By Ivalien Reynolds

As we start the New Year 2019, I want to apologize for a mistake in last week’s Party Line. I really don’t know what happened. It was Pat Spangler that calls me from Florida, not Pat Stanley. I’m so sorry for that error.

It was a wonderful Christmas season in my community – a lot like the ones I remember in my young days.

So sorry that Alan Campo has fallen and is in the hospital. Please put him on your prayer list. Alan is a very interesting person.

“Miss” Claudine Wood up on the mountain had a nice Christmas. She enjoys her Christmas cards every year.

I’m really enjoying the Old Farmer’s Almanac for 2019 that the Ratliff family gave me. There is lots of good information in it.

I enjoyed some time with neighbor Teresa Martin and thanks for my pretty red bird door mat. It’s so cheerful.

It was so good to hear from Gene and Yvonne Tinker of Charlotte, N.C. but they also have a home on the mountain, on Belcher Mountain.

It really brightened my day when neighbor Adrienne Hiatt came to visit. She came with a lot of goodies – love those lemon biscuits. They are expecting their first child. She and her husband, Jonathan, are really excited. I know they will be the best parents a child could have.

Beverly Woody came by on Christmas day. I wish Mark could have come. It was like Santa Clause had come again – she brought me a bird feeder, a big bag of bird seed, gift card, and Amish books.

The Soup Kitchen got towels, toilet paper, Ziploc bags, and trash bags. It sure made them happy. They even remembered Larry and Teresa and Mike and Sue Hall. We all thank you and God bless. It was a good day.

Mary Ann called from D.C. on Thursday – always look forward to her weekly call.

Date pudding from a Pennsylvania Dutch cookbook

1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)

2 eggs, well beaten

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup pitted dates, cut in pieces

1 cup nuts, coarsely chopped

Beat the brown sugar into the eggs. Stir in mixture of flour and baking powder. Stir in dates and nuts. Turn mixture into a shallow 1 1/4 quart baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve with cream.

Food for thought – Listening to God is always the key to revealing any mystery.