Emily Post has an entire chapter dedicated towards the art of communication and correspondence. There are some steadfast rules for common courtesy though and I will try to highlight those here.
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OCCASION |
OBLIGATORY |
OPTIONAL |
|
Dinner Party |
If you are the guest of honor |
Appreciated by the host, but unnecessary if you thanked them when leaving |
|
Overnight Visits |
Always – except family and close friends whom you see often. You can call them instead. |
It is always appropriate to send a note in addition to verbal thanks. |
|
Birthday, Anniversary, and Christmas Gifts |
Always – except family and close friends whom you see often. You can call them instead. |
It is always okay to send a note in addition to verbal thanks. |
|
Shower Gifts |
If the gift giver was not in attendance |
Many like to send a written thank you in addition of the verbal thank you |
|
Gifts to the |
As soon as the patient feels well enough |
|
|
Condolence |
Send thank you notes to all hand written notes of condolence |
|
|
Congratulatory |
All personal messages need to be acknowledged |
Form letters from firms need not to be acknowledged |
|
Wedding Gifts |
ALWAYS even if the giver was in attendance |
|
|
Thank you gift that arrives after the event |
Should be acknowledged so that the giver knows the gift arrived safely |
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I have a few great resources to leave you with today.
1) The Art of Thank you:Crafting Notes of Gratitutde by Connie Leas who believes, “Writing a thank-you note is a small but gracious way to repay kindness with kindness…”
2) Personal Notes: How to Write from the Heart for Any Occasion by Sandra E. Lamb who believes, “What’s so often missing from our lives today is the richness of shared humanity, those moments when we feel really connected to other human beings…”
3) The Little Red Writing Book This is an amazing book that covers so many topics regarding writing in general. Page 81 starts the chapter about choosing an appropriate tone that I felt helped tremendously.
4) The Thank You Book For Kids by Ali Lauren Spizman, an amazing book written by a 14 year old. Contains hundreds of fun and creative suggestions for writing memorable thank-you notes.
Next Week: Everyday Manners
Future themes are:
September 2nd ~ Mealtime Manners
September 9th ~ Interrelationships Manners
September 16th ~ Professional Manners
September 23rd ~ Travel & Tipping
September 30th ~ Table Settings
October 7th ~ Babies
October 14th ~ Engagements & Weddings
October 21st ~ Deaths & Funerals
Yesterday was our anniversary and we stole away for the day and roamed the back roads, visited a great Flea Market in St Germain (you know the old kind with all the junk) and antique stores in Eagle River. We had dinner at the Riverstone Restaurant & Tavern which we thought was adequate, but not worth all the hype for the price, view or service*. We did find the Chanticleer Inn & several others for future special events, all of which came highly recommended after the fact! *After MANY years in the food service industry, I am a hard person to please, I know this about myself. But, I also know from experience that there are certain minimum standards for a restaurant that claims this level of quality. First and foremost is that as a server, you not serve a plate that is not as ordered. You can blame it on the cook, but ultimately it is your responsibility if it is a visible flaw. Secondly, as a server expecting a hefty tip in a higher class restaurant, check back with your table fairly soon after they first take a bite – MAKE SURE the meal is as it was ordered. Thirdly, don’t serve fresh baked warm bread and rock hard butter – it just isn’t that complicated to coordinate this!
At the flea market and antique stores we found all of this and for really (An anniversary gift from hubby) is my favorite find. They are cream testers from a local dairy farmer and each bottle had the cow’s name on it. (Rosemary, Nyoka, Martha, Bonnie, Thelma, Raggie, Beulah, Charity, Beverly, Marygold, Sharon, Beachie, Rogella, Reva, Stella, Hetta & Laverl). I’ve washed them all and am using them as spice bottles. Th antique coffee jars were probably the biggest value find. She must have not wanted to pack up glass at the end of the day as it was all priced very much below it’s actual value!
I also found 6 great new cook books, all for only $1 each. I love taking these old recipe books and adapting the recipes to current day! My favorite find in an antique store is an old beat up recipe box full of handwritten recipes. I almost always find several recipes that will become family favorites in nothing flat.
CHERRY CONSERVES
7 cups cherries ~ washed, pitted and halved
1 cup cranberries ~ washed and halved
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup orange juice
10 cups sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 packages pectin
A father walks into a restaurant with his young son.
He gives the young boy 3 nickels to play with to keep him
occupied.
Suddenly, the boy starts choking, going blue in the face.
The father realizes the boy has swallowed the nickels
and starts slapping him on the back.
The boy coughs up 2 of the nickels, but keeps choking.
Looking at his son, the father is panicking, shouting
for help.
A well dressed, attractive, and serious looking woman, in a
blue business suit is sitting at a coffee bar reading
a newspaper and sipping a cup of coffee. At the sound
of the commotion, she looks up, puts her coffee cup down,
neatly folds the newspaper and places it on the counter,
gets up from her seat and makes her way, unhurried,
across the restaurant.
Reaching the boy, the woman carefully drops his pants;
takes hold of the boy's testicles and starts to squeeze
and twist, gently at first and then ever so firmly.
After a few seconds the boy convulses violently and coughs up
the last nickel, which the woman deftly catches in her free hand.
Releasing the boy's testicles, the woman hands the nickel to the
father and walks back to her seat in the coffee bar without
saying a word.
As soon as he is sure that his son has suffered no ill effects,
the father rushes over to the woman and starts thanking her saying,
'I've never seen anybody do anything like that before, it was
fantastic. Are you a doctor?
'No,' the woman replied. 'Divorce attorney'.
Outside My Window…a beautiful day is dawning.
I am thinking…how wonderful it will be to spend the entire day with hubby for our anniversary. After a leisurely breakfast we’re going to do the flea markets in St. Germain and then dinner at Golden Pines.
I am thankful for…having a wonderful marriage and a fantastic, sweet, sensitive, kind and romantic husband, (but tell him I told you – he still think everyone thinks he’s macho – you know that military attitude thing).
From the kitchen…I’m starting to prepare soup and stew packets for the freezer for the winter.
I am wearing…a skirt and blouse with my favorite sandals.
I am creating…the end of the cookbook this week.
I am going…start my query letters to publishers.
I am reading…The Manning Sisters by Debbie Macomber.
I am hoping…summer lasts a little longer.
I am hearing…the early morning stirrings of our little town.
Around the house…everyone is still sleeping and the silence is golden.
One of my favorite things…canning the summer fruits to enjoy in the winter.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: cutting back the spring bulbs, painting the deck and front porch, cleaning out the front closet and finishing the trim molding in the upstairs bathroom.
Here is picture thought I am sharing…
I was tagged by Barbara at Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers for 6 Random Things About Me. It’s hard to think of random things when you strive to keep a routine though.
All grown-ups were children first. But few of them remember it.
~Antoine de Saint-Exuper’y, author, The Little Prince, 1943
MONDAY ~ Hubby & I are going to be out playing for the day (flea markets and antique stores) for our Anniversary – dinner at the Golden Pines
TUESDAY ~ Taco Ring Salad always a HUGE hit around here
WEDNESDAY ~ Stuffed Shells & Salad
THURSDAY ~ Mexican Baja Casserole
FRIDAY ~ Carnitas & Salad
SATURDAY ~ Chicken Cacciatore & Noodles
SUNDAY ~ Chicken Carbonara & Salad
PEACHY OATMEAL CRISP
4-6 cups peeled and sliced peaches*
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup uncooked oats
1 cup flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
*I will also use a combination of whatever fruit I have I have in the fruit drawer that needs to be used before it goes bad!
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a 12 inch cast iron skillet, melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until mixture is bubbly and smooth. Remove from heat.
Mix the flour and baking soda, set aside. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, alternating with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla; mix well until batter is thick and fluffy.
Arrange peach slices in a circular pattern, overlapping slightly in sugar mixture in cast iron pan. Spoon the batter over the peaches making sure not to disturb the peaches.
Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in skillet 10 minutes.
Run a dull knife around the outer edge. Place serving plate over skillet. Carefully invert skillet to release cake.