2008 - what opportunities? Travels? Surprises? Blessings? Because I was so busy writing about church suppers, I missed the chance to thank those contributors to history #- Conquest's and mine. There are thousands, but I'll name a few. It seems that the end of the year is also appropriate for review and thanksgiving.

I am thankful for good food and its preparers: Grandma Myrtie Vormwald for steamed pudding with hard sauce, bread and butter pickles and being one of my mavens of pie crust; Kukum for homemade lollypops (who knew you could make your own candy?); Aunt Helen Pilgrim for porcupine balls (the thrifty centerpiece for our first married dinner); Mom Lincoln for lemon cake (and Helen Shepardson for sharing the recipe); Mary Waterman Mack for wassail; Elaine Rubenau for date nut bread (and for sharing so many loaves for 40+ years); my mom, Betty Pilgrim, for daring to fix new dishes #- the first on the block to really try Arthur Godfrey's sour cream dip and for making awesome stroganoff; my dear friend Kay Reich who experimented and experimented until we came up with Clara Portello's calamari sauce (and for J&K's), and Dodie Hill and her aunt who made garden freezing an art form.

I am thankful for the gifts of hospitality: my mother-in-law who could vanish disarray with a hug, my grandmother Kukum Pilgrim for showing me that open doors invite diversity and that humor erases “tragedy” (remember the Thanksgiving turkey that sat in a cold oven for six hours?), my sisters who quietly step in whenever I need help, Cobb family parties shared with the greater neighborhood, Watermans who open their home each Easter morning and the dozens of families who have welcomed exchange students and foster children into their hearts.

I am thankful for the gifts of music: from teachers Doris Kennedy and Lee Ottman, church musicians who share vision and joy: Kathy Wilt, Joan Youngman, Adrice King, Ross Waterman and Sharon Coleman; community members who keep music alive: Bob Foreman and Phil Waterman, and all the singers in all the choirs.

I am thankful for those who preserve and protect our history: the workers in the county historian's office, Ashley Hanry of The Citizen for encouraging local participants, my fellow town historians, those who share their stories (Gerry Burke, Tom and Olga Slayton, Chuck and Caroline Roberts, Phinney family descendants), their photos (Ted Reich, Wanda Brandt and Gladys Smith, Slaytons, Eleanor Aldrich) and the amazing town and village clerks who keep track of “stuff” and people along with their myriad duties. A very special thanks to Cindy Lamphere, retiring Conquest town clerk, for her kindness, abilities and appreciation of our past.

Finally, I give thanks for the Christmas outreach of Countryside United Methodist Church and the Conquest community. We were able to share with 15 young people, three family food baskets, eight shut-ins and 12 caroling stops.

Joni Lincoln is the town of

Conquest historian