Ramona rings in the new year with abundance of parties, food, fun, and games
By JESSICA GILBERT
Ramona correspondent
(785) 965-2621
"So what were you doing on New Year's Eve?" I asked folks around Ramona. The first person I asked this question of was Paula Morgan, who's been filling in as postmaster in Ramona while Kathy Werth takes some vacation.
"Max and I went to church on New Year's Eve; it's a good way to end one year and begin another. And then we went out to eat at Pizza Hut and then home for a quiet evening together."
Bobby Thornhill walked in and got his mail while I was standing at the postal counter. "What did you do Bobby?"
"I was watching television," replied Bobby. But then I discovered that staying up past midnight is no special occasion for Bobby. "I'm always up past midnight — can't sleep," he said matter-of-factly.
Warren and Paula Fike were at church, along with Paula and Max Morgan and every other member of Trinity Lutheran. "We're traditional in that we stayed up until midnight and wished each other a happy New Year," said Paula with a laugh. "And then we went to bed."
Al and Darlene Sondergard had friends over — Don and Joyce Kemble, Chick and Gladys Albrecht, and Pill Meskimen, of all Herington — came for dinner (chicken and noodles and Darlene's great pie) and cards. "We played well past midnight," said Darlene. And when I asked what games they played she laughed, "We played Shanghai Rummy and Poop on Your Neighbor — it doesn't sound too nice does it?"
I had never played the game but I could deduce from the name that it means you give all your bad cards to your neighbor; and I was right.
Betty and Harold Ohm went to Kansas City over Christmas and stayed through New Year's with their daughter, Brenda and family. "Brenda's house is more conducive to wheelchairs which is more convenient for Harold. It was a nice break. Brenda and Steve took me out to supper and New Year's Eve church, and then we came home to Ramona the next day."
Jeannie Weber hosted the only major New Year's Eve party in Ramona. She was joined by friends Tom and Lori Moldenhauer of Tampa, Greg Stenzel of Ramona, Randy and Tonya Stroda and family from Hope, and other family and friends.
"The party was in honor of Randy's return from Iraq and Tonya's birthday on Jan. 1," said Jeannie. "Randy made mountain oysters and ham, Lori brought snacks and of course we had champagne. We had karaoke, of course — one minute you'd be singing a solo and next you'd turn and find 15 people behind you joining in," said Jeannie with a grin. The three-foot tall Mickey Mouse piñata that Jeannie had for the kids got cracked open by the adults as the evening wore on, because the kids already were down for the count.
"On New Year's Day we started a new tradition," said Jeannie. "We all took a balloon from the party and wrote a resolution on our balloon and on the count of three we let them go. It was neat to watch them float off into the sky."
I asked Marge Stroda what she and Maurice were doing on New Year's and she reported they didn't do much because Maurice was under the weather. "We usually have a double celebration on that night because Maurice's birthday is Dec. 31," said Marge. "Our big celebration this year was at Christmas when all our kids, except one from Texas, were here and we had Christmas dinner at the parish hall in Ramona."
Tony Meyer, Ramona's oldest citizen at 93, was up well past midnight on New Year's Eve. He was shredding! "My resolution for 2006 is to clean up my files," said Tony, "so I have been destroying old stuff — I've got five files that are now empty." Tony's been enjoying the paper shredder that Santa left him for Christmas.
Dan and Connie Smith felt like New Year's was a time for winding down from the Christmas holidays. "Collin (Bailey) and Paul (Smith) came and had turkey dinner with us," said Connie. "We never get enough turkey, it seems!"
This holiday season was unusual for the Smiths because Dan was home for the entire holiday season — from Christmas through New Year's. Because of Dan's trucking operation, he's often lucky to make it in for Christmas and be back on the road the next day. "I stayed up after midnight on New Year's but Dan didn't make it — he was in the other room enjoying the new big-screen TV he got for Christmas and I think he called it quits around 9:30 p.m.," said Connie.
But the Smiths had several folks who interrupted their solitude at midnight on New Year's. "My daughter, Catina, called," said Connie, "and my brother from Wyoming and then my son Bryan called to wish us a happy new year."
"Were there resolutions for 2006?" I asked Connie. "My resolution is to continue eating well and watching my health — I seem to be the glue that keeps the family together so I need to be healthy," and Connie chuckled.
Dan started the New Year improving his business operation and changing trucking leases to a company that offers a better package for their operators who haul agricultural products. "Everything came together on New Year's Day," said Connie. "They had a load waiting for him in Minnesota and he took off and has been running hard ever since."
Norma and Don Bird weren't wearing party hats when the New Year arrived because Norma was sick as a dog! "I never get sick, and then something hit me and I was throwing up for 35 hours — right through New Year's Eve and New Year's Day!" said Norma with good humor. "So New Year's wasn't anything to celebrate, but let me tell you about Christmas!"
The Birds had their children, plus two granddaughters, Jenny and husband, and Katrina, and together they had a gigantic family celebration. "There were more than 20 people at our house — we had two big hams, smoked turkey and regular turkey, too! We had such fun together."
Tracy and Yvonne Brunner were celebrating a monumental event on New Year's Eve — their 25th wedding anniversary. "Originally Tracy and I were going into Kansas City for our celebration," said Yvonne. "Tracy even took some Brunner beef to our favorite restaurant on the Plaza to have it prepared for our dinner together. But then we decided to just stay home instead. I've been driving back and forth so much to Kansas City in handling things for our new house that I was weary of being on the road."
So the Brunners stayed home and prepared their own Brunner beef steaks and had a romantic dinner for two in the comfort of home. "It was as good as going out to any restaurant," Yvonne says with a smile.
Of course Brunner beef had to be part of their anniversary dinner, since it was a major part of their wedding celebration, and the focus of their business and 25 years together.
"Tracy harvested a beef for the dinner following our wedding in Manhattan," said Yvonne, "It seems like we fed the entire town!" she concluded with laughter.
My New Year's Eve was purposefully tranquil. As midnight approached I sat on my bed — which faces my dresser mirror — and looked myself in the eye, and recounted the blessings of the year. It's my way of "reckoning," and facing up to how I've spent the last 365 days and 8,760 hours that were given to me in 2005.
I have a tablet that sits on my dresser and at the top of it are the words, "I love myself, therefore
As midnight approached I read that list to myself, reminding myself of my intentions for my life, and reciting my dreams for 2006. I called a few California friends at midnight and reminded them that I loved them, despite having not looked them in the eye in five years, and at around 2 a.m., my head touched my pillow.
At six in the morning I was waking up Pat and packing baskets of food items for a trip to Lawrence for a celebration of food! While the Brunners were having beef, we were having chicken — since Pat needed to "harvest" one of the roosters that's been raising heck in the hen house! While she took care of the rooster (with help from Tooltime Tim and his mom, Frances), I picked out my best roast chicken recipe and prepared the herbed butter for slathering on that troublesome rooster.
My cookbook had pages folded over, reminding me of all the recipes we were going to try on New Year's Day.
The idea for a food extravaganza began at Thanksgiving when my cousin Becky gave me a Williams Sonoma Cookbook. I thought of experimenting for Christmas dinner when Becky and her husband, along with my mom's two sisters — Anna and Frieda — and Tony Meyer came for Christmas dinner.
But when Pat took a look at what I proposed to try she said, "I don't know that the people coming for dinner want to try kalamati olive spread on French bread or Brie studded with dried apricots, brandy, pistachios, and cranberries. Maybe you'd better save those recipes for later."
I began to ponder who would enjoy those outlandish taste treats, and immediately thought of another pair of cousins — Joe and Janet Fike (Naomi Fike's son and daughter-in-law). "Let's call up Joe and Janet and invite ourselves down for New Year's Day!" I said to Pat, and then immediately headed for the phone. I knew they'd eat what I fixed because Janet is a home economics teacher and constantly cooking amazing things that we eagerly devour.
Within minutes of a phone call we'd decided that Janet would prepare a brunch and that Pat, Tooltime Tim, and I would arrive at their new home in Lawrence around 9 a.m. for what promised to be a memorable breakfast!
Joe and Janet recently moved into a home that's new to them, and the most stunning feature in my view was the large kitchen that's just made for a group of folks who all want to cook together and eat and chat while cooking. After a luscious breakfast of baked pears with streusel on top, and egg, bread, and cheese soufflé, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella with herbs and vinaigrette, pumpkin bread, and dark strong coffee, we progressed to playing cards and sampling the candy and cookies Janet made for Christmas. Then I broke out the fruit-studded Brie and olive pesto for the French bread, and we played more cards.
Six o'clock came and we still hadn't eaten the roast chicken, the sourdough dressing, and desserts we'd brought with us. "Let's take a walk around the block," suggested Janet. "Then we'll come back and start cooking supper."
It was late into the evening when we said our good-byes, and all agreed that this was a tasty tradition for New Year's Day! We resolved to invite ourselves back again next year!
As faithful readers of my column, I wish all of you a year filled with health, prosperity, and moments worth remembering. And that's the news from Ramona, where great moments abound, and a traffic jam is two parked cars and a dog in the road.
