Dinner with Robert Gates, Kansan of the Year

Ward and I were in Topeka last night to celebrate the 149th birthday of Kansas at the annual Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas banquet. No, we are not natives of Kansas, but lucky guests invited by a military foundation. After arriving and running a political gauntlet (some type of Republican convention was taking place in the great hall next to our dinner) we also saw in attendance four of the state's six members of Congress, Gov. Mark Parkinson and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. But, this was not an occasion for political hobnobbing. This was an evening to recognize and honor U.S. Defense Secretary Roberts Gates as he accepted the Kansan of the Year award.

Mr. Gates, who is originally from Wichita, spoke of growing up in Kansas, "My youth in Kansas was rich with good and modest people. Surrounded by such people, character and integrity, Kansas values, and Kansas common sense became the bedrock of my life."

And what a life! After serving in the CIA for some 27 years, he went on to Texas A&M University as its president, and from that post he was named secretary of defense. He has served under eight presidents.

Yet, he stood before us last evening as a humble man of sincere character reflecting on lessons he had learned from growing up in Kansas. He spoke in particular of his high school track coach Bob Timmons' life lessons in leadership, integrity, discipline, motivating people and treating all of them respectfully. And because Mr. Timmons was in the room last night, seated at the same table as Mr. Gates' own 96-year-old mother, he got to give a very personal, "Coach, thanks."

Mr. Gates said, "I will always consider myself first and foremost a kid from Kansas who got lucky." He made us also feel lucky to be in the same room on this very special occasion. And when you work inside the beltway in Washington D.C. I would say that is nothing short of a miracle. Good work Kansas!

Do You Remember Your First Car?

Of course you do! But I am so much older that when my son asked me about it I really had to think. I mean the first car I drove was my Mom's blue Nova, which was a piece of, well, you know! And my brother would also let me borrow his very unreliable blue Ford Pinto hatchback. Seriously, when it wouldn't start we would pop the hood and hit some part of the engine with what ever was handy, and for me it was usually a book. That would dislodge or re-engage whatever part that needed lodging or re-engaging and then the car would start. This was 1973 and I know that my Dad had a truck (that I was not allowed to drive EVER) because one of the cars I was driving was a standard on-the-column and it would always slip ot of gear on my way to work, and this always on a hill! So my Dad said he would follow me to help . . . and you guess it, it slipped out of gear and rolled right back into my Dad's truck. Hey, I TOLD him it would do that! But I guess he thought I would know to brake.

Anyway, after working many hard nights as a waitress at Ramada Inn (my first job) I saved enough to get my own car. This was the era of Datsun and Honda and Toyota and those cute little cars, which of course many of my friends drove. But this is what my $400 could get for me at that time:

It was a light blue 1965 Bonneville. Good grief it was a block long and none of my friends would ride anywhere with me. But it was reliable and got me back and forth to school and work.

New Year, New Food

We began our New Year with lots of family in and celebrating our favorite thing to do: Eat! For our first dinner I made Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon. A day long process, but very worth it! Savory chunks of tender beef in a butter laced au jus with carrots, mushrooms and pearl onions are ladled over crusty bread. Sigh. Make that a "French sigh!"

New Year's Day was perfect for a foodie as well. We began the day with Belgian waffles, made from scratch by the men of the house. Topped with cherries and whipped cream. Whoah! Did they taste especially good because I didn't have to make them? I did try to sneak in and give advice, but was finally booted out! Hey, I was just trying to show them what "soft peaks" are!!

We put a brisket on for the New Year's Day meal. Non-traditional, I know, but great to feed a crowd that maybe wouldn't have like my German sauerkraut, meatballs and mashed potatotes meal. And to tell you the truth, I liked the brisket better too! I had planned to serve some sauteed green beans, assorted rolls, and baked macaroni and cheese with the brisket. My plans went a little awry due to tobogganing! And my niece brought too really delicious sides; a corn casserole and a pineapple casserole. That together with my yellow baked macaroni and cheese made for a very uniform palette on the dinner plate as I somehow didn't get those green beans cooked! Oh well, it was all delicious! Dessert was Ghirardelli double chocolate brownies topped with vanilla ice cream.


The final morning I made an old family favorite, though to tell you the truth we usually made them for a light dinner or dessert. But I had the ingredients and I knew it was my last chance to make what I grew up calling German Pancakes, but are simply crepes filled with sweetened whipped cream cheese and topped with cinnamon sugar. Oy! Very good, with lots of hot tea or coffee.