Thursday, February 26, 2009

Friday Flashback: Feeling Fourteen Fifty Years Later


Friday Flashbacks are sponsored by my friend Anne Glamore over at My Tiny Kingdom. (Link on right side of this page.)

My teens were definitely not the happiest time of my life. If my friend Barbara is correct about reincarnation, I hope I return as a life form for which adolescence is a non-event. This pic is from my brief stint as a member of the in crowd...the cheerleaders!

This week I decided to step out on Facebook and find my own friends instead of piggybacking on my children’s connections. And lo and behold…I found a site for my high school class! There were only a couple of people on it when I found it, but I knew them, so I sent them a short note and asked them to be my friend. When they responded, you would have thought I suddenly had a prom date. Now there are a few more.

Anytime I happen on a connection from the past I’m a little hesitant…okay, a lot hesitant…about how to pursue it. I’m still hanging out on the fringes of the cool kids, not wanting to seem too intrusive, but really, really wanting to know how their lives turned out.

Do we have more in common than we did in the sixties? Has anyone else had a child with a disability? (I know of two, but there may be others.) Do they worry about their retirement plans or have bad knees or hips? Who has had cancer and survived? Who is still married to their high school sweethearts…or their second or third forever love? Is anyone single who might like to meet one of my single friends? Nah, even I wouldn’t touch that one. Who is no longer with us? Regrettably, two from this photo.

I’m realizing that I crave more connection than I used to, and I hope some of my long lost cyber friends will still care what happened to me. Maybe someone will want to share memories of prank calls and sneaking out at night to meet boys in the back yard or floating on an innertube at Lake Martin for hours on end hoping someone would come by in a boat and offer a ride. Who has my memories?

Blessings,
Janie

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Floating on an innertube at Lake Marti is timeless!

Janet the Home Ec. teacher said...

Hi,
I stumbled on to your blog by looking for the origin of the Fried Peach Pie. I had heard it was Alabama. It took me to your June 27, 2008 blog, which confirmed that Alabama does have Fried peach pies, at least at Peach Park in Clanton, Alabama. I am still wondering if indeed Alabama is where the Fried Pie originated. Do you have any idea?

I enjoyed reading your other blogs. You write very well and I found that we are like minded.

Thanks and Blessings to you for sharing your thoughts. Janet

Anonymous said...

Now old Janie knows a bit about peach pies fried or not, but I hesitate to speculate on theoriging of the divine treat. The best ones are made with crisp, flaky dough that uses some sort of lard to make it perfect . Doesn't hurt that Alabama has the best peaches in the world to wrap in that perfect pastry. I had a decent one made by some amish ladies in Heber Springs. I just think it's a southern thing. Good luck. Wow...I'd kill for one now. Thanks for the kind words.

Janie Morris said...

Janet I located a recipe that is very much like those at Peach Park in Clanton, Alabama, but no further history. I can remember my Alabama grandmother making these in the 1950's. I wasn't a fan then, but definitely am one now. Health food it's not, but yummy it is. http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1713,144171-246204,00.html

Janet the Home Ec. teacher said...

Thanks for your input and link to the recipe for the Fried Peach Pie. I actually found one on the web that has a pinch of cayenne pepper and a pinch of ground white pepper in the filling. I already have that recipe typed up and ready to go for my students tomorrow, so we will give that one a try and I'll let you know how it goes. I teach in California, so I'm not sure my students will rate it like a Southerner, but they will definitely let me know if they like it. :)

I did go to the Peach Park in Clanton, Alabama, website. It was interesting. They sale approximately 70,000 fried pies between April and October. Wow!

Do you have any suggestions about a recipe that would be a better representation of Alabama? We are studying Regional Foods.

I've never been to the South, so I don't have any first hand experience. I would love to try the boiled peanuts, but I'm not sure I could buy raw peanuts in CA. I've heard that there are boiled peanut stands everywhere.

Well, thanks again for your input. I'll check back to your blog tomorrow. Take care, Janet

Janie Morris said...

Boiled peanuts are more prevalent in Alabama and Georgia than Tennessee, and it's an acquired taste...or not! One of my favorite southern things is cheese grits. If you want a recipe, e-mail me at morrishome1@bellsouth.net and I'll send you a great one. BTW I was a Home Ec major at Auburn, but ended up switching majors when I decided that I'd never find a husband in a building full of girls! All the MOST useful things I use in my life, I learned in Home Ec, along with my husband who I did find there! JM

Anonymous said...

Very timely for those of us in the class of 62. I enjoyed it this time as much as last time!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh . I had a summer fling with Beverly between 9th grade and Lanier . She broke my heart when she dumped me at the start of tenth grade . Wonderful memories of some wonderful girls .