Spam, anyone? No, not the kind we get through our emails — I’m talking about the kind out of the can.

For a long time, I wouldn’t admit that I really liked Spam — especially after several hundred or maybe thousands started holding an annual Spam-O-Rama. These folks are NOT spam lovers! I haven’t been to this April event, but reports of spam contests, spam art, and spam songs/dance seem to be pretty gross.

Today, I’m “coming out of the pantry.” I love Spam. Now, there ARE limits — it has to be cooked, as in sliced thin and fried in a skillet until golden brown. Throw those slices onto bread with maybe a hint of mustard, add some potato chips to the plate, and you’ve got a great meal or snack. It’s even good cold — but after it has been cooked! And thus, that was my supper tonight — left-over, cold SPAM between two slices of wheat (impressed, huh?) bread. For color, I did throw a few pieces of lettuce and tomato in a bowl — hoping those healthy foods will counter any “bad” stuff in the Spam.

Now, before you go and judge me or reply how awful this dietary news is — answer this question: What is the most favorite food of the people who live in Hawaii?

You probably guessed seafood, pineapple, macadamia nuts . . . .

Wrong.

So, now you’re probably thinking, it’s something weird like Cajun food, or escargot, or Ellie Mae Clampett’s possum soup . . . .

No, still wrong.

OK, maybe you have it now — SPAM! More Spam goes out of the grocery stores there than any other state (source: my husband’s trivia reading). If you doubt him, type “Spam Hawaii” in at Google — two things popped up that may also give you a chuckle:

Hawaii’s 2nd Spam Cookbook
Author: Ann Kondo Corum
Product Code: 1352
ISBN: 1-57306-135-2
Publisher: Bess Press
Pages: 160
Binding Information: Paperback
Size: 8.5″ X 5.5″
Availability: In stock.
Price: $9.95

AND . . .

The 78 McDonald’s outlets in Hawaii have begun test-marketing a breakfast meal that consists of egg, rice and Spam.

Spam has been a laughing matter on the mainland since babyboomers were babies, but the Hormel product made from pork parts is staggeringly popular in Hawaii, which has the highest Spam consumption per capita of any state.

Spam musubi (“moo-soo-BEE”), consisting of a strip of cooked Spam sitting on a block of rice and held in place by a sushi-style seaweed girdle, is a popular breakfast food and lunchtime or picnic snack.

So, from now on when you come to our house, you may see a can or two of this Hormel product near the front of our pantry shelves. Now, that I’ve been made aware of the large number of Spam lovers (and when I think of all those who buy it for the many Spam-O-Rama’s around the country), I’m wondering how Hormel’s stock (HRL) is doing . . . .

Seems only a few months ago that everyone was writing about and talking about how bad things were going to be when our computer programs failed in the year 2000. Of course, we all worried about something that didn’t happen. In fact, as I reflected today, the year 2000 was a great year for us — I retired after 32 years of teaching, we went to Europe with 8 other wonderful friends for three weeks, and our grandchildren (with their parents) moved much closer to us.

All of these thoughts came to me as I drove in a wonderful August rain to pick up our grandkids about 25 minutes away from our house. Since school starts next Monday, it’s great to have them with us a few more days whenever possible. On the way back to our house, I told them to be on the “lookout” for some big rocks on the side of the road — to be put upon the top of each grandchild’s head to stop their growth! They always heave a BIG sigh when I tell them this.

Where have these past five years gone? Many events have occurred in our family — mostly blessings. Just a few:

• Terry also retired — for the second time
• Randy and Kelby received teacher certifications and taught
• Melissa finished classes and received her registered nursing license
• Keegan starts fifth grade next week
• Brielle starts third grade next week
• McKenna starts K next week
• Kelby became an Austin firefighter–after a decade of trying
• Daddy passed away, peacefully, after months of struggle trying to breathe
• Terry’s Mom settled in with his sister in Illinois
• Randy, Melissa, and her family went on an Alaskan cruise
• Aunt Mary passed away — my hero
• Five more years of continued good friendship, travels, and fun times with Ann, Nick, Paula, and Tom
• A business was formed (Samtiques) from our hobbies and interests
• Several surgeries and followup treatment for skin cancer has been effective
• Terry’s Aunt Macky passed away in Illinois.
• Purchased a small RV and have traveled West to Arizona, East to New England area, North to Niagara Falls and Canada, and South to San Antonio.
• Quilting has entered my life of leisure
• Did I mention I retired?

Yes, life after Y2K has been very good, except for the loss of our loved ones.

Our grandson MADE OUR DAY today! Melissa shared with us a comment that she overheard him make to his friend, Hayden, while they were in the car on the way to our house. They had been to Target finishing up school supply purchases, and Keegan mentioned going to his grandparent’s house. Hayden repeated, “We’re going to your grandparent’s house?” . . . (as in “that doesn’t sound like any fun”). Keegan responded, “yes, but they are really cool, you’ll like them.”

You can’t imagine how that made our hearts swell upon hearing that!

As a business teacher for 32 years, one of my personal goals each day I went into the classroom was to “Make A Difference.”

In today’s email, I received this poem and would like to share with all:

MAKE A DIFFERENCE
by Debbie Preuss

Lord, help me make a difference
In someone’s life today.
May I always be alert
As I go on my way.
May I reach out in love
To point the way to you;
Showing Your direction
When this life is like a zoo.
May fear never be a reason
For me to shrink away.
May I always feel free
To say “come on let’s pray.”
May I be a beacon
Shining brightly in the night;
Radiating joy and mercy,
Shining forth Your light.
May I always be alert
As I go on my way.
Lord, help me make a difference
In someone’s life today.

We might not ever know the “difference” we made in someone’s life, and many times it might happen with just an expression or one word.

STAN night — it was Ann’s pick. Spaghetti Warehouse was our destination because she had a birthday letter from them worth a nice meal. Our SW is located downtown — where parking is a premium even on a Monday evening. There are several nice restaurants in the same area and most of those offer valet parking. Across the street from and in back of SW are two parking lots, but each one had a well-made sign: “Parking $5.00.” We lucked out just a block away at a parking meter — free after 5:00 pm. Now, this empty space was on the far left of a one-way street, and we were on the far right lane as we passed it by. Nick spotted it and “spoke” to our driver, Ann, about grabbing that one! So, Ann scooted over to the far left lane, but by this time we were about 5-6 parking spaces past the empty one. No worry, Ann CAN put that minivan in reverse as good as any soccer mom. We only had to stop once when a car coming up behind us in the far left lane interferred with our bi-directional vehicle. That driver finally went around us — think we may have received a kind gesture from him. Ann parallel parked us and we were only a block from good food — closer if we walked through an alley, which we did. Our noses later told us that was a mistake — but it was a safe shortcut, and it was daylight. SW was very good tonight, and our waiter even entertained us with some “contact juggling” — first with the empty Sangria wine bottle at our table and second with a small crystal ball. He was quite good. We all agreed that our walk back to the car would be around the block, the long way home. What pleased us the most as we left the restaurant were all of the rain puddles and the sprinkles still coming down upon us — such a blessing to have rain here in August!