Thanksgiving Greetings

Much needed rain all day but nothing to put a damper on our Thanksgiving celebrations. 

My sister, Carol, was able to join us from Arizona this year!

Robert meeting Great-Aunt Carol. Say 'Hi' to grandma, Robert!

Food on the island and food on the counter. More than enough for everyone.

The "kids" table set up in the living room.

I didn't get any pictures of everyone sitting around the tables eating, I had put my camera down to fill plates and by the time I thought about pictures most everyone was finished eating.

Aunt Shandy's house isn't exactly baby proofed and those sure are some tempting balls on that tree.

No, no, Robert. Those aren't toys.

Lean in there girls and let me get a picture. Good one!

Thankful for Family, food and good company, sharing and caring and happy to be together. So very much to be Thankful for!

I hope you and yours had much of the same!

Tip from the Kitchen: Cheese Sauce & Gravy

Tip from the Kitchen:
LOVE my square silicon cupcake cups. I bought a gallon of cheddar cheese sauce and there's no way we will eat it all before it goes bad. I set my cupcake cups on a baking sheet and scooped the cheese into each, then froze. Once froze they are easily removed from the cups. I can heat a few to make nachos or toss them in a recipe to make it cheesy. I do the same with excess gravy. Then I can easily toss one or two into soup to make it creamy or add to whatever I want thickened. With pepper gravy a few frozen gravy cubes and a frozen biscuit heated up for a quick breakfast.

Golden Wheat AHSGR Fall Meeting

We didn't have a large group for today's meeting of the Golden Wheat Chapter AHSGR which made it more relaxed and intimate.

I didn't get pictures of the wonderful food because I was busy with my helpers (grandkids) setting up the media equipment. We had a wide variety of food considering the small number of participants. 

There were get well cards passed around to be signed. 

All set up and ready for the program.

Conversations and fellowship...

Any time to take the opportunity to get lost in a book.

Karen started the meeting and Ella oversaw the installation of officers.

Starting the video went off without a glitch...

...and played all the way through.

There was a Q&A afterward.

It was another good meeting. The video from Headquarters is available to members for loan in our Chapter library. The library is open from 1:30 to 4 PM on the second Friday of each month.

Golden Wheat Chapter AHSGR Picnic

There was a pretty nice turn out for the annual picnic of the Golden Wheat Chapter AHSGR.

After registration we gathered for a prayer then lined up for the feast.

The food is always wonderful and in abundance.

One thing we are not short of is good cooks.

Sorry I didn't get a picture of the desert table but you can see it was a popular place.

Karen began the meeting.

Karen and Dennis gave brief reports from the Convention and Headquarters.

(*Note Ella sitting on the end here.)

Joan brought her grandmother's cross.

Ella read *Ella's story for her.

 Melvin shared his grandfather's contract for the sale of Schönhorst (Scheromet).

The contract and translation.

Fay brought a picture of her as a little girl.

She said she still has parts of the teddy bear.

Vail brought a German bible with family history.

Some of it is a mystery that needs more research.

Ella brought passport, ship's list and info on the ship when her grandmother came over.

Karen shared history from her husband's family.

The piece of material they believe was a front piece to a wedding dress belonging to the women pictured. Her husband's great-grandmother.

Dolly brought a key-chain she recently received from her older sister.

She believes her grandfather carried it for many years.

Dennis brought a few items. The trunk was the "suitcase" that was brought over from Russia.

The paper was a parish "shcein" (document). Used to transfer from one church to another. Also used as ID.

Lastly he held up the little wooden piece and asked if anyone knew what this was...

I was the last to present (no picture of me). I brought a New Year's Greeting for 1829 written in German, a letter written in 1877 from Russia, fabric that my great-grandmother brought over from Russia and a receipt for a newspaper written on the back of a political ticket for Grover Cleveland.

Oh, the little wooden object Dennis had? It was his grandmother's noodle board, for cutting noodles.

What a fun and enjoyable meeting. If you'd like to hear the full stories the DVD for the meeting is in the Golden Wheat library. The library is open from 1:30 to 4 PM on the second Friday of each month.

Debt Collection

April 6, 2015 I received a letter from Collect Pros (see picture below) claiming that I owed money to Elite Coupon Deals.

Never having done business with Elite Coupon Deals that I recalled I went online to see what I could find out. I had no luck finding any previous interaction with any such company. I proceeded to research what I needed to do to handle the situation. 

I found legal advice gave my next step as sending the collection agency a letter which I copied and inserted my information in to. I sent this off immediately.

On May 14, 2015 I received my response:

Fraud? Maybe. I did not find either company listed as known scammers.

If you receive collection notices that are questionable it is best that you don't just ignore them, a simple letter can resolve all doubt. Make copies of all written interaction and make note of phone #, date & time, and names for all verbal communication. Cover your bases.