Holiday Memories

One of my favorite holiday memories is eggnog. In my family, eggnog started showing up on Thanksgiving Day. It was my grandmother’s recipe – plain for the kids, doctored up for the adults. There was a special set of holiday glasses that it was served in that made everything seem very festive. It was a lovely tradition. Growing up, I experienced the more exotic versions of eggnog. I still love my grandmother’s version best – whether doctored or plain. For me, eggnog is a lynch pin for the holidays, a memory that will always stay with me.

© December 2018 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

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The Centerpiece

Every year this lovely candle, surrounded by greens and small pine cones, acts as the centerpiece on the mantle over our fireplace. We bought it together, for our first Christmas. It was a token of our faith in each other. As the years have gone by, many memories have come to be centered around this lovely piece of art. The years have been chaotic at times, but we survived. This simple arrangement has seen many holiday toasts, and we have spent many evenings during the holidays sitting by the fire, eggnogs in hand, feeling a sense of peace. Here’s to many more years!

(c) November 2018 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

Pumpkin Pie

No one will guess, no one will ever know. And she did deserve it, you know. She made life hell for all of us, keeping us at her beck and call. She never knew that I found out she had a new will drawn up – a will that left everything to charity, cutting my husband, his brother and sister out completely. I burned that will. She hadn’t signed it yet, so burning it was an option. No one will know how she died. I added an extra ingredient to her pumpkin pie, and it didn’t seem to agree with her. Oh, come on! I made individual little pies – I wasn’t going to endanger anyone else. The spices covered the taste, and it took hours for her to feel the effect. It appeared that she died in her sleep. I am sure that the family will be fine with that. They will be able to breathe again.

(c) November 2018 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

Thanksgiving Past

Memories – aren’t they the best things! I remember Thanksgiving meals with family – good food, good conversation, good times. Very traditional dinners. Who knew that as we grew up things would change. The children grew up, with homes of their own, and returned to the family home with their own food offerings. Over the years, there were deaths, as was to be expected. What was not expected was the loss of the individual at the holiday table, and the energy that they brought to it. Now the children of those early times are aging. The traditions are kept up, but the losses hurt. Time moves forward, at a cost.

(c) November 2018 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

How Time Flies!

This is all I have left – the antique watch, and the equally antique book. If I close my eyes, I can still picture that trip to Europe. I was so excited – too excited to see that Eduardo had an agenda of his own. We made stops in certain shops that were a little off the beaten path, and we never stayed long.  When we got back home, things were different. A lot of time spent in his study, frequent hours long absences. One day, things just went back to normal. Years later, after he died, I found the book and watch in his office safe. Time flies, but I knew he had his reasons for keeping them, so I put them back and closed the door.

(c) November 2018 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

Halloween Pumpkins

Carving a pumpkin at Halloween has always been a favorite activity. I start decorating the 1st of October, but wait until the 30th to carve my pumpkin. I am no artist, so my pumpkins are very basic – eyes, nose, and mouth. I love to sit there at night, with my carved pumpkin and my ceramic pumpkins all lit up, watching the flames dancing in the dark. It is calming for me. I know that at any time I can send any dark energy that is around me straight into the flames, and it will be gone. Just like I did with Charles.

(c) October 2018 Bonnie Cehovet
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The Pumpkin Patch

Chatter heard in the pumpkin patch:

“Woo Hoo! Our time of year!”

“So what are you going to be this year?”

“I get to go to that really nice house on Elm street, and be Cinderella’s carriage!”

“High five, dude! I am going over to Rockwell Elementery School, and be the fifth grade entry into the pumpkin carving contest. I have it on good authority that I am going to win!”

“Congratulations! I am going to be one of six pumpkins that will be anchoring a huge display in the Andrew’s front yard!”

“Wow! They always put on a great show! ”

“I am going to be the centerpiece for a dinner party at the Elsmore’s. I love to listen to dinner table chatter!”

(c) October 2018 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.