INA AND THE GINGERBREAD PAGEANT -- DAY 20

If Ina thought she was busy before, now she was really busy. Fortunately she was well-organized. She had made her “to do” list and was checking it twice, but truth be told, so much of the food preparation just couldn’t be done until the last minute. The cleaning could be done, though, so Ina dusted away.

This morning she called the Orofino Mercantile and ordered groceries to be “sent up” on Saturday. Back in the day, the families living on the rural routes depended on the mailman to bring groceries and supplies – a service long since discontinued by our Post Office. Anyway, Ina ordered perishables, such as lettuce, celery, oranges, a couple of grapefruit, bananas, a pineapple, and also mixed nuts in shell and bulk hard candy. These “specialty” items were treats for Christmas, for which she carefully budgeted in advance.

Today, the mailman brought another batch of Christmas cards and delivered a box from daughter Ethel. Knowing her mother’s fondness for green string, Ethel had used plenty to tie up the box. (In those days – and maybe into the ‘60s – the preferred method for mailing boxes was to wrap them in brown paper and tie with string.) The box was full of wonderful-looking packages for under the tree, including one for Shirley Anne, but for now, the box was stored in the corner of the living room.

When Shirley Anne arrived home from school, she reported that they had had a dress rehearsal for their Gingerbread Pageant. All the costumes fit well, she said, or if they didn’t, Miss Johnson was able to fix them with safety pins. Putting on the pageant was such fun, and she could hardly wait until Friday afternoon’s performance. “Will you and Uncle Jack come,” Shirley Anne wanted to know.

“Yes indeed,” said Ina. “We wouldn’t miss it! And Aunt Bertha and Uncle June will be there, too.” And Shirley Anne hopped for joy. KW