InDepthNH.org (https://indepthnh.org/series/joyful-musings)
Susan Dromey Heeter is a writer from Dover who recently let her hair go au natural white. Writing has been her passion since her English majoring days at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Dromey Heeter has lived in The Netherlands, Alaska and currently basks in all things New England, including the frigid winters. An avid swimmer, Dromey Heeter’s great passion is to bring back body surfing as most children have no idea how to ride waves without ridiculous boogie boards.
Most families I know have one nativity set. One. They set it up this time of year with the requisite camels, lambs, Mary, Joseph and three Wise Men. It’s simple. It’s done. No great shakes, no need for a Jesus Hotel.
The Candy Platter will have color, individual wrapping and enough sugar to create cavities in 10,000 molars.
As a Spanish Teacher, I muse joyfully on Día de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead. This is the Mexican holiday where families delight in and welcome back the souls of their relatives who have passed on, died, expired, kicked the bucket.
Today I muse joyfully on Green Day’s song, “Wake Me Up when September Ends.” It’s a beautiful song of mourning, of loss, of sadness, of fatique.
I collect shells for a purpose, I’ve been relearning the art of decoupage and creating some lovely images.
Today I muse joyfully on looking ahead to my final school year, my final going back in September, my final creation of roll books and seating charts.
There are very few things in life that never disappoint: McDonald’s French fries, a baby’s giggle, cornflower blue, and the Naturalization Ceremony held every July 4th at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth.
But today I muse joyfully on something tangible that brings back my mother and seems to elicit an ethereal flashback to many on their own mothers and childhoods: S&H Green Stamps.
First of all, Judy is someone I’ve been playing Words with Friends with for over seven years. I do not know her last name, where she lives, her family or professional life.
My mom used those hands for everything – bathing children, changing diapers, braiding hair, cooking, cleaning, knitting, rosary praying, phone cradling, admonishing, writing.