Monday, September 16, 2013 Page Three

COMMUNITY LIFESTYLESThe Messenger

Engagements • Weddings • Birthdays • Annie’s Mailbox • Recipes

Anni e’ s Mailbox By

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Dear Annie: On a recent trip to visit my daughter, I found out that my 12-year-old grandson has taken up Irish step dancing. What bothers me is that he danc-es in the girls division.

My daughter told me it began when a girls troupe needed one more dancer and he agreed to join them. He had to wear a girl’s costume, and the judges allowed it. Now my daughter is regularly enter-ing him in competitions for girls. The last time I saw an event program, I noticed that his name was spelled with an extra “i” at the end so it appears to be female. And I have to say, dressed in a girl’s costume with wig and makeup, you can hardly tell he’s a boy.

Is this fraud? There is prize money involved. Could my daughter be sued? When I talked to my grandson about this, he said he doesn’t mind. Should I inform the judges at the next performance or just leave it be? — Surprised Grandmother

Dear Surprised: If there is money being awarded, then yes, it is fraudulent. The first time it happened, the judges were aware that a boy was competing and allowed it. But if your daughter is disguising his gender, it puts his entire troupe at risk for elimina-tion.

Nonetheless, we don’t recommend you get involved by reporting it. Caution your daughter that at some point her son will be discovered and there will be consequences, but what she chooses to do about that is up to her. There is no reason her son cannot compete in a boys division. (And we won’t get into the possibility that your grandson may enjoy dressing up as a girl.)

Dear Annie: We are full-time residents on a lake and owners of a pool. We are continually astonished at the behavior of some people who visit only dur-ing the summer. I’d like to address this to them for next year:

When visiting your lake home, do not assume that you have an open invi-tation to be at our pool just because you are in the same complex. Do not come over to swim unin-vited. At the very least, call to ask whether it is OK. And when you do come

over, do not stay for hours and hours. Sometimes we would like to use our pool with our family. Do not come to our pool when we are not home. If you are at the pool and we leave the house, take that as your cue to pack up.

Our pool is an exten-sion of our living space. Imagine how you would feel if you came home to find people inside your house, watching your TV. Annie, we are social people and like to entertain, but we would appreciate some common courtesy. — Your Private Pool Owner

Dear Pool Owner: Is it possible that the folks who visit your complex believe your pool is com-mon space, available to all? Please don’t suffer in silence. Lock the pool gates when you aren’t home. Post a sign informing peo-ple that it’s a private pool and requires an invitation. Most importantly, be will-ing to tell the intruders that you’d appreciate it if they would phone first. It is not rude to make your bound-aries known.

Dear Annie: As a bou-tique owner, I would like to respond to “Toledo,” who complained that sales associates accost her in every aisle and follow her around.

Please leave your kitch-en sink-sized handbag at home or in your car trunk. When you come into my store carrying shop-ping bags, big coats and enormous purses, you are a security risk. My best defense is to have my associates tail you to make sure you are not stealing.

It would save us both a lot of aggravation if you would be so courte-ous as to come in with a small, closed handbag. — Shrinkage Control

Annie’s Mailbox is writ-ten by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, long-time editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 Third St., Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. To find out more about Annie’s Mailbox and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

JEYLAN ISA AND THOM SNYDER

The engagement and forthcoming marriage of Jeylan Lee Isa and Thomas Wayne “Thom” Snyder, both of Troy, are being announced today.

The bride-elect is the daughter of John and Tammy Ables of Troy. Her grandparents are the late Charles and Betty Storts of Chicago.

She is a 2009 graduate of Obion County Central High School and is employed as a teller at Regions Bank in Union City.

The groom-elect is the

son of Tim and Deb Snyder of Danville, Va. His grand-parents are Al and Loretta Presnell of Waynesfield, Ohio, and the late John and Catherine Snyder of Wapakoneta, Ohio.

He is a 2003 graduate of OCCHS and is employed at Ermco in Dyersburg.

The couple will wed 2 p.m. Oct. 5 at Troy United Methodist Church. Music will begin at 1:30.

A reception will follow at the church.

All friends and family are invited to attend.

Miss Isa to wedSnyder on Oct. 5

Union City Duplicate Bridge Club members played Thursday afternoon at the Eddie Cox Senior Center in Union City. It is an open club and new members are welcome. North-South winners include first place, Linda McDade of South Fulton and Pam Fee of Paducah, Ky.; and second place, Betty Jo Wheeler of Union City and Dianna Nerren of Hickman, Ky. East-West winners included

The Hickman, Ky., Duplicate Bridge Club plays at the Hickman Public Library in Hickman on Tuesday afternoons. Recent winners included first place, Betty Amberg and Jo Grissom, both of Hickman; second place, Doris Lattus and Betty Fields, both of Hickman; and third place, Nancy Richards of Union City and Dianna Nerren of Hickman.

first place, Tom Beard and Sarah Ann Pentecost, both of Dresden; second place, Betty Fields of Hickman and John Harbour of Union City; and third place, Richard Thompson of Fulton and Steve VanCise of Mayfield, Ky.

———

The Kentucky Travel Industry Association select-ed Barbecue on the River and Market Days, Sept. 26-28, as one of the top 10 festi-vals and events for fall.

Barbecue on the River showcases western Ken-tucky’s rich barbecue tradi-tion for a flavorful week-end of fall fun in Historic Downtown Paducah. More than 50 barbecue teams from western Kentucky and beyond cook more than 60 tons of meat during the three-day event. While teams compete for the cov-eted grand champion trophy, their sales raise thousands of dollars for local charitable organizations.

The Paducah Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) nominated the festival for the honor. “Barbecue on the River is an example of how a festival that began housed at the CVB can grow to sustain itself through part-nership and magnify its economic impact on our community,” said Mary Hammond, Paducah CVB executive director. “With

more than $400,000 benefit-ting area charities last year, the expanding reach of the festival is evident. The last weekend in September has become a celebrated time for homecomings, reunions and motorcoach tours.”

Gather with local Kentuck-ians to feast on mouthwater-ing hickory smoked meats, fixin’s and desserts. Peruse a variety of market day ven-dor booths, enjoy Paducah Symphony Orchestra’s Beer and Wine Garden or listen to some of the best regional musicians at the main stage.

A panel of impartial judges selects the Kentucky Travel Industry Association top 10 festivals and events for each season. Criteria for selection includes event popularity, impact on the local travel economy and cultural and historical significance.

For more information about Barbecue on the River, visit www.bbqontheriver.org or call (270) 559-7330. Visit www.paducah.travel for additional Paducah event information and trip plan-ning resources.

Barbecue on the River named a top festival

The Fourth Annual Mississippi Gourd Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, with additional early-bird classes scheduled on Friday in Raleigh, Miss. The event will feature three days of classes with teach-ers and vendors from seven states.

Twenty-four gourdcraft-ing classes, demonstrations, beautifully crafted gourds, ready-to-craft gourds, gourd-crafting tools and supplies and more will be offered during the event. Natural gourds will be on sale, along with numerous booths of handcrafted gourds for pur-chase. Participants can enjoy

inexpensive make-it, take-it activities for adults and children.

Smith County MHV (Homemakers) will be sell-ing homemade chicken and sausage gumbo, chili and desserts, along with ham-burgers and hot dogs.

All events will take place inside the air-conditioned Smith County Agricultural Complex at 131 SCR 77 (Oil Field Road), just off Highway 35 South in Raleigh.

Admission is $2; free for children 12 and younger.

For more information, visit http://www.mississip-pigourdsociety.org.

Two-day event features handcrafted items

By ALISON LADMANAssociated Press

There is something so perfect, so satisfying about a bowl of warm squash bisque on a cool fall evening. And it is such a versatile dish, it is easily doctored in so many ways.

Using that blend of ver-satility and comfort as our inspiration, we created a fast and easy squash bisque that becomes a base for whatever autumn flavors you are craving. You could, of course, keep it basic and simply top this bisque with a dollop of sour cream. But we also suggest six varia-tions of toppings, including shrimp, bacon and pulled pork.

You also could make the bisque vegan by substitut-ing vegetable broth for the chicken broth and almond or soy creamer for the heavy cream.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND SQUASH

BISQUEStart to finish: 1 hourServings: 82 tablespoons vegetable

oil2 large sweet onions,

diced2 medium shallots,

chopped1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon dried

Italian herbs or herbes de Provence

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

11⁄2 pounds cubed, peeled butternut squash

3 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup heavy creamGround black pepperIn a large saucepan over

medium-high, heat the veg-etable oil. Add the onions, shallots, salt and herbs, then saute for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and con-tinue to cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and brown, about another 20 minutes.

Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan. Add the squash and 3 cups of the broth, then bring to a sim-mer. Cover and cook until the squash is completely tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Alternatively, puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender. Either way, take care when blend-ing hot liquids.

Return the bisque to the heat and stir in the cream. If a thinner bisque is desired, thin the soup with the remaining cup of broth. Heat until just hot. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, finish with any of the following:

• SPICED SHRIMP AND SCALLIONS

Toss 12 ounces of small cooked shrimp with 1 tea-spoon five-spice powder. Top with sliced scallions.

• ASIAGO AND APPLEStir 2 finely diced apples

into the bisque, then bring back to a simmer. Top with shredded Asiago cheese.

• BARBECUE PULLED PORK

Stir together 2 cups of shredded/pulled cooked pork with 1⁄3 cup barbecue sauce. Top the soup first with the pork, then a dollop of sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro.

• TWO CORN AND HERBS

Cook 1 cup of thawed frozen corn kernels on high in a skillet with 1 table-spoon of oil until lightly browned. Stir the kernels into the bisque along with 2 tablespoons each of chopped fresh tarragon, thyme and chives. Finish by topping the bisque with salted, but-tered popcorn.

• PEPPERED JACKStir in 1 diced red bell pep-

per and 1⁄4 cup diced pickled jalapenos. Top with shred-ded pepper jack cheese.

• MAPLE BACON BLUE

Stir in 1⁄2 cup crumbled crisped bacon and 1⁄4 cup maple syrup. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese.

———Nutrition information

per serving of bisque (not including toppings): 200 calories; 130 calories from fat (65 percent of total calo-ries); 15 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 40 mg cho-lesterol; 16 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 3 g protein; 280 mg sodium.

How to make a hearty and easy have-it-your-way squash bisque

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