Sunday, February 16, 2014

The Book of Me, Written By You - Prompt 14 - Special People

I'm on a mini roll today. This is going to be my second blog post in a day.

This one is similar to the one for Prompt 13. The difference this time is that we can invite family. Yahoo!

The instructions are as follows:

If you had to hold a dinner party and could invite a maximum of 12 people, who would you invite?

This time, you can include family.

What meals would you serve and why

Perhaps include the recipe or a photo if you decided to actually cook the items!

*****


You know I think I actually need more than 12 invitations but here goes.

The first person I would invite would be my Dad. I've missed him terribly since his earthly journey ended. I also would like to ask him all about his childhood. I was finally starting to ask him about his younger days, and I ache to know more. Dad nor his siblings talked a lot about their childhood.

Invitation #2 goes to Mom. She's more than mom, she's friend cheerleader, etc.

Invites 3-6, go to my grandparents starting with my paternal grandfather, Harry Claudius Jones. I never knew my paternal grandfather. I have so many questions that I would like to ask him but more than anything I would've like to have a relationship with him in the same way that I did with my maternal grandfather. I like to think that granddaddy Jones would've mellowed out by the time I came along and that I, being his youngest grandchild would have had him wrapped around my finger.

My grandmothers, Mary Pierce Hosch and Iola Everett Jones, were around during my early years but but because I was so young when they died, I didn't really get a chance to know them.

My maternal grandfather, Oscar Lucillous "LC" Hosch, like with my dad, I just want to spend more time with. I want to hear more of the stories of his life in Georgia. 

My maternal great grandmother, Fannie of the many last names (maternal grandmother's mom) receives Invitation #7. I never knew great grandmomma Fannie. For that matter, her granddaughter, my mother, never knew her either. This would be the perfect opportunity  to ask her exactly what her maiden name was and to find out all about her mysterious life.

Paternal great grandmomma Martha Jones, you receive Invitation #8. Grandma Martha is granddaddy Claudius' biological mother, and she's an even greater mystery than grandmomma Fannie. She could provide so much information, I would hope, about that line of my family.

I would also like to meet some of my far flung cousins that I've discovered as a result of my blogging but the main 3 that I would like to meet are Little Irene, Viola, and Cornell.  Little Irene (second cousin once removed) and Viola (3rd cousin once removed) are descendants of maternal grand and great grand aunts. Cornell  is a paternal 3rd cousin once removed and descends from my great grand uncle. That takes care of 10-11.

I decided that Invitation #12 would go to someone outside the family but who has a strong connection to my family. I would like to invite Pat, great granddaughter of Henry Hosch, last slave owner of my maternal great grandfather, Barto Hosch, and my maternal 2nd great grandmother, Matilda Hosch. Pat, who lives one county over from me, and I have been saying for years that we would like to meet each other but we've yet to do it. This would be a perfect time to get together.

Dinner would consist of some old favorites. Cornbread, Pinto Beans, Fried Chicken, Collard Greens, Macaroni and Cheese, Green Beans, Pound Cake, Sweet Tea, and Buttermilk. Yum!

The Book of Me, Written by You - Prompt 13 - Who's Coming to Dinner

Hi all, I'm finally back. What a hectic and crazy start to 2014, especially the last 2 weeks.

I got the latest round of health care items taken care of, which was follow-up to all the crazy health stuff I had going on the second half of 2013. Then this past week right as I was finishing up the latest round of testing, Snowmeggedon 2014 struck. Since I was snowed in, you would think that it would have been a perfect time to catch up with blogging but it never even crossed my mind. I guess I needed things to start thawing out before I tried to get going yet again. So, here I am.

First goal, is to try to get caught up, as much as possible, on the blogging prompts for The Book of Me. When I begin participating in this series, I started with Prompt #12. So, the next prompt is

Prompt 13 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

If you had to hold a dinner party and could invite a maximum of 12 special people,
who would you invite?

You can not include family in this - the special people should be famous or historical people.

What meals would you serve and why?

Perhaps include a recipe or photo if you decided to actually cook the items.

*****

Here is the list of invitees

Jesus - I would like a chance to talk to him face to face in the here and now to understand why he has allowed certain things to happen.

John F. Kennedy - I was a toddler when President Kennedy died, so I don't remember anything about his presidency. I believe I was in 8th grade, when thanks to my mom who was obsessed with the Kennedys, told me about the assassination of JFK. From that point forward, I've always been fascinated by President Kennedy, especially his assassination.

Barack Obama - He's the first politician in a long time that made me want to get involved in the political process beyond just voting.

Shirley Chisholm - Because she was a black woman who decided to make a run for president in the early 1970s, I took notice. She was definitely her own woman.

Reginald Lewis - Even before I decided to go back to school and get an MBA, I was always fascinated with business. In that vain, I loved me some Reginald Lewis and admired and was fascinated by his rise to become at that time the wealthiest black man in America. He had a brilliant mind.

Queen Nzinga - Prior to last year, I had never heard of Queen Nzinga. Even in adult life, I continue to learn about various historical figures. Queen Nzinga was a 17th century African ruler  of the Ndongo and Matamba kingdoms (present day Angola). Queen Nzinga fought for the freedom of her kingdoms against the Portuguese.

(Picture of Queen Nzinga obtained from Amazing Women in History)


Now for the athletes, authors, entertainers, et. al.

Terrell Owens - I don't know what it is about "TO". Although I've always thought he had a nice bod and all, I would never go on a date with him. I'm too old for him for one thing and my fascination with him has never been from that aspect. I've just always imagined that if you were in his entourage, you would have a fun time. 

Toni Morrison

James Baldwin

Peter Sellers - Nothing like a good Pink Panther movie



Rod Sterling - Old reruns of The Twilight Zone got me through collage. My only compliant was that it came on around midnight. For the most part, The Twilight Zone was the only Sci-Fi that I've ever understood.

Romare Bearden - I've always admired his artwork


Picture of Jammin at the Savoy obtained from The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art website.


Well, that completes the list of the invitees. Since my invitees are varied, I've decided that the best meal would be a Progressive dinner. We can start out at my place and let Jesus finish things up.