Making holilday table decorations

We're going over the mountain to Livermore where we'll spend turkey day with my husband's brothers and their wives and some of the kids and an aunt and uncle. Whew! It's great to have family reunions and especially this year since their mom died just three months ago. Dorothy would have loved to see that her five sons always stayed close together, but David the youngest, died of cancer at the too-young age of 21.

I have a picture on our stairway wall that shows all five Monohan brothers standing next to their dirty motorcycles at the end of a desert race. That was the good old days. We look forward to Thanksgiving with lots of good times with the family. 

I'm going to have to finish this week's column with some small tidbits because I'm running out of time.

Tidbit No. 1    

I learned a trick on how to make a unique fall table decoration that is very easy to make and very beautiful on your table. All you need is four things: two colorful ears of Indian corn, one crookneck corn, and a tall, thin candle that matches the color scheme. Then just drill a small hole in the crookneck (or also into the Indian corn if you like) and insert the candle into the hole. Fast and unique. I like it! Thanks to Jerri Gable.

Tidbit No. 2   

I received a bill in the mail today for 34 cents. I have two very good medical insurance carriers and one of them wants more money from me. They say I can request a review of this claim. Such request must be in writing and must be received within 60 days from the date I received this statement.

How about if I write out a check to them for 34 cents and put my own 42-cent stamp on my envelope? Or I could drive over to the doctor's office and give the secretary 34 cents in cash " but it would cost me $3 in gas. Or how about if I just forget it all? What would you do?

Tidbit No. 3   

A couple of days before Thanksgiving we already got a seed catalog in the mail. Pinetree Garden Seeds comes all the way from New Gloucester, Maine, and I'm tempted to order something, but you know it's WAY too early now.

Tidbit No. 4    

There are 10 living plants in our living room right now and a fake one. I've been watering the fake plant for several months because it looked so real. That's a true story and my husband is very embarrassed that I did that but I'll bet other people wearing glasses have done the same thing.

Tidbit No. 5     

I was shaking hands with a gentleman at church last Sunday and he said, "Oh, what cold hands you have!" My 8-year-old granddaughter looked up sadly and said, "That's because she's so old."

That's the end of my tidbits. Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving.

n Linda Monohan may be reached at 782-5802.