The holidays have again come and gone. Mine were a pleasant experience, I surely hope yours met all expectations. Failing that, there's always next year. And keep in mind that Parade Day is roughly a short two months away - and there really is only one Parade hereabouts. This leaves you ample time to get your ID and excuses in order for that summary citation on parade weekend.
Speaking of which, how do you feel about the fact that Scranton's parade does not make the Top Ten of St. Patrick's Parades nationwide? I find it remarkable. How could Scranton's annual Celtic version of Mardi Gras not make the list?
Like many, if not most Americans, our holiday spending was way down in 2008. I'd say we spent little more than 20% of what we typically spend, which is a sizable reduction in outlay. Better
yet, we never touched plastic this season, it was cash only. We might have begun a tradition here, because we've yet to use a single credit card since October.Also like our fellow countrymen and women, we got clobbered in 2008 financially. I'll skip the jokes, mostly because all the jokes do is mask the pain a bit. Those losses, and a few unexpected year-end expenses, turned us tight this time around. I don't think anyone noticed.
Gas went way down. Now, it's creeping back up. "Experts" say it will spike again, perhaps in 2010 and 2011. Regardless of "expert" observations, I remain absolutely convinced that the price of gas fell on demand, American demand. I believe that Americans drove the price back where it belonged by driving less, lots less. Oil producing nations lost money. Shucks, what a shame.
Those same oil producing nations hope Americans have a very short collective memory, that little by little they can crank up the price and we won't respond. I say we will respond, swiftly and deliberately. Americans have the resolve to do most anything, and we always have. Anyone who underestimates America's stick-to-it grit does so foolishly.
Carol's background is Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, meaning Christmas is celebrated on January 7th.
I mention this for, as I write, Carol is un-decorating the tree. A beauty of a tree it was, given to us by a dear friend and neighbor as a Christmas present. Thank you, Marilyn. You're always in our thoughts.
As most in NE PA know, Christmas in January is an observance upon the Julian Calendar, as opposed to the Gregorian Calendar which is used in everyday life. It often occurs to me that Eastern Rite and Orthodox Christianity is a part of life in a corridor from, say, Forest City to Pottsville - pretty much a north to south end to end of Pennsylvania's Anthracite Fields. Draw a line between those two towns, then include an area about 50 miles either side of that line, and the awareness of "Russian Christmas" is solid.Outside of this corridor, it diminishes seriously, so much so that many folks in other areas of this country have no idea of any of the traditions which reside here, the traditions we've known most of our lives, regardless of ethnic background.
How many people in Rapid City do you suppose even know what kielbasi is? Or halushki? And, please, no offense to Mrs. T, how many folks in Mobile know the extraordinary taste and texture of a fresh church-kitchen made pierogi?
This is true, I swear. Hard to believe, yet true. Not too long ago someone grumbled to me
that you have to travel to NYC to get good kielbasi. I said, "Are you kidding me?" (Actually, I inserted a few "sentence enhancers" in my response.) The very thought that you can't get good kielbasi in these precincts is absurd. It's like saying you can't get a good chicken wing in Buffalo.And you can't have a discussion of NE PA ethnic food without the spelling issue at least being mentioned. Kutsop's Market in Blakely spells it kielbasi. Which is certainly good enough for me. The Twardzik family in Shenandoah spells it pierogi, also good enough for me. (We'll leave the various and odd pronunciations of Shenandoah for another time.)
To close out this edition of Kielbasi Talk, let me say that as much as I love good smoked kielbasi, fresh kielbasi makes me gag. A hardship, perhaps, but I've learned to bear up under the burden.
Happy New Year!
