Pope will get a taste of bread from Carson City

John Hurzel never figured he'd be feeding the pope, but on Christmas day, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, will be feasting on one of John's stollens (a sweet German bread mixed with fruit).

Seems a traveling priest tasted one at Grandma Hattie's (John's restaurant on South Carson Street) and took some with him to the Archbishop of San Francisco. The archbishop was so impressed, he ordered six of them last week to take with him to Rome for the pope's Christmas breakfast. Blessings and congratulations upon thou, John ... that ought to be worth at least six yummy points toward getting you into heaven ...

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Maizie is starting a new political party ... the Federalist Union Party ... aka FEDUP. After listening to Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic party waffle on Tim Russert's question, "How would you get out of Iraq?" and President Bush's pronouncements on same ... she is fed up with BOTH parties with their ultra-right and liberal-left "blame the other" proclivities, and wants to see a more self-thinking (rather than self-serving) government. Carolyn has already signed up ... so any more takers? We need more people who are FOR this country, rather than AGAINST everything. What happened to respect, honor, and working together? Think about it ...

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Margaret Montes says according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, that while "both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer, males drop theirs at the beginning of winter, but females retain theirs until spring ... therefore, according to every historical rendition of Santa's reindeer, all of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, were girls. We should have known ... only women would be able to drag a plump-bottomed man in a red velvet suit all over the world in one night and not get lost ... "

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We celebrate the birth of Christ every Dec. 25 ... but it is also a time to remember that with the joy of birth, is the inevitability of death, and, unfortunately, we have lost some very dear people this month ... Carolyn Opitz, Judy (Scott) Rodarte, Bob Humphrey, and Fran Brooks, to name but a few. Our deepest condolences to all who love them ...

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Oscar Ford wrote that he was concerned about Medicare paying for single rooms in our new hospital when they state that they would only cover semi-private ones ... we contacted the hospital and were told by Cheri Glockner that it was not a problem, since Medicare pays by the DRG (the diagnosis), and while they will not pay for "deluxe" rooms, the "private" rooms at CTRMC are not a problem. That's good news for all of us ...

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The Children's Museum is holding a "Cracker Shacks" graham cracker Christmas house workshop today from 10-11:30 a.m ... get down there fast this morning, or call them at 884-2226 and ask about their other programs, too ...

And while we're on the subject of food (graham crackers are food) ... Adele's Charlie Abowd tells us that Donna Nordin, one of PBS's "great chefs of the West" from Tucson, Ariz., is coming to Carson City Jan. 13, 14, and 15, to teach three classes in French and Southwestern cuisine ... classes are $125 each, or $300 for all three, and will be held at Mollie's Gourmet Catering ... call 841-5511 for information ... then call Carolyn and Maizie once you have completed the courses, feed us, and we will tell you if you passed ...

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Kirk Kinne told us of the annual Christmas shopping spree for underprivileged children hosted by Western Nevada Supply ... children from Carson, Douglas and Lyon counties were scheduled to be there, but the day before, someone called and said the Douglas County kids couldn't come because they couldn't provide bus drivers. It was then that the redoubtable trio of Kim Riggs, Mike Mitchell and Mary Piercsynski came to the rescue and sent buses from the Carson City School District ... Christmas was saved ... and everyone had a wonderful, wonderful time ... thanks to WNS and everyone who helped out ...

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Carolyn's cousin, Jack Gregg, in Fremont, Calif., sent this one to us ... "A man in Phoenix called his son in New York a week before Christmas and said, 'I hate to ruin your day, but your mother and I are getting a divorce ... call your sister in Chicago and tell her, because I'm sick of talking about it."

The son screamed in protest, but gave up and called his sister, who exploded saying, 'Like hell they're getting divorced ... I'll take care of this.' So she gets on the phone to her dad and shouts, 'You are NOT getting divorced ... my brother and I are flying in tomorrow ... until then, don't do a thing. Do you hear me?' And she hangs up.

The father hangs up and turns to his wife ... 'Okay,' he says, 'they're both coming for Christmas and their both paying their own way.'" And who says old people don't have a sense of humor ...

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And another cousin of Carolyn's, Dr. Kathleen McKay-Zahedi, a new chiropractor in Marsing, Idaho, wrote to say how friendly and welcoming everyone in town was, but that as she was sitting in her office she noticed the parking lot across the street was filling up with people in their cars looking in her office window. She waved, but could see them whispering and talking, and, as more and more came, the more worried she became.

As soon as she pulled her blinds and locked the door, she heard alarms and sirens, and thought, "This is it." Just then a fire engine came down the street ... a fire? No ... the annual Santa parade had started. Welcome to Marsing, Kathleen ...

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To all of you, a blessed and Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, a joyous Kwanzaa, and, for the politically correct ... Happy Holidays! (did we leave out anything?)

And it's not too late to take a canned ham or frozen turkey to FISH for those less fortunate ... may you spend your Christmas in contact with those you love. Peace ...

n Carolyn DeMar and Maizie Harris Jesse are longtime Carson City residents. Write to them at editor@nevadaappeal.com.