At various times over the years I have given my relatives puzzles or compilations of recipes or even NaJoPoMo entries for Christmas.

I remember one really strange crossword puzzle that I made for my father (he loved solving the hardest puzzles. He scolded me for looking up the answers). One of the clues was an obscure Chinese composer (Chiang Wen Yeh) who was born in Taiwan but moved to Mainland China, thus ensuring that the powers that be in both countries would mistrust him . For what it's worth (probably not much), in 1989 I toured Taiwan with a Boston-area chorus singing his music to try to prevent his music from being totally forgotten. My father would not likely have had any idea who he was. Dad told me it was the strangest crossword puzzle he had ever seen.

Other times I put together my favorite recipes in three-ring binders and gave them names like "Blue Plate Specials" (the binders were blue) or "leftovers cookbook". Some of these recipes became H2G2 guide entries. Ham and Yam chili, for instance. Or Chocolate and beetroot cake.

Last year I emailed a copy of my magnum opus Spotlight on Crepuscular Meadows to family members. I also posted this material on h2g2.

I often wrote my own material when I made Christmas cards or annual letters. In 2010 I put together a collection of Christmas stories I wrote for h2g2.

So, in a way, my contributions for h2g2 have been the gift that keeps giving.

Pilgrims' Inn will be emailed to my relatives as a gift when I finish it after November 30

Merry Christmas!

Paulh

06.12.21 Front Page

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