In April of 2004, the soup kitchen at SS. Peter and John Church was started to serve lunch on Saturdays at the church's parish house. I have to say, I am so pleased to have been asked to join the group to prepare and serve the lunch where one can be of help to someone else.

It leaves you with a pleasant feeling. We have so many wonderful volunteers every week from different churches and clubs to help.

We also have soup donated from our local restaurants, which is wonderful. Some people and groups donate money.

Much food items are also donated, which helps us provide salad, casseroles and desserts.

Wegmans provides cakes, pastries, bagels. Thank you to everyone.

As I have mentioned before, my dad would feed people during the depression when they came to his restaurant and asked for a meal. So I am familiar with what a good deed it is to be able to do it.

Thank you from all of us to all of you.

Guess what? My yard work has been started. Yes, a couple of my family members, my granddaughter and her husband, showed up to help me.

I guess whining about it does help get it done. I've noticed daffodils are in bloom and this week some of the trees have buds. Hooray!

Greek Easter came and our family had a great Greek dinner. We also had some non-Greek food. When we get together for dinner, whatever we eat is great.

This is the time of year I love. Is it because the hot dog stands opened? Maybe!

Really its because of all the activities that become available. You know I love going places and doing different things.

The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse will be starting its 50th year. I love the shows.

They are all very well done - the acting, costumes, music and directing. It's a real treat for me when I can arrange to go. Hopefully I can volunteer to usher this year.

Looking forward to summer makes me hope we can go to Ocean City this year.

My son is a police officer there. As a family we went there every summer for 43 years from the time my children were babies. We'd meet my parents and my sister and her family.

Fifteen of us would go from here - family, friends and lots of children.

The past three or four years we couldn't arrange to make it there, but this year, we are all counting on it happening. I'll let you know if it does.

The experiences and

fun we had there would fill another book.

Many wishes for lots of good things for everybody. And, of course, for good weather from now on.

My ethnic recipe this week is Hawaiian. It's for crab rice salad. My other recipe is for spaghetti salad.

Today's blooper

My blooper for today could be done by many busy cooks.

My friend was making spaghetti sauce and realized she need more tomato chunks.

She went to her freezer to get a bag of them and emptied it into the sauce.

One mistake. She was in a hurry and didn't check the bag, and it was a bag of frozen cherries, which of course she didn't realize until she started stirring them into the sauce.

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

Crab Rice Salad

4 cups cooked rice, cooled

4 cans crab meat, flaked

2 cans water chestnuts sliced

1 cup slivered almonds

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup vinegar

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

Combine first five ingredients; mix well. Combine remaining ingredients and fold into rice mixture.

Chill before serving.

Spaghetti Salad

Makes 6-8 servings

1 8-ounce package thick spaghetti

4 hard boiled eggs

1 green pepper, cut fine

1 stalk celery, cut fine

I tablespoon onion, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Half of a 5-ounce jar green olives, cut fine; save a few slices for top of salad

Whipped salad dressing

Cook spaghetti; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again.

Add remaining ingredients; mix thoroughly.

Chill in refrigerator a few hours before serving.