Holidays
Myrtle Beach Revisited
My parents have had their timeshare since the early 80s, but I hadn’t joined them on their beach vacation for years. Although the residence was showing its age, they’d recently done some renovations to modernize the place. The most notable was the zigzag ramp, which greatly helped shuffle our belongings from the car to the … Continue reading
Another Reason to Celebrate
On days like these, the most authentic restaurants don’t care about cultural appropriation. Not that I attempted to dress or act like anything else that who I was: a hungry person who also drinks. My Mango Margarita We stood outside with the rest of the customers who waited for tables. The restaurant had placed all … Continue reading
2023 St. Patrick’s Day
For one day a year, many people in the US celebrate Irishness, even if the religious basis of the observation should give one a moment of pause. Besides, we Baptists weren’t exactly a part of the conflict. Nonetheless, I seized on the opportunity to hang out with a friend at an Irish restaurant where neither … Continue reading
Non-Materialistic Christmas
For the first time ever, I made a conscious decision not to add to my immediate family’s cathedral of junk. I googled “non-materialistic Christmas gifts.” From consumables to experiences, I brainstormed what was within my budget. Initially, I planned to buy the ingredients for baked goods I thought they would enjoy preparing and then consuming. … Continue reading
Thanksgiving 2022
Typically, a Thanksgiving post would show the actual meal, either with or without all the people gathered around. So, even though all that traditional stuff happened, my niece, nephew and I did something untraditional as an edible project, which involved good old-fashioned trial and error. We made Margarita Jello Shots. Last month, my niece and … Continue reading
Trunk or Treat
My sister invited me to participate in the Trunk or Treat activity at the church where we attend. I’d never heard of it before, but apparently it’s been going on for a while…to the extent that there are costumes to deck out one’s car that can be bought online. Of course. Halloween is my favorite … Continue reading
Hampton Reunion
I took a Friday off to travel with my parents to visit my father’s side of the family. On a rare occasion, we left exactly on time. Of course we left with the usual bickering between my parents, which is more of a sign of a longtime couple who’ve been married for 61 years. I … Continue reading
Labor Day BBQ
Our famous family hibachi. It’s older than I am. We were both brought back from Okinawa, Japan the second time my family was stationed there with the Air Force. When my sister took the rainproof cover off the hibachi, a slew of cockroaches scattered. The last time the grill had been used was during the … Continue reading
4th of July 2022
For this Fourth of July celebration, I made three new friends…a couple and their dog. Our mutual friend had extended the invitation because the couple were relocating to NC at the beginning of August. Since I’m from NC, I gave them the inside scoop even though it had been decades since I lived in the … Continue reading
Juneteenth 2022
This year, I had the pleasure to resume my volunteer duties with the George Washington Carver Museum for their Juneteenth celebration. Although I didn’t reprise my historical character interpretation as Freewoman Mattie Gilmore, I was so happy to be in the mix for the morning shift. Afterwards, I attended one of the genealogical workshops. A … Continue reading