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 It is not often that I have to say goodbye to a best friend, but alas, I must now do so. Goodbye, adios, ciao, salut, sayonoro, it hurts in any language. My good friend came into my world ten years ago and pretty much had everything wrong with her background that would draw me into an … Continue reading Friends Are What Friends Are For

I have been reading Rick Braggs’ new book. It is a memoir of his mother’s cooking entitled The Best Cook in the World. Not surprising that Rick Bragg would think this; many people feel that their mother is the best cook in the world. But in Margaret Bragg’s case, her son is an excellent writer. … Continue reading Filé the Gumbo

In 1969 I bought a washing machine from Sears; it was a Kenmore. We had purchased only the washer since we could not afford a dryer, so I also bought a wooden foldout drying rack on which to hang the laundry to dry. Several years later, we were fortunate enough to buy a dryer. Both … Continue reading Out with the Old

I recently saw a cartoon on Pinterest in which a woman exclaimed, “Oh God, I’ve become my mother!!!” My sisters and I often use this phrase with each other when one of us makes a comment that we remember as Mama’s. There is truth in the statement. My mother, bless her heart, was one of … Continue reading Bury Me in a Red Dress

If you live on the planet Earth or in Tuscaloha, as we refer to my hometown now, you are probably aware that the Alabama Crimson Tide won its 17th National Championship Game in Atlanta, Georgia on January 8, 2018. It was a long haul to get to the championship game against the Georgia Bulldogs and … Continue reading 2nd and 26

I received an e-card with an around-the-world theme from one of the “Whine Ladies” wishing me Happy New Year. This card included several drawings of notable landmarks from capitols around the globe, all with sparkling fireworks erupting overhead. There was Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Coliseum, the Opera House, and Statue of Liberty. Needless … Continue reading The One and Only

For all the hustle and bustle, planning and scheming, buying and wrapping, cooking and cleaning, you might think Christmas Day is anti-climatic. One day and it’s over; at least that is how our society has grown accustom to the celebration of this Holy Day. However, in our Catholic tradition, those busy days leading up to … Continue reading Let the Celebration Begin

Nothing says Merry Christmas more profoundly than having a scheduled mammogram during the third week of December. The very idea of a mammogram is humiliating, painful, stressful and physically degrading - immediately before Christmas, the most hectic time of the year, adds a degree of unnecessary worry to the season. Conventional comparisons of the procedure … Continue reading My Mammy

It is that time of the year when television networks parade out an assortment of Christmas movies for our holiday enjoyment. Old classics such as White Christmas (excellent), Christmas in Connecticut (funny), A Christmas Carol (many versions) and A Christmas Story (hate it) will air continually during the season. Gone are the days of the … Continue reading Deck the Hallmark

At some point in my hectic existence, I may have dreamed of a family reenactment of the Norman Rockwell painting of the perfect Thanksgiving - family gathered at the table with the mother placing the turkey, ready for carving, in front of her husband. In this fantasy world, everyone is perfect, smiling and sharing the … Continue reading A Thanksgiving Rose