I did something different last week. A group of us “red hat ladies” went to the Auburn Public Theater for a show. It was the first time I had been there, and we enjoyed it very much. The theater offers a nice relaxing atmosphere. That was such a good idea to start that theater.

I'm sure we'll be able to attend many interesting shows there. This time it was different groups of musicians, all very talented. The people who started it are Carey Eidel and his wife, Angela Dadabbo, and they do a wonderful job. On Saturday, June 2, he will be having “An Evening of Ballroom Dancing” from 8 to 11 p.m. Sounds like fun to me. For information, call 253-6669.

The other event Auburn had last week was the Frank Barney Art Show at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center. That brought back memories to me. As a waitress, when I was a teenager working in my dad's restaurant, I used to wait on him. He came in regularly for a meal. My parents and I used to talk with him quite a bit because he would come in alone. Such a nice man. Who knew he'd be famous for his talent.

I read in the “New Yorker” magazine that a new movie was just released called “Waitress.” I can't wait to have the opportunity to see it. Having been in the restaurant for so many years, I can just imagine it will be an interesting movie. Unless you've ever been a waitress, you can't imagine the things you see happen in that job and the things you hear. Some are funny, some are unbelievable and some are even sad. I hope it gets to our city soon.

As I expected, “Mother's Day” was a very busy day. It's nice to see so many moms happy to be fussed over. Being a mom is such a well-rounded job. It's fun, nerve-wracking, interesting, annoying, unpredictable and sometimes even sad, but I wouldn't miss out on it for anything. The longer you are a mom, the more you wonder how your own mom made it through everything.

Don't you love all the beautiful colors of flowers in the spring? The bright yellow Forsythia bushes which are at their best right now are one of my favorites. Next will be the lilacs. I'm lucky to have one of each. I have a friend who has a row of lilac bushes of different colors instead of a fence and they make her yard not only look beautiful but smell so good. A few years ago, I went to the Lilac Festival they have every year in Rochester - amazing.

Well, our next big holiday is of course Memorial Day. Parades and picnics will start off our summer season. Mother nature better give us beautiful weather for that day and in fact, for all of summer. I think after our winter and late spring we are entitled since there are so many weddings, showers and graduations on many families' “to do” lists this summer.

I hope everyone has a lot of fun things to look forward to in the next few months.

Actually, I hope everyone has a lot of fun things to do always to balance the not fun things to do.

My ethnic recipe today is from Jamaica. It's called Chicken Jamaica. My other recipe is sauerkraut potato salad.

Today's blooper

My blooper today took place on a camping trip. My friend's family goes camping and fishing frequently.

When the wife packs the food, she places things in unlabeled jars and containers.

The husband decided when he got up to make cocoa for breakfast.

He thought there was Cremora in the jar. It was actually laundry soap.

Diana Sobus, of Auburn, specializes in making ethnic foods.