Russian Tea 1 c. instant tea (plain w/o sugar) 2 c. sugar 3 c. Tang 2 small boxes Orange-Pineapple Jell-O 2 tsp. cinnamon 2 tsp. ground cloves Mix all ingredients well.  Add 2 T. to a mug of boiling water.

The Christmas Baby The year that I was born, it was one of the coldest Christmases in many years. Our water pipes froze and burst. We had to go stay at my grandmother's house until it was fixed. Grandmother made me a Christmas patchwork quilt. Mommie brought me home from the hospital wrapped in it. I still have it and we put it out at Christmas. Mommie made a Santa hat for me. She took lots of pictures of me in it! I got a stuffed gingerbread doll that was as tall as me. Mom got a Christmas centerpiece with a rocking horse from Grandmother. She started collecting rocking horse ornaments for me as a result of that. I probably have about 20 rocking horses we have collected. (I also have several doll and angel ornaments.) I don't remember that year, but I know I got lots of stuff because I was a spoiled child! I got some books and a doll bed (from my Granny Layne) and a huge Raggedy Ann doll. I was 17 days old that Christmas and Mommie said it was her best year ever having me as new gift.

Spoiled Little Poor Girl My parents are no longer together, so every year, I get more than my share of presents, having two Christmases. And when I was a little girl I was spoiled to death (some say I still am.) Well, being the first grandchild on one side, and the only grandchild on the other side, it was a given fact that I was to be spoiled! One year, we went up to my uncle's house after Christmas. (Now keep in mind that I had already gotten my stuff from my parents and grandparents.) Everybody in the family was there -- parents, their parents, and me, the only grandchild. But you have to know that I was only 3 (the dreaded age). So we all get there and eat and it's time for presents!! They would read the names and hand the gifts to me to give out. I guess that had fun watching me do whatever they said--like a power trip or something? After all of the stuff was handed out we opened them in age order. Youngest one goes first, meaning me!!! I had been so busy handing out stuff that I hadn't seen how much stuff piled up for me! How many? ONE!!!!! "ONE!" I cried, while holding my pitiful little finger up and going from person to person to plead my case. I cried that they didn't love me anymore and things like that cause I only got one! No one would sympathize with me, as most of them giggled or roared out loud at my theatrics. Never mind that the "one!" gift was a very nice set of Fisher-Price walkie-talkies that I had ASKED for! My aunt who had given them to me (and was rather new to the family) was not sure whether to laugh at me--or cry at my disappointment, so she kind of did a little of both! To this day, they still tease me about being the spoiled little poor girl!!