The Basket Lady

While sitting at my prized writer’s desk pounding out this week’s basket lady column, I’m breathlessly fascinated by nature's beauty as I watch the falling snow blanket the ground on April Fool’s Day.

I think Mother Nature pulled a fast one and fooled us mere mortals into believing that mud season, our spring time in Maine, was coming early this year. That’s one for Mother Nature, zero for the mortals.

Barbara “Jean” Smith is celebrating an April the first birthday today and is known for saying with a wink and hearty laugh that, “Her mother was the one that got bamboozled on the day that she was born.”

Barbara “Jean,” along with her sisters, June Weeks and Virginia Stickney, has donated basketfuls of kindness as life-long givers in our community.

Just recently, Barbara Jean donated homemade seat cushions for the chairs in the Rumford Falls Auditorium and she’s made a bundle of fleece throws that she’s going to donate to the Rumford Hospital in a few days.

Another giving Barbara; that’s Peru’s Barbara Morse, makes homemade breads for the basket lady to put into Easter baskets for seniors in the neighborhood.

I’d like to make another plea for a sewing group, community business or individual to donate seat cushions for the chairs in The Rumford Falls Auditorium; that will only be used by the patrons who come to see a show put on by the Rumford Performing Arts Committee.

There have been some donated seat cushions but another 100 or so, would be optimal as the auditorium has 400 chairs. Folks could sit comfortably while being entertained at the perfect venue.

Please contact Mr. Jim Rinaldo, chairman of the Rumford Performing Arts Committee, at 364-2983, if you need additional information or to donate your seat cushions.

It’s time to be thinking about and planning those homemade Easter themed baskets for the kiddos and Easter dinners that are coming up in a few weeks.

Believe it or not, a dear lady asked me to put a good Deviled Eggs recipe in the basket lady column.

Request granted. One Deviled Eggs Recipe that you’ll want to sink your teeth into.

Deviled eggs (As basic as you can get).

6 Eggs

2 Tablespoons mayonnaise

1 Teaspoon brown mustard

1 ½ Teaspoons minced onion

1/8 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 Teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon paprika, smoked or plain

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Gently add the eggs to the water, return to boil, and reduce to a simmer.

2. Cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and run under cold water.

3. Drain all the water from the pot, and swirl the pot so the eggs strike each other and their shells crack. Peel the eggs under cold running water.

4. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks, and put the yolks into a bowl. Set the whites aside.

5. Blend the yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, onion, salt, and pepper until smooth.

6. Spoon or pipe the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle each deviled egg with paprika.

Yield: 12 deviled eggs. Prep time: 10-15 minutes. Cooking time: 12 minutes.

Thank you for a kindness shown and for a job well-done to the following extraordinary angels in training:

Evelyn Swan, Au Jewelers; Ginny Todd; Lori Roberts, RCH; Jane Bubar, RCH; Louise Stickney; Gail Thompson; Rhonda Shaw; Norman Robichaud; Irene Haynes; Dr. Petrona Manasseh; Lisa and nurses at Swift River Health Care; X-Ray Dept., at RCH; Lincare and Heather Hathaway; Linda Jamison; Joyce Saisi, “glad I found you.”; Nancy Theriault, RFT; Lorraine Nadeau; and John Soucy, the watchman.

Kindness not only counts but it adds up! We miss you every day, Dot Sanchas!

Until then, smile and give someone a basket of hope, happiness and love this very day. Gratefully live in the present.