Saturday evening was my first Chinese New Year's party. The idea started a couple of months ago when my University student, Mengting, talked about sharing the customs of Chinese New Year with us! So, it was decided that we do our best and celebrate Chinese New Year...the American way!Mengting came over early to put on her apron and cook up a storm. I went out to do errands and when I returned she had pots and pans filled with potatoes and carrots and peppers cooking away. We also had pulled pork, fresh fruit, cake, brownies...the table was full.
We taped pictures of the red ox on all the windows and mirrors, decorated with red (including our own clothes!) and bought sparklers ready for midnight.
T'he house was full of neighbors and friends and international students from Trine.
We ate and talked and laughed and told stories and went out with sparklers into the freezing cold air as we celebrated!
It was a wonderful evening. No one was in a hurry to go home so we just visited til way after midnight.
Happy New Year, Mengting! Thank you for being part of our lives!
Lou Ann
Lou Ann Homan-Saylor is a teacher, a writer, a storyteller and an actress. She lives in Angola, Indiana where she can be found meandering around looking for a great story or just writing late into the night by the light of her red frayed lamp. She also is the co-author of the new blog, voiceofangola.blogspot.com.
