CHRISTMASES, NOW AND THEN...

MERRY CHRISTMAS WEEKEND, AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS/HOLIDAZE.
I had a swell visit in Asheville, North Carolina,where we did a family "meet-up" which included my Mom--Demetra, cuz Jayne and her brood, and an uncle.
The food was fabulous--especially the artichoke/spinach/feta'/parmesan hot-dip that cuz Jayne prepared. Yummy! Her shrimp cocktail was superb, and the homemade potato soup and the prime rib(courtesy her hubby) were excellent!
Mom made my sis's "Corn Casserole" that makes my mouth water!And salad.
Hansoo grilled lamb before we drove up, and we surprised the family with that, some homemade Tsatziki Sauce(fresh Greek yogurt, fresh dill, fresh chopped garlic, and I added a bit of dried dill and mint), croissants, and home-made mint jelly.(I had no idea how to make mint-jelly, but was feeling experimental awhile back, and through testing, discovered I can bring a simple sugar syrup to a boil, add fresh oranges(I used Clementine tangerines) and crushed fresh mint-leaves. It began to "jell" after an hour or so, whereupon I chilled it in 'fridge...it came out great!)
So...We left the lamb, croissants, Tsatziki Sauce(to put on the lamb), and the Mint Jelly(to dip the halved crossiants into) for them, to assemble into what I call "Lisa's Lambwiches" later...
I had assembled a Greek-style salad I call my "Georgia Greek Salad", because I substitute toasted pecans, and fresh clementines for the tomatoes usually found in Greek salad.The rest of the salad consists of mixed greens(mostly field greens) and cukes, onions(sweet onion, and green onions), olives(Greek Kalamata and Spanish green w/pimento), chopped fresh white button mushrooms, and chopped fresh herbs(dill, oregano, rosemary, etc..)and of course, lots of fresh feta' cheese...Top the salad with balsamic AND red-wine-vinegar and extra virgin you-know-what-oil, and viola!I left the salad with them. Frankly, I didn't even try my salad, as I wanted my Mom's basic salad with luscious grape-tomatoes, crisp greens, cukes and celery, instead.
The mashed potatoes were comforting, and a great side for the meat.
A true feast!
We opened goodies afterwards, including wonderful homemade cookies from Jayne. Classic Greek cookies! Yeaaaaaa!!
And my mom--Demetra, sent home a box full of assorted homemade cookie-treats, too!
Great moments: watching children open books to read, and actually begin reading them immediately!(yeaaa, reading!)
and seeing their eyes widen when they received "Razor" scooters from their (stern, but beloved) uncle.
Something I noticed this year: that it is the tiny things, that we remember each other. I found when dicing up ingredients for the salad, that I "lattice-edged" the cukes just like my Yia-Yia used to do. I never peel cucumbers completely, preferring instead to do them "her" way.By scraping the cuke, length-wise first, using a fork,until several ridges appear, and then slicing thin slices, it replicates the look her salads always had.
When folding the dish towels, I fold them into "thirds", just as she had always done.
All the little details I found silly, or unimportant when I was a young child, feel more "necessary" as time passes, and I grow older. It seems the small details are the ones that create the memories, the ones we search for, that echo Christmases past.
Yia-Yia(Georgia Chiboucas-Comati-Walters)I/we miss you.
Peace, kids.

Once upon a time, there was a young Greek girl, named Georgia.Her parents named her Georgia, because they were headed to Savannah to start their business(a Greek bakery), and it was considered good luck to have a child named for where you lived... Her parents were old-school, prudent, hard-working immigrants from Thessalonika(northern Greece--an area filled with mountains)and Athens, where several relatives still live today. Georgia was a cheerleader in school, an actress who I recently learned, wrote poems. She married a bright, charming handsome man who unfortunately drank too much, but who loved her as best he could. Fathered four children with her. One of them was Demetra, a raven-haired petite woman with large eyes and cheekbones that remind one of Gina Lollobrigida . Demetra married a blond man named J. R. and they had two children--Lisa, and Tina. Demetra passed along the wisdom of her mother, Georgia,
"Never marry a man who drinks."
"Never feel bad about yourself, or about your body. Feel beautiful, and you ARE!"
"If someone does a kindness for you, say thank you. Better still, write them a thank you note. If they worked for you, performed a service, or gave you great service, write a note to their boss."
And our Yia-Yia did this, consistently.
Many people wrote her to say how her letter had gotten them a raise, a promotion, or a better job. Her words of praise for other peoples' kindness touched many people's lives, as did her own kindness.Yia-Yia(Greek for Grandmother) was adviser, and mother to ALL Of us.
Demetra has been without her mother, and Tina and I, without our beloved Yia-Yia, for over twenty years now.
The other day, in line at Target, I saw several young men and women, their hands full of cards--one for their Mom, of course, and two others--one for each grandmother. I felt jealous of them. And then, ashamed that I was jealous.
Although I haven't had a grandmother in many years, I was very fortunate to have one for thirty years, and another for even longer.
My parents' character was formed by these women--my mother's stick-to-it-iveness; her edg-y sense of humor, her quick wit; my father's dogged persistence; his ability to hop from one subject to the next with great ease; his curiosity. My Yia-Yia, and Grandma Dorothy, My Theya Helen(my Great Aunt, Yia-Yia's sister, who died only last year--a dynamo of energy, political/philosophical thinking, and supporter of all arts), you are the Mothers I salute.Rest in Peace, dear Mothers.
To all of you, who still have your Mom--revere what you have.
Cherish.