Hilltowns Senior News for Thursday, December 1, 2016

If you ignore something long enough, it will go away. When I was a paper-pusher, that was one of the unspoken, unwritten rules. The assumption was that anything really important would keep rising to the top of the pile, and you would have to deal with it; everything else would eventually be forgotten.

In a lot of situations, this is probably true. No one really cares if every figurine on the mantel has been dusted, but on the rare occasions when I let anybody into the used-book and cat-hair emporium I call my home, I will go stark staring crazy for some period of time before they arrive because my lizard brain is telling me that everything has to be perfect.

The fact that this is physically impossible is irrelevant. Ultimately, that’s why I put off wrapping gifts for as long as possible. Every shortcut I take conjures the disapproving face of my German grandfather.

He used to carry a tiny pair of scissors in his vest pocket, which were used to snip the ribbon on a package so close to the knot that you had nearly the whole length left to use over again. We also saved the paper, of course; I swear I have bits of gift wrap from the ’60s in the file folder I use for pieces of paper too small to use on larger packages. (I really wish I were kidding on that one.)

Now, I understand that World War II and the Depression impressed themselves pretty forcefully on his whole generation. To save money on something, you spent more time, and made it yourself instead of buying it. I get that, but in my family, the time and effort spent on something became a value in and of itself.

The paper for every gift had to be measured to fit the box, and cut with a long, sharp knife so there would be a clean, straight edge. Every one of those edges had to be folded over (like hemming a pair of pants), and if you had done it correctly, only three small pieces of tape were needed to hold the wrapping together.  Bows had to be made by hand; anything less indicated a sloppy mind and lack of care. All food had to be made from scratch, even after mixes were just as good (I still resent that fact).

All this made preparing for a holiday something to dread, because in my double-or-nothing world, you were either perfect or not perfect. Gee whiz, the things we do to ourselves!

Several years ago, after hearing this psychobabble tale of woe, my best friends convinced me to stop folding edges and hand-making bows. I now save quite a bit of time, but I still feel guilty. My elderly, always-right grandfather, who died more than 50 years ago, is still in the background critiquing the performance.

I read somewhere that Japanese master craftsmen always build one tiny, deliberate flaw into each thing they make, as an acknowledgement that nothing in nature is ever perfect. I like that. It shows an acceptance of life as less than perfect, but still exquisitely beautiful. Maybe if I started wearing kimonos more often.

I am making progress, though, especially now that rustic and craftsy have become so popular. If I’m lucky, pretty soon I’ll be able to wrap everything in newspaper, or just leave it in its brown paper bag, and I will be in the height of fashion.

Coming up

December is always fashionable; it is National Tie Month.  The coming week is National Hand-Washing Awareness Week, Recipe Greetings For The Holidays Week, and Cookie Exchange Week.  World Wildlife Conservation Day is the 4th, AFL-CIO Day and Bathtub Party Day are the 5th. National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is December 7th; and so is National Cotton Candy Day, and Special Kids Day. The 10th is Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day, Dewey Decimal System Day, and Gingerbread Decorating Day.

I don’t know if there will be gingerbread, but you can find out by joining the Hilltown Seniors for their holiday party at the Rock Road Chapel on (what else?) Rock Road on Saturday, Dec. 10. Cost is $10 per person for members and guests, and the rumor is that the entree will be ham. Reservations can be made by calling Linda Carman at 872- 2448.  Please try to reserve by Dec. 5, and bring a non-perishable food item for the food pantry. They will also be collecting mittens and scarves to decorate a mitten tree at the BKW school.

The senior shopping bus’s next trips are scheduled for Dec. 14 and Dec. 28. Call CDTA at 437-5161 two days in advance to arrange for pickup.

On Dec. 6, the crafts after lunch group will be making tabletop snowmen. Once you take your snowman home, you can say that you have your holiday decorating done.

The bus trip to Cooperstown on Saturday, Dec. 17 is rapidly approaching. We will see a production of “A Christmas Carol” at the Farmers Museum.  The bus leaves at 10:30 a.m.  We will stop for lunch at “Mel’s 22" restaurant (buy your own), and then on to the performance at 2 p.m.  Cost is $12.50 per person. Call Karen Schimmer at 872-2544 to reserve a seat.

Menu

Lunch next week at the Berne Community and Senior Services Center will be a chance to escape from the holiday madness and enjoy a hot lunch with friends and neighbors.  December birthdays will be celebrated with cake on Tuesday.  Doors open at 11 a.m, and lunch is served promptly at noon. We also have games, dominoes, and cards after lunch.

— Monday, Dec. 5, lemon oregano fish, stewed tomatoes and zucchini, hash browned potatoes, rye bread, citrus ambrosia, and milk;

— Tuesday, Dec. 6, herbed chicken with gravy, roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli, wheat bread, birthday cake, and milk; and

— Friday, Dec. 9, Spanish rice, carrots, corn bread, brownie, and milk.

Call Linda Hodges 24 hours in advance to 872-0940 to reserve lunch, email her at   , or sign up when you come in. Tell us how many are coming, your name, and your telephone number

Lunches are provided by Helderberg Senior Services, the Albany County Department of Aging, and Senior Services of Albany. The Town of Berne Community and Senior Services Center is located at 1360 Helderberg Trail (Route 443) in Berne.