Debra LaValley's Blog

O'Reilly Homestead

I snapped a shot of this old brick house yesterday. I remembered my mom mentioning something about it and asked her today. She said this old house that is on Horsehill Road near Riverhill in Concord belonged to a George O’Reilly (his daughter lives there now). She said that her dad used to deliver oil there. My grandfather owned Ken Ross Oil Company. My mom told me that George O’Reilly used to walk to work every day and that he worked at the tannery in Penacook. This was quite a walk! I would guess at least 3 miles.

One day, my grandfather Ross dropped my Aunt MaryJane there to play with the O’Reilly kids. My aunt became sick. It seems that she was distraught thinking that her father would forget her there because there were so many kids at home.

It is strange what weird thoughts go through our minds – especially when we are young. My parents let me go cross country with my best friend and her family one summer. I was 13 years old. We drove and slept in a tent trailer. The morning we were leaving, I came down with hives. The doctor gave had me take Benedryl. It was nerves. I had thought that I must be dying or something for my folks to let me go on such a long trip all summer! 🙂 I had a great time that summer. It was a trip of a lifetime that I will always remember.

Grammy La Valley 02/05/1995

I spent many hours sitting at the kitchen table with my Grammy La Valley. We discussed family history, Penacook history, birds, various other topics and food. I would jot down many of her stories, and the Christmas after she died (2/20/1999) I put together a cookbook and collection of her stories entitled “Stories from the Kitchen.” I do not have an electronic copy any more because I can’t seem to get the information off the old floppy disks. Who knows what version of Microsoft Word it was typed in. So, I will soon – retype the document in my new computer. Other family members would like copies – so it will be good to go in and fix some of the typos I have found and add some of the things that I had omitted.

One of these omitted short stories was about a “Custard Butterscotch Bread Pudding” that my grandmother made. It was simple and also simply one of the most delicious desserts I have ever tasted. In fact, I bought a double boiler years ago to make it myself and even shared some with her. During her last few years, her eyesight had failed making it impossible for her to bake anymore, so from time to time, I would make some of her favorite recipes and share them with her. This bread pudding recipe she got while working at Beede Electric. She had overheard Leona Holt telling someone of the recipe. Once Grammy got home from work – she jotted down the recipe.

Custard Butterscotch Bread Pudding

1 cup brown sugar
3 pieces of buttered bread
3 eggs
1 pint milk with vanilla
(dash of salt – optional)

In a double boiler (grease the pan a little), place 1 cup brown sugar on the bottom. Then place the three stacked pieces of buttered bread face down on top of the brown sugar. Beat 3 eggs with 1 pint of milk and some vanilla (and the dash of salt – optional – not in my original notes, but I scribbled it in the margins with a question mark). Pour over the top of the bread and brown sugar. Do not stir. Cover and steam for about 1 hour or until custard is set. (Boil and then turn down a little). I found that it takes closer to 2 hours to cook.
When it is done, pour upside down into another dish. This is a great bread pudding with caramel sauce.

The Stool
It is funny how you get attached to inanimate objects. Many years ago at our church’s white elephant table – I saw the small horseshoe-shaped ashtray with the white plastic horse on top of it. I bought it because I knew it was the one that adorned a small table in my grandparents’ dining room. My grandmother asked me why I bought it. I said because it was hers. (She said she would have given it to me – if she knew I wanted it.) It wasn’t that I really wanted it – but I didn’t want a stranger to have it. To me, it was part of my grandparents’ house. An object that I had seen since I was an infant. That object reminded me of my grandparents and all the good times I had with them and the love that I always felt in that house. I still have that ashtray sitting on one of my bookcases in my bedroom.

So, what about the old metal stool pictured above? Well, this stool, complete with the knitted cover (surely knitted by Nana who always was knitting or crocheting), stood in my Nana’s kitchen for as long as I can remember. This stool was always against the radiator near the kitchen table. My family had spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours around the kitchen table at my Nana’s house. It is where we laughed, played games, talked, and ate – especially when family visited from far away. Often the kitchen was so filled with family members and friends that there were not enough chairs to go around, and someone (often me) would sit upon this stool.

Since my Nana’s passing in August at the ripe old age of 100 and 5 months – most of the house has been empty and it was put up for sale. My mother and I would check the house about once a week and make sure the pipes and everything were alright. We would go down into the dirt cellar. I noticed the stool standing in the cellar – still with the knitted cover. I asked my mother who was taking the stool. She said it would probably just be thrown away. I said if no one wanted it – I would like it. This old stool was very much like the ashtray to me. It was like part of my Nana and contained many memories and love that we all shared in that house and around that kitchen table.

This plain old stool with the knitted cove now stands in my kitchen. When I look at it, I feel the warmth of all the hugs and laughter that filled my Nana’s house. The house will soon belong to another family, and I hope that they also will have many years in that house and feel the love that we all felt within those walls.

Daytime Lunacy

There is no doubt that winter is here. We have been hit with three major storms in a week and a half. There is about 2 feet of snow groundcover in the flat areas! An arctic blast is heading our way and tonight we will be well below zero degrees. Brrrrr! But – I would rather it be below zero and the ground covered with snow than it be 90 degrees and humid! If you think me strange for wishing this over 90 degrees, you would really think me strange if you saw what I made for supper last night.

What did I have? I had hot instant garlic roasted mashed potatoes covered with cold baked beans (right out of a can) and some ketchup squirted on top. It was yummy! (It is not unusual for me to have cold baked beans and cottage cheese for breakfast from time-to-time.) Now, don’t knock it unless you try it. I guess you can say that I am not exactly a gourmet. I do enjoy good food and to me good food can be some fancy vegetarian strudel, squash filled ravioli, cheese lasagna, or a slice of cold pizza or peppers and egg. What kind of wine goes with garlic roast mashed potatoes and baked beans? Shiraz, of course! That was yummy too. What did I have for supper tonight? The rest of the garlic roasted potatoes, baked beans, and a veggie burger . . . and the rest of the Shiraz.

Stay warm!

Live Long and Prosper

I love science fiction! Yes, I am a Trekker (aka Trekkie) and even shook the hand of Nichelle Nichol (Lt. Uhura) at a Star Trek Convention. I spend a great deal of time watching the Syfy channel. I love that there is an entire channel dedicated to Syfy. The one thing that I have to speak out about is what the #@(*^#*(#$&#* is WWE SmackDown (aka very fake wrestling) doing on Syfy? What self-respecting Syfy fanatic would EVER watch fake wrestling? Is the wrestling FICTION? Most definitely — but it has NOTHING to do with science. I am annoyed because as I write this WWE SmackDown is on Syfy. I, of course, have switched the channel and am “patiently” waiting until 10:00 pm when the Syfy channel regains its scheduling senses and the season premiere of MERLIN is on. Now that is a real Syfy show! Those in charge of the Syfy Channel …PLEASE “Just say NO to Wrestling!” It is a waste of Prime Time Space!

Happy Christmas Eve Everyone!

December has been a bit crazy this year – but all in all it will be a nice Christmas spent with family. We will miss those who are no longer with us – especially Nana this year. I usually would pick her up Christmas morning and take her to my folks’ house where we would have a nice breakfast cooked by my mother and open our stockings. Santa has always been nice to all of us.

My mother knitted all of our stockings for our first Christmas. All of ours look different. I like the big Santa on mine with the soft angora beard. I can’t believe my stocking has been filled by Santa for 52 years (it is hard enough to believe that I will be 53 on the 26th of December!). I have been pretty good this year – so I am sure that I will not be getting coal. As I sit here watching an All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special – I think back on the many Christmas Eve’s when I was younger when I would lie awake – daring not to breathe – for fear that Santa would know I was awake and pass by the house. Some years, I would swear I heard sleighbells and noises on the roof. It was all very magical.

Tomorrow morning, I will wake up (my mother will barely sleep from excitement and want to be up and unwrapping at the crack of dawn – but she will wait) and head over to my parents’ house – carrying what Santa has left for them at my house … we will eat a delicious breakfast together …and then dig in to the presents. The rest of the family will arrive in the afternoon with their families and the small house will be brimming with laughter and love. It is all very magical – and it isn’t because of the gifts. It is because of the love.

I hope that you find yourself surrounded by Love on Christmas Day … and even if you cannot be with family and friends – remember the great gift of love given to all of us on that first Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

It has been awhile since I updated the blog. I was in “Sunny” Florida on vacation the first part of December. Of course – it wasn’t WARM Florida while we were down there. It was almost as cold down there are up here in NH. Florida was beating all kinds of weather records. We all had a great time at Disney World even though it was a bit chilly. Disney made out big time because people were buying hats, scarves, and mittens! One good thing – in the morning Hollywood Studios wasn’t very crowded and there was not a line of kids waiting to snap a photo of them riding on the land speeder …so I had a turn 🙂

We bumped into Debra Beaupre at the Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. She is currently working for WDW at the Animal Kingdom. It was good to see her – it had been 6 years. I am wearing my first “Mouse” ears. I know they are stunning on me. 🙂

I can’t believe that Christmas is next Saturday! I am way behind in my shopping and decorating. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year!

Happy Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for? I am thankful for my wonderful family and friends. I am truly blessed. I am thankful for all the great memories of those who are no longer with us and for all the memories yet to be. We have spent so much time around tables filled with food and surrounded by laughter (and not only at Thanksgiving). It is probably why many of us struggle with our weight (LOL)! Eating has always been associated with family, fun, and comfort. A special Thanksgiving wish out to all those who live across the country or will be away this Thanksgiving – Have a wonderful Holiday! You are all in my thoughts! I can’t wait for pumpkin pie! Safe traveling to all too!

Full "Beaver" Moon

I learned something the other day about blue moons. I always thought they were the second full moon that falls in a month. I recently found out that the original definition of a blue moon is the third full moon in a season of four full moons. Last night’s Full “Beaver” Moon fit into the original definition. I used my Nikon D90 and new Sigma 150-500 mm lens to snap the shot. This shot is cropped, and I tinted the moon blue! Have a great day! It is almost Thanksgiving! OMG!

I can’t believe that my last posting was 10/30, and it is already November 15th. November seems to be the shortest month … just a blur between Halloween and Christmas. November is usually gray and raw … but November is also a month of Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be thankful for. I am very thankful for all my friends and family. I am truly blessed. (I even have chickens that come to my bird feeder. I always smile when I see the chickens.) Have a great November everyone!