would share some of my writing with them and that hasn't worked out as well as I wish. We are blocked at school on personal blogs, I wish that each one of them could set up a blog and I could use it as a teaching tool. Then I would have to commit also to writing everyday.

Lately I find myself saying, "Well, we were going to do this or that, but something is wrong with the electricity (try teaching with no lights in the classroom!) or the internet is down or the laptops are not working. All this wonderful teaching tools and not enough infrastruture to support it.

Oh, bad words.

Valentines

I decided that I needed some R and R last week and got out my Cricket, stamps, stickers and went to work. The cards are all made and I have no excuses except I need to address them and sent them out. For some reason that always seems to be a problem.

I wanted to send a Valentine to all of my friends who never got the Christmas cards I made. One of my colleagues at work reminded me that I haven't made any sugar cookies either lately and Valentine's Day is on Monday. I see a baking day coming up. The following is a recipe a friend gave me many years ago that I use.

Shirley Swander's Sugar Cookies

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl mix: 4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup shortening

In a small bowl combine: 1 tsp soda
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten

Pour small bowl into larger bowl and mix well and roll out using your favorite cutter. Bake to 8 minutes.

Battle Hot Wings 2010

Three years ago, one of my nephews proposed for his birthday that we would have a competition similar to the Food Networks "Iron Chef". The first year was ribs, the second was hamburgers and last January it was hot wings. My brother-in-law and his two sons and their wives brought their best recipes to the table.

Just as in the television competition, the entries were judged on originality, taste and plating. The winner was my nephew, Drew, with his Saviche wings. The next competition is appetizers with everyone looking over recipes, trying to revise old ones and looking for the unique plating. I almost have my recipes ready to go and will be ready to take pictures and write out the recipes. Bon Appetit and Bon Chance to the competitors.

EBooks, IPods, and WII's

I downloaded my first ebook the other day and read it on the computer. Mainly I read it on the computer, which is fine because I have a big monitor and it is easy to read, because I don't have Wi-Fi at home to download on to my IPod Touch or my digital notebook. As one of the young people around me mentioned the trouble with new technology is learning how to use it. I definitely like the convenience, I was able to get a book I wouldn't have been able to at the local bookstores. I would have had to order from Amazon, Borders or Barnes and Noble.

I am still learning how to use the IPod touch and can at least download music. I like to buy gift cards instead of using my credit card, the same with the books and I can control my expenses this way. Also it makes a great suggestion when people ask me what I would like as a gift.

I am learning how to use the Wii. I rationalized its purchase by saying it was cheaper than joining a gym, which I have joined in the past but didn't attend regularly and let's face the games on the Wii are much more fun.

Authors, Book Fines and New Year's Resolutions

I recently had a conversation with some of my friends from the library and we all agreed that we are fans, not of the most popular reality show (someone really needs to explain "Jersey Shore" to me), movie star, or rock group, but of men and women who create characters, towns and counties from their imaginations-authors. First, I don't need Oprah to tell me what to read, I've been selecting my own books since I was three. Secondly, many of the movies and television programs we enjoy wouldn't be there without these wonderfully creative people.

One of my favorite author stories is when I met Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse Vampire series author) at the ALA summer convention that was held in Chicago many years ago. This is before she wrote the series that would become "True Blood". I was wandering the vendor aisles and looked up and saw a woman coming towards me. What caught my eye was her necklace-a cloisonne skull. I said "What an interesting necklace!" I then saw her name tag and immediately followed it with "And I love your books." She wrote a series about a librarian, Aurora Teagarden, who frequently stumbled on bodies. I know the Sookie books are extremely popular but I do miss the character.

I have enjoyed the talks I have attended by Dr. Barbara Mertz (Barbara Michaels and Elizabeth Peters), who doesn't love the Amelia Peabody books that draw up on her doctorate in Egyptology. She is very entertaining as a speaker and her sense of humor frequently comes through her writing.

I just finished "A Christmas Mourning" by Margaret Maron. She is a multiple winner of many awards and her character, Judge Deborah Knott, and the various members of her family are part of my literary family. Each year I look forward to a new book in the series, it isn't just the mystery that is always engaging, but reading about what is happening in the life of Deborah, her husband Dwight and others in the fictional Colleton County. Margaret was recently in a car accident and I know that many of her readers were concerned for her recovery. Check out her website at http://www.margaretmaron.com. She frequently writes a blog entry and you can become a friend on Facebook.

When I was helping to chaperon a group of students last spring, I met a Michigan author, Peg Herring, in Pennsylvania. I learned that she was on her way to the mystery writers' convention Malice Domestic. I was jealous and would have liked to climbed in her car instead of the van. Peg writes historical novels located in 16th and 17th century England. Her novel "Her Highness's First Murder" featured a young Elizabeth I, before she ascended the throne. It was a well written book that received good reviews. She encouraged me to continue writing, as she wasn't published until after she retired from teaching. Peg's website is http://www.pegherring.com.

Finally, my New Year's Resolution is to return my library books on time so I don't pay horrendous fines and to write more, maybe.

Friends beside me

This has been one of the busiest years I can remember. I directed two plays,one of which I wrote, taught a new class, had to write two additional reports for the state and keep on top of all of the usual things. However as much as possible I tried to meet with my friends for a little R and R . Last week before Christmas, I had a few friends come for lunch, just Tomato Basil Soup and paninis. We opened gifts and talked for almost four hours, a rare luxury for us all. This is part of the group of friends from when I worked at the local public library. I feel so blessed that they are still in my life and even though we don't see each other as often as we once did.

A few days later I met my colleagues, current and retired, from the position I have now at a local restaurant . We talked and laughed for the next few hours. Some of the subjects were the same: elderly parents, children, grandchildren, upcoming weddings and health of spouses and other family members. As I reflected on the gifts I receive during this time of year, I place the gift of friendship I receive from these two groups of women at the top.

I am paraphrasing a quote on a plaque I saw when shopping with my sisters yesterday and thought of all of them, including my sisters:

"When it hurts to look back and you are afraid to look ahead; look to the side for the friends who are there to support you."

Thank you all for being at my side and here is to a healthy and better New Year.