Gratitude and Grace

This last week was a very sad week for two communities that I'm a part of. At Mrs. F's church, one of the leading elders of the congregation died after suffering injuries in a car accident a few weeks previous. I went to church with Mrs. F on Sunday and was very moved by the pastor's very emotional farewell to this gentleman in his sermon, where he pointed out that even in his latter days, this gentleman continued to grow in his spiritualityand learn about acceptance of others that don't seem to fit naturally into one's world view. I hope that I can continue to be that open to new points of view when I'm that age.

But even sadder was the tragically sudden loss of my friend Porter's wife, Wendy. Porter and I were editorial cohorts at Amazon during the early to mid Oughts, but I've really gotten to know him a bit better since we both have left the 'Zon during our occasional get-togethers with a group of former editors. I never met Wendy, and I certainly learned a bit about her from Porter (that she was an animator who loved teaching animation techniques to kids), but what I really learned from him was how much in love a person could be with a spouse and how transcendent that happiness could be. I remember when I first announced to folks that I'd asked Mrs. F to marry me, Porter was the most gleeful of all my Amazon pals, telling me how happy this was going to make the two of us and relating to me how meeting Wendy and sharing their lives together had really transformed him.

I never met Wendy, but after going to her memorial service this last weekend I feel like I've finally gotten to know her. She seemed to be a very vibrantly bright light of positive energy and graceful presence in many lives--from the animation workshop business she had set up to the Puppets on Parade community art project held on Bainbridge Island in conjunction with the Fourth of July celebrations. (For a sample of her work, click the image to the right to see an animation in QuickTime that Wendy did for the Seattle Arts Commission on endangered salmon.) She will be missed by many, but most especially by Porter. And I am quite saddened that I missed the opportunity to get to know her, but I have a feeling I might be joining Porter and others in a puppet parade next July.

Mrs. F and I are headed out of town to visit my Mom in sunny Hawaii (yes, it is a sacrifice), where we'll be put to work almost immediately to make my Grandmother Proctor's traditional Thanksgiving cheesy carrot side dish for some 80 people attending the Saint Andrews Cathedral Thanksgiving feast. As a thank you for visiting our lil' blog destination, here's the recipe.

Grandma Proctor’s Cheesy Carrots
- serves 4 to 6

3 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1–1 1/2 cup milk
3/4–1 cup grated cheese
4–5 cups cooked/sliced carrots
1/2 cup seasoned croutons

[Note on the cheese - my Grandmother P, being a good Midwestern cook, used very yellow cheese for this recipe, but I tend to go for a combination of white cheddar mixed with gruyère.]

• In a sauce pan, melt butter. Add onion and cook until tender.
  
• Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk.
  
• Cook until thick.
  
• Add cheese and melt.
  
• Stir in carrots.
  
• Grease large pyrex baking dish and pour in contents. Top with crushed croutons.
  
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until hot.
  
• Let stand a few moments before serving.

My posting will be fairly light for the next week, but I'm sure that Old Fogey will find time between the stuffing and pumpkin pie to keep things hopping around here. And I'll certainly try to find the occasional WiFi-enabled cafe to get my licks in from time to time.

cheers.agen