Certain foods evoke pleasant, comforting memories. Ah, the joy of watching golden yellow pats of rich, dairy butter melted and oozing down corn on the cob. Each ear totally drenched with this liquid treasure, and the taste – well, let’s face it, fresh ears of corn were made by God so that we can enjoy the sensual pleasure of sight, smell and taste. Even butter melting in a perfectly baked potato, or an impressive stack of homemade pancakes is a delight. Now these are memories made in heaven and true “comfort” food. Even butter melted on a mound of mashed potatoes can take your breath away. Pure butter is a taste sensation all its own and richly deserves the oohs and aahs it invokes.

Flavored butter is coming into a tradition all its own. It adds dimension, change of pace, and additional interest and pleasure to any meal setting. Try some of these on anything that craves butter to make it perfect – from toast to that grilled ear of golden kernels.

Garlic/parsley butter:
Beat 1/2 cup firm butter in an electric mixer until it is the consistency of whipped cream.
Add 2 tbs. coffee cream, about 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley.
Not only do you get the taste, but the color – gentle and enticing!
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Zesty butter:
Beat 1/2 cup firm butter in an electric mixer for about 3 mins. or until it has the consistency of whipped cream. Slowly add 2 tbs. cold, coffee cream, 3 tbs. prepared horseradish, and 1/2 tsp. salt, Beat until well-blended.
A bit of bite but a delight!
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Keep in your Freezer butters:
Make these jewels when you have some spare time, scoop them with a small-size scoop, roll them gently, place on waxed paper, and freeze. Once frozen, they can be removed and stacked in plastic containers. Remove them about 20 mins. before serving. You will always have some “taste sensations” stashed away to surprise and delight unexpected guests.
Use 1/4 lb. butter, blended in a electric mixing bowl until smooth. Just add:
2 tbs. minced chives and 2 tbs. minced parsley or
1/4 cup finely chopped salad shrimp and 1 tbs. lemon juice or
3-4 tbs. or your favorite finely chopped herbs.
Great on vegetables or noodles.
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Especially for sweet corn lovers:
In small bowl, with wooden spoon beat 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 tbs. salt, 1 tsp. chili powder, and 1/4 tsp. pepper until well blended.
or
substitute 2 tsp. chopped chives for the chili powder
or
substitute 1 tsp. finely chopped dillweed for the chopped chives or chili powder.
Variety is the spice of life!
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Muffin oast/bagel butters:
1/2 lb. unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temperature, 1/2 cup ripe, fresh strawberries or raspberries
In an electric mixer, blend butter and berries until very smooth. Adjust the coloring with a few drops of food coloring for added appeal. Place in a pretty small glass bowl and refrigerate to harden. Serve as a special breakfast treat.
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Pancake Delight –
4 tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup real maple syrup (not imitation)
In an electric mixer, combine the butter and syrup until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate until serving time.
See the surprise on everyone’s face when they have the 2 “pancake” flavors together.
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Experiment and try different herbs and spices. Flavored butter is great on popcorn, too for snack time. However you use flavored butters,
ENJOY!
ฉArleen M. Kaptur 2002 June 1

“But what are you going to do all day?” my boss asked when I handed him my letter of resignation.

“We are going to have fun.”

“Carol. You will be soooooooooo bored.”

“I hope not. We’ve prepared for this for a long spell. It is time to do something different.”

Advice from those already retired was mixed. We were warned of lazy days ahead. We were told about days filled with boredom and that we’d be back at work in less than a year. We were even told that we were making a big mistake.

The only positive responses were from people twenty years or so from retirement. Still, we welcomed this time with open arms, promising each other retirement days would be happy days for us. We have always been different from other people, so we went into retirement with a different attitude.

I pondered one of the remarks we had heard from several people, that we “would become lazy and unwilling to work or engage in energetic activity.” My husband and I agreed to not become TV retiree-a-holics, and that we would only watch the boob-tube during the day for noontime news. So far, it stays on during March Madness, College Baseball, College Softball and sometimes Law & Order. (I am addicted to that show.)

We also enrolled in the local Community Bible Study Class – him in the men’s group, and me in the ladies’. This has been most fulfilling and was a wise thing to do. The study has brought us a connection we’ve never had in our entire marriage. Our spiritual growth is phenomenal – I see it on Pat’s face; I feel it in my heart.

“Carol, my life with you has always been good, but it is better now than ever.”

“Life is good,” I agreed. “Our slowing down years are fun, and I wouldn’t want to spend them with anyone else.”

“I wish I’d had more compassion when I worked,” he tells me, gazing at the floor, then rubbing his hand through his graying burr haircut.

“We start today. We can’t change history.”

He agreed.

In our CBS study, we looked at Matthew 25:1-13. The details of the ten virgins: five of them were prepared by taking oil in flasks along with the lamps, and five were foolish by taking only their lamps. To me, the foolish ones were lazy. They were not alert. They did not look ahead for the future and it cost them attendance to the wedding feast. When they returned from buying additional oil, the door was shut, and the Lord told them that He did not know them. Just a few extra minutes and a little extra effort would have admitted them to see the bridegroom.

In Matthew 25:14-30, we also studied about the man who went on a journey and loaned money to three of his slaves. The slave that buried his talent was lazy, and when the Master returned, He told him that he was not only lazy, but also wicked. All he had was taken from him and given to the slave that had worked and earned double what he had been given.

In retirement, I want to remain alert and active, not asleep as the five virgins, or lazy like the slave. I want to be prepared for eternity. We’ve learned that life here on earth is the pre-game show for eternal life. I no longer crave an eight to five-schedule, but I don’t want to be asleep when Jesus comes again either. Pat and I ask Him to walk with us and keep us safe in these golden days and retiring ways – and He abundantly provides for us.

Pat and I want our retirement to be fun – but not all fun. I was raised with the saying, “All work and no play makes George a dull boy.” But, I also know that all fun and no work makes one shallow, dull, and eventually indolent, and even slothful. We want these years to count. We want to give back to the community that has helped us raise our boys.

“Let’s go check out MEALS ON WHEELS,” my husband suggested one day.

He was excited as we drove into the parking lot at RSVP. The director jumped with joy; a joy that showed in her grin that stretched from ear to ear. After our visit, we both agreed we would participate with this activity when next our church was scheduled to be involved.

We do not have piles of money, but we come and go as we wish. When it is time to see a new grandchild, our trip can last as long as Pat’s wallet isn’t empty. In our slowing down years, we cook, we visit our family, we wear our jammies all day if we want, or we can go shopping. The main thing is, we do it together. We are blessed beyond measure and are smelling the roses in these lazy days of retirement – the days that fill our hearts with joy.

ฉ  Carol Dee Meeks

1. Stay At A Resort With a Kid’s Program.

Whether you are planning a ski vacation or fun on an island in the Caribbean, make your life simpler by booking rooms at a resort with a day program for kids. Many larger resorts and some hotels have activity programs for children, where they can do arts and crafts, outdoor activities, play music, even take lessons in skiing, surfing, or whatever sport the area has to offer.

Some of the programs are for a few hours a day, others are half-day programs, and some will keep your kids busy all day if you want. Even if you never use the program, it’s a good thing to have one on site. Parents need time to relax, and your kids will want a break from you too. While your kids have a ball, you can get a massage, read a book poolside, or whatever strikes your fancy. When your kids rejoin you, there will be much to talk about.

Make sure you inquire about the ages the children’s program covers, and call to reserve space in advance. If you have your heart set on a specific hotel that does not have a program for children, find out if they partner with other hotels that do have one, or if there are fun classes that might be appropriate for children.

2. Keep the Schedule Flexible.

If there is one time your family should be free of obligations and rushing about, it’s on vacation. Kids – and therefore parents – experience over-scheduling in the real world; they don’t need it on vacation.

Your family vacation does not have to mean you spend 100% of your time doing activities that involve the whole family. When kids get dragged to “must-see” historical sites, or daylong shopping adventures, tempers are sure to flare.

If you are traveling with more than one adult, split up and let kids do what they want to do. You and your partner, or other adult family members can take turns chaperoning the kids, while the others do “grown-up stuff”.

Instead of stuffing the day with sightseeing and other activities, sit down together at breakfast (or dinner the night before) and kick around various options for the day. You might set a time for meals, so that older kids and teenagers can roam about and still have a time to check in with the grown-ups.

3. Learn Something New Together.

Family vacations are a fantastic way to reconnect with your kids and do some serious bonding. One of the best ways to do this is to sign up to learn something new together. Whether it is a ropes course in Hawaii, learning to snowshoe in Vermont, or surfing lessons in Fiji, taking a class or going on a guided adventure is a sure way to foster togetherness.

Choose something everyone can do together, and keep it to a half-day or under time-wise. If you have very small children, you might consider getting a babysitter for them, so the older children can have some real fun with you. Remember to check reviews of various instructors and guides, and get referrals from your hotel or resort.

When you follow the three golden rules of vacations with kids, your family getaway will be one to remember – this time because you actually had fun!