I’ll bet you cannot think of a thing softer and smoother than a horse’s nose. Oh, maybe a kitten or puppy. The nose of a horse is so soft, you just want to snuggle it or kiss it. I just saw a big man do that. It is no wonder. The horse just won him more than $1 million. The horse was nice looking but not gorgeous. If a horse is gorgeous for me, it has to be black, coal black, and shiny, and have that soft nose. “Mine That Bird.” Isn’t that a strange name? I guess any name is OK at the Kentucky Derby. I watched the 2009 version. I wasn’t wearing a big, beautiful hat or holding a glass of “Dixie juice” in my hand, just watched a horse race on TV. I never saw a horse creep up in a race like that. He was clear at the back of the pack and then before I knew it, he was way ahead.

I have stood on that track, not during a race. Some of my family and I had been to Tennessee for Thanksgiving dinner. The big surprise there was that my newlywed granddaughter had fixed those little individual hens (the ones Victor Borge made famous) just perfect. On the way home, we stopped to see Churchill Downs where we walked on the track. That was a real thrill.

My smart grandchildren (I mean great-grandchildren) are sending me graduation invitations — it seems like all at once. I am really proud of them. I wish I could give them each $1 million.

— norma hannaford