Thursday, March 3, 2016

And it started like this....

Through some interesting zigs and zags I ended up on All In The Family.  First I started in Allrecipes.  Then in 2011 I relented and joined FaceBook.  Got added into a group that I later watched implode.  Some of that group reformed and I asked to join it.  It had its ups and downs.  2012 they held a secret Santa exchange.  What the heck and why not, I thought.  I had a lot of fun with that.  Georgi was my secret Santa and I enjoyed getting to know her.  2013 it was just a card exchange which was still fun.  I love getting fun mail, know what I mean?  By the time December 2014 rolled around the name of the group had changed and so had some of the members.  Again a card exchange was suggested.  That year I was so not in the Christmas spirit so I thought about it before I decided to make cards and join the list.  I'm glad I did.  I'm not terribly crafty but I do try hard.  Making those cards and thinking about who those cards were going to go really cheered me up.


Anissa with her contests.  I sat and watched while she showed us her motel room and proved there was nothing up her sleeves.  I believe Angie won that time but it was still a fun positive thing for me to think about.  Sure I thought about other people from the group.  One was definitely Toni Marsh.  While I will never have known her like Tempi, Marj, Liz or Bettina, I will never hear Styx "Come Sail Away With Me" without thinking of her.  I'm glad I had a chance to tell her that in her card that year.


AITF helped generate some much needed positive thoughts in me then.  In 2015 I tried posting a good thought for the day but that didn't really catch on.  Then a thought occurred to me.  Why not a "What did you have for Dinner?" post.  Prior to this Georgi used to post about dinner but at this point the pain in her back made it so she couldn't. Who knew it was more than a wrenched back?  So I asked if she cared if I did a dinner post.  Oh yeah, I freely admit to stealing the "What did you have for dinner?" idea from none other than Lilly Dory, one of our newest members.  I had enjoyed her AR posts because I always know what I had for dinner but arriving at the final dinner decision may change dramatically during the course of the day.


So on this anniversary I would like to thank all the dinner posters-the regulars and the not so regulars.  Hey, even if you aren't there every day I'm glad when you do stop in.  Even though I really enjoy the food porn, trust me, it doesn't really matter what you had for dinner.  For me it is like stopping in at a friend's and having a cup of coffee ( which I'm usually doing when I post), catching up and starting the day.  You have shared recipes.  You have taught me things about food I did not know.  I'm pretty sure for every 100 things I know about food there are about 1000 I don't.  You give me ideas for when "what's for dinner ?" is just a blank empty space.  Best of all you make me laugh and give brightness to my day.


This last year hasn't just been about food.  I'd like to think I've gotten closer to some of you.  How can you not when you share loss?  Be it a dear family member, friend or a beloved pet.  Sympathized when the daily grind of Life has gotten to you.  Sent prayers to those with health concerns.  Celebrated the arrival of new lives with you.  That is how family is supposed to work.  No,. it doesn't matter that we aren't really related.  There are some of you that I talk to more than my own sister.


Thanks again for being here and enjoying with me the daily dinner posts.  You've all brightened my days.  Happy Anniversary Everyone!!