The Memorial Buzz - November 2020

Joseph Mandola, Ciro Lampasas Jr. and Michael Patronella

Canoeing Quest with Friends

Planning the Giant Mandola Reunion

Bracelets to Remember Soldiers Thanksgiving with Penny Chef’s Corner: Eddy Van Damme Traveling with the Kochs

by Andria Frankfort

The Coaching Duo From City Life to Farm When College Kids Text Home Houston, TX

Cooking Buzz: Don’t Turkey Stress

Permit No. 2047 PAID US Postage PRSRT STD

Tweaking Holiday Traditions

EDITOR’S NOTE Thanksgiving will be different this year, with many of us dining outside in smaller groups. My annual “it will only be a few people” dessert party will not happen. Like me, Penny Haber loves Thanksgiving, and she shares her beloved recipes in this issue. The Mandola family’s massive reunion – 400 strong – won't happen in 2020 either, but we got a peek into how this Houstonrestaurant family pulls together their giant gathering. Brenda Koch and her husband, ABC13 news anchor Tom Koch, love traveling. For now, they are happy reflecting on favorite trips – and the “Tom spotting” from fellow Houstonians all over the world. We love it when Buzz readers share special stories with us. Mary Ann Reed’s discovery from a childhood treasure box – a POW bracelet from the ’70s – led our writer on a journey to discover others with powerful stories behind these bracelets. Even though I love bringing everyone I love together in one place, I am inspired to celebrate more simply this season. Wishing you all a safe and special start to the holidays. joni@thebuzzmagazines.com

THE BUZZ MAGAZINES BELLAIRE • WEST UNIVERSITY • MEMORIAL • TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS Published by Hoffman Marketing & Media, LLC 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401 info@thebuzzmagazines.com • p: 713.668.4157 • f: 713.665.2940 Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter thebuzzmagazines.com Editor Publisher Associate Editors Editorial Assistant Design Manager Staff Writers

Contributing Writers Account Managers

Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Cheryl Laird Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld Jenna Mazzoccoli John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett Deborah Lynn Blumberg Sharon Albert Brier Cindy Burnett Andria Frankfort Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cindy Gabriel Cathy Gordon Michelle Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Pooja Salhotra Cheryl Ursin Russell Weil Erin Faulkner, Karen Vine Fuller, John Harris Andrea Blitzer, Leslie Little Jo Rogers

On our cover: The Mandola family loves their huge family reunions. From left: cousins Joseph Mandola, Ciro Lampasas Jr. and Michael Patronella. Cover photo by Nikky LaWell, lawellphoto.com The Buzz Magazines has made all reasonable attempts to verify the accuracy of all information contained within. Advertising claims are solely the responsibility of the advertiser. Copyright © 2020 Hoffman Marketing & Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this magazine by any means without written permission is strictly prohibited. Printed on recycled paper. Please remember to recycle.

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MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 5

MAILBAG

Your letters, thoughts, opinions We’re happy Dr. Marco is happy I am getting a lot of amazing feedback regarding Cathy Gordon’s article about me [When Life Has Other Plans: A spine surgeon’s journey with quadriplegia, October 2020]. The article’s words give me strength, hope and courage. I thank you for that. I’m grateful and happy that others are gaining inspiration from it. It’s beautiful. I’m honored that she took the time to put so much heart into the story. Thank you! Dr. Rex Marco Editor’s note: Dr. Marco, we are so honored that you shared your powerful story with us. Find this article at thebuzzmagazines.com.

Uplifted by refreshing story I just finished reading When Life Has Other Plans. It was such an inspiring story on Dr. Rex Marco! What impressed me the most is he is so driven and focused on what he can do with his life, even being a quadriplegic. It makes me wonder he must have a very solid upbringing in order to be so motivated and not feeling sorry for himself and complaining about why this happened to me. We all are feeling Covid-19 pandemic fatigue, and it's so refreshing and uplifting about Dr. Rex Marco that we can learn to be resilient and there’s light after the tunnel. Karen Tso

Spreading the Rex news What an amazing article about Dr. Rex Marco. He is such an amazing man, truly one of a kind. I appreciate so much The Buzz Magazines’ efforts in putting together this piece and directing people to the fund (www.teambcirelieffund.org/rex-marco). I have been getting an influx of emails from people who have read the article. News about Rex travels fast! Kerstin Williamson, VP/Director of Team BCI Relief Fund

Cindy Gabriel a menace no longer Kudos to Cindy Gabriel for her column capturing a colorful era in Houston journalism [Get Me Rewrite, October 2020]. When I worked at KEYH Radio during my college years, the day the cops showed up in the newsroom to arrest Cindy for a mountain of unpaid parking tickets was the stuff of legend. All the years since, I've assumed your columnist was a public menace who scoffed at the notion of poking change into parking meters. Somehow I should have guessed that Jack Cato was the mastermind behind her serial pilfering of the public till. Anybody who chased enough stories to run up $4,000 worth of unpaid parking tickets – in 1970s dollars – has my respect. Doug Miller

And her name is Winter Thank you so much for featuring us in your September issue [Love Blooms: When the wedding went on, by Jennifer Oakley]! We had so many friends and MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 6

family tell us that they saw our love story, not just in The Tanglewood/River Oaks Buzz, but also in Memorial, West U and Bellaire as well. Jennifer Oakley wrote such a beautiful article, and here is something fun – the last line of Jennifer's article says: "Meredith and Aaron are expecting their first child this winter." I couldn't tell Jennifer at the time, but we already knew we are having a girl, and her name is Winter! Thanks again. We couldn't be more grateful for this special memory. Meredith and Aaron Taylor

And that, indeed, is Margie How can I ever thank you [Buzz editor Joni Hoffman] and Cathy [Gordon] enough for that lovely story on Margie [And That's Margie: Tales of love, loss and laughter, September 2020]! I've written and seen a lot of pieces about her, but nothing tops this one. It was readable, interesting and a wonderful introduction to an amazing Houston woman who's still going strong at age 97. What a treat to get such great play in The Buzz Magazines. Margie is as pleased as I am, as I'm sure she's told you. Thanks again so very much. Liz Bennett Send letters to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Please include your name, address, phone number and email address for verification purposes. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and space. Views expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Buzz Magazines, and The Buzz takes no responsibility for the content and opinions expressed in them.

What’s your story? We are looking for residents for upcoming articles who: • Have holiday-dessert recipes to share. • Have or know a special love story. • Know a Buzzworthy neighbor to feature. • Have an interesting hobby. • Play a musical instrument and would like to be part of our “Name That Tune” video series online. If this sounds like you or someone you know, please contact us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com or 713.668.4157, ext 12.

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by Cindy Gabriel, staff writer

Lynsey Kramer

NEIGHBORS

From City to Farm Where every turkey is pardoned

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xcuse me if I just kinda tip-toe past any election mayhem, down to the road-lesstraveled: Yonder Way Farm in Fayetteville, Texas. Here we find Jason and Lynsey Kramer, two former city folk growing grass-fed cows and free-range children. I mean, chicken. Well, chicken, children, pigs and some cows. Veggies too … but not to sell. The veggies and the children stay on the farm, along with, of all things, the turkeys. I just thought, in my city-girl naiveté, that this former Heights-area Houston firefighter and his professional photographer wife would be raising turkeys like they do their free-roaming chicken, grass-fed cows, and pigs that root and roll and eat like, well, pigs. But Lynsey says today’s grocery store-type turkeys wouldn’t make it on a farm like this. “They are honestly very hard to raise outside on pasture as they have been modified to be raised predominantly indoors in houses.” The turkeys the Kramers do have on their farm are wild. Jason initially intended to sell them to eat. But it seems that Rio Grande turkeys are subject to Texas game laws. They would be allowed to shoot only two a year. So, they’re pets, or as Jason calls them, “farm art” or “the worst idea I ever had, ha, nah.” “We started with six little turkey chicks,” said Lynsey. “Those six Rio Grande turkeys have turned into around 120 wild Rio Grande turkeys.” Once, a few Thanksgivings ago, Lynsey recalls that a “fancy weekend farmer” wanted a single pet turkey for farm ambiance. “They built a really nice pen. But they quickly realized their new turkey was lonely, so we had to catch another one (pictured here) for them to bring to their ranch,” Lynsey said. “Turkeys do not like to be alone.” Unless a brooding female is looking for some privacy to nest. Like when the Fayetteville postmaster spotted one of the Kramers’ hens downtown. “The town fell in love with her, so much that they started a little Facebook page about her. The townspeople would post what ‘Henrietta’ was up to for the day,” said Lynsey. “One resident shared she ate their cat’s food on their back porch. Another that she chased their dog.” Turkeys do have their pecking orders, but MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 8

GONE COUNTRY Former Houston firefighter Jason Kramer apparently missed the memo that the world is falling apart.

they apparently aren’t anti-chicken snobs. One time, a mama turkey dutifully roosted the usual 21 days on her nest, with only one egg hatching. It turned out to be a single baby chicken. None of the turkey eggs hatched. “It was the cutest thing seeing this full-grown turkey care for this baby chicken as if it were her own, but it clearly wasn’t,” said Lynsey. That’s not the only cross-species nurturing that goes on. There’s the human-to-baby-pig kind, a job that typically falls to 13-year-old Laney Rae Kramer when a baby pig is hurt or rejected by the mother. The Kramers seem to have missed the memo that the world is falling apart. Or maybe they just got it early, and got out ahead of things. Lynsey’s Instagram account, @fivechicksandafarmer, will tell you more about their daily life. The five chicks are Lynsey and four daughters, Kaylyn, 15, Laney Rae, 13, Ruthie, 11, and Exie Jo, 9. Truth is, this country life began for the Kramers with a wake-up call in their early 20s. Kaylyn, their only child at the time, was 2. “The doctor told Jason he had the bloodwork of an 80-year-old man. I was told I would be a diabetic

by the time I turned 30,” said Lynsey. “We were eating the SAD (Standard American Diet), including plenty of fast food,” said Lynsey. After a lot of research and a new understanding of grocery store labeling, the Kramers decided they wanted to know the practices of the farms that supply their food. Their journey to much better vital signs led them to an entirely new life. In 2006, Jason’s aunt and uncle invited them to live on their acreage in Brenham in exchange for help on the property. This turned into the Kramers’ practice farm. “We literally put the girls [by then they had two] to bed one night and watched Amish women plucking chicken, over and over on YouTube,” said Lynsey. In 2011, the Kramers purchased 40 acres (minus the mule) and started what has come to be called Yonder Way Farm, and a whole new way of life. We don’t all have to be farmers to appreciate Jason’s favorite Mark Twain quote: “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” And by the way, they are having chicken and pork for Thanksgiving. They don’t eat turkey.

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NEIGHBORS by Karen Vine Fuller, contributing writer

Majoring in Hilarious College kids: Bless their hearts

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oing off to college is a big life milestone. Leaving your child at college is a big life milestone. It can be scary. It can be confusing. It can also be dorm-right funny. Comedian Tina Fey said, “You can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at.” If that’s true, then these Buzz-area parents and college students who shared their true texts and conversations score a 4.0. The face you can’t forget... After a University of Texas student and his parents finished setting up his dorm room, his mom told him to look at his bed. Staring back at him was his mom’s smiling face on a head-shaped pillow. He started laughing and looked at the other side. It read, “I Love My Mom.” It’s all squiggly... A mom gave her son a special letter when she dropped him off at the University of Oklahoma. A few days later she asked if he had read it yet. “Mom, thank you so much for giving me that letter,” he said. “I opened it up the other day, but I don’t know what it says because I can’t read cursive.” Money laundering… Back in August, a Texas A&M mom slipped a $50 bill under her daughter’s fitted sheet, knowing that if her daughter ever took off the sheets to wash them and found the $50 bill, she would call. Three months later, Mom’s still waiting for that call. It came with a handle… Mom: “Did you ever get a wastebasket to put under your desk?” Son: “Yes, you can take that off your list.” Mom: “Where’d you buy it?” Son: “I’m using one of those orange Home Depot buckets. It works great.” A hot and cold answer… Mom: “Have you been using the microwave we bought for you and your roommate?” Daughter: “Yea. It works great. Just this morning I used it to defrost my ice cream.” A loaded question… A son was texting his mom throughout his first day of doing laundry at Texas State University. It seemed to be going pretty smoothly. That night he reported that it had gone fine, but had taken a really long time because of all the loads. He still didn’t understand why everything had to be separated. The socks load had been so small. Couldn’t he just combine MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 10

the socks load in with the underwear or shirts load? His mom suddenly realized that he had sorted the laundry by type of clothing and then washed each group separately. One. Load. At. A. Time. Laundry is harder than AP Physics… Text from an academically gifted female student: “I can mix the whites and the red stuff, right? Also, where do I put the dryer sheets?” BEST DORM-WARMING GIFT EVER Nothing says, "Happy New Dorm Room!" I n s t a g r a m like a pillow with your mom's face on it. post… “I miss tain things I do miss, like sleeping in my own wearing a backpack. #zoomuniversity” bed and you cooking us dinner, especially that Something doesn’t smell right… Son calls really good frozen pizza from HEB.” home: “Mom, my washcloth smells sort of Texas withdrawals… Text from son at Tufts strange. Any idea why?” University in Boston: “Mom, can I have my Mom: “When was the last time you washed it?” Wranglers and boots, please? I miss them.” Son: “Today. I wash it every day when I use Hand-held hoax… A Colorado State mom it in the shower. was looking for a box that would be the right size Fall cleaning or spring cleaning… This to ship a care package to her daughter in Fort Texas Tech Red Raider moved into her dorm Collins. The box from a recently purchased with two sets of new sheets. Around the third Dustbuster was the perfect size. The next week month of school, her mom asked if she had her daughter called to say thanks for the great washed her sheets. The daughter replied, “It’s surprise and how much she had loved all the not time yet, is it? I thought the first set of sheets goodies inside. But then she confessed that she was for the first semester, and then you used the had been a bit disappointed when she opened second set for the second semester?" the box because she thought there was a At least they’re learning how to save Dustbuster inside. Mom shook her head because money... Son called home to give an update: she never would have dreamed her 18 year old “Last night the campus police took my fake ID, would be excited about the possibility of receivbut luckily I didn’t get a ticket. I’m not too woring a Dustbuster. ried about it because the place where I bought Best text ever… To a mom who smiled really the fake ID gave a discount if you bought six, so big after she read it: “Hey, Mom, I met some new I still have five more.” friends, and we were all talking about home, and I The comforts of home... “Don’t be thinking just wanna let you know that I love and miss you.” I’m homesick because I’m not, but there are cer-

lawellphoto.com

NEIGHBORS by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

Mandola Meet-Up The granddaddy of family reunions

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here are family reunions, and then there’s the Mandola family reunion, in a class of its own. Some 400 family members strong, this reunion is so big that it only happens every five years or so. Partly, that’s due to the fact that it takes a full year to plan. Add to that relatives traveling to Houston from Missouri, Illinois, Virginia and California, and the necessary lead time balloons. This year was to be a reunion year before the pandemic overtook everyone’s calendars. The huge family started with Marguerite and Sam Mandala, who married in 1863 in Santa Cristina Gela, a Sicilian village near Palermo, in southern Italy. Marguerite was a housekeeper and Sam a hired hand. After having eight children in Italy, they left on a boat for America, along with so many other immigrants during the late 1800s. Small groups of the Mandalas came over at a time, first a son-in-law, then a daughter and her children, then others, and eventually Marguerite and Sam. Upon their arrival at Ellis Island, someone spelled their surname wrong on the passenger list: The Mandalas became the Mandolas. Of those eight children, “The vast majority were farmers,” says Michael Patronella, who is a great-grandson of Vitusa, the second oldest of Marguerite and Sam’s children. “Farming food led to preparing food, and the natural progression was to go into the grocery store business. Both my grandfathers were grocers. That love of food and the family recipes of Italy eventually spilled over into the restaurant business.” The Mandolas have given Houston many of our most beloved restaurants: Carrabba’s, Grace’s, Mia’s, Damian’s, Vincent’s, Nino’s, Grappino’s, Pronto, Tony Mandola’s, Ciro’s, Mandola’s Deli and Ragin’ Cajun. This summer, Vincent Mandola, owner of his eponymous restaurant as well as Nino’s and Grappino’s, passed away, saddening those familiar with his hospitality and that famous rotisserie chicken. “We’re proud of our restaurateurs,” Michael says. “But my brother is a plastic surgeon, I’m a lawyer, I married a [non-Italian] girl who is a doctor. We have accountants, insurance agents, real estate brokers, pipe fitters, iron workers, welders. Any occupation you can think of, we MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 12

WE ARE FAMILY Mandola cousins Joseph Mandola, Ciro Lampasas Jr. and Michael Patronella (from left) look forward to their huge reunion with more than 400 family members.

have that.” Joyce Coles – “one of my thousand cousins,” Michael says – was the first Mandola family reunion planner in 1987. “Was it at Lenox, the first one?” Michael asks Joyce. “Yes,” Joyce says. “I knew someone would ask me that, so I just looked back. I’m older than the pope now, so you’ll have to excuse me. The first two were at Lenox Ranch, and then we moved to Regal Ranch. The first one was covered by the Chronicle, and it was called ‘the biggest reunion of all.’” To plan that inaugural gathering, “we met at a barbecue restaurant,” Joyce remembers. “They appointed things for everybody to do, and I and

another cousin got assigned to writing a book. We spent like two days a week at every library in town, writing and looking. My mom was living with me, and when I asked her what she remembered, she would have to go call this cousin and that cousin. So we got a lot of information right from the horse’s mouth. The book is copyrighted, which I did because I thought, ‘Man, this is hard work.’” Like the gaggle of “Nicks” in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the Mandolas count a whole bunch of Franks and Vitusas and Vitas as cousins. That’s because the tradition was that a couple’s first male child would be named after his paternal grandfather, and their first female child would be named after her paternal (continued on page 14)

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second children – only those names came from the maternal grandparents. The Frank Mandola who owns Mandola’s Deli goes by Frank A. Mandola, even in casual conversation, just so you know which Frank you’re talking about. Besides the similarities in names, Michael says family members “love to have a great time. We are gregarious and love to dance and party.” Of course, food plays a big role in that. Last year, Michael got a call from cousin Teresa Palermo. “Tee called and said it’s time we have another reunion, and it’s falling on our generation to plan now,” he says. “She coordinated, and we got together at Ciro’s, who is another cousin, and we formed a committee.” Nine cousins – Michael, Tee, Margaret Gentempo Bader, Maryann Palermo Bankston, Ciro Lampasas, Jr., Sam Palermo, Marilyn Gentempo Walden, and Laurie Sedita Baker and her 80-year-old father “Baby” Joe Sedita – signed on. “My cousin Sam nominated me to be chairman,” Michael says. “I wasn’t sure I wanted that, but Sam took a vote and everyone raised their hand.” The date was set for April 25, 2020. “A lot of cousins were saying they were tired of going to a ranch and having barbecue,” Michael says. “Our big tradition growing up was gathering at our grandparents’ house on Sundays and having pasta dinner. We’re Italian. We need to be eating Italian food. “At first, the restaurants were going to donate the food. But then [we realized] it was going to be a logistical headache, and we wanted them to come and not worry about bringing food. So I called my friend Tammy Vogt Smith, who is a former owner of two Mario’s Pizzas. She owns a venue called Heaven on Earth [an historic Victorian mansion turned event venue]. I called her and said, ‘Tammy, I’m in desperate need of some Italian food.’ I knew she could do it. She sent me ideas and said we could have baked ziti, chicken piccata, an authentic Italian experience. I was sold.” After the food, the cousins in charge added a snow cone machine, a bouncy slide and a rock wall for the 100 children expected to show up. “Whenever I’m in charge, I kind of go over the top,” Michael says. “I got a big banner with ‘Mandola Family Reunion.’ On each side there’s a picture of Sam and Marguerite, the beginning of the tree.” To honor the eight branches of the Mandola family, the pending reunion’s T-shirts are colorcoded by branches of the family tree. Each colored T-shirt depicts a different branch of the family, with Sam and Marguerite as the tree trunks. “I had a picture in my head and I drew it and sent it to another cousin, who is in the graphics business,” Michael says. “He took the design and converted it into an olive tree, olive oil being the heart and soul of Italian food, and also having significance in the Bible. Everybody has a different colored shirt. That way you know which trunk of the family you are from.” This year’s reunion was set to begin at 10:30 MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 14

lawellphoto.com

(continued from page 12) grandmother. Same for the

ROOTS Today, about 400 relatives attend Mandola family reunions (as seen in the bottom photo, which hangs in Mandola's Deli), but they all descend from Marguerite and Sam Mandala, who started their family in Italy in the 1800s.

a.m. with a Roman Catholic mass celebrated by Bishop Brendan Cahill, a family friend from Victoria, and Father James Murphy, president of St. Thomas High School, where many of the male family members went to high school. “We also scheduled a DJ who performed at a lot of weddings, including mine,” Michael says. “He’s not part of the family, but he’s sort of honorary.” The festivities would continue all day, until 6 p.m. “In the old days,” as Michael says, family would be contacted by mail. Today, it’s email, Evite, text, social media. There’s even a Mandola Family Reunion Facebook page. “Marilyn [Gentempo Walden] and her sister Margaret [Gentempo Bader] are kind of the social secretaries,” Michael says, because they keep track of everyone’s contact information. “There’s a lot of people I want my children to meet,” Michael says. “It’s getting to the point where it’s going to be hard to continue because

the tree is getting bigger, branching out. I don’t want the last one to be on my watch, so I’m trying to organize it in a way that we can kind of put it on auto-drive, once we get everybody’s cell phones and emails.” The 2020 reunion was to be the seventh Mandola reunion. “Lucky or unlucky No. seven,” Michael says. The pandemic pushed the April date to October, and now the rescheduled date has been moved to April 2021. Based on what happens between now and next spring, the date may be pushed back again to October 2021. “We can’t afford to expose the elderly cousins to the virus,” Michael says. Once it’s safe to gather again, the Mandola family reunion will continue, bringing together all of the family, from little children to the oldest cousin, now 90. Michael says, “We’re going to have to figure out who the youngest is when we get to the reunion.”

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SPORTS lawellphoto.com

by Angie Frederickson, staff writer

The Coaching Duo Football and friends for 25 years

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hey are loud, demanding and competitive – the intense type of youth-football coaches that parents on opposing teams love to hate. But Murphy Graham and Kelly Bennett see tackle football as more than just a game. For the last 25 years, the coaching duo has tried to lead teams of boys to not only win football games, but also to grow and mature off the field. Murphy and Kelly have coached teams in the Spring Branch-Memorial Sports Association (SBMSA) for just about as long as anyone can remember, but this year will be their last. After years of coaching each of their sons, this fall marks the final season for the youngest boy, Kelly’s son, Westy, to play SBMSA football. It’s a natural time for the pair to step down. For Murphy, a semi-retired manufacturing representative, and Kelly, a homebuilder, football is a metaphor for life. The obvious goal is to win games, but they say the bigger payoff is the opportunity to help mold boys into young men. “The formative nature of youth tackle-football is miraculous,” says Murphy. The Graham-Bennett football tradition has a history that goes back even further than 25 years. It began with Murphy’s dad, Bill Graham, now 88, who coached SBMSA football for nearly 20 seasons. Bill coached his own sons, including Murphy, and several years later had Kelly on his team. Today, Bill still comes to all of the games and is a proud spectator with a dedicated end-zone seat. SBMSA is the go-to neighborhood sports league for kids who live in the Spring Branch, Memorial and Tanglewood areas. All children are welcome to join teams, regardless of their athletic prowess, but the league has a reputation for fierce competition. Football is arguably the most competitive, with all teams eyeing the ultimate prize: a championship win at the Tully Bowl, which is the SBMSA equivalent of the Super Bowl. Murphy followed in his dad’s footsteps, and began coaching SBMSA football as a young adult. Several years in, he got a new co-coach when Kelly joined him. The two men are separated by 16 years, and Murphy has been a mentor for Kelly. They are both friendly and perhaps MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 16

A LIFETIME OF LEADERSHIP Youth tackle-football coaches Kelly Bennett and Murphy Graham (from left) wrap up their final season together, after coaching for 25 years in SBMSA.

more nurturing than football coaches would like to admit, and their styles complement each other. Murphy is known as the more chatty of the pair while Kelly is often more introspective. Their football philosophy is simple: Facing and overcoming adversity is a good thing in football and in life. “We truly believe the best thing a boy can do is play tackle football,” said

Kelly. “Tackle is really hard, and it’s really scary, and when boys learn how to overcome that and thrive in it, it can change their life.” Murphy and Kelly’s first SBMSA season together was in the mid-1990s when they coached the Rummel Creek Raiders. In 1999, they changed the team name to the Irish (a la University of Notre Dame), (continued on page 18)

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for each season since then. Their reason for choosing the Irish doesn’t have anything to do with the school. They just liked the color scheme. Each Labor Day, they paint the helmets gold to get ready for the season. Over the years, they have claimed several Tully Bowl titles, but the win in 1999, the inaugural year of the Irish, was one of the most memorable. “It was the biggest win we have had,” said Kelly. After an undefeated regular season, the Irish met the Mustangs, who were also undefeated in their division, at Tully Stadium. “Both teams won their regular seasons pretty easily, so it was a big deal,” Kelly said. “We scored on a sweep with no time left.” Murphy and Kelly have coached their own sons and nephews, and even stayed during seasons when neither had a kid in the league. They know each other well and function sort of like a married couple who can practically finish each other’s sentences. After their 10th season together, their wives, Ann Graham and Caroline Bennett, threw a party to celebrate. They had cups printed with “Murphy and Kelly, 10 years,” which they all joked looked like a wedding anniversary. Their relationship extends beyond football practice, and they talk on the phone just about every day, with a decent amount of bickering. Murphy says they agree on 90 percent of everything. “But there’s always that last 10 percent,” he said, laughing. “We’ve had arguments, but there’s nothing philosophical about football we disagree on.” The couple is even aging together. In the old days they would demonstrate tackling techniques for the boys, but they decided that was no longer a good idea after they could barely get their older selves up off the field. The Graham-Bennett coaching style can be summed up as old school, and they are unapologetic about pushing each kid to his limit. “We coach like we learned to play in the old days. We’re pretty rough and we push them really hard, but they know we love them,” said Kelly. “We have high expectations and the kids always rise to the occasion.” These guys love to win. After all, they are coaches. “Our goals each season are to be the hardest-hitting team and to win the Tully Bowl,” said Kelly. “But those are really just vehicles to teach the more important stuff like effort, resilience and determination.” The best praise they receive is when a player’s parent says their son has changed for the better from the discipline learned at football practice. “To hear a mom say, ‘I can’t believe he’s making his bed and taking out the trash,’ makes it all worth it. That’s what tackle football can do,” says Murphy. The coaches concede that football isn’t the only sport that teaches the value of hard work and responsibility, but they do believe it delivers the strongest message. The physical nature of tackle football means each player must learn to do his specific “job” on the field, not only to score points but to protect the teammates. Team MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 18

C. Allen Raif

(continued from page 16) and it has stayed the same

TRADITION IN GREEN Top photo: Former SBMSA players who became Stratford High School players meet with a younger group of the Irish at Tully Stadium. Bottom photo: The green-and-gold Irish have hit the field each season since 1999, earning several Tully Bowl titles along the way.

bonding happens pretty easily when you have to work together to keep from ending up facedown in the grass. The duo says kids really haven’t changed over the last 25 years, but the environment has. “Football is under assault. We live in fearful times,” says Murphy. He says injuries do occur, but in lower numbers than many people realize. Murphy refers to a study that he says found tackle football, in the under-13 crowd, is actually one of the safer sports, and smaller kids are less likely to get hurt. This all changes when kids grow older and bigger, however. “It flips when boys hit high school, and then it’s one of the most dangerous sports. That’s when you really see the injuries,” said Murphy. Helicopter parents are pretty common these days, but Murphy and Kelly continue to coach the same way they always have. “All the parents want their kids to have good self-esteem, but that’s not something you can just gift to them. It comes from facing hardships. From getting knocked down and

getting back up,” said Murphy. The lessons they teach have a lasting impact. Kelly’s wife, Caroline, happened to meet a former Irish player who has since grown up, gotten married and still lives in the area. His comment to her sums up what the coaches hoped to accomplish: “Murphy and Bennett made men out of us at age 11. We learned a lot more than just football,” he said. Now that they are in their final coaching season together, both men admit they don’t know what they will do with their time next fall. “We really don’t hunt or play golf. This is what we do,” said Murphy. Whatever they end up doing, they expect to spend time together. Murphy hopes to do some travelling with Ann, and the couples might make more trips to the Grahams’ farm, where Kelly proposed to Caroline many years ago. “How many people do you spend 25 years with doing anything?” asked Murphy. “It’s a real blessing to have a compadre.”

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TRAVEL

Scouts Forever

Canadian Border Outfitters

by John Harris, contributing writer

A canoeing pilgrimage with friends

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Jim Russell

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undreds of lakes and one million wild forest acres straddle the MinnesotaCanadian border to form the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Their first residents were the Chippewa tribe centuries ago. In the 1800s came the Voyageurs, rugged French trappers in search of beaver pelts. Today, its adventurers include a crew of 60somethings with Southwest Houston roots. They canoe the same waters, hike the same portage trails and camp in the same woods. Every year. They are former Boy Scout leaders and their wives, friends for 25 years since their sons were in Troop 211 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in West University. Now ages 61 to 69, they return regularly to this pristine area, without the boys. Most have gone at least three times now, a few of them 20. This trip is their ultimate getaway. And in this unusual year it became a quest for normalcy and time of thanksgiving. “We all talked long and hard before deciding we were going to do it,” said Jim Russell, formerly of Bellaire, who retired to Virginia with wife Carol. “Although we all met in Houston, we now live in Wisconsin, Houston and Virginia, and we weren’t sure if it would be safe or possible, so it does feel good that we pulled it off.” For Richard and Carol Phillips, another former Bellaire couple who organize much of the trip, returning was a simple decision. “It’s the one thing that lets me have some semblance of ‘I’m going back to normal,’” Richard Phillips said. “The rest of the year has been topsy-turvy, and now I’m finally getting into a routine from prior years with friends I know and love in a place that I know and love.” Richard calls the trip his “one opportunity a year to get into the most serene, tranquil place that I know, to do some great thinking, some great bonding with longtime friends, to see nature at its absolute finest, and to disconnect from the doggone internet.” Each trip follows a routine. First, they meet at the Phillips’ part-time rural Wisconsin home to map their route, pack and relax before driving to a canoe base near Ely, Minnesota, where they rent canoes and enter the Boundary Waters. (I have

PADDLE ON Top photo: Friends forged in Boy Scouts return every year to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. In this year’s crew were (from left) Jim Russell, Lisa McGinness, Carol Phillips, Jim McGinness, Carol Russell and Richard Phillips. They removed their masks after leaving civilization. Bottom photo: Portage trail entrances from one lake to another are sometimes hard to find and harder to hike.

gone about five times, but not this year.) They paddle 5 to 10 miles a day to primitive campsites for at least five nights, with Richard typically serving as guide, his map and compass nearby. This is definitely wilderness, part of the Superior National Forest. No running water, electric hookups, motorboats, glass or cans. Pack out your trash. No airplanes below 5,000 feet. Each campsite has a latrine (a big pipe sticking out of the ground in a secluded area). But the rewards are many. Watch for at least

two bald eagles per day from the water. “Eagles are almost everywhere, almost like seagulls,” said crew member Kevin Golden of Bellaire. The crew sees loons, raccoons, otters, beavers, beaver lodges and chipmunks galore. Once they saw a bear in camp, once a moose and once the aurora borealis in the wee hours. One year they extinguished the small remains of a forest fire from their canoes. I was on the trip during that small fire in 2013. The paddlers instinc- (continued on page 22)

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John Harris

Jim Russell John Harris

LIFE ON THE WATER Top left photo: Morning mist on the Boundary Waters creates an eerie start to the day before it quickly dissipates. Right photo: An overturned canoe becomes a handy area for preparing dinner for Carol Phillips (left, in foreground), Lisa McGinness (left, in back) and Patricia Hattenbach (right). Bottom left: The crew loads and secures equipment, personal gear and food before paddling out for the next campsite each morning. (continued from page 20) tively followed the Scout

slogan (do a good turn daily) and motto (be prepared). Patricia Hattenbach of Houston, Carol and Richard, Jeff Adamski of Bellaire and I paddled toward a large burned area. Patricia first spotted the smoke. The U.S. Forest Service had extinguished the blaze and left, but a few flames had popped up in a smoldering brushy area near the water. We paddled closer and pinpointed the source to a burning log. We secured our two canoes. Carol yanked out our battered 2-gallon cooking pot from the equipment pack as we formed a bucket brigade. Water was up to our knees and thighs as Carol repeatedly filled the pot with lake water and passed it ahead to pour on the log. Richard maneuvered around a rock shelf and into brush to help douse the remaining flames. After about 30 minutes, the fire was out. And there was another story to tell back home. In 2010, the crew was climbing into canoes one morning for the paddle to the next camp. Westbury residents Jim and Lisa McGinness checked their tent site for belongings one last time. Then Jim saw a big furry paw on a fallen log. A bear “was coming in to see what we’d left behind,” Jim recalled. “And I said, ‘Uh, BEAR!’ and headed to the campfire area, so everybody MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 22

grabbed their camera.” They left him alone and paddled away as the bear wandered the campsite and licked spilled oatmeal near the firepit. Kevin said it seemed like “the bear was thinking, ‘Oh, they’ve already taken all of the food – bummer.’ He was this sort of sleepy, grumpy bear. That was an amazing experience, too, because I don’t run into bears all the time.” Adventure works up appetites, and meals are memorable. Jim Russell has prepared tuna jambalaya, hamburger stroganoff (he dehydrates meat at home), chicken and dumplings, gyros and lentil soup. Desserts: sopapilla cheesecake, apple crisp, rice pudding or cobbler. They store food in small barrels that hang from trees away from bears. Lake water is mostly clean, but the crew treats it before use. The trip is usually in mild weather the week of Labor Day, although in 2018 they went two weeks later to see fall foliage. Instead they saw sleet and light snow; two canoeists nearly caught hypothermia. The scenery and camaraderie help overcome such challenges. Some prefer to paddle into camp by early afternoon, set up and read. Jeff prefers to paddle and then paddle some more. “I would love being out, paddling until dark and eating peanut butter sandwiches” until supper,

he said. “I just love being on the water, especially when the weather is cooperating.” This latest trip seemed a bit tiring, with a route that included longer portage trails. Trails range from 150 feet to a quarter-mile, often on smooth ground one minute and steep rocky ground the next. The crew unloads packs from each canoe after arriving at a portage trail and carries gear to the next lake. A paddler picks up an empty canoe, flips it over his head and balances it carefully down the trail alone. It’s an awkward, clunky trek. A two-seater canoe is 18.5 feet long and 43 pounds; a three-seater is 20 feet long and 53 pounds. Still, they cherish the beauty, serenity, food, friendship and adventure. There’s a sad moment “when you’re coming back and you see rooftops and a radio antenna, and you hear the motorboats,” Carol said. But next year they’ll return with memories of the time they retained tradition amid unprecedented challenges. And had a blast. “We’re having a bit of our normal life,” Jim Russell said. “Take that, Covid.” Editor’s note: John Harris is a Bellaire native who lives in Austin. Jim Russell’s recipe for tuna jambalaya is at his food blog at greasylittlebirds.com.

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NEIGHBORS by Cheryl Ursin, staff writer

Full Circle Bracelets to remember our soldiers

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he bracelets are cuff-style. They come in a number of colors and can be made of a number of materials: silver, stainless steel, aluminum, copper. They are engraved and go by many names, depending on their exact reason for being: memorial bracelets, KIA bracelets, POW/MIA bracelets, hero bracelets. They have been used to commemorate police officers killed in the line of duty, victims of terrorist attacks, victims of domestic violence. But most of all, they are used to commemorate members of the military: those killed (KIA stands for “killed in action”), captured as prisoners of war (POW) or missing in action (MIA). They all started 50 years ago this Veterans Day, on Nov. 11, 1970. That’s the day the first Vietnam-era POW/MIA bracelets, made by a group of California college students to raise awareness of the missing soldiers’ plight, went on sale, for $2.50 each. When the college students’ group, Voices in Vital America (VIVA), stopped making them six years later, there were almost 5 million bracelets for the Vietnam POWs and MIAs in circulation. (In 1973, 591 of the POWs were brought home in Operation Homecoming. According to the National League of POW/MIA Families, 1,586 American soldiers are still considered missing in action and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War; 99 of those are from Texas.) When Senator John McCain, who was held as a POW in Vietnam for 5½ years, died in 2018, people filled social media with photos of their bracelets with his name on them. One of the people who wore a John McCain POW/MIA bracelet was Bob Dole, the senator and decorated World War II veteran who died in 1996. When McCain became a senator in 1983, Dole pulled him aside to show him his bracelet, a moment both men later described as emotional. In turn, McCain also wore such a bracelet, in memory of Matthew Stanley, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2006. Bellaire resident Mary Ann Reed had one when she was 12 years old in the 1970s. “It had a huge impact on me at the time,” she says, “that the man whose name was on my 12-year-old wrist was suffering from horrible torture.” MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 24

VIETNAM REMEMBERED When Mary Ann Reed found her Vietnam POW/MIA bracelet from the '70s in a box of childhood mementos, she was able to get in touch with the family of the man named on it.

She was recently reminded when, looking for things to do during the pandemic, she went through a box of childhood mementos her mother had sent her four years earlier. Among the many items in the box, including caps she had worn on teeth she had chipped as a child, was the bracelet for Lieutenant Carroll Beeler, who had survived. “The internet is fabulous,” says Reed, who googled his name and came up with his complete biography. Beeler, who became a captain while in the military, did come home, but died

in 2003, at the age of 59, when the jet he was test-piloting crashed. Reed, again through the wonders of the internet, was able to track down his daughter and give her a call. “She was kind and polite and said I was more than welcome to send the bracelet back to her,” says Reed, “but honestly, it probably freaked her out a bit that I could find her.” The idea behind these original POW/MIA bracelets was that people would wear them until “their soldier” came home, and many people then sent theirs to their soldiers or to their fam-

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AMERICANS REMEMBER Lt. Col. Tim Ayres, an alum of Bellaire High School, (pictured here outside Houston's Rothko Chapel) was held as a prisoner of war for 11 months during the Vietnam War. People still send him their bracelets with his name on them.

ilies, when their remains were found. Capt. Beeler received many, and his father, before his death, answered each sender personally. Another Vietnam POW, from Houston, Colonel Thomas “Jerry” Curtis wrote personal letters to over 500 people who had sent him his bracelets after his return, according to his biography, Under the Cover of Light by Carole Engle Avriett. Tim Ayres, who retired from the Air Force Reserves as a lieutenant colonel in 1995, still gets bracelets sent to him. An alum of Bellaire High School and the Air Force Academy, Ayres was shot down in Vietnam May 3, 1972, at the age of 27, and held prisoner for 11 months. Ayres refers to himself as “a short-timer” because some of the POWs spent almost nine years in captivity. For that 11 months, he was listed as missing in action, “which is the worst for the families,” he says. “They knew I had been alive on the ground but didn’t know what had happened to me after that.” He had not known about the bracelets, until,

upon his return, hundreds of people sent their bracelets to him. To this day, he still receives four or five of them a year. The latest one arrived just last week. “I give people an option,” he explains, “because sometimes they’ve grown attached to the bracelet. I tell them that, if they would like to keep it, they can, or I would gratefully accept it.” Early on, the Air Force or the Department of Defense would send him the contact information of people inquiring about him, and he would contact them. These days, with the internet, he gets emails, letters and the occasional phone call. His latest bracelet came from a daughter, who, cleaning out her mother’s house, found it in a drawer. “Her mother had bought all her children bracelets at the time,” says Ayres. If your soldier is still missing, “keep it – and wear it – if they are not home yet,” says Karoni Forrester of the National League of POW/MIA Families. Forrester’s father, Capt. Ronald W.

Forrester, was declared missing in action in 1972, when she was 2, and remains missing. The P.O.W. Network maintains one of several databases of biographies of those missing. The organization will not give out contact information for the soldiers or their families but will forward bracelets on to them, says chair Mary Schantag. She points out that many of the surviving Vietnam POWs are now in their 80s and 90s and so may not be up to responding. The P.O.W. Network does keep a “Love Letters” page on its website for people who want to reach out. The Virtual Wall, virtualwall.org, an online representation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., which includes those missing in action, can also accept messages and even photos. “Every once in a while, I do look,” says Forrester of her father’s page on the virtual wall. “You may not get an immediate response or even a response at all, but it is a way to reach out to the families.” Maddi Armstrong, who (continued on page 26) MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 25

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second-grade teacher at Mark Twain Elementary, did wear a Vietnam-era bracelet. But she now wears another one “every minute of every day,” which she will never take off, for her son, Sgt. Graham Woody, who died in a training accident at Fort Bliss in 2013. He was 26 years old. Graham, who was in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, where he earned his degree in engineering, could have joined the Army as an officer but decided to enlist instead. “He wanted to start at the bottom and work his way up,” Armstrong says. “He thought it would make him a better officer.” Just four days before he died, he had been promoted to sergeant. “And he had won numerous awards, too,” said his mom. “I didn’t know about any of that until after.” His friends from the Army, who call themselves his brothers, had bracelets made and sent her some. They wear them as well. “It fills my heart with love that people are wearing his bracelet,” Armstrong says. “As a mom, I worried that people would forget him. His friends are now in their 30s and are getting married.” She likes that they can look down at their wrists, see his name and think of him. “Every once in a while, I will get a message from one of them that they were just thinking about Graham.” Just recently, Armstrong’s daughter and Graham’s sister, Heather, was stopped by a man who had seen her bracelet. It turned out that the man, who had been stationed at Fort Bliss while in the military, had met Graham and knew about his death. Like Graham’s friends, people in the military do often wear bracelets for their fallen friends. One former member of the military said any jewelry store near a military base has the materials and can make them. They are also available from online companies, such as Memorial Bracelets, which started by making bracelets commemorating the victims of 9/11, Steel Hearts, for service-academy graduates, and The Battle Zone. Many of these companies donate part of every sale to veteran and survivor groups. Sometimes, entire groups, including the graduating class of a military academy or certain types of military personnel, such as Army Rangers, will all wear these bracelets. There is no hard-and-fast rule about the colors of the bracelets, although black is usually reserved for those who were killed. Forrester of the National League of POW/MIA Families says silver or green may signify “missing in action” because green is the color of hope. Mary Schantag of the P.O.W. Network says red usually means the Vietnam War, blue the Korean War, green World War II and gold the Gulf War. Mary wears eight bracelets. “I have a nice little rainbow on one arm,” she says, “and people often stop me to ask about them.” That may be the most important point. Forrester always asks for the story when she sees someone wearing one. These bracelets are a reminder of what the military does and the sacrifices its members and their families make.

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(continued from page 25) just retired from being a

ALWAYS IN HER HEART Maddi Armstrong's son, Sgt. Graham Woody, died at the age of 26 seven years ago. His family and friends wear memorial bracelets for him.

COOKING by Jennifer Oakley, staff writer

Thanksgiving Al Fresco Penny Haber cooks up a feast

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Mort Mulliken

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arning: This story will make you hungry. And Penny Schoelman Haber would not want it any other way. A devoted fan of cooking and entertaining, Penny believes there is no stage bigger – or better – than Thanksgiving. Take one look at her roast turkey paired with savory, Italian sausage-infused crouton dressing, goat-cheese stuffed dates drizzled with honey, silky butternut squash soup and sumptuous pumpkin roll, and you will be begging for seconds. In anticipation of the season, Penny and husband Tom Haber hosted Penny’s sister and brother-in-law, Bobbie and Ken Alexander, for an early al fresco Thanksgiving meal at their vacation home in Bachelor Gulch, Colorado. Don’t worry: she will be having another one at home in Houston on Thanksgiving Day. Penny loves the holiday and the food so much, having a second Thanksgiving feast is as easy as her (caramel) apple pie. “Thanksgiving is my favorite meal,” says the outgoing, golden-blonde Penny. “It does not matter what religion you are, and there are no expectations of gifts. This holiday is all about gratitude and being together.” Growing up in a large family (she has three sisters and one brother), Penny is influenced by memories of her grandfather’s generous Thanksgiving Day celebrations. “It was always like a family reunion with all my cousins there,” she recalls. “My dad’s sister made the best desserts ever: fudge, divinity, and all of her famous pies, including chocolate cream pie and coconut cream pie. I just remember being overwhelmed. My dad was one of five kids, and we always had a lot of people there. Additionally, my mom always made the best turkey and sage dressing.” Taking a cue from her relatives, Penny has created family- and food-focused Thanksgivings that harken back to her childhood. “My mom and dad are excellent hosts and cooks, and they make sure everyone is happy,” says Penny. “My aunt had no idea that her pies mattered to me, but they did. You just don’t know what part of the holiday will matter to people, so I try to make it magical.” The magic, she says, comes in many forms, but

GIVING THANKS Clockwise from left: Houstonians Tom Haber, Bobbie Alexander, Ken Alexander and Penny Haber share an early al fresco Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings in Bachelor Gulch, Colorado.

it all starts with the food. “I definitely feed people. That is my way to comfort them,” she says with a smile. “I am either celebrating with food or comforting them with food. The different food choices make people feel luxurious and special.” To that end, Penny will tailor her menu to the guests. She has her standards (roast turkey with her special dressing, russet potato mash, green bean casserole) but always adds in what people crave. “Everyone has to have their favorite. If my brother-in-law Scott comes, we definitely have Brussels sprouts. If my sister Bobbie is coming, we have the apple pie. Grandsons Mason and Charlie want the turkey and rolls.” For daughter Alex Mitchell, she always makes the pumpkin roll and stuffed dates. Her Houston Thanksgivings always follow

the same routine. “I ask people to come around 3 p.m., and we typically have football on and a puzzle going,” she says. Their house, just blocks from Rice University, looks out over treetops. “Years ago, I started buying Liberty puzzles, which are these beautiful, wood puzzles. Each puzzle shape is literally die cut; they are so wonderful. As we work on the puzzle, Tom will grill sausage and put it out on a cutting board with a little mustard. People can take in the gorgeous views from the fourth-floor patio.” While guests nibble the sausage and dive into the puzzles, Penny chats with those who visit with her, putting the finishing touches on the meal. “We normally eat around 5:30 p.m., and when we serve the butternut squash soup – which is probably our favorite part of the meal –

Mort Mulliken

Penny Haber

TALKING TURKEY Penny Haber says Thanksgiving is her favorite meal of the year. Staples are her green bean casserole, roast turkey and butternut squash.

Tom will give a welcoming toast. Then, we go around the table and share something that we are all thankful for over the past year.” After the Thanksgiving feast is concluded, Penny serves desserts back up on their fourthfloor patio. “To finish the night, we serve a Spanish liqueur called ‘43’ in little cordial glasses. It’s really good and really rich and tastes like citrus with vanilla or butterscotch.” When planning the menu, Penny makes sure to cook extra. “I go overboard with the food because everyone wants leftovers, and we make enough so that they take home something they love to eat. I buy those big Glad containers, and people fill them up for themselves to take home.” As far as leftovers go, Penny has a plan for that, too. “I reinvent the leftovers the next day so it does not feel the same,” she says. “We make these wonderful sourdough roll turkey sandwiches the next day, and we drink soup in a mug.” For her Colorado al fresco Thanksgiving, Penny put a playlist by Michael Kiwanuka on, and the evening played out like a song. “It was great. We could hear the chipmunks and the magpies, who were like little gossips because they are very noisy and banter. We had a beautiful flow of music and a beautiful wine, and it was very cozy and lovely.” Tom agrees. “I think that Penny is a type of person that just goes all out to make everyone feel loved and feel special. She goes way above the call of duty to do that. Having family and friends to be with you, that is what Thanksgiving means to me. I am thankful for having a great family, great wife, and everybody’s healthy and that is what I am thankful for this year – and her apple pie is pretty spectacular!” Likewise, for Penny, it’s the feeling of gratitude that makes the holiday meaningful, especially this year. “My overarching feeling is

thankfulness,” she says. “I am grateful for FaceTime and social media to stay in touch with my daughter, son-in-law [Matt] and grandsons who live in Austin, and I cannot be with them as much as I want. FaceTime spans the miles. Also, I am a cancer survivor, and I have gratitude for just being here. This year I was more grateful for the freedom that I have. Tom built this beautiful backyard for us, and just having my family around that outdoor dining room table felt like love to me. It was like being wrapped in a blanket with my family.”

Penny’s Goat Cheese Date Appetizers 2 dozen dates, pitted and halved 1 roll of goat cheese 24 toasted walnut halves Honeycomb pieces Honey Stuff dates with approximately a teaspoon of goat cheese. Garnish with a walnut half and piece of honeycomb. Drizzle with honey. Refrigerate and serve. May be made a day in advance. Yields 24 pieces if you don’t snack while preparing!

Penny’s Butternut Squash Soup 6 Tablespoons salted butter 6 cups of cooked butternut squash cut into 2inch cubes (about 3 pounds of uncooked squash) 2 cups chopped leeks (use white and pale green section only) 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped Granny Smith apples (for tartness) 1 cup peeled and diced carrots 2 Tablespoons dried thyme 2 teaspoons dried sage 6 cups low sodium chicken broth (boxed broth preferred)

1 cup apple cider 1 cup sour cream Crème fraiche (for garnish – usually in the cheese department) Fresh chives and sage (for garnish) Melt butter in a heavy Dutch oven. Add squash, leeks and celery. Sauté until softened (10-15 minutes). Stir in apples, carrots, thyme and sage, chicken broth, and cider. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until apples and carrots are tender, usually 30-45 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup. Blend in sour cream. Transfer to serving bowls. Garnish with a dollop of crème fraiche, fresh chives and sage. Serves 8-10 guests.

Penny’s Italian Sausage Dressing 3-4 Tablespoons olive oil ½ cup thinly chopped leeks (use white and pale green sections) ¾ cup diced celery ½ cup diced white onion ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup roasted chestnuts, halved (I buy these from a gourmet grocery) 1½-2 pounds Italian sausage, crumbled and cooked 1 pound of large seasoned croutons 3½-4 cups warm low sodium chicken broth (boxed preferred) Nonstick spray Leek mixture: Sauté olive oil with leeks, celery and onion in a small skillet until onion is translucent. Add salt and pepper. Stir in roasted chestnuts. Cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer leek mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add sausage and croutons. (continued on page 30) MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 29

keep shape. Pour in warm chicken broth a cup at a time until you have your desired texture. Note: Less broth will render a crumbly dressing, and more broth will give you a casserole type dressing. Make sure to use warm broth, or your baking time will be extended and dry out the dressing. Pour mixture into a prepared baking dish (34 quart). Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 2030 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes or until golden on the top. Rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serves 8-10 guests.

Penny’s Cranberry Relish 1 pound fresh cranberries 1 large orange to be used for the rind and juice ½ cup water 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground ginger ¼ cup brown sugar 2-3 Tablespoons Grand Marnier or port In a saucepan, combine cranberries, juice of one orange and water. Stir in cinnamon, cloves, ginger and brown sugar. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in Grand Marnier or port. Garnish with orange rind. Chill and serve. Yields 2 cups.

Penny’s Green Bean Casserole 3-4 Tablespoons salted butter 1 cup chopped white onion 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 cup heavy cream 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1½-2 pounds frozen cut green beans (steamed and drained) 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Salt and pepper to taste 1 can French fried onions Sauté butter, onion and mushrooms until golden. Stir in cream and mushroom soup. Cook on low 5-10 minutes until warm. Stir in steamed green beans and cheddar cheese. Use fewer green beans for a richer casserole. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a prepared casserole dish. Top with French fried onions. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly, approximately 30-45 minutes. Serves 8-10 guests.

Penny’s Pumpkin Roll Cooking spray 3 large eggs 1 cup sugar ¾ cup flour 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1½ teaspoons ground ginger ½ teaspoon salt 1½ teaspoons ground nutmeg 2 ⁄3 cup canned pumpkin MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 30

1 teaspoon squeezed lemon juice ½ cup powdered sugar for dusting Icing ingredients: 6 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 ⁄3 cup softened butter 1 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon squeezed lemon juice Additional powdered sugar for garnish. Plastic wrap for wrapping the finished roll to keep shape.

Mort Mulliken

(continued from page 29) Mix lightly so croutons

Spray a jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper. Spray top of parchment paper with cooking spray. Beat together eggs and sugar. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking AS SWEET AS PIE Penny’s signature Pumpkin Roll and Caramel Apple Pie are soda, baking powder, accompanied by hot apple cider dressed up with cinnamon sticks, star anise and ginger, salt and nutmeg. apple slices. An array of Thanksgiving poppers sets the stage for the festive meal. Add to egg mixture. ½ cup chopped pecans Combine pumpkin and lemon juice. Add to 6-8 ounces caramel topping (in the ice cream batter. Mix well. Spread evenly in the prepared section) jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until center is done. Apple mixture: In a large bowl mix together Lightly dust a slightly damp dish towel with ½ sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Pour over apple cup of powdered sugar. Loosen the edges of the slices. Set aside. baked pumpkin sheet. Turn pan over and transfer Crumb topping: Mix together brown sugar, pumpkin to the dish towel. Remove parchment flour and rolled oats. Cut in butter until you paper. Roll the pumpkin and towel together in a have a crumb mixture. Set aside. tight roll. Cool on a wire rack, seam side down. Place the prepared pie crust in a prepared pie Prepare icing. Beat together cream cheese and pan. Pour in apple mixture. Spread crumb topbutter. Add 1 cup powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla ping over the apples. and lemon juice. Cover pie crust edges with a foil wrap to proUnroll cooled pumpkin roll. Remove towel. tect from burning the edges. Bake the pie on a Spread cream cheese icing evenly over the roll. cookie sheet (it will drip over the sides). Bake Leave a 1-inch border. Roll the pumpkin and at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove the place seam side down. Sprinkle with powdered foil edges and bake another 25-30 minutes. sugar. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2Remove from oven. Sprinkle pecan pieces over 3 hours. Slice and serve. the pie. Drizzle caramel topping over the top. Let the pie rest. Serve room temperature or warmed. Penny’s Caramel Apple Pie 1 prepared pie crust Penny’s Thanksgiving Friday Apple mixture: Sandwiches ½ -¾ cup sugar Sourdough or croissant rolls, halved for sand3 Tablespoons flour wiches 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Thanksgiving leftovers: Dash of salt Cranberry Relish 6 cups thinly sliced apples (usually 6-8 apples. Sliced Turkey I use Fuji and Golden Delicious) Italian Sausage Dressing, warmed Crumb topping: Gravy, warmed 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup flour Spread cranberry relish on rolls. Layer turkey and ½ cup rolled oats (quick cooking oats) Italian Sausage Dressing on one half of roll. Drizzle ½ cup salted butter with warm gravy. Top with remaining half. Serve. Pie garnish:

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NEIGHBORS

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by Sharon Albert Brier, staff writer

Rumor Has It

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its name from the brilliant sunsets. Welcome to Hunters Creek. Dianna and Hung Nguyen moved from inside the Loop late summer, looking for good-match schools and more space. Dianna is impressed by how kind and friendly their neighbors have been while meeting them on walks. The couple are both native Houstonians. Hung, a sports enthusiast, plays golf and enjoys a nip of whiskey while Dianna enjoys wine and getting children Taylor and Kyle to cook with her. The children spend time with their many cousins and have recently picked up a new favorite pastime of watching the neighborhood squirrels. Memories for 40 years. It may have been 40 years ago when Cecily and Rick A BACKYARD WEDDING Allison (Cooley) and Jared Rosen married with Burleson married, but dogs Maggie and Molly at their side. when relaxing at a rentof the car unnoticed. Julie took a photo of the ed home in Sea Island, Georgia, with three of Milky Way while waiting for Jeremy’s return. Cecily’s former bridesmaids and spouses (Lynn Upon arrival at the Frisco condo, the missing and Ty Kelly, Meredith and Fielding Cocke, shoe was noticed. On the return trip two and a and Lisa and Ralph Betancourt), all still BFFs, half weeks later, Julie found her photo of the it seems like yesterday. Then they celebrated Milky Way and used the coordinates to find the with their sons and daughter-in-law, JR, Jeb and spot of the “rainbow.” Shoe enough, it was on Callie Burleson. In their own little world, it the side of the road waiting for the right foot. seemed that there was not a pandemic to be found, only serenity. The traveling shoe. On a family trip to See Rumor Has It at thebuzzmagazines.com for Colorado, Julie Atlas Taylor stopped for a bathadditional photos. Have some good news to share? room break in the pitch dark for her hubby Email us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Jeremy Taylor, whose new rainbow shoe fell out John Squyres from Blue Media Works Photography

They met at SMU in Dallas. Allison Cooley and Jared Rosen met 12 years ago, but they did not become an item until they were set up as each other’s dates to a wedding. The love birds flew from one continent to another during their courtship. Last year in Sydney, Australia, Jared chartered a seaplane for lunch at a restaurant on a hill overlooking a bay and popped the proposal. They said I do on Sept. 12 in the backyard of Allison’s childhood home with 16 guests and Maggie and Molly, their dogs. They honeymooned on a private island in Aruba with wild flamingos mingling around. Wildly happy parents of the couple, Byron and Roz Cooley and Dr. Jeff and Lisa Rosen, get to celebrate again when the couple have a ceremony at their original place in Beaver Creek in September 2021. A second honeymoon will be to the Maldives and Africa. Wild! In her free time. When she’s not gardening or in a water aerobics class, Mary Grace Landrum is most often found as a volunteer at Landrum Middle School, with the West Houston Leadership Institute or with the Gathering Place at St. Cecilia. She also will help oversee the Rebuild Texas Fund to assist Texans recovering from Hurricane Harvey, as she was just reappointed to the OneStar National Service Commission. When will we meet? When Sara Boyle got her first teaching job, she did not expect it would be a virtual experience. On the plus side, she admits she got to ease in with virtual learning before dealing with in-person classroom management. She was surprised how much practice it took to get her tech skills to flow smoothly, but her students were patient. Sara teaches journalism at Spring Branch Middle, with classes that range between 10 and 25 students. Escape the furnace. While Houston temps were 103 degrees, Beckye and Steve Gross took Lily, Aiden and Simon to an escape from the heat to Angel Fire in New Mexico for two weeks. When they went, they said, there were no known cases of Covid in the county. Besides enjoying 40 degrees at night, they hiked every day, visited a natural hot spring, water rafted and went horseback riding. Angel Fire gets

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MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 33

KIDS

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Buzz Baby

Thanksgiving helpers

Buzz Baby is a column about life with babies. Writer Annie McQueen is a mother of four children under the age of 6.

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he busy holidays get busier when kids help. But – let us remind ourselves – that is a good thing. Kids love to be helpers. I often find my mind shifting toward an “if you want the job done right” mentality, but it’s always more fun when I get my kids involved – even when a bag of flour was spilled on our kitchen floor last November (true story). I enjoy watching them learn about our family’s holidays and helping create our own versions. How else would we pass family traditions on? For birthdays and holidays, I let my kids set the table. It makes them smile and boosts their confidence to pull out the placemats, plates and bowls and carefully work together to place everything where it belongs. The items they pick out might not be what I would choose – dinosaur placemats and plates covered in princesses – but they are so proud and excited. This month, we celebrate Thanksgiving. If you are thinking of starting traditions that include even your youngest kids, take some inspiration from one Buzz family – the Stowers family. Like many families, they rotate where they spend Thanksgiving each year – either at home in Houston at their family’s ranch in Bridgeport or with family in Beaumont. For mom Melissa (a physician assistant), dad Jesse (an economist and owner of a compost company), sons Bennett, 9, and Campbell, 6, and daughter Elliott, 4, working together as a family on holiday prep is a big part of how they celebrate Thanksgiving. They start out the season every year making a “grateful-for” list. On Nov. 1, Melissa tapes up a piece of paper in their kitchen, and each morning during November the kids add something they are grateful for. They are avid about the outdoors. The first time I met Melissa, she was talking about an upcoming trip to Colorado. And she is already planning their family trip to Montana and Wyoming next summer. “We are going to do Yellowstone,” she said, smiling. MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 34

Adam Nyholt

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When they are in Bridgeport at Jesse’s family’s ranch, they bundle up if it is cool and head outdoors for a nature walk. The kids collect sticks, pinecones, leaves, acorns, nuts and anything interesting. Then they gather around with what they collected and use hotglue guns to create centerpieces for the Thanksgiving table. “With a little metallic spray, they look pretty fancy actually,” said Melissa. Melissa’s family has an Italian heritage, and they like to create family dishes together TURKEY-DAY TEAMWORK Elliott Stowers, even at 14 months old, is part of the assembly-line tradition of making Italian rice balls for Thanksgiving, along with her when they spend brothers and extended family. Thanksgiving with mother and grandmother. “As generations have extended family in Beaumont. passed on, the torch has been handed off, and Melissa says the most important tradition for we continue to make these with aunts, uncles her family, one she has been part of her whole and our kids.” life, is gathering, assembly line-style, to make There is another tradition the kids love to be Italian rice balls. a part of – and that’s football. “When we spend The kids help make the rice balls by taking Thanksgiving with our extended family, there is hot sticky seasoned rice (similar to sushi rice) normally banter about the University of Texas and smashing it into the palm of their hands. game, as my uncles bleed orange,” she said. The Then they add a big spoonful of a chilled meat kids don’t watch the whole game, but they like mixture and combine it with the rice. “It then sitting with their great-uncles and watching gets rolled in an egg wash, seasoned with breadthem watch the game. crumbs and then fried,” said Melissa. They also Melissa says the smells that fill whichever make a cheese-only one for those who think the home they spend their Thanksgiving at meat is too spicy. remind her of being a kid. “The house is dom“This is a labor-of-love project and brings inated by the butter rolls baking and the about 15 of our family members together the Italian sausage warming,” she said. “It tastes Sunday before Thanksgiving,” she said. As a like my childhood.” small kid, Melissa made the rice balls with her

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NEIGHBORS

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by Cindy Burnett, staff writer

Buzz Reads

Five picks for November

Buzz Reads is a column about books by reviewer Cindy Burnett. This month, Cindy recommends five recently released titles.

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merican Cheese: An Indulgent Odyssey Through the Artisan Cheese World by Joe Berkowitz – American Cheese takes a deep dive into the world of artisanal cheese (yes, there is an entire subculture). With his signature humor, Berkowitz details his journey from novice to cheese aficionado. Set on this path after attending a cheese tasting at a well-known New York City cheese shop, he spends the next year and a half traveling the world seeking to become an expert. He frequents cheese festivals and the World Cheese Awards, visits American cheesemakers, takes a jaunt along the California Cheese Trail, participates in Cheeselandia at SXSW, and even attends Strip Cheese, perhaps the world’s only cheese burlesque show. This adventure will entertain all kinds of readers, especially fans of cheese. I Am These Truths: A Memoir of Identity, Justice, and Living between Worlds by Sunny Hostin – Sunny Hostin is now a co-host of The View and an ABC News legal correspondent, but her path was rocky. Born to a Puerto Rican mother and a black father who married as teenagers, Sunny struggled with a sense of belonging from an early age. Feeling like an outsider with both sides of her family and her peers, Sunny felt isolated and marginalized. As an adult, she says, she has sought to shed that feeling of not fitting in and has worked to create her own identity and sense of self. She uses her platforms to promote equality – gender, racial and economic. The book is an eye-opening account of how many in the U.S. treat those who are deemed different, and it offers ways to make a difference going forward. Older by Pamela Redmond – TV producer Darren Star’s adaptation of Redmond’s book Younger into a successful television series is the basis for Older, her latest novel. In Older, as she approaches her 50th birthday, Liza Miller publishes her own story, entitled Younger, about how she posed as a millennial when she was in her 40s. Her friend Kelsey wants to adapt the book MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 36

into a TV series, and Liza ventures to Los Angeles to help write the pilot episode. Redmond’s descriptions of life in Hollywood are laugh-out-loud funny, and the behind-thescenes look at the television industry is a bonus. While billed as a sequel, Older can easily be read as a standalone novel – the charming book will captivate fans of the TV show Younger while also appealing to those unfamiliar with the original characters. Older is a great escape from 2020. A Solitude of Wolverines by Alice WHAT TO READ This month’s picks include a deep dive into the world of artiHenderson – The first sanal cheese, two nonfiction books about timely issues, a fast-paced thriller and installment in a new a funny novel about pursuing dreams. series, this fast-paced downtown march protesting the deaths of two mystery stars wildlife biologist Alex Carter, who black men, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, is hired by The Land Trust for Wildlife at the hands of police officers. Using exhaustive Conservation (LTWC) to study the wolverine research and extensive firsthand accounts, population on a preserve in Montana. For Thompson provides a balanced accounting of decades, a ski resort operated on the land until it that tragic day and the equally tragic events that was abandoned in the 1990s, and the owner later led up to it, while also delving into social and donated the property to the LTWC. LTWC political forces that contributed. Her retelling of seeks to determine if wolverines, a threatened the shooting and its aftereffects is through the species, are still living on the preserve. Alex finds eyes of those present, including the hostage herself housed at the derelict Snowline Resort negotiator, a surgeon who treated the officers, lodge, a clever setting that ramps up the creepiSWAT officers in charge of stopping the gunness factor. While reviewing footage from camman, a mother of four, and many others. Sadly, eras used to track the wolverines, Carter comes a takeaway from Standoff is that not much has across images of a severely injured man. changed since 2016. Eventually, she realizes she has stumbled into the crosshairs of an illegal operation. A Solitude of Editor’s note: Southside Place resident Cindy Wolverines will appeal to anyone who likes an Burnett also writes our weekly Page Turners column intelligent and timely read. at thebuzzmagazines.com. She hosts the Thoughts Standoff: Race, Policing, and a Deadly from a Page Podcast, is co-creator of the Houston Assault That Gripped a Nation by Jamie literary event series Conversations from the Page, Thompson – On July 7, 2016, five Dallas law runs the Instagram account @thoughtsfrompage, enforcement officers were killed and 11 people and regularly speaks to groups about books. were wounded when a gunman opened fire at a

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TRAVEL

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by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer

Travel Buzz

On the road with the Kochs

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ike many diehard international travelers, the Kochs are sticking closer to home in times of Covid. The two journalists have shared a hunger to see the world, and together they have traveled far and wide, both with and without their children. But this year they canceled two European adventures, opting instead to be near family in Wisconsin. And they’re taking advantage of the down time to go through their old photos and organize them, taking time to reminisce, and yours truly got to take a frontrow seat in the Koch family travelogue recently, including enjoying an extended “Tom Spotting” (more on that later). We caught up with Brenda in their Bellaire home, where she was pulling out photos from their family’s 2007 trip. “We were in St. Mark’s Square in Venice, and our arms were out, and the pigeons were landing on us… just going through these pictures is such a fantastic thing. It brings back the joys, the memories, the challenges.” Memories from the Tuscan city of Sienna, where their apartment looked out over the picturesque piazza and the annual Palio, a legendary horse race dating back to medieval times. Challenges including daughter Chelsea’s in Cappadocia, Turkey, where she overcame her fear of heights to join the family on a sunrise balloon ride over a landscape filled with strange volcanic formations called fairy chimneys. The joy of La Semana Santa in Granada, Spain, during the elaborate Easter-season processionals that happen every night, with images of Jesus and Mary and other religious iconography being carried through the streets, with all the families and the kids on their dads’ shoulders looking on. And the sheer terror of watching their only offspring in a rickshaw, weaving in and out of traffic on a freeway in Beijing, where a trip to see the famous Chinese Acrobats became a marathon knuckle-biter. Last year their brother-in-law in Wisconsin was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and he came to MD Anderson for treatment. In their time together, he mentioned that one of his dreams was to take his wife to Europe – so when he got through his treatment, they decided this year they were going to take that trip MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 38

with the Kochs. Among other places, they had planned to go to Austria for a Sound of Music tour, Germany for castles and Oktoberfest, and Switzerland to hike in the Alps. And then – Covid. And while everyone was disappointed at the cancellation of this year’s trip, they have been making the most of it with a little armchair travel together. “It’s so great to reminisce and remember the places we’ve been, see the photos and see your kids grow,” Brenda said. “I think it’s a great joy to see those places and incorporate them into SICILIAN DREAMING Top photo, from left: Chelsea, Emily, Tom and Brenda Koch, near the top of Mount Etna, the most active volcano in Europe. Bottom photo: Brenda, how you look at the Emily, Chelsea and Tom explore a Greek amphitheater in Taormina, Sicily, in 2019. world.” from London to Morocco, meeting up with A friend advised Tom and Brenda to travel Tom’s sister and her new Moroccan husband. while the girls were young, saying, “You only Rick Steves has long been an inspiration, and have your kids for a certain number of years his guides have helped them to steer clear of the before they fly the coop.” They took the message tourist zones and immerse themselves in the to heart. Ever since their two daughters were old local culture. They found that they could stay in enough to travel, Brenda and Tom have been a small family-owned inn or even a two-bedtaking them on the road – first, road trips around room house in a local neighborhood for less than the U.S., visiting national parks and other landthe price of a hotel room, booking through marks, and then, when they reached late grade VRBO long before Airbnb became the rage. school, further afield. But a funny thing hap“We find the family inns, so we get to meet pened; the girls flew the coop, and the family people, and we find through them the local famadventures have continued. ily-owned restaurants – that has given such a difTom is a veteran anchorman at ABC-13 ferent perspective to our travels instead of flying Eyewitness News; Brenda is a former reporter. in and going to the hotel where a lot of Emily, 25, is a UT-Austin grad who works at MD Americans stay,” said Brenda. Anderson, and Chelsea, 29, a UH grad, works at When Chelsea and Emily were old enough to Baylor in the Center for Comparative Medicine. really appreciate it, they circled back to London, Brenda is not sure where the couple’s wanderbut this time taking it a little easier – spending lust came from, since both come from smallthe entire vacation just in England and Wales, town families who never traveled extensively. to break them in easily with a language they But they found common ground on the road, and knew. The next year it was (continued on page 40) in 1985 they took planes, trains and automobiles

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UP, UP AND AWAY Clockwise from lower left: Tom, Brenda, Emily and Chelsea Koch (from left) get a breathtaking view of Cappadocia's famous fairy chimneys from a hot air balloon at sunrise, in Turkey in 2013; touring the Sacred Valley near Machu Picchu in 2015; and Brenda and Tom in the Forum in Rome, the ancient center of Roman life. (continued from page 38) France and Italy, then

Spain. In 2009, they went to China; in 2010, it was Germany and Switzerland. Then it was Greece and Croatia. Last year, it was Sicily. The two girls quickly developed a love for their parents’ passion, taking to travel as a form of education. “They love history, culture, trying different kinds of foods – that’s been great fun to introduce them to all the places we’ve been. It’s been an education that helps you be more curious about the world.” Frequently Tom’s big presence in the Houston area follows him around the world, and the inevitable “Tom Spotting” has become something of a family travel joke. “Houstonians are everywhere; most people wouldn’t know it though, unless you’re wearing an Astros cap or something – but Tom’s been on TV for 38 years in Houston and certainly has a recognizable face.” From Peru to Nashville to Beijing, it’s been a source of great amusement but also a source of connection to the world around them. One of the girls will say, “Dad, there’s been no Tom Spotting on this trip.” And the other will quip, “But there will be.” The first few times it happened, they thought it was just a fluke. They’d hear whispering – “Is that Tom Koch?” and then, “Yeah, it is!” And sure enough. In Machu Picchu, Brenda was walking slowly, with a cane, as she had just come through a tough breast cancer treatment, and the trip was one of the ways she began to take her life back. Suddenly they heard a cheerful voice. “Hi, Tom – How are you? We’re from Sugar Land!” No matter how many times it happens, they MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 40

never tire of it. “You meet people – and they are lovely, and they’re kind,” said Brenda. “They’re just interested in sharing their experience, and we share ours.” The family went to Shanghai when some of Emily’s best friends from middle school moved there for work and invited them. “You should come visit us,” they said. “You need to be careful about inviting us – we will come!” Tom jokingly warned. Tom scored some low fares – one of his “miraculous” talents, according to Brenda – and they headed to Shanghai. After their friends showed them around the city, they headed to Beijing, and there they were at breakfast – pancakes, tea-soaked hard-boiled eggs and baby bok choy – talking about the low probability of a Tom Spotting here in China. Suddenly they looked toward the door and there was Tom chatting with a tall gentleman with a big Texas belt buckle. “Oh – we got one,” said Brenda with a laugh. They were oil and gas expats from Katy, Texas, and they insisted on showing the family around the city – taking them, among many other places, to the pearl market, where they were able to secure local prices – not American. And they loaned the family their driver for three days. Reminiscing back home, Brenda, Tom and the girls sat around their dining table, old photos scattered in front of them, each of them tossing out memories and building on others. Tom tried to draw out his daughters, directing the questions to them. On the question of Tom Spotting – “Does it ever get tiring?” – on the contrary, Tom assured me. “We’ve met a lot of wonderful people this way, and it's very cool,” said Tom. “And you know,

we've learned this ourselves coming from small towns: Travel really broadens your vistas and kind of eliminates biases, your prejudices. It shows you that everybody's really after the same things in life. They say that travel leaves you speechless, but you come back, and you're a storyteller.” These days they are feeling sad about the current state of the world – between the pandemic and political instability, travel has become more complicated, and in many cases, inadvisable. Still, these veteran wanderers are just as committed to travel as ever. On the one hand, says Brenda, it can be enlivening to practice the art of travel closer to home; it doesn’t have to be far away to be an adventure. “Travel will be back – whether it’s going to our national or state parks; there’s so much to see wherever you live. And just to maintain that curiosity is important; to educate yourself and to learn more. We’re socially distancing right now, but you can be a tourist in your own town once we have a vaccine and it’s safer – you can go to Austin or San Antonio and be a tourist again. I think that’s one thing that’s come out of this; everyone is hunkered down with the challenges we have right now. “I encourage people to go out and take a day trip. See something outside your comfort zone – take that trip you’ve always been meaning to take. That’s a lesson from age and from being a cancer survivor.” Editor’s note: Buzz travel columnist Tracy L. Barnett is a Lowell Thomas travel journalism award winner and longtime travel and environmental writer. Email her at info@thebuzzmagazines.com to share your own travel tales.

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DINING

by Dai Huynh, staff writer

Chef’s Corner

Eddy Van Damme

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ddy Van Damme affectionately has been dubbed the Prince of Pastry. The 58-yearold Belgian pastry instructor is the corporate chef for Imperial Sugar, and those sweet inspirations on the company’s website and marketing materials are likely his creations. He and co-authors Sarah R. Labensky and Priscilla Martel wrote the most used and purchased baking text in the United States, the award-winning On Baking: A Textbook of Baking and Pastry Fundamentals, which is now in its fourth edition. The in-depth tome is used in culinary programs and colleges across the country and worldwide. Although he wears many hats, Van Damme’s primary role these days is running Houston Community College’s pastry and baking program, which has more than doubled in size since he was recruited to expand the program. It now accommodates about 220 students in a new $30 million culinary arts building. Van Damme has taught a battalion of dessert wizards, including H Town Restaurant Group’s Ruben Ortega, Cloud 10 Creamery’s Chris Leung, Luliet Creamery and Bake Shop’s Nelia Shehaj and World Catering Bakery’s Frances Walsh. Here, Van Damme shares the rules of making perfect desserts along with a recipe for a chocolate cake that takes less than 10 minutes from the microwave oven to the dinner table. How did you get your start in pastry? I was always helping my mom in the kitchen. When I was 14, she asked, “Hey, would you like to work in a bakery?” I started working in a bakery on weekends, and I loved it. At 18, I went to baking school for three years. How did you end up in Houston? I was about 20 when I was sitting on a train in Germany. I started talking to this lady from Texas. I told her my dream of coming to the United States, so she invited me to Texas. I was about 22 when I finished college and flew to Houston. I spent my first night at a hotel, and the next day, she picked me up and took me to her ranch. You started at a French bakery, then later, HCC tagged you for its baking and pastry program in 1989. Here, you don’t just teach the ins and outs of pastries and desserts – you arm students with innoMEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 42

vative recipes that you spent countless hours developing and perfecting. In a sense, you give your graduates an edge in a very competitive field. For example, take your microwavable souffle, or the six-minute chocolate cake [shared below]. You also stay on top of new dessert trends. What are you working on now? I’m working on recipes that are dairyfree. I do believe this is what many people are looking for these days. Do you see what’s hapPASTRY PROFESSOR Eddy Van Damme has taught many of the city's top paspening at the grocery try chefs his groundbreaking baking techniques at Houston Community College's store? The shelf space pastry and dessert program. for regular dairy milk is can’t adjust. Baking is precise, and once comgetting smaller and smaller. People are seeking bined or mixed, you can’t change things – you out plant-based milk. But dairy-free doesn’t can only start over. mean vegan. My recipes may contain eggs. Another thing I’ve been working on is nutriere are fool-proof desserts created by chef tion-packed, nutrition-dense baked products. I Eddy Van Damme for time-pressed hosts do think this is going to be very important. this holiday season. Personally, when I want to eat something, I want it to be nutritious, even a dessert, so I have Six-Minute Chocolate-Almond Cake started to develop products that contain superWhile the coffee is brewing, you can whip up this foods, like seeds, nuts and dried fruits. cake for your unexpected holiday visitors. Chef Eddy What are some simple things that the home cook Van Damme said you can make this a gluten-free vercan do to add more nutrition to baked goods and sion by swapping the all-purpose flour with cornstarch. desserts? Chocolate-Almond Cake: One thing that is easy to do is to bake muffins. 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (or cornRegular flour can be replaced with sprouted starch) wheat flour or other ancient grain flour mixes. 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder You can add nuts, seeds and dried fruits. You can ¾ cup almond flour replace butter with a smaller amount of olive oil. ¾ cup sugar As for sugar, you might replace it with pumpkin 5 ounces chocolate, about 60 percent cocoa puree for moistness and tenderness. mass What are the cardinal rules of baking? ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons olive oil (not extra First, make sure you trust the chef whose virgin) recipe you will be using. I have books from 3 eggs Pierre Hermé, Christophe Felder and Yves 1 egg yolk Thuries. Second, measure everything correctly. ¼ cup dried cherries (or dried cranberries, Three, follow the recipe exactly. In baking, you

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toasted walnuts, or pecans) ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract To finish: ¼ cup water ¼ cup sugar 2 Tablespoons amaretto liqueur or Baileys Irish Cream Fresh cherries and unsalted toasted pistachios or powdered sugar for garnish To start, sift flour and cocoa powder into a bowl; set aside. In another bowl, combine almond flour and sugar; set aside. Chop chocolate into pea-size pieces. Place in a large microwaveable bowl with the olive oil. Heat in the microwave oven, stirring with a rubber spatula every 10 seconds. Do not overheat. Chocolate should be only lukewarm. To the melted chocolate, vigorously whisk in the eggs and egg yolk, then combine well with the cherries, salt, almond extract and vanilla. Combine this with the almond-sugar mixture, followed by the flour-cocoa mixture; set cake batter aside. Lightly coat an 8- to 8½-inch silicone cake pan or other microwave-proof pan with cooking spray. Pour cake batter into the pan and cook in microwave oven on high for six minutes. Microwave temperatures vary from model to model, so to be safe, check the cake after five minutes by gently pressing a finger to the center. If it bounces back, the cake is done. If not, continue cooking in 10-second increments until done. Allow cake to cool before carefully unmolding onto a serving tray. To finish: In a pot, boil water and sugar; set aside to cool, then add liqueur and brush the surface of the cake. You can serve this warm cake in various ways. You can garnish each wedge with a few cherries and pistachios, or right before serving, sprinkle lightly toasted almond slices on top, followed by a light dusting of powdered sugar. Use a sifter, sieve or small shaker to apply sugar, or dress it up with chocolate ganache. Serves 8.

Perfect Lemon Curd This lemon curd keeps for a week in the refrigerator or stores in the freezer for up to four weeks. But why bother? It’s so quick and easy to make. Fresh lemon curd is a great way to dress up store-bought shortbread cookies, scones, pound cake or vanilla ice cream by the spoonful. ½ cup lemon juice 2 teaspoons lemon zest ¾ cup sugar, divided ½ cup eggs (about 3) ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature In a nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk lemon juice and zest with six tablespoons of the sugar. Bring to a boil and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and

READY, SET, BAKE Every minute counts in the commercial kitchen, and pastry gold medalist Eddy Van Damme came up with a silky lemon curd for dessert tarts that takes less than 10 minutes to make. The chef dressed up his lemon tart, pictured here, with meringue, but you can also use fresh seasonal fruits.

remaining sugar thoroughly to create a smooth mass. In a slow, steady stream, add about onequarter of the boiled lemon juice to the eggs while continuing to whisk vigorously. You are warming, or tempering, the eggs so that they don't form lumps. Pour the egg-lemon mixture into the saucepan containing the lemon juice. Return to the stove and whisk vigorously, bringing the mixture to a boil for one minute. Remove from heat once it thickens to the consistency of hollandaise sauce and place the pan in a bowl of ice. Cool lemon curd for about three minutes, to 120°F-130°F degrees. Remove from ice bath and add butter in five increments, stirring gently with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour into a glass container and chill in a refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Note: When making lemon curd, thoroughly whisking the sugar with the eggs makes straining it unnecessary. Makes 2 cups.

This recipe takes time, but the beauty of it is that you can make the tart shell and lemon curd ahead of time. The lemon curd will keep in the refrigerator for a week, or you can freeze it along with the tart shell dough four up to four weeks. Simply defrost, and you’re ready to assemble your lemon tart. Tart shell: 2 cups unsweetened coconut 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted 1 small egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour Lemon Curd: See recipe above

Stir the butter in a bowl with electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add sifted powdered sugar, mixing well and occasionally scraping the bowl and paddle. Add coconut, egg, vanilla and salt. Sift flour before adding, then mix at low speed until dough forms. Do not overmix. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or overnight for easier handling. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Before you roll the dough, place an ice-filled cookie sheet on the surface where you will be working the dough for 30 minutes, or you can skip this step by simply rolling the dough on a cold marble surface. Remove the ice tray and dust the rolling surface with a thin layer of flour. Remove more than half of the chilled dough, storing any leftovers in a plastic bag in the freezer for another use, such as delicious, rolled cutout cookies or tartlets. Roll the dough into a round disc slightly larger than the tart pan. The dough should be an even thickness throughout, about ⅛ inch. Rotate dough frequently to prevent it from sticking to the surface. Using both hands or the rolling pin, transfer the dough into the tart pan. Press dough well into the corners and crevices. Prick the bottom of the shell with a fork. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, checking midway to see whether the sides have remained intact. Press new dough into any parts that have sagged. Continue baking, and when done, set aside to cool. While tart shell cools, make the lemon curd, following the recipe above, then into the tart shell and chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Serves 6-8.

To make the shell, place the coconut in a blender or food processor and grind until fine; set aside.

Editor’s note: Buzz dining columnist Dai Huynh is a James Beard food-journalism award winner and longtime Houston-based restaurant writer.

Lemon Tart

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Photo courtesy of the Junior League of Houston

FOOD by Erin Faulkner, contributing writer

Cooking Buzz Don’t stress over the turkey Cooking Buzz is produced in partnership with the Junior League of Houston, a women’s charitable and education organization founded in 1925.

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hanksgiving is just around the corner, and if TV and the movies were true to life, a turkey disaster would be in our future. In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Clark Griswold’s sister-in-law overcooked the turkey to such a degree it deflated like a football when carved. In The Santa Clause, Scott Calvin somehow managed to set one on fire, sending him and his son to eat dinner at Denny’s. How do you catch a turkey on fire? I have no idea, but it happens all the time in the movies. We’re all psyching ourselves out. Making a moist, delicious turkey can be easy, but there are four keys to success, besides following a great recipe like Favorite Turkey in Peace Meals. First, do not attempt to cook a turkey that is not completely thawed. It will cook unevenly, take forever and will be tough as rubber. Second, brine the bird for one to three days in either the refrigerator or a well-insulated cooler with ice. This will ensure your turkey retains moisture. Third, use a meat thermometer, preferably a digital one that alerts you when the desired temperature is reached. Fourth, let the turkey rest for about 30 minutes so it can reabsorb its juices. While just a suggestion, I like to use turkey bags to retain moisture. You will cut back the bag and baste the skin with a cooking fat (like olive oil) when about an hour remains to allow the skin to crisp. Patience is always key when cooking a turkey. Time estimates are not always accurate, and it seems like Thanksgiving dinner is never on time. Avoid “hangry” guests by providing an array of snacks so nobody cares that dinner is late. If you want to make appetizers ahead of time, Spicy Rosemary Cashews, Crab Cream Cheese Dip and Crunchy Cream Cheese Spread can all be made in advance. Baked Chevre with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil, Crawfish Phyllo Triangles and Sausage Squares are excellent choices for hot appetizers. MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 44

APPETIZING This Crunchy Sour Cream Spread from The Star of Texas Cookbook is refrigerated overnight. It’s easy to pull out for guests to snack on before dinner.

Favorite Turkey From Peace Meals 10- to 12-pound fresh turkey 3 teaspoons dry mustard 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 ⁄3 cup olive oil, plus additional 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1 large white onion, peeled and cut into wedges 3 stalks celery, strings removed and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces ½ cup chopped fresh parsley 2 slices bacon ½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces 2 cups chicken broth 1 thin linen towel (to be discarded after cooking) This recipe requires advance preparation. Remove and discard the giblets and neck from inside the turkey; rinse the turkey and pat dry. Combine the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small

bowl. Coat the turkey with the mixture on both the inside and outside of the bird. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place onion, celery and parsley inside the cavity of the turkey. Lay the bacon slices across the breast. Place pieces of butter in the crevices between the drumstick and the breast, and behind the wings. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and add the broth. Soak the linen towel in olive oil and lay it over the entire turkey. Roast the turkey for 3 to 3½ hours or until a meat thermometer registers 180-185°F in the thigh and 170-175°F in the thickest part of the breast. Baste turkey and turn the roasting pan several times during cooking. Remove from the oven and allow the turkey to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

Spicy Rosemary Cashews From Peace Meals 1 pound whole unsalted roasted cashews 2 Tablespoons minced fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon coarse salt (continued on page 46)

32 MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 45

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar 1 Tablespoon butter, melted

Photo courtesy of the Junior League of Houston

(continued from page 44)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the cashews on a rimmed baking sheet and heat in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl to form a paste. Add the warm cashews and mix gently until evenly coated. May be served warm or at room temperature. Makes 1½ cups.

Crab Cream Cheese Dip From The Star of Texas Cookbook 1 pound fresh lump crab meat 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese 1 cup sour cream ½ cup mayonnaise 1 bottle (12 ounces) chili sauce 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Pick shell from crab; wash and drain well. Toss gently with lemon juice. Soften cream cheese and add sour cream and mayonnaise. Combine chili sauce and Worcestershire. Place cream cheese mixture in a serving dish. Top with crab meat. Pour chili sauce over all. Chill. Serve with crackers. Serves 8 to 10.

Crunchy Sour Cream Spread From The Star of Texas Cookbook 1 cup sour cream ¼ cup finely chopped bell pepper ¼ cup finely chopped celery 2 Tablespoons chopped onion 2 Tablespoons chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives 1 teaspoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Paprika Salt and pepper to taste 2 to 3 drops of hot sauce 12 Cheese Ritz Crackers, crumbled Combine all ingredients except crackers. Line a small mold or bowl with plastic wrap. Spread 1 ⁄3 cup of sour cream mixture into bowl. Sprinkle with 1⁄3 of crackers. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sour cream mixture and refrigerate overnight. Turn out on to serving plate. Remove plastic wrap and top with remaining cracker crumbs. Serve with Ritz crackers. Serves 4 to 6.

Baked Chevre with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil From Stop and Smell the Rosemary 8 ounces chevre 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and minced ½ teaspoon minced garlic ½ cup minced fresh basil Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a small ovenproof serving dish with olive oil. Place chevre in dish and bake until melted, 15 MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 46

SPICED CASHEWS These Spicy Rosemary Cashews from Peace Meals can be prepared ahead of time and be served either warm or at room temperature.

to 20 minutes. Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and basil in a small bowl. Spoon tomato mixture over cheese. Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables. Serves 4 to 6.

Crawfish Phyllo Triangles From Stop and Smell the Rosemary 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 1 pound frozen crawfish tails, thawed, coarsely chopped 3 green onions, chopped 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon 1 teaspoon minced garlic ½ teaspoon curry powder ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ¼ teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 pound frozen phyllo dough, thawed 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 1 cup fine bread crumbs Combine cream cheese, crawfish, green onions, cilantro, tarragon, garlic, curry, red pepper flakes, salt and lime juice in a large bowl. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a lightly floured surface. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Repeat with 2 more sheets of phyllo. With a sharp knife, cut across horizontally to make 3 rectangles. (Cover remaining phyllo with a damp towel while working on the first). Place 1

rounded teaspoon of crawfish mixture on a corner of each rectangle and fold up “flag style” to form triangular packages. Repeat with remaining crawfish and phyllo. Place triangles on a greased baking sheet and brush lightly with butter. Bake 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately. Yields 24 triangles.

Sausage Squares From Houston Junior League Cookbook 1 pound bulk sausage (hot if preferred) ½ cup chopped onion ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese ¼ cup grated Swiss cheese 1 egg, beaten ¼ teaspoon hot sauce 1½ teaspoons salt 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley 2 cups Bisquick 2 ⁄3 cup milk ¼ cup mayonnaise 1 egg yolk Cook sausage and onion over low heat until meat is browned. Drain off excess fat. Add cheese, whole egg, hot sauce, salt and parsley. Make Bisquick dough by mixing it with milk and mayonnaise. Spread half of dough over bottom of well-greased 8-inch square pan. Cover with sausage mixture. Spread remaining dough over sausage mixture. Brush with beaten egg yolk. Bake 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees. Cut in squares and serve hot. May also be served for a brunch or a coffee. Yields 12 squares.

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 47

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by Todd Freed, staff writer

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four-week delay to the start of the football season was well worth the wait for the Memorial Mustangs, who opened the season with a thrilling 20-15 victory over the Seven Lakes Spartans. The victory for Memorial was even more rewarding considering the earlier threat of no season due to the Covid19 pandemic. “It was just awesome to be back playing a real game,” said Mustangs junior Carson Zahn, who led the Mustangs with 211 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the night. A standout on the Memorial baseball team, Zahn saw his baseball season abruptly cut short last spring due to the coronavirus and then faced the devastating prospect of having the football season taken away. “After we lost the baseball season, the thought of not playing football was tough,” said Zahn. “But myself and my teammates continued to train hard all summer to make sure we were ready. There is nothing like being back on the football field with my best friends and guys I grew up and played football with most of my life. The win had to be one of the highlights of my entire year.” The win over Seven Lakes also could be a sign of good things to come for the Mustangs. “I feel like this year’s team is extremely and fast and quick,” said Zahn. “We might be undersized, but we play 100 percent at all times. We have about five Division 1 college prospects, and I think we have a good chance to make the playoffs and make a nice run in the post-season.” For the St. Thomas Eagles, just getting back in action for an official football game was a welcome relief, despite a season-opening 48-37 defeat to El Campo. “It’s what the kids have been working towards since last November,” said Eagles head coach Rich McGuire. “They just want to play football, so it was pretty awesome to be back on the playing field.” The season opener was highlighted by yet another big night from Eagles senior quarterback Maddox Kopp, who threw for 456 yards and five touchdowns on the evening. Kopp made headlines before the start of the season with his official commitment to play college football at the University of Houston. “It’s great for our pro-

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 48

WHAT A GAME Memorial Mustangs running back Carson Zahn led the way in his team’s season-opening victory over Seven Lakes, with 211 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the night.

gram when you have any kid commit to play major college football,” said McGuire. “In addition, we have several other talented guys who will play at the next level.” Those high-level collegiate prospects include senior wide receiver Cameron Bonner, who was magnificent in the season opener with 230 receiving yards and three touchdowns. In addition, senior tight end Drake Martinez is committed to playing college football at Colorado State. Along with Bonner and Martinez, Eagles running back John Fontenot, linebacker Vince Lee and defensive back Aidan O'Hare were all named to the Greater Houston Private School Preseason Football Team. The Kinkaid Falcons admittedly had to shake off a bit of rust in their season opener against Little Cypress- Mauriceville, but, despite falling behind 20-0 in the first quarter, rallied for a convincing 42-26 victory. Quarterback Louis Gustafson spearheaded the comeback win with 256 passing yards and three touchdowns, with wide receiver Dillon Bell hauling in seven of those passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. In addition, Spencer Olsson rushed for 87 yards and one touchdown in the victory. “After all the uncertainly surrounding the

season for so many months and then to wake up on a Friday morning and know that your only concern was playing a game certainly took a load off our minds. It was basically a relief to go out there and play a football game,” said Kinkaid head football coach Nathan Larned. “You look at all the procedures and protocols we all had to adhere to in getting to this point, including approvals to have practices, games, fans and so on, and it was just so exciting for everyone to be playing football again.” One major distinction as the season unfolds for Kinkaid and its fellow SPC schools is that the SPC has decided to forego its fall championships this season in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We won’t crown a champion this year, but the nice thing is that we’ll still play our rival schools Houston Christian, St. John’s and Episcopal,” said Larned. “We understand that there are some schools out there who aren’t playing at all this season, so we’re definitely appreciative of now having seven to eight games on our schedule.” Editor’s note: To submit high school sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, please email todd@thebuzzmagazines.com.

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 49

SPORTS

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by Angie Frederickson, staff writer

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elcome to SportzBuzz Jr., a column spotlighting neighborhood athletes in elementary and middle school.

On the court First Baptist Academy (FBA) seventh-grader Valerie Matte (top photo) prepares for a shot on the volleyball court. This season, the FBA Warriors are adding safety precautions to volleyball and other fall sports, including football, cheer and cross country. The Warriors are maintaining social distance on the buses, wearing masks, and routinely taking temperatures. The volleyball team spent the beginning of the school year practicing and began games in October. Last season’s team finished with an impressive 7-2 record, and they hope to have another strong volleyball performance this year.

On the field The Albion Hurricanes 07 girls soccer team (middle photo) defeated the Houston Challenge team at the 27th Annual Texas Warm-Up Cup held at Lindsay/Lyons Sports Complex. During this Covid-style season, the Hurricanes adopted a “stay and play” approach, where they do not travel to out-of-town tournaments. The girls are following additional health and safety precautions, including an app that tracks health symptoms before each practice and game. Many of the players are beginning their seventh season together, and they are grateful to be back on the field for another fall season. Pictured are (top row, from left) Kimberly Estrada, Rebeca Miro, Grace Essalih, Isabella Varghese, Camille Canterbury, Breanne Blaylock, Georgia Pettey, Avery Kolb, Taylor Johnston, (bottom row, from left) Nathalie Frausto, Julia Lawson, Celine Mekha and Riley Lopez.

A close match The masks are on for Holy Spirit Episcopal School’s (HSES) volleyball team (bottom photo). As part of the Greater Houston Athletic Conference, the HSES Saints adopted safety procedures in line with CDC guidelines so that athletes could safely return to play this fall. The middle-school volleyball team recently played St. Thomas’ Episcopal School in a tough 3-set match. It ended in a loss, but the girls put up a good fight with scores of 1925, 25-20, and 15-5. The team focuses on a strong serving strategy and trains frequently to improve their skills. The Saints are (top row, from left) head coach Marge Vinzant, Ella Madden, Fiza Pachloo, Addie Dutt, Patrizia Angrisani, assistant coach Mitriel Vinzant, (bottom row, from left) Isabella Angrisani, Victoria Lunam, Catalina Diaz and Sarah Hwang. Editor’s note: Send your best high-resolution photos and behind-the-scenes stories about young local athletes, in both team and individual sports, to SportzBuzz, Jr. at info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Include all contact info, names, ages, grades and schools. Featured athletes must live in Buzz-circulation neighborhoods. Items will be published on a space-available basis. MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 50

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MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 51

BEHIND THE HEELS Hannah Kothari, a junior at Memorial High School, says training for pageants is good training for life.

KIDS by Hannah Kothari, age 17

Buzz Kidz

Think of pageantry as a sport

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ageantry. It’s more than meets the eye. Behind the heels and the makeup, there are many wonderful and accomplished young women eager to share their stories with the world. When I first began my journey in pageantry last May, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought that pageantry was easy, that it would require little effort. I soon came to find out that pageantry is a sport, a game of mental toughness. Each pageant consists of different competitions; between athletic wear, evening wear, interview, fun fashion and talent, there are a number of different categories that you could be judged on. Each pageant’s main focus is the interview and getting to know each contestant better. Contrary to the many common misconceptions, the main point of pageantry is to see how confident each

contestant is with themselves. It is about knowing that you are surrounded by many other beautiful and accomplished young women, but also knowing that you are just as wonderful and deserving of the crown as all of the other contestants. This November, I will be competing in the Miss Texas High School America pageant, representing Memorial High School. In May, I will be competing in Miss Texas Teen USA. I have been preparing for both pageants since this May, and my training has consisted of numerous parts. The skills and lessons that I have learned during my training will last me forever. Not only are they useful come pageant day, but many are useful in all aspects of life. Pageant training is life training. Not only have I learned so much about myself, but I have

also learned a lot about others. Pageantry is truly a sisterhood, and I have already met so many other amazing and accomplished young women who want to share their mission and their story with the world. Each girl’s mission, or platform, is different. Between helping children with extended hospital stays or advocating for mental health, the main goal of a title holder is to make the world a better place. Want to be a Buzz Kid? Email approximately 350 words, a high-resolution photo and caption to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401.

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Air filters for allergy sufferers “What kind of air filter should I buy for my allergy?” The answer is “it depends on what you’re allergic to.” If you are allergic to cat dander or grass pollen, we recommend investing in an advanced filter. These allergens are small; thus, they are lighter than air and stay airborne long enough to be filtered out of the air. Compare that to dust mite allergy, which is relatively large, staying airborne for only 15 to 20 minutes after being disturbed (such as making the bed). There’s no way a filter can catch much dust mite allergen once it has settled back onto the bed or carpet. Electrostatic filters are interesting. You get a permanent metal filter taking the place of your disposable fiberglass filter. This metal filter is better at trapping allergens than less expensive fiberglass models. If you use an electrostatic, run your air conditioning system using “ON” rather than “AUTO”. You just paid for a good filter, and you want it filtering 24/7, not just when the compressor or furnace turns on. Be sure to clean the filter regularly with a strong flow of water at least once or twice a month. If you don’t keep an electrostatic filter clean, it will become less effective, increasing the drag on your entire HVAC system. Many HVAC companies don’t like electrostatic filters at all, saying they reduce the life of the entire system. Instead, they recommend disposable 3M Filtretes. If you get a free-standing filter, should you go HEPA filter or a Sharper Image Ionic Breeze? This depends somewhat on budget and noise tolerance. The HEPA filters have fans that make some noise. You have to clean or change the pre-filter every two or three months. It’s very easy to change, but take the unit outside before you disassemble it so the dust doesn’t make a

mess inside. Changing the main filter is almost as easy, and it only has to be done every couple of years. Post-bankruptcy, Sharper Image stills sells the Ionic Breeze, and Consumer Reports still recommends you don’t buy them. Here’s a line from their article: “By that logic, my coffee table is also an air filter because it collects dust.” Look at a store’s return policy to see if you can try the filter out first. You can usually return them before 30 or 60 days. Keep all the packing materials and your receipt. No matter what filter you buy, remember that a filter is just one step in a long process of allergen avoidance. If recommended by your doctor, you should also cover your mattress and pillow with impermeable covers, wash sheets in hot water, remove carpet from your bedroom, and keep the humidity in your home low enough to reduce growth of dust mites and mold. No one nose allergies like we do.™ Note: Information contained in this article should not be considered a substitute for consultation with a board-certified allergist to address individual medical needs. David B. Engler, M.D., The Allergy Clinic, 7707 Fannin, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77054, 713.797.0993, *1200 Binz, Suite 180, Houston, Texas 77004, 713.522.9911, www.allergyclinic.com, *Operating as Houston Allergy and Asthma Clinic

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PETS

Neighborhood Tails Teddy, age 11 weeks, Havapoo, Trails End What’s this? What’s that? Who are you? Who are they? Sorry, I’m getting side-tracked, but I just got to my new home and it’s amazing! There are so many toys and new smells. Oh! But the best part is all the new people; I think they’re meant to be my family? It’s been hard to figure out all their names over all the fawning and kisses, but I found out the three smaller human names are Tyler, Riley and Jordan, and the two bigger humans are called Mom and Dad. But let me tell you who I am. I’m an 11-week, 2.2-pound, Havapoo puppy, and my favorite pastime is biting fingers and toes when my family least expects it. And as for my name, well, after two weeks of the humans discussing options (the smaller humans agree on nothing), I believe that my official name is Teddy. Isn’t that wonderful?! Got a cute critter? Email a picture of your pet with approximately 150 words to info@thebuzzmagazines.com or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401.

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MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 54

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The fiduciary’s duty to insure If you accepted an appointment as agent under a power of attorney, executor of a will, administrator of an estate, guardian, or trustee, you are a fiduciary, the most thankless task known to the law. A fiduciary’s duty of care requires that estate property be insured against loss and lawsuits with property and casualty insurance, also known as property and liability insurance. Property insurance is “first party,” and compensates the named insured for property that has been lost, damaged, or destroyed. Examples include commercial property, builder’s risk, and flood insurance. Liability insurance is “third party,” and compensates a third party injured by the actions or omissions of an insured. Examples include commercial general liability, business auto, worker’s compensation, umbrella, and hunting lease liability insurance. If the usual and customary coverage is available, the fiduciary that fails to get or keep it is liable for the unprotected loss. A fiduciary is not off the hook just because coverage is not available. If Dad’s auto insurance is canceled after his third accident, it’s time to take the keys away. If flood insurance is canceled or prohibitive, it may be time to sell the house. Inadequate coverage doesn’t excuse inaction. The insurance agent is agent for the insurer, not you, and has no duty to tell you whether coverage is adequate or whether more or cheaper coverage is available elsewhere. However, the agent is responsible to fill the client’s request and inform the client promptly if unable to do so. The burden is on you to specify the type of insurance, the property value, the deductible, and

when coverage is to begin. Larger estates need an insurance analyst, sometimes marketed as a private risk advisor. Look for professional designations such as a CPCU, CIC, ARM, or CRM. Like retail agents, insurance analysts are compensated by commissions, but the competition for high net worth clients, access to multiple insurers, and the greater overall compensation per client leads to fuller disclosure and more robust advice. For a fee, some insurance analysts will go the extra mile, assume the duty to advise, and review contracts to quantify, reduce and transfer risks. This is common in commercial construction but almost unheard of for individuals and consumer transactions. At a minimum, new fiduciaries should inform insurance agents of their appointment, request each policy, and ask for a review of their estate’s insurance needs. Plan to complete and return each agent’s standard questionnaire. We write wills and go to probate court. We offer no-obligation initial interviews for estate planning and administration, so it costs nothing to hear specific recommendations that suit your needs. Foreign nationals and international families welcome. Russell W. Hall, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), Board Certified – Estate Planning and Probate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 6750 West Loop South, Suite 920, Bellaire, Texas 77401, 713.662.3853, bellaireprobate.com/blog

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 55

Daniel Ortiz

NEIGHBORS

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by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld, staff writer

Buzz About Town Recovery for adolescents

Teed up for CanCare CanCare supporters gathered for the annual Golf Classic amidst perfect weather. Kelly and Aaron Wolf (pictured) chaired the successful, socially distanced event. During the scrambleformat tournament, participants also bid on auction and raffle packages. They raised more than $200,000 for CanCare, an interfaith organization with trained cancer survivors

who provide free, one-on-one emotional support to cancer patients and caregivers.

Crossing the bridge

Daniel Ortiz

Golfers participated in the 27th Annual Palmer Memorial Golf Tournament at Hermann Park Golf Course benefiting Archway Academy. Baseball Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell and his wife Rachel (pictured, below) served as this year's tournament chairs. The academy provides a compassionate and sober learning environment for adolescents in recovery. Bagwell also served as the guest speaker at the organization's virtual fall luncheon later that month. His connection to Archway Academy stems from his personal journey with addiction and recov-

ery, which he spoke about at the luncheon. This year's golf tournament raised over $45,000, with all proceeds going toward the student scholarship fund.

After a great first year in Girl Scouts, Frostwood Girl Scout troop 126125 celebrated “bridging” up from Daisies to Brownies by crossing over the bridge next to the Bunker Hill Elementary playground. The girls received their new Brownie vests. They are looking forward to earning badges this year related to democracy, automotive engineering, first aid, snacks, painting, pets and more – and, of course, selling cookies. Pictured here (from left) are Aria Joubran, Everly Caldwell and Gail Fussell.

Lending a hand

Members of the Houston Junior Forum have continued to volunteer (continued on page 58) MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 56

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 57

(continued from page 56)

for local nonprofits during the pandemic. HJF volunteers filled backpacks with needed supplies – donated by HJF members – for families at the Nehemiah Center and Literacy Now. Pictured are (from left) Melodee Jordan, director of education at Nehemiah Center, Tonia Labbe, executive director at Nehemiah Center, and HJF members Betsy Blakeman and Betty Southern.

Keeping traditions When Buzz writer Andria Frankfort told the story of a group of UT guys’ long-lasting friendship for her October 2020 story, “It Started at Texas-OU: Still friends after 40 years," it wasn't clear if the friends' Texas-OU tradition would happen this fall. Every year since college, they’ve gathered at Doris and Sol Freed’s home for dinner. The original group included Stephen Berkman, Alfie Meyerson, Eric Blumrosen, Barry Zietz, Ralph Robinson, Michael Rubenstein, Richard Seline, Billy Freed, Jeff Genecov, Alan Luskey, Robert Glass, Brad Hacker and Lenny Davis, all in the same ZBT pledge class in 1976. This year, Russell Freed held a Zoom call with the friends and their families the Friday evening of the weekend. Doris and Sol had been invited to a Zoom call but thought it was just their immediate family members and were thrilled to see more than 40 familiar faces. They were also surprised when the group sent them the same catered meal that the Freeds usually serve for the party each year. Despite the tough Longhorn loss, these friends were glad they could see each MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 58

other. See thebuzzmagazines.com to read more about the buddies.

Cheers, to-go Russell Weil recently celebrated turning 60. He had envisioned throwing a party to mark the milestone but due to Covid-19, trans-

formed the celebration into a drive-by soiree with cocktails to-go. Friends and family members drove by Eighteen36 to share birthday wishes with Russell, who wore a mask that read “Authentic 60 Year Old – A Real Classic.” As guests drove by, Russell handed out gift bags with bottled cocktails (continued on page 60)

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for two to-go plus two cookies and asked everyone to share a photo from home, drink in hand, toasting to his birthday. Pictured is the birthday boy with Catherine and Randy Wile.

had been canceled due to Covid-19. Pictured are RCE third graders (from left) Jacob Alexander and Xander Jacobs.

Pumpkin patch Scouts

Mari Bosker, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston

(continued from page 58)

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston partnered with the Lemonade Day nonprofit to hold “Lemonade Day” to promote entrepreneurship and financial education. The event was held at the Holthouse Club with guest Michael Holthouse (pictured, with young entrepreneurs on Lemonade Day), a businessman and philan-

Spaghetti for Stratford The Stratford Spartanaires hosted their annual Spaghetti Supper fundraiser before the Spartans’ first home game of the 2020 football season. Guests enjoyed a spaghetti dinner from B.B. Italia while mingling, at a distance, with masks on. Pictured are (from left) Andie Hilbreth, Chelsea Burr, MaryGrace McConn, Matt Stinnett, Kate Miller, Kate Delgado and Maddie Badger. Be seen in Buzz About Town. Send your high-res photos and community news to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Items are published on a space-available basis. Also share your upcoming-event listings on thebuzzmagazines.com. Rachel Weaver

Cub Scout Pack 525, made up of Rummel Creek Elementary students, completed their first service project of the year. Every year, the Scouts help unload pumpkins and set up the annual pumpkin patch at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church. The Scouts were particularly excited, as so many other events

Sweet day

thropist, BGCGH board member and founder of Lemonade Day. More than 10 Club members set up shop under tents, selling two types of lemonade – “Soaring Rocket” and “Sour Power” – for $1.50 each. These flavors were named in honor of the Houston Rockets, a long-time partner. The sales netted $385, which will be used for an international festival. Mascots Lemmy from Lemonade Day and Blue from BGCGH joined in on the fun, along with president and CEO Kevin Hattery and Lemonade Day city director Gaye Jackson.

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 60

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 61

NEIGHBORS

by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

Back Porch

New traditions or holiday detours?

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hat are y’all doing for the holidays? In a normal year, this is the time of year when everyone is asking that question. And in a normal year, most of us have a quick response about tradition and maybe travel. But this is 2020, and this is not a normal year. What do we do when our holiday traditions involve family and friends sharing spaces – maybe even sleeping under the same roof? Do we wear masks and get together anyway? Or do we ditch the usual and make altogether different plans? Are we starting new traditions, or is this just an off year? For Jewish families celebrating Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur this fall, traditions have already had to be bunked. No big Rosh Hashana dinners or luncheons, with everyone taking apple slices from the same tray and dipping them in a pretty pot of honey (apples and honey being the traditional food to wish each other a sweet year). Our usual dinner for 15 (or so) got replaced by a small dinner for five by the pool. Everyone had their own apples and honey, and their own lidded container of dinner – brisket, green beans, challah. We put a pumpkin in the middle of the table and tied raffia around paper napkins and plastic utensils, and the weather was beautiful. My mom didn’t even mind that we didn’t use “real plates.” Barbara Burgower Hordern’s family made the most of the casual twist. “We did a live-stream Rosh Hashana with Central Synagogue in New York,” she says. “The music was extraordinary. And because it was in New York, we started at 5 and were finished by 6:30. Then we feasted on take-out seafood, kindly delivered by my Catholic husband.” Barbara, her sister and her nephew watched the New York service via Facebook Watch on Barbara’s 50-inch television. She says the bonus was that “no one shushed us when we had sidebar conversations, and no one stared when we got up to use the bathroom. It didn’t make up for the missing congregation, but we did get to be together.” People are also getting creative for the upcoming holidays. “We decided to book a trip to a somewhat remote location,” Leslie Wade says of her family of five. They plan to go to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. “I realized that in the winter, the parks have MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2020 62

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a fraction of the visitors, and the only way in is by snow coach, snowmobile or on snowshoes or crosscountry skis. We are staying in a log cabin on a ranch near the West Entrance of Yellowstone.” They hope to go snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and dog-sledding. “A lot of bucket-list items with social distancing built in,” Leslie says. “I’m not sure if this trip will happen, but just planning it and the joy of anticipation has been a nice change of pace from virtuA NEW WORLD Holiday celebrations might look different this year, but the celeal school!” brating will still happen. Thank goodness for Zoom! Another family iday blessing and traditions, and stay home, bake with four boys at home is taking the year off. cookies, play hide-and-seek at the tree farm and “Our immediate family is together because decorate the tree with homemade needlepoint.” everyone is virtual schooling and working,” the Others are hanging on to tradition. Susan mom says. “I have decided to get a medical proZeller, who has three married children and eight cedure I have been putting off for years, and the grandchildren, says, “We are totally cheating boys can hunt, watch football and relax – and and taking some chances going to San Antonio” take care of their momma.” Thanksgiving dinto see the children and grandchildren. “I know ner will be from Central Market or Whole we are doing some things that perhaps are a Foods. gamble, but I need my family. In total contraA busy community volunteer and mother of diction to this, I am the one who has not gone three says, “I’m looking forward to using Covid as out to a restaurant. Go figure.” an excuse to not spend time with all the extended Back to the question: Are we starting new family and boring company parties.” (Obviously, traditions or just navigating a strange year? I she asked to be anonymous.) “Holidays have guess we’ll have to see how much we miss the become so crazy in past years, with too many usual festivities. And how much we just might things to do and no time to enjoy your close enjoy the detour. friends. I, for one, am glad to re-evaluate my hol-