Today I’m remembering ZaSu Pitts because I feel like her. One of her favorite expressions was, “oh, dear, life is just a bowl of cherries and I’m the pits.”

The part that I take out for myself is “everything happens to me.” This was last Friday. I have a cleaning aide that comes in every Tuesday and Friday. I really lucked out with her! Just as she was leaving, I asked her to check out the water bottle attached to my machine. She came back and tripped on one of my cords and put a hole in the plastic container. I could just see my mother looking up and saying to God, “Thanks a lot, Lord, you were a big help!” This was said in Italian when you exchanged one problem for a new problem.

But my aide said, “Oh, look the hole is high and I can fill the bottle up to there and hope it will last until Monday.”

Then she called the company and told them the story. The woman on the phone said the earliest they could send anyone would be Monday. At least, it was fixable! This happened around 11.

About three o’clock, there’s a knock at the door and in walks “Mr. Fix It.” In no time, the bottle was replaced! I was all smiles. The Lord is good to me! He answered, “me, too!”

Then I asked, “are you a born-again Christian?”

He answered, “yes, I am.”

Then we really shook hands! What are the chances that my problem would be solved on the same day and that I would make a new relationship too! Isn’t life fascinating!

But here’s the funny part. My “Mr. Fix It” told me I was just getting air out of my machine no oxygen! I never knew the difference! I wonder what would have happened to me over the weekend? What is good health? What is reality?

Then after shopping Saturday, Mike and I went to the Presbyterian Church to see over 600 artifacts that have come from all over the world! One nativity art display was made from rice. How in the world did they paint a scene from rice? People are amazing! But when you think we are God’s creation, anything can happen! How true.

This paper is so personal to me. Sunday’s paper showed my friend, Sandy Pilgrim, in an apron cooking up some of her coffee cakes. I’m one of those people who gets Sandy’s coffee cakes.

She does a lot more than that! She takes me to my doctor’s appointments. I always say about both George and Sandy that they are named perfectly they are Pilgrims because they always come across. Get it? And George is a “Mr. Fix It.” It doesn’t matter if it’s carpentry work, plumbing or electrical work. He’s great.

Here’s another thing about Sandy she sends cards for all occasions. They spent Thanksgiving with their girls, but I still got my Thanksgiving card and a special hug in it! I want to thank Debbie Porpiglia for bringing this to your attention and Diane Chodan at the OBSERVER for writing her up!

Sandy is a perfect example of the joy of giving. Also, learn to be a good receiver! Some people love to give, but they don’t know how to receive.

I forgot to mention to you that my grocery bill Saturday came to $11 because I’ve been getting so much food. Even the college kids in the house bring me food! All those years I fed people (and I loved doing it), now they are feeding me. This morning, I got a call from Debbie Porpiglia saying three people are bringing the food for Friday and will eat with me! I love it when that happens, because often for supper, I don’t know what to cook. You know, it’s amazing how many men bring food!

I’ve decided to name foods that are good for you and you can send me recipes: 1. sweet potatoes, 2. mangoes, 3. unsweetened Greek yogurt, 4. broccoli, 5. wild salmon, 6. crisp breads, 7. garbanzo beans, 8. watermelon, 9. butternut squash, 10. leafy greens like kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens and Swiss chard.

You can send recipes to me or to the OBSERVER and tell them to draw them to my attention!