Gifts of time and love

Sand Bucket by Georgia OstenBy Georgia Osten
Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly Merry Christmas.
Did you ever wonder what’s the difference between baking powder and baking soda? I recently questioned this when I realized I had made 3 loaves of Christmas bread to give as gifts and I had forgotten to add one important ingredient. Sorry if you were on the receiving end of my gift, but I’ll bet it will be just as tasty without baking soda. I’m baking more as I write this. If you can clean with it and use it to brush your teeth, do you think it’s really that big a deal to forget it?

Once I made meat loaf and I forgot to add the bread crumbs. It was really quite good, but we wondered why it was so flat, kind of like a meat patty.

Yesterday, as I was spooning out sugar to make fudge, I got side-tracked and went to do something else. When I came back to the sugar, I had forgotten how many cups I’d put in. I just started over, no big deal. I realized it’s best when I only attempt to make one thing at a time, no multi-tasking with baking.

I also made a batch of Chex Mix yesterday. Oops, not enough Worcestershire, had to send my husband to The Big Store. He had already been earlier in the day for some other ingredients I was lacking. Thank goodness we live across the street from The Big Store, and for that matter, who doesn’t like going to The Big Store? I mean, you see so many people there! Can you imagine if we had a WalMart over here? Sand Bucket by Georgia OstenI often wonder why a trip to The Big Store can take close to an hour? I love grocery stores anyway, send me any time. By the way, I had enough Worcestershire in the first place, but we won’t tell him, he had a good time.

Our family loves The Big Store as well. Even our 3-year old grandson, Pierce. As we’re leaving to take him back to Houston the other day, “there’s The Big Store!” He saw Santa there the other day. One of the elves gave him a stuffed animal, which he promptly named Maezy. He reels off all the establishments he knows, Ocean Grille, famous for quesadillas, Dannay’s, famous for donut holes, and the Water Slide “can we go there next time I come to the beach?” Then, he asks, “PawPaw, did you remember the Bird Bread?”

Friday we took him down to the beach and he insisted we bring the beach toys. Sand Bucket by Georgia OstenOkay, we each grabbed a shovel and began to build the quickest sand castle you could imagine, complete with a moat. I was elected to wade out to collect water in the bucket for the moat because I was the only one who went barefoot. I know, smart move…the water is just a bit above freezing. That’s okay, it’s the small sacrifices a Nana will make for her grandson.

This being my last story before Jolly Old St. Nick makes his yearly appearance, I would like to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas. Be safe.

It’s not what’s under the tree that matters, It’s who’s gathered around it.

GO’s Sand Bucket is only one beach bum’s journal of life at the beach, probably something each of you can relate to. Please feel free to email me with your thoughts, visions and/or feelings of just exactly what the beach means to you. Email: [email protected]

[12-18-2017]

Facebook Twitter
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Site by CrystalBeachLocalNews.com