The great comments you left after reading my Christmas from Scratch post got me thinking. Maybe Chicago Public radio would be interested in airing a piece about our Grandma Moos and how she was a recycler wayyyy ahead of her time.
And so, I rejiggered that post a bit (translation: made it shorter) and submitted it. After a few back and forths with the editor, I cabbed over to the WBEZ studios at Navy Pier to record it.
Most commentators read their public radio essays. But that doesn’t work for me. I can read Braille, but I’m very slow. So Joe DeCeault, one of my favorite producers, put me in front of a microphone after Hanni and I arrived at WBEZ last week. He asked what my essay was about, and once I got started I just went on and on and on about Grandma Moos and her recycling ways. I told him how Grandma’s good sense evolved into our tradition of making things for each other at Christmas – you know, rather than buying gifts.
Joe had a printed copy of my essay in front of him, but he didn’t want me to repeat it verbatim. He looked it over as I talked, but only interrupted if he found something I’d forgotten to mention. “Tell me about the wrapping paper your grandma used,” he’d say. Or, “What did Grandma Moos do for a living?”
When all was said and done, I said just about everything that had been in the written essay. I had sent a link to the song my brother Doug wrote for me as a gift last year, and Joe had already listened to it before I arrived. “It’s perfect!” he said.
Joe has good taste –it is a pretty darned good song. The way Joe takes Doug’s tune and weaves it in-between my words, however, brings it to absolute perfection. The piece aired yesterday on Chicago Public Radio’s 848 show. If you missed it, you can take a listen online to see (okay, hear) if you agree: it’s perfect!
Loved hearing you on the radio yesterday, Beth! Great story.
I left a comment on the WBEZ website but, in case you miss it, wanted to let you know I’m appropriating your wonderful family tradition. I’m sure you and Grandma Moos won’t mind.
Mary Ellen, you know how they say “Imitation is the best form of flattery”? Well..I’m flattered! And I know Grandma Moos would be, too. Thanks for the fun comment, and good luck with the homemade gifts!
I have been privileged by marriage to have participated in this Christmas ritual for, oh, about 25 years now. And about this time of year, I, like most of the other adults–particularly the in-laws–are grumbling about it being a curse as we rush to finish our gifts. But it’s as Beth described, and I think most of us are tickled when we land on a good idea. And since so many of Beth’s family are Cub fans, there’s no shortage of gift ideas for a devious White Sox fan like me.
It can get pretty creative. There was for example, a homemade footstool, I mean literally, a footstool. It was made by an avid deer hunter. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.
Oh I feel so special to be mentioned on the radio! What an honor that of all the gifts…you mentioned mine! 🙂 I guess it goes without saying the gift you made me a few years ago was one of my Top 2 favorites! Can’t wait to see what Grandma Minke made me this year!! Happy Holidays!! Stay warm up there!
I’m pretty sure the gift Jennifer is referring to in this comment is the one she received from Mike a few years back –he wrote blurbs and took photos to print out a brochure for her that highlighted all the terrific “destinations’ in our Printers Row neighborhood in Chicago. The brochure included a coupon she could exchange for a personally led pub crawl. Needless to say, we ALL enjoyed sharing Jennifer’s gift when she cashed it in during a visit from Orlando later that year!
PS: I am wearing the earrings Jennifer made me as I type this – we had our company holiday party at Easter Seals this afternoon, and sure enough, someone came up and said, “Oh, I like your earrings!”
I listened – and I agree – it’s perfect. I love Doug’s song, and hearing it woven in-between your words is just great.
See you in the morning!
Thanks, Laurie — I’ll try to remember to wear Jennifer’s earrings for our breakfast date this morning. And Jennifer, guess what? I already *know* what Minke made you for Xmas — she passed it around the table at Thanksgiving for everyone to admire. If no one had been looking, I would have stuck it in my bag under the table to take home for myself. You are a lucky gal….but I’m not telling you what it is. You’ll have to wait until Christmas!
Argh! I’m sorry I missed it!
I wish I heard about Grandma Moos sooner…I’m an
avid recycler. We would have gotten along really
well.
Happy Holidays to you and Mike!
Joanna
I loved that radio piece and the song was cool! Does anybody ever make Hanni anything?
Joanna, Happy Christmas to you and Joe, too! Jenny, in answer to your question: our extended family does not have many dogs — the year I got Pandora, my first Seeing Eye dog, the only other dog in the family was my niece’s dog Bailey. For fun I had Pandora make something for Bailey –can’t remember what it was now, perhaps we made Dora’s pawprint into a Christmas ornament or something? Bailey has died since, but now another nephew has a dog: Cooper. Maybe Cooper and Hanni can exchange next year, thanks for the idea!
In the meantime, over the years Hanni has received many homemade gifts from dog-loving friends, mostly homemade dog biscuits.
Oh jesus christ…no damn dogs. Beth it’s so obvious you have missed my much needed input to keep you on track.
Leave a Response