Sasee Magazine - December 2020

December 2020

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December 2020 “Baubles & Bows”

Contents Volume 19, Issue 12

About the Cover Artist: Dita Omuri is a British painter, living and working in the UK. Her sketchbook was a constant companion throughout her childhood in her native country Albania. It was through art competitions she secured herself a scholarship to a School of Fine Art at the age of 14. In 1998 she moved to the UK to continue her studies with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art, where she has lived ever since. Her paintings have been exhibited and sold in both solo and group shows across the world. Her art is greatly influenced by her love of fashion and female figurative photography. She describes her style as “powerful and feminine, sensual and sophisticated, with a dash of glamour!” A painting to her is like a best friend – she gets your mind buzzing with motivation to look good and feel good.

You can find more of her art on social media platforms. #ditaomuri www.facebook.com/artofdita www.saatchiart.com/artofdita www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Artofdita 4 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

8

The Red Umbrella by Diane DeVaughn Stokes

10

Southern-ish Holiday Traditions

by Sarah Elaine Hawkinson

14

Eleanor Pitts: The Gift of a Strong Family Tradition

by Sarah Elaine Hawkinson

16 18 20

Recipe Magic by Melissa Face

22

We’re Pretty Wrapped Up

by Sarah Elaine Hawkinson

24

Surprise at the Rescue Mission by Erika Hoffman

30

John Dabrowski: Living the Local Life

by Sarah Elaine Hawkinson

32 34

December Calendar of Events

Christmas Wine by Rose Ann Sinay Lights in the Night by Sally Gosen Case

Holiday Tablescapes

from the Editor

Publisher Delores Blount Sales & Marketing Director Susan Bryant Editor Sarah Elaine Hawkinson

My favorite Christmas tradition is truly a southern one. I don’t know about you, but I have always found the idea of eating similar cuisine for Christmas as we just enjoyed for Thanksgiving a bit excessive.

Okay, except for the pie! I will always eat another slice of sweet homemade pie baked by my even sweeter grandmother Elaine.

One year, I convinced my family to ditch our traditional meal and instead assemble a seafood Christmas. I did not have to try too hard though - I mean, ‘tis the season for oysters, am I right? While the main course was being prepared, we mingled over delicious appetizers consisting of Carolina Caviar and Cajun crab dip. We sipped our spicy Bloody Mary’s in honor of my Papa which we garnished with crispy bacon, green olives, and pickled okra. We roasted the blue crabs and oysters freshly caught from the inlet.

We concocted the classic low country boil overflowing with juicy shrimp, red potatoes, sweet onions, buttery corn, spicy smoked sausage, and plenty of Old Bay. We gathered around our big wooden porch table as we laughed and merrily ate our not-so-traditional seafood Christmas dinner finished off with some of that good ol’ made-from-scratch pecan pie.

Now that I have your mouth watering and your holiday senses tingling, go make yourself a Poinsettia Mimosa (champagne and cranberry juice) and unwind as you read our December Sasee issue bursting with family traditions, amusing stories, and beautiful holiday décor.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year,

Account Executives Stacy Danosky Erica Schneider Gay Stackhouse Art Director Patrick Sullivan Contributing Photographer Chasing the Light Photography Web Developer Scott Konradt Accounting Gail Knowles Executive Publishers Jim Creel Bill Hennecy Suzette Rogers PO Box 1389, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 fax 843-626-6452 • phone 843-626-8911 www.sasee.com • info@sasee.com Sasee is published monthly and distributed free along the Grand Strand. Letters to the editor are welcome, but could be edited for length. Submissions of articles and art are welcome. Visit our website for details on submission.

Sasee is a Strand Media Group, Inc. publication.

Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material, in part or in whole, prepared by Strand Media Group, Inc. and appearing within this publication is strictly prohibited. Title “Sasee” is registered with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

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The Red Umbrella

by Dianne DeVaughn Stokes

It was our seventh Christmas together. I know you are automatically thinking about the seven-year itch, but I like to call it the seven-year “switch.”

But a red umbrella?

You see, after seven years of married life, I decided to switch things up a bit and call a truce on presents.

“If you want to bring the red umbrella back to the store, I still have the receipt.”

As perfect a husband as Chuck is, he has never been great at shopping for presents for me or anyone else in the family, including for his mom, so I took over the duties of buying for everyone else, while he continued handling items for me for birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

I quickly replied, “Of course not. It just wasn’t as warm and fuzzy as I might expect at Christmas.”

I must admit there were a few winners over the years!

Yet one of the craziest but loving things he ever got for me was a gift certificate to Victoria’s Secret for Valentine’s Day. I guess I should feel incredibly flattered to think that Chuck thought there might be something there that would fit me.

Okay, I’m not obese, but there was not a single piece of underwear or outwear there that could fit a voluptuous body.

Maybe he was trying to tell me that he was sick and tired of me wearing flannel nightgowns or baggy tee shirts when I lounged around the house.

Either way, I gave the gift certificate to my sister who was thrilled to be able to buy more sassy black lace thongs to add to her collection. (Heck, I don’t even know what the purpose of those things are as they “barely” cover anything!)

And then there were birthday gifts that did not fit or styles and colors that were awkwardly not my thing at all!

Besides, we were both getting to a point where if we needed something for ourselves, we would each just go out and buy it on our own.

So, I called a truce. I suggested that we skip buying presents for each other and put the money towards two great vacations each year instead, and he was equally thrilled with that idea. I knew I was doing both of us a favor.

However, we agreed to buy each other something worth $25 to put under the Christmas tree since we were with other family members opening their gifts on Christmas morning.

That’s when “the red umbrella” showed up under the tree.

Yes, you heard me. A red umbrella! It was one of those compact ones that fit into your purse, not very romantic for sure. My sister and her husband laughed their heads off.

Even mom and dad giggled trying not to insult Chuck. At least I gave him a neat royal blue sport shirt to match his beautiful blue eyes.

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The next day, Chuck brought the topic up.

That’s when Chuck set me straight.

He said he thought it was a great gift because he knew I had a cute red raincoat, and the last time he saw me in the rain I had a black umbrella that was large and bulky. He said when he watched me trying to balance it with my overstuffed handbag, a smaller more compact umbrella came to his mind.

I was heartsick to think the family and I razzed him not only on Christmas morning but also all day long about it and he was such a good sport and took it in stride.

How many husbands notice their wife’s raincoat or know the color of it?

With that, I kissed him and thanked him for the lovely gift.

And it was then and there that we agreed to skip giving presents totally including Christmas and add to the vacation fund instead.

And you know what? I still have that red umbrella thirty years later but unless I am wearing my red raincoat, I don’t take it with me because I am so afraid I might lose it. It is more precious to me than you can imagine.

My red umbrella reminds me that what I thought at the time was a very thoughtless gift, turned out to be one of the most THOUGHTFUL gifts of all.

Merry Christmas, Chuck. I adore you.

Diane DeVaughn Stokes is the co-owner of Stages Video Productions in Myrtle Beach and the Host and Producer of “Inside Out” on HTC, channel 4. She and her husband Chuck share passions for theater, travel, scuba diving and their 3 four-legged kids. Diane is the author of “Floating on Air-A Broadcasting Love Affair” about her 47 years in Radio and Television.

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Southern-ish Holiday Traditions

by Sarah Elaine Hawkinson

To start, let’s discuss the biggest Christmas tradition debate: does Santa wrap or not wrap his presents? This discussion can be tricky for newly blended families or couples with newly born children. Can the couples survive the negotiation of how to handle Santa’s presents?

This is a tough issue to compromise on considering that most people on either side of the equation feel very strongly based on their personal upbringing and family traditions. Okay, Sasee readers, let’s put it to a vote and see what the majority is, does your Santa wrap or not wrap Christmas presents?

Post a picture of Christmas morning and hashtag to let us know your tradition. #SaseeSantaWrappedOrUnwrapped #MySaseeSantaWraps #MySaseeSantaDoesNotWrap 10 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

Elf on the Shelf

Southern Greenery Decorating with fresh greenery is one of the oldest holiday traditions dating back to ancient times. Evergreens, such as Magnolia and Pine, represent eternal life and hope for the return of spring.

These two specific types are certainly southern, and they both add their own flair to garland, wreaths, mantles, and table centerpieces. Magnolia leaves are large, dark, and glossy and make great use as the base for all types of decorations due to their size and their ability to stay fresh for a long time.

Pine leaves vary but regardless of the type, they all add a fresh look and natural scent to decorations and are long-lasting with exceptional needle retention. No matter which greenery you have gathered for your decorating this year, be sure to keep in mind all the ways to keep it safe and fresh for you to enjoy all season long.

Christmas Cuisine

Some parts of the country replace their Christmas meat with Lutefisk, a type of fish that originated from Vikings. It is said to be a food that is either very loved or very hated and it is claimed that “eating Lutefisk once a year is probably enough.” In the south, we understand this love/hate phenomenon with oysters. December is considered our oyster season, so it is the perfect time to make all things oyster related: oyster dressing, oyster pie, oyster casserole, you name it, we make it. We southerners also love anything deepfried, so why not fry a turkey to make its outsides deliciously crispy and its insides flavorfully juicy. Naturally, the deep-fried turkey tradition is catching on in other parts of the nation, but as we all know, the idea of oysters takes a little bit more convincing, but those of us who love them, can’t get enough.

Ah, yes, the tradition parents have a love/loathe relationship with – depending on how mischievous their children may be. The concept behind the Elf on the Shelf is that he/she is in charge of watching the behavior of the children throughout the holiday season and reports back to Santa to better help him with his naughty and nice lists. The “scout elf” moves around the house and is set up in various elaborate schemes that make for great amusement. The scenarios are meant to be configured by the parents, but as we have seen through social media, the kids’ creativity sometimes takes over the actions of the elf. The product started in 2004 involving a storybook accompanied by a pixie elf but the idea originated from a family tradition that dates back to the 1970s. The Aebersold family of Georgia decided to self-publish The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition to share their one-of-a-kind family fun. The family trio had no idea at the time that eleven million elves would be “adopted” making the Elf on the Shelf a global phenomenon.

Southern-ish Holiday Traditions The Christmas Regatta

This spectacular maritime parade happens for us locals every year starting at the waterfront of Little River heading south and ending in North Myrtle Beach. The Christmas Regatta allows family and friends to gather together to view the beautifully decorated boats that are brightly glowing over the water.

This unique version of a parade is also a fundraiser and the donations are made to Yachts for Tots which provide Christmas presents and other needs for children in the area. Come out and celebrate our unique, dazzling tradition together.

Poinsettias

The most iconic botanical of the holiday season is America’s “Christmas Flower.”

Poinsettias originated from Mexico and called Cuetlaxochitl. The plant was first used medicinally to treat fevers and cosmetically to dye clothing but was later established as a decorative plant associated with Christmas traditions. These plants native to Central America were brought to the United States by our country’s first ambassador to Mexico, botanist Joel Roberts Poinsett. The flower was renamed after him because, in the winter of 1828, he transported the plants to his home, Charleston, South Carolina. Poinsett began sharing the plants with his friends and family around Christmas, just in time for when the upper leaves change to red. Poinsettias are the best-selling potted plant in the nation and are always a colorful delight surrounding us during the holiday season.

The Christmas Pickle

Christmas Luminaries

The simple golden glow from lit votive candles within folded brown bags is one of the most elegantly classic ways to illuminate the streets during the holidays.

Dating back over 300 years, Christmas Luminaries have been placed strategically in rows to brightly line sidewalks, neighborhoods, homes, churches, and botanical gardens. My personal favorite example of this magnificent look takes place in our very own botanical gardens located in Murrells Inlet. Brookgreen Gardens, the floral jewel of South Carolina’s coastal community, holds the annual “Nights of a Thousand Candles” all season long. The events offer leisurely walks through the sparkling gardens while listening to live holiday music and sipping delicious cider, cocoa, and wine. We are so grateful to enjoy this stunning event year after year named the “Best Christmas Lights in South Carolina.”

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For those of you who have never heard of this quirky ornament tradition, no, I do not mean an edible pickle. The Christmas Pickle was made to be a fun game amongst the children of the household. The idea is that the parents hide the green pickle within the tree.

The child who finds the pickle first on Christmas morning is awarded the pleasure of opening the first present.

Some have a tradition where the winner gets a special gift.

It is commonly believed that whoever finds the pickle will have good luck for the next year. The origins of this tradition vary, and it certainly adds some light-hearted, competitive fun to the holiday.

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Eleanor Pitts:

The Gift of a Strong Family Tradition

by Sarah Elaine Hawkinson

Eleanor is a true southern gem filled with love and joy. She grew up in Charleston and graduated from Coker College.

Eleanor and her husband, Bill, lived in Kingstree, South Carolina, when she first opened up her shop. She explained to me that it was very small at the time and was located inside her husband’s pharmacy. After fifteen years, the couple was blessed with the opportunity to move to the beach and be a part of a new shopping complex in Pawleys Island, The Shops at Oak Lea. Although they moved the business here right before Hurricane Hugo in 1989, Eleanor Pitts Jewelry and Gifts evolved gracefully over time and has now been in business in that same location for thirty-one years.

high school and until they left for college.

Eleanor and Bill’s children, LeAnne and Jennifer, were young children when the business first opened in Kingstree. They helped out in the store with duties such as hand-painting boxes, engraving, and printing stationery. The two daughters assisted their mother with anything she needed through

Eleanor and LeAnne describe their mother-daughter work as fun and always interesting. They genuinely enjoy the time they get to spend together and love helping others find their perfect gift for that special someone. LeAnne is in charge of most of their marketing and social media and is a big help to

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After LeAnne graduated from college, she moved to Charleston where she worked in pharmaceutical sales for seven years. She and her husband, Franklin, then moved to Pawleys Island right before their first child was born. LeAnne changed careers and started working in the family business again which allowed her more flexibility. This change of work also gave her children a chance to play in the store where they entertained each other with games of hide-and-seek in the display cabinets. With both children now in college, LeAnne is able to spend more time in the store.

Eleanor with choosing and ordering new products. Eleanor’s husband, Bill, handles all of the financials for the company.

Eleanor is there all day, every day, and clarifies that “when you own a small business, you do a bit of everything yourself.”

When I asked the family what it is like to be in retail during the holiday season, they replied, “We basically live here. We bring all but our beds.” This is their busiest season of the year. They learned to get most of their shopping done early so they can devote their time to the needs of their customers.

They also do a lot of their shopping at the other wonderful shops within the complex. The family somehow still manages to find the time to decorate as well. Their holiday décor is displayed in the shop the day after Halloween. Eleanor decorates her house very traditionally including lots of nativity scenes. LeAnne’s daughter begins dressing up their house the day after Thanksgiving and their tree goes up the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

The Pitts’ family traditions also consist of the whole family coming over to Eleanor’s house for Christmas Eve dinner and to open presents. LeAnne informed me that Santa does not wrap Christmas presents in her household, and when Santa did wrap them one year, LeAnne’s daughter was very upset - Santa never wrapped the presents again. Eleanor was equally surprised and amused that LeAnne had tried this out one year, as she agreed that Santa does indeed not wrap Christmas presents.

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Eleanor Pitts Jewelry and Gifts is a unique shop, especially for the area, which carries exclusive designer jewelry and hand-painted china. They offer bridal registries as well as a wish list to help significant others when they shop in the store for one another. They keep up to date with the trends by attending several jewelry shows and markets throughout the year. Family businesses have unfortunately been replaced more and more through the years with the development of the internet and larger corporations, but what Eleanor and her family have grown here is proudly established and here to stay.

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Sasee.com :: December 2020 :: 15

Recipe Magic

by Melissa Face

This holiday season, there are fewer gifts to buy and cards to mail. There are empty chairs at dinner tables and gaping holes in our hearts.

My family is disappearing. In just over a year’s time, I’ve lost my grandmother and two aunts. I am wondering what our holiday meals will look like this year - if my mom will host her annual Christmas Eve party or if we will not feel ready to gather in the absence of those we have lost.

Last year, my mom asked me to bring a dessert to her postChristmas dinner party. I flipped through some cookbooks that I’ve collected through the years that typically only collect dust. I considered a pound cake with a lemon glaze.

I contemplated brownies with a caramel drizzle. I thought about a carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Then I saw it: a dessert that my grandmother often made for my dad named, “Wayne’s Favorite Apple Chip Cake.” My mom had submitted the recipe to her church’s cookbook a few years ago.

I knew I had to make it.

“I’m bringing a dessert,” I told my mom over the phone, “I can’t tell you what is, though. It’s a surprise for Dad.” “Okay,” she said, “I’m making homemade fudge, so as long as your dessert isn’t chocolate, it will be fine.”

I read over the list of ingredients. It was a fairly simple recipe. As I chopped apples and mixed dry ingredients, I wondered why it had been my dad’s favorite. Once I poured the batter into the Bundt pan and slid it into the oven, I began to understand. The scent of nutmeg, allspice, and apple were intoxicating. I wasn’t sure my dessert would last until the party.

I cradled that cake like a newborn on the way to my parents’ house. Once we were there, I placed it on the table and waited for my dad to notice. It didn’t immediately catch his attention, so I walked it over to him and asked him to guess what it was.

“You made an apple chip cake!” he said, “that’s what my mom used to send me when I was away at college.”

He described the scent of the cake and how it made his hallmates flock to his room for a slice. The apple chip cake was wrapped and placed inside a shipping box, yet my dad’s 16 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

friends were always aware of its arrival.

After dinner, we nibbled on a variety of desserts, and we all had a piece of “Wayne’s Favorite Apple Chip Cake.” At the end of the night, a little cake remained. I took a slice for myself and left the rest for my dad.

On the way home, I thought about how sacred family recipes are. Some are scrawled out in the handwriting of our aunts and grandmothers. They are smeared, stained, faded, and crumpled. Many are folded and stuffed into envelopes or slid inside cookbooks. But no matter how we find them, they can all tell us stories if we take the time to listen. We can imagine the flour residue on our grandmother’s apron, hear her fuss about someone using the rest of the brown sugar, and watch her update her shopping list on the back of a receipt.

Recipes are magic, really. We gather ingredients, combine them in their prescribed way, and end up with the same tastes and aromas that generations before us have enjoyed.

For a moment, we can be in their kitchens, standing in their shoes, and sharing their stories.

I still don’t know what this year’s holiday meals will look like whether we will gather as an extended family or celebrate in our own homes. Either way, I’m going to spend some time going through my cookbooks and recipe collections. I want to follow one of my aunt’s recipes for a holiday dessert and make something that helps me connect and remember. I’m going to try to share her story - one ingredient at a time.

Melissa Face is the author of I Love You More Than Coffee, an essay collection for parents who love coffee a lot and their kids...a little more. Her essays and articles have appeared in Richmond Family Magazine, ScaryMommy, and twentyone volumes of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Read more at melissaface.com.

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Christmas Wine

by Rose Ann Sinay

It was Christmas Eve 1965 and for the first time in my ten years (or for as long as I could remember) we were having company for the holiday. Dad invited a family who had arrived at their overseas assignment smack in the middle of the Christmas rush. Sergeant Smith had joined my dad’s military aircraft maintenance unit, and Dad had taken him under his wing. None of their furniture or belongings had arrived, so they were staying in temporary barracks until they could move to the on-base housing. Mom was apprehensive about sharing Christmas with strangers, but she quickly changed her mind remembering how overwhelming our move to Japan had been. Moving a household from state to state was one thing - to another country was quite another.

This family needed some friendly faces and a place to decompress.

The Smiths had one child, Ellen, who was my age and would share my room for the night. Mom gave me and my siblings a list of do’s and don’ts. We were to be on our best behavior, and I was to be very nice to my new “friend.” In the morning, we were to take turns opening gifts as Santa would be leaving presents under the tree for our guests as well.

The Smiths arrived bearing boxes of desserts and a large bottle of grape juice. As it turned out, Dad and Mr. Smith had a lot to talk about. Ellen’s mom was quiet and soft-spoken like my mother. They smiled a lot, but their conversation was stilted. They made themselves busy getting the food on the table.

After dinner, Ellen and I played games and listened to the radio in my room while the adults talked. When my parents put my brother and sister to bed with teasing reminders that Santa would be coming, I snuck into the kitchen to grab munchies for my little slumber party. The large bottle of grape juice the Smiths brought had been opened but not poured into the glasses that stood waiting to be filled. Fancy, I thought when I saw the cork laying on the counter. I grabbed two plastic mugs, poured some juice into one, and took a mouthful. I immediately spat it on the floor. The juice had turned bad. The Smiths would be so embarrassed when mom served it. I had to do something. I ran to the cupboard to get a new bottle of Welch’s grape juice. I poured more than half the soured liquid into the sink and refilled the bottle with the Welch’s juice. It wouldn’t be perfect, but it would taste much better than the spoiled stuff. I cleaned the counter and floor, grabbed the stash of junk food, and returned to my room satisfied I had done a good deed.

18 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

As the evening progressed, our parents’ voices had gotten louder. Ellen and I could hear our usually quiet mothers’ conversation punctuated with breath-catching laughter.

“Shush,” I heard my mother say, “we’ll wake up the kids.”

But the giggles and chatter continued into the night.

Ellen and I played board games and nibbled on potato chips until we fell asleep.

The next morning, my friend and I woke early and tiptoed into the living room to check out the tree. I had been relieved to see packages with her name on it. Though I had some niggling doubts about where the presents came from, I wasn’t ready to voice those thoughts . . . just in case.

My brother and sister ran into the room, eyes wide, ready to tear into the bounty of gifts Santa had delivered.

Our parents soon followed. “No presents until the adults have coffee,” Dad ordered.

“I’m amazed I don’t have a headache this morning,” I overheard my mother say to Mrs. Smith. “We drank that entire bottle of wine ourselves,” she whispered.

I froze in place. As a rule, my parents didn’t drink. The beer Mr. Smith and Dad had imbibed was the only adult beverage I’d ever seen in the house. I had no idea the juice was supposed to taste awful. What was wine, and was I in trouble?

The day passed with no recriminations, and I happily put the wine incident to the back of my mind. *** Forty-some years later, I arrive at Mom’s apartment for our weekly visit. The South Carolina assisted living home is festooned with garland and plastic snowmen that sway in the pleasant breeze streaming through the open doors. In my bag are a few ornaments and a bottle of Duplin Christmas Wine. At some point in her later years, Mom had taken a liking to a glass of sweet wine before dinner.

“I come bearing gifts,” I say smiling when she opens the door.

“Is it my birthday?” she asks, a telltale sign it is not one of her better days.

“No, your birthday is in July.”

I hand her the ornaments and point to the small artificial tree. “You decorate and I’ll pour.” I show her the Santa on the bottle.

“Christmas wine,” she reads and a spark of recognition flickers in her eyes. She settles back in her armchair and takes a sip from her glass. We talk for a time as memories erupt and fade. Suddenly, she giggles - a giggle that turns into a solid laugh.

“Grape juice,” she says.

“Wine,” I respond.

“No, it needs grape juice.” She winks at me.

“You knew?” I marvel that she remembers a Christmas Eve so many years ago.

“Of course! That wine was awful and then, magically, it wasn’t.” She smiles.

“You forgot to put the juice bottle away.

That sweet drink got me just tipsy enough to enjoy the day.” She chuckles and closes her eyes.

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“Thank you for the birthday party,” she says.

“And many more,” I whisper as I remove the empty glass from her hand.

Merry Christmas!

from our home to yours

Rose Ann Sinay is a freelance writer newly relocated to Connecticut. She continues to write about moments worth remembering, graciously provided by family and friends.

Assisted Living & Memory Care of MURRELLS INLET

699 Prince Creek Parkway, Murrells Inlet, SC, 29576 www.stgabrielmurrellsinlet.com • 843-353-1525 Sasee.com :: December 2020 :: 19

Lights in the Night

by Sally Gosen Case

“

Perhaps the fading year has not been a bright one; all the more reason to count our blessings and share a glimmer with those around us.

It begins every October. Some dim Sunday afternoon I climb up and poke my head into the storage space over my garage. Brushing away cobwebs, I totter backward down the ladder four times. Four boxes of lights are brought in and spread about my living room floor and sorted into piles. Each strand is unwound, smoothed, and plugged in. Regardless of my care in packing, there are always a few bulbs that won’t light and at least one strand that is inexplicably and disappointingly dead. Once all is operational, I begin my plan.

November is the month for setting up the house and yard.

As young marrieds, my husband and I started a tradition of hanging the outdoor lights the day after Thanksgiving.

It took a few miserable years for us to realize that it always seems to be pouring rain that day, so we moved the project to those clear fall days that smell of leaves and apples. By mid-November all is ready.

Then I hold back. I think about turkey and pie. I wait until the last feast-day dish has been washed and put away. Then it begins: we turn on the music, switch on the lights, and it’s Christmas at the Case house.

Truthfully, this started very early. I grew up on a farm in a close and fun-loving family. When I was small, our simple country Christmas almost overwhelmed me with excitement.

Not content with our traditional tree, I taped a string of lights in our window that overlooked dark, empty fields.

Perhaps very few people ever noticed them, but somehow, I just had to shine my holiday joy out into the world.

Teenagers look around and see that life is not all brightness; their dreams are sometimes broken by reality. Some nights seemed long and dark as my family built a new house together. We had no time or place for a tree, and our cherished German ornaments had been broken in the move.

But I had found a particularly shapely branch in our woods.

I cut it and placed it in our window, wrapped with so many lights it could be seen from across our valley. Subsequent Christmases featured spruce trees from the nursery stock 20 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

”

we grew, with needles so sharp they sometimes drew blood as I wrapped the branches with lights. That didn’t dissuade me a bit, and every year our lights shone across the valley.

Raising our son in the country, my husband and I greeted the holidays with lights on the house, lights in the gardens, and four Christmas trees of varying sizes inside the house. Living alone at my little place in town, the display is simpler but just as bright; my son refers to my home as “the light pollution center” of the neighborhood. No one ever complains, though; I think we all look for a bit of a glow as winter creeps in.

As the year declines and we process its light and shadow, we gather with our families and friends. It’s a time to bless others, a time to be grateful for what we’ve been given and for the light that brought goodwill to humanity. Perhaps the fading year has not been a bright one; all the more reason to count our blessings and share a glimmer with those around us. From the night of Thanksgiving, until the year is new, I will shine my holiday cheer into my neighborhood.

And perhaps, after all, I haven’t come so very far from the little farm girl taping a string of lights inside the window to share her joy with the world, even if no one may ever notice it.

Sally Gosen Case lives and writes on the beautiful Oregon coast. Her poetry and nonfiction have appeared in a wide variety of publications, including Horticulture, Rocky Mountain Rider, and Time of Singing. Sally and her son coauthor a popular Oregon travel blog, casingoregon.com.

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We’re Pretty Wrapped Up

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Sasee says for the lovers of all things Blue and White, the classic Chinoiserie can be stylishly carried into the Holidays.

There is more to wrapping gifts than paper and bows.

Be sure and compliment your gifts, dressed in finery of trinkets, flora and imagination.

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Surprise at the Rescue Mission

by Erika Hoffman

As I arrived at the rescue mission, a tall man whose face reminded me of John Grisham’s approached the car. He extended his hand as he introduced himself. I mirrored his gesture and identified myself. Exchanging pleasantries and small talk, he escorted me inside for a quick look-see of the rooms where the residents attend classes. Some men were working on earning their GEDs. A few entered the facility.

With Southern ease and charm, he introduced me.

As we settled into a conference room, I met the chaplain and the director of education who were interested in what I do. I’m an instructor for Olli, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, at Duke University where I teach a class on penning the personal essay in which my students are retired folks who want to record their life stories, memories, travels, careers…

I asked Matt, whom I presumed to be the head of the homeless shelter, what brought men here. “Addiction, homelessness, different things…” he said. Matt flattered me by saying he heard about my teaching from a friend of his who was active in Olli’s leadership, and she recommended he contact me because she thought I could help the residents “tell their stories.” Although an instructor doesn’t receive a salary at Olli, we are given an honorarium. Since no mention of payment was made by this gentleman, I assumed I was being recruited as a volunteer. Sometimes, I have qualms about volunteering when it’s not my idea – when instead I’ve been volunteered by others. The night before, my husband said, “You don’t need the money, and you might find it interesting.” So, I went.

Matt showed a video of what the rescue mission was trying to accomplish. The film was an effective tool designed to attract volunteers and donors. The meeting with the two gentlemen ended with our bowing our heads, and Matt leading us in prayer. After taking our leave of the chaplain and director of education, we strolled through more of the venue while chatting casually about grandchildren and approaching Christmas and holiday preparations. He showed me the masses of toys gathered for children to be distributed in the next couple of days. He pointed out the area where they’d have a huge dinner for the rescue mission’s residents and families. He was upbeat, enthusiastic, and courteous.

24 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

So, I committed to teaching three classes in which I’d steer the regular teachers in ways to structure a story to ensure it had a take-away message of hope. I said to this charming listener, “In my Olli classes I had retired physicians, lawyers, biochemists – many people more erudite and accomplished than I, but they didn’t know how to create a non-fiction narrative that wasn’t boring.” Matt laughed good-naturedly.

I continued, “I had 12 to a class – a lot when you’re editing students’ papers. How many are in a class here?”

“Sixty,” he said with a straight face.

“Sixty!” I exclaimed, wondering how I could possibly review their essays when many of these guys had not even gotten their GEDs. “When young, I taught public high school. So, I guess it’ll be like teaching in that sort of environment.”

I almost jokingly added that I sometimes felt like I was teaching the future felons of America, but for some reason, I held back from uttering my usual witticism.

“Do you know my story?” Matt asked.

“Your story?”

“I’m an inmate.”

“An inmate, what?”

“I’m on work release.”

“But you’ll go home to your children and wife tonight?”

“No” he shook his head sadly, “I go back to jail.”

I gazed at the articulate, poised, charming banker-type who stood so tall, lean, and well-groomed in front of me, who was perhaps five years younger than I, and I queried, “What did you do to get yourself arrested?”

“I crossed boundaries. I was a financial advisor. I violated my clients’ trust.”

Uncertain of what to say next, I said, “There’s a lot of temptation with that job, I imagine.”

He was quiet for a moment and then said, “I’ve served nine of my ten-year sentence.”

I was dumbfounded. He added, “That is why I send my emails through someone else. Did you notice they didn’t come directly from me?”

“I supposed your secretary was mailing them for you?”

“I’m not allowed to use email.”

“I see.”

“In prison, I read a book that helped me. I found it lying on my bunk one day. I believe a book angel put it there. It was Chicken Soup for the Prisoner’s Soul.”

I studied him a moment. He seemed sincere. “I have an assignment for you. You write your story. It will have a powerful message. I’ll help you. See you in January.”

I drove away thinking how often I judge a book by its cover.

Here I mistook Matt as a salaried director in charge of the charitable organization, never suspecting that he most likely had a more scurrilous past than the homeless addicts residing there who often are in a desperate situation, without any privileges endowed on them, only inherited hardships difficult to escape from. Matt, like one of my all-time favorite North Carolinian writers, was an embezzler, a thief. Like O.

Henry, he got caught.

Matt seemed sincerely repentant. On that ride home, I thought how in my long life, I’ve never been knowingly in the presence of a prisoner before. I’ve not mixed with addicts and folks down on their luck. I’ve led a protected life.

With Christmas approaching, I feel perhaps it’s time to practice goodwill toward all. Maybe it’s time to lend a helping hand rather than just use that hand to sign a check to contribute a donation to a worthy cause. Maybe the residents of the rescue mission will learn something from me, and perhaps I’ll discover inspiration from hearing their stories.

Maybe, charitable work isn’t a one-way street, at all.

Erika Hoffman has several books to sell on Amazon. Besides being a writer, she’s someone’s wife, mother, grandma, friend, and pet owner.

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Sasee.com :: December 2020 :: 25

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

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We have a store full of Melissa & Doug toys just in time for Christmas!

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843-546-6858 • www.doodlebugschild.com 26 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

Across From The Fresh Market 11378 Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island 843-314-3316 • RescuedTreasuresSC.org Tuesday - Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm

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LampLighter Carolina Car Care Lamp Repairs + Restorations + Creations

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28 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

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Sasee.com :: December 2020 :: 29

John Dabrowski

Keith Estabrook

John Dabrowski: Living the Local Life

by Sarah Elaine Hawkinson

John grew up in a suburb in Indiana and studied political science at Indiana University. He furthered his education by obtaining an associate degree at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago formally known as Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. He began working as a chef in Chicago for a while until he was offered a job in Bradenton, Florida, to be a country club chef.

John traveled around Florida for years while working similar jobs which is where he met his wife, Peta. In 2008 the newly married couple went on a Southeastern road trip to decide where they were going to plant their roots next.

John explained, “Once I moved out of the cold, I was never going back!” During their trip, the DeBordieu Club called him for an interview. Once they arrived, all they saw was Georgetown and instantly fell in love with the area.

The couple moved soon after and began their new lives along the Grand Strand. John went through several different kitchens and positions, which he declared all as great places to work, but decided to leave the restaurant business for a bit. He started a fun job with New South Brewery in Myrtle Beach working as their sales, marketing, and public relations liaison. John always knew he wanted to start a restaurant business with his own high-quality standards and expectations but wanted to smartly wait for the right time, location, and business partners.

John made a friend immediately after his move to the area, Keith Estabrook, and they clicked instantly. The pair worked 30 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

together through the years at multiple locations. They knew they would do well in business together as a team because they shared a similar vision for changing the game within the restaurant industry. After twelve years of discussing ideas over their home-cooked meals together, they finally brought their aspirations to life this year. The duo opened their dream restaurant, “Local,” in a beautiful, historical building located in the Pawleys Island Hammock Shops. It’s a big building which has been a huge benefit for them during the pandemic with social distancing. For example, they were able to have seventy-nine people for trivia recently. They held seventeen separate teams throughout the building and no team was anywhere close to another.

Local: Eat, Drink, Celebrate. The “eat” is the family-friendly dining room. The “drink” is regarding the taproom and everything past it, which is eighteen years old and up only.

This area includes the lounge section which has a stage built for live music. Right now, they are offering a jazz brunch every Saturday. The “celebrate” is associated with the upstairs banquet facility available for events. John takes on the role of general manager while Keith is the executive chef. Peta, having a background as a banquet captain in high-end places in New York as well as working at several successful restaurants in this area, is the bar manager and event planner.

John and Keith’s pursuit to change the game of the service industry is displayed by paying their servers over the minimum wage and paying their cooks a wage they truly

deserve. The co-owners have set a goal to offer benefits to all of their full-time employees after one year. Others have mocked them for having this in their business plan because the restaurant business is such a small game of margins that those objectives aren’t usually made possible. John and Keith are determined to beat those odds and work hard enough to provide better service to their employees who provide such great service to all their guests. During COVID-19 and before the new restaurant was open, the duo did a pandemic prep where they cooked a dozen lasagnas, twenty chicken pot pies, and lots of soups. They dropped them off at all of their friends’ houses who were startled over their job loss within the restaurant business.

John admitted to me that he has always been a bit of a scrooge for the holidays, which Peta has been working on for twelve years. The couple started a tradition right before they got married called an “orphan’s Christmas.” Back in Florida, they worked with tons of people who were from all over the world such as Romania, South Africa, Brazil, Haiti, and the Philippines. All in all, there were about twelve languages spoken in his kitchen at the country clubs. John and Peta opened up their house for all of those without local family to be a part of their family and have a place to celebrate Christmas. They have continued their tradition here and it has grown tremendously - maybe even a little out of hand; one of their most recent Christmas’ fed thirty-five people and John used his bonus to buy a full prime rib to roast. They usually set up a full family-style table and always make sure everyone feels welcome.

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The co-owners want their guests to feel this same hospitality when they enter Local, like they are walking into their own home. They strive for Local to be an atmosphere where everyone can comfortably eat, drink, and celebrate together.

There’s a reason the couple stayed in Pawleys Island even through their ups and downs. When I asked John what he feels most blessed for this holiday season, with no hesitation, he said, “the town and the people of Pawleys Island. We use the term “framily” to describe all of the friends we are close to here. Besides our two dogs and cat, we really don’t have any relatives here, but we certainly do still have family.”

John informed me that Local will be a part of the grand Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony as well as the Festival of Trees which benefits the Tidelands hospice, both taking place in the Hammock Shops. Local will be open for brunch on Christmas Eve but closed on Christmas Day as the owners and their staff all have their own special celebrating to enjoy.

Sasee.com :: December 2020 :: 31

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1 - 30 (except 25th) The Great Christmas Light Show NMB Park & Sports Complex 5:30pm - 9:30pm www.parks.nmb.us 12/1 - 1/6 The Carolina Opry Christmas Show The Carolina Opry www.thecarolinaopry.com 2 - 6, 9 - 13, 16 - 20, 26 -31 Nights of a Thousand Candles Brookgreen Gardens 4pm - 9pm Members Adults: $20, Child: $12 Non members Adults: $25, Child: $15 www.brookgreen.org

Happy Holidays!

2020 3, 10, 17 Annual Downtown Conway’s Rivertown Christmas Celebration 6pm - 8pm www.conwayalive.com 6 Murrells Inlet Christmas Parade Murrells Inlet Restaurant Row 3pm www.MurrellsInletSC.com/events

843.668.2500 9415 Highway 17 Bypass Murrells Inlet, SC www.nhccare.com

6 Tree Lighting Ceremony The Hammock Shops www.thehammockshops.com 5, 19 Pop-Up Glass Gallery ARTyRV outside in the parking lot 10am - 4pm www.conwayglass.com 21 Myrtle Beach Bowl (ESPN Event) Brooks Stadium, Coastal Carolina University 2:30pm www.myrtlebeachbowlgame.com

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4610 Oleander Drive Suite 101 • Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 www.kimberleygohmd.com Sasee.com :: December 2020 :: 33

Sasee encourages her readers to decorate creatively this holiday season. DĂŠcor does not have to be the traditional red and green. Holly Cox, a Murrells Inlet local, is an expert on how to spice up the spirit of Christmas shown by her design of this unique display. Her shop, French Bucket, specializes in boho vintage and Holly is savvy with creating petite events in South Carolina.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

May Your Days Be

Merry and Bright! ...I proclaim to you good news of

great joy that

will be for all the people: today a

Savior, who

is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of

2020 A year we will never forget!

David.

LUKE 2:10-11 HCSB

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36 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

YOUR LUXURY KITCHEN & BATH DESIGN CENTER (843) 314-0444 8435 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, South Carolina 29585 Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm • Saturday: 9am - 1pm www.prodigykb.com

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38 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

Happy Holidays from the Hat Lady

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Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

843-314-0816 Hammock Shops Village, Pawleys Island

this_that_gifts@yahoo.com • Mon -Sat 11am-5:30pm • Sun 12:30pm -5pm

Services of Remembrance Service of Remembrance Sunday, December 6th at 2:00 pm Prince George Church 300 Broad Street Georgetown

Service of Remembrance Wednesday, December 16th at 1:00 pm Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church 2637 US-17 Business Murrells Inlet

The Holiday Season…

The holiday season is a significant time of year that holds memories of togetherness and time shared with loved ones.

Whether one is experiencing the first holiday season without a loved one or several years have passed, the holidays remind us of those, who though they are no longer with us, are ever present in our hearts and minds. Our Services of Remembrance offer an opportunity for families and friends to gather to honor the memory and celebrate the life of loved ones who have touched our lives.

These services are open to everyone. COVID-19 pandemic’s restrictions, social distancing guidelines, and wearing a mask will be followed. We have been asked to urge attendees to RSVP as Shepherd of the Sea and Prince George have a limit to the number of persons allowed. For additional information and to RSVP, please contact Barriedel Llorens, Foundation Director, at 843-520-7714 or email Barriedel.llorens@tidelandshospice.org.

“Thank you for your kindness, thoughtfulness, and support in actions and words. The work you do is so important, and you provide it with love and dignity. Thanks to your care, my wife could remain at home surrounded by her family.”

A grateful family Your community’s only locally based not-for-profit hospice, serving Georgetown, Horry, and Williamsburg counties since 1985.

Georgetown Office Myrtle Beach Office 2591 N. Fraser Street 29440 1600 Farrow Pky. #B6 29577 843-546-3410 tidelandshospice.org 843-839-3410 Follow us on Facebook: tidelands community hospice

May your holidays be filled with peace, joy, love, and laughter.

Sasee.com :: December 2020 :: 39

Pharmacy • Drugstore • Gift Shop

Serving Conway for over 50 Years

1600 10th Avenue • Conway, SC 29526 • Pharmacy - 843-248-5015 • Fountain - 843-248-2611

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Cleaning & Linen Rentals 843-299-0247

671 Jamestown Dr., Unit R2 • Garden City, SC 29576 thecleanupclub@gmail.com 40 :: Sasee.com :: December 2020

Advertiser Index Angelo’s Steak & Pasta................................38 Arbor Landing at Surfside...........................44 Barbara’s Fine Gifts.....................................31 Bethea Baptist Retirement Community.............................36 B. Graham Interiors Collection..................38 Bloomingails Consignment........................29 Brightwater...................................................5 Brookgreen Gardens...................................42 Carolina Car Care......................................28 Carolina Center for Advanced Dentistry......................................9 Chapeaux de Femmes Hat Boutique...........39 The Citizens Bank......................................29 CLASS LLC...............................................31 The Clean Up Club....................................40 Comfort Keepers........................................32 Darden Jewelers..........................................27 Doodlebugs................................................26 Dr. Grabeman............................................28 Dr. Sattele’s Rapid Weight Loss & Esthetics Centers....................................13 Eleanor Pitts Gifts & Jewelry......................15 Forever Revolutionary................................21 Frame Factory.............................................29 Friends of Waccamaw Library.....................41 Good Deed Goods.....................................29 Grady’s Jewelers..........................................36 Grand Strand Plastic Surgery......................33 Hammock Shops Village..............................3 Intercoastal Endo, PC...................................7 Joggling Board............................................15 The Lakes at Litchfield................................43 Lamplighter................................................28 Long Bay Symphony..................................40 Lyndabeth Thomas Insurance.....................41 Moore, Johnson & Saraniti.........................25 New Haven of Little River..........................27 Nye’s Pharmacy..........................................40 Palmetto Ace..............................................26 Papa John’s Pizza ........................................32 Pawleys Island Bakery.................................26 Physicians Weight Loss...............................21 Portside at Grande Dunes.............................2 Prodigy Kitchens & Baths..........................37 Pruitt Health Skilled Nursing, Home Health & Hospice Care...................17 Rescued Treasures.......................................26 Shades and Draperies..................................19 St. Gabriel Assisted Living & Memory Care.............................................19 Sunset River Marketplace...........................41 The Palmettos Assisted Living & Memory Care.............................................33 This and That 4 You...................................39 Tidelands Community Hospice..................39 Wilson Senior Center.................................35

Fine Art & Crafts from the Carolinas Unique gift ideas include Nan Bedick’s artsy enameled pendant and art glass by Scott Summerfield.

910.575.5999 • 10283 Beach Dr. SW • Calabash, NC • www.sunsetrivermarketplace.com

Did you know you only have 45 days to sign up for your health insurance for 2021?

November 1 to December 15, 2020 Do you need help making sense of health insurance?

Call “Your Insurance Lady”!

843-457-1180

Lynda Thomas - Independent Insurance Agent • 843-457-1180 • affordablecareactsc@gmail.com During these challenging times, the Friends of the Waccamaw Library are excited to offer our patrons an online option to purchase specially selected books and gifts.

Visit the Friends Center online shopping site:

https://the f riendscenter. square. site

Friends of the Waccamaw Library fowlpawleys@gmail.com • www.thefowl.org

All proceeds benefit the Library by providing funds for books and media, technology and adult and children’s programming.

Please note these books will be available for pick up at The Chandler-Peterkin Room at the Library.

Sasee.com :: December 2020 :: 41

Join our family for this and future holiday seasons now open!

Rachel Wiley - Director of Community Relations Tracy Covone - Executive Director

Join us for exceptional, affordable senior living.

Spacious Apartments • Exceptional Dining • Engaging Social Activities Plus, we’re the first smart-home senior community in Myrtle Beach!

RetireInSurfside.com