I've been called ( )

 It is hard to find a photo of vomiting that isn't repulsive.

Over the years I've been described by many titles

• Daughter
• Sister
• Wife
• Ex-wife
• Writer
• Journalist
• PR Director
• Divorcee
• Consultant
• Editor
• Publisher
• Friend 
• American
• Swiss

However more and more I'm becoming known as the "woman who vomited."

When I renounced my American nationality, I blogged how it upset me that I had to make a choice between being American and having a bank account in the country where I lived, Switzerland. I blogged it. blog.http://theexpatwriter.blogspot.ch/2011/12/one-of-saddest-days.html

I was so upset that when I left the Embassy in Bern that I threw up. 

I included that in my blog, which was picked up by journalists and groups who are fighting FATCA, the US law bullying non-US banks and other investment by threatening such huge fines and punishments that it is easier for them to shut out all ex-pats from all types of banking and investment opportunities.

I am not alone...other people who have been faced with financial ruin or returning to the US after building lives abroad are also renouncing not because they want to but because they have no acceptable choice.

Now, I meet people in the community who are fighting these draconian regulations, "Are you the woman who vomited."

On a recent radio interview one of the people about FATCA mentioned a woman who vomited after surrendering her US citizenship.

Of my titles, I think it is one of the more interesting.  The only problem I regret the necessity for my choice that led to it.

Discrimination

The Past

I have never had the same level of experience of discrimination as a black in a white world, a Muslim in America, a Jew during the Holocaust (more than discrimination what they suffered)  or any other minority. As a white, highly educated, middle-class ex-American Swiss woman I should be free from all that. My status was/is an accident of birth.

Or so I thought but these were all things I could over come, alternatives denied many of the other groups.

Sure, when my ex and I separated in 1969, the bank denied me a loan for the car I needed to get to work because "divorcing women were unstable." And yes my soon-to-be ex did get a loan from the same bank where our families had done business for three generations. My father loaned me the money, and I never missed a payment.

Women's lib and new legislation put an end to that sort of bank discrimination.

Almost.

At one point I tried to buy a house with two other people, both white, in a red lined area of Boston. Read an area that banks mark with a red crayon as not worth loaning to...usually in a heavily black area. We were turned down for insufficient income even though our combined salaries was 4x greater than the purchase price. We finally found a bank that would give us the money.

In Switzerland one company told me I had all the skills they needed and the attitude but I was a woman and too old. The job I did find paid more for less effort.

Fast forward to 2015

There is a new group of people that number at least 8.7 people who are facing bank discrimination all over the world. They thought they were exempt if they even thought about it at all. They are:

• American expats
• Accidental Americans
• Green Card Holders 

Mostly they fall into my category: educated, white (although not completely) and middle-class.

How are they being discriminated against and by whom?

Non US-based banks are closing American accounts, refusing to open any new account, calling in mortgages, cancelling credit cards, debit cards, refusing loans. Pension plans will not take on American clients, insurance companies will not sell them insurance.

And it is not the their' fault.

Americans represent danger to them.

Why?

The US passed a law call FATCA (Foreign Account Compliant Act) which says these organizations must report all American accounts. After all, these fat cats must be dodging taxes.

Aren't all expats rich?

Well no, they aren't. Most earn a salary commemorate with the local cost of living. This is taxed in their resident country with a deduction on US taxes. If they have income that is not a salary they are double taxed on things like pensions, SS, investment income, child support, etc.

To convince these banks and other financial organizations that compliance is a good idea they US made threats:

• Pay 30% on all your US assets
• Be shut out of the international banking system

To comply banks have spent billions. Countries have had to change their laws to protect their own financial systems in response to the US bullying.

And the 8.7 million American expats all over the world are in danger of losing the ability to manage an ordinary financial life.

Their solutions are few, the three most drastic are:

• Disrupt their lives and move back to the US
• Put everything in the name of a non US spouse, unhealthy for any relationship
• Renounce their American nationality

Shadows

Although I don't consider myself a photographer, for the last year I've been taking photos of shadows. I've posted samples below.

At first I wondered if something lurid about shadows which appeals to me "What evil lurks in the heart of men. Only The Shadow knows..." was a line from a mystery radio show before television.

And there is the Shel Silverstein poem.

Every time I've raced my shadow
When the sun was at my back,
It always ran ahead of me,
Always got the best of me.
But every time I've raced my shadow
When my face was toward the sun,
I won.  

Or the Robert Louis Stevenson poem...

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,   
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.   
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;   
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.   
   
The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;   
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball,   
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.   
   
He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,   
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;   
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!   
   
One morning, very early, before the sun was up,   
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;   
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head, 
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed. 

Then I decided shadows are a metaphor for another dimension.

When we write about a character we may not give all the characteristics that are in our imagination for that person, but they are still there. Because of those shadows, the character does or does not act in the same way s/he would have if they were not there.

It holds true in real life too. We all have shadows that follow us...they just can't be caught by a camera. To me, they make what I see prettier, more interesting.

Bikes make shadows that I feel I could almost pedal.

Not just shadows but fairy lights on the tray. Can't wait to see it at Christmas.

Colored shadows.

These shadows are only slightly lighter than their trees.

Person non grata at 10

Over the next few weeks This blog, along with other topics, will feature stories of American ex-pats, Accidental Americans and Green Card Holders that have been hurt by FATCA and Citizen Based Taxation. If you have a story that needs to be told, please contact me at dlnelson7@hotmail.com
Stories can be use with or without your name and you will have final copy approval.

You can find out more about me on my writing at www.donnalanenelson.com

She is like any ten-year old. She enjoys dancing, gymnastics, Judo, playing piano, shopping.

Because she lives near Zurich, she speaks high-German, but also understands Swiss German and is improving her English. Next year she will start French.

She has everything a child needs except one…A bank account.

Her parents would love to open one for her, but they can’t. Nor can she open one herself.

Why?

She’s an American. Her American father made the mistake of declaring her an American citizen. Ten years ago it was a good idea. Now it is a sentence to limited financial possibilities for life if you are a dual or an expat.

It is not the banks’ fault. 

FATCA. That is the excuse the US is using to pressure every non-US bank to report US citizens accounts or face 30% fines on US assets and being shut out of the financial market. Although they have spent billions all over the world to put systems in place to comply, the easier way is to close off all banking to American ex-pats.

Thus this child has been denied even a kiddie account because of the damned blue passport.

Although her father grew up in the US,  the family’s life is almost 100% outside the US. They don’t foresee ever going to the states except perhaps for a holiday and then maybe not even then.

Her father reported something strange had happened."A bank called me yesterday, asking if they could destroy my application for my daughter.

Her father is also a renounced American, done so he could bank. He will pay the $2,350 it costs for his daughter to buy her way out and have an ordinary financial future, but he is not happy about the amount. 

Thus, if he wants to save for his daughter education, he better buy gold and a piggy bank and pray when she is 18 she can shed her American nationality and open a bank account, buy insurance, make investments, have a credit or debit card, get a loan.

In other words...lead a normal financial life.

The Introduction

Petite Cougar,Thé Noir and Miel were on the bed just chatting when they heard thump, thump, thum.

They looked down and saw a Penguin.

"Who are you?" Petite Cougar asked.

"I'm Polly Penguin. I've just moved in."

"You're a lot bigger than the rest of us," Thé Noir said.

"Wait till the others hear about this," Miel said.

Petite Cougar invited Polly up on the bed.

"I can't fly and it is too high jump," she said.

 Polly is one smart penguin. By pushing cushions and stools she was able to join the others. I am sure there will be more adventures to follow. After all Scoob 2 participated in a Take Your Scooby to Work Day in Boston.

Penguin glasses

Eyeglass hunting was a major sport in Argelès until Rick bought me a tiny penguin that rests on my desk. Wherever he finds my glasses he puts them on that penguin.

The sport continued in Geneva with no safe place for items.

Today I walked into my bedroom and my lovely husband had purchased a new penguin with my glasses. She won't fit on the desk

Now if I can only find my missing boots. 

More on the Oxford comma

If you read my novels, my editors put in the Oxford commas. They must have a drawer full because I won't use them. I know the comma, one way or another, will not affect the enjoyment of reading any book.

A comma replaces the word "and" and when I told my Oxford-comma-loving husband that, he asked me where I heard it. I replied in high school and college grammar classes. I should reveal that he is a professional writer too, and a good one.

I will give him credit that he brought this quote to me, supporting my belief and opposite to his.

"For example, in such enumeration as 'French, German, Italian and Spanish', the two commas take the place of 'ands': there is no comma after Italian', because, with 'and', it would be otiose." This was from Fowler's Modern English Usage.

I have to admit I had to look up the word 'otiose' something I rarely have to do, which is humbling.

Merriman-Webster defines otiose as producing no use result, futile, functionless.

That one of the few disagreements he and I have are over the Oxford comma.

Here is the Amazon description  of the book: "Fowler's Modern English Usage is the world-famous guide to English usage, loved and used by writers of all kinds. In keeping with its long tradition, Fowler's gives comprehensive and practical advice on grammar, syntax, style, and choice of words. It gives a clear and authoritative picture of the English we use, and elucidates many scores of usage questions such as the split infinitive and the intricacies of political correctness. It gives in-depth coverage of both British and American English with reference to the English of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. The volume includes wide-ranging examples of usage from a broad selection of newspapers, journals, and books from across the globe, and features illustrative quotations from authors such as Agatha Christie, Chinua Achebe, Iris Murdoch, Harold Pinter, and Noel Coward.

"Based on the evidence and research of the Oxford Dictionaries Program, this is the most comprehensive and authoritative guide to usage available. The third edition of 1996 provided a complete revision and an expansion of the original text, bringing the book fully up to date on all matters of grammar, usage, syntax, and style.

Non hysterical elections

We are electing a new Swiss government and thankfully the process only lasts a few weeks.

Our parliament is set up like Congress, a house and a senate. There are seven cabinet members divided among the many main parties and few minor ones. Each year there is a new president, rotating thru the cabinet, sometimes called the seven dwarfs.

Since my arrival in Switzerland in 1990, the political situation has evolved...less consensus but it doesn't have 1% of the craziness I see in the US elections.

Sure the UDC, the far right group, will push fears about immigration and some of the other topics that should be looked at are pushed into the background. And maybe the truth is stretched a bit on some subjects, but the hysteria is missing.

As a Swiss, I look at all the posters (see below) in all the villages and many areas of the city. I read articles as in the magazine above.

My ballot has been mailed to me. I need to get it back by the 18th. Choice 2 would be to take it up in person.

Women fought in this country and others so I can vote. The Swiss granted me nationality. As a responsible citizen I will study the candidates and select my list as a responsible citizen and in thanks to those that made is possible for me.

It takes time. Sometimes I fight with the French to make sure I understand. I need to double check other things on the Internet, search out deeper history.

It is worth it to live in a democracy, one far from perfect, but that works more than it doesn't. To keep we must do our part to preserve and one of those things is to vote.

The look

Rick picked up his spoon and moved the ingredients of the soup I had just made in a circular direction. "What's in it?"

He's become a lot more adventurous in what he eats since we got together. Still he does like things identified, if possible before they go into his mouth.

I rattled of the ingredients and he gave me THE LOOK!

THE LOOK says maybe if I work hard enough I'll understand what she is saying.

"If anything was in the frigo or closet I put it in," I said. Many ingredients do make the best soup.

He asked for me to repeat the ingredients.

I did:

• Onion
• Leeks
• Carrots
• Turnips
• Cabbage
• Bullion
• Barley
• Lentils

 He still looked confused.

Poor man. I think in terms of vitamins, minerals as well as taste when I decide what I cook. The more veggies, the happier I am. Was this his problem?

THE LOOK did not go away. "Bali?"

"Barley," I said.

"Bali?"

We broke up laughing at the same moment. My R-less Boston accent had struck again.

I think he was happy that he had a part of an island dropped in this soup nor did I include any weird ingredients.

Rick has a dueling blog at http://lovinglifeineurope.blogspot.fr/

We were nestled all snug in our beds (no visions of dancing sugarplums) when the telephone rang.

My mobile was off.

Rick's mobile was off.

It wasn't coming from J's room.

It wasn't coming from Son Number 2's room on the upper level.

We went back to bed, drifted off.

The phone rang.

Where oh where?

Standing in the hallway it seemed to come from downstairs.

For some reason, the alarm on the downstairs phone was ringing.

???????????????????????

DVDs

Last night we watched the last episode of Season 3 House of Cards. Arghhhhh, a cliff hangar.

Even if I wanted to cheat and read how the situation is resolved, I can't. IMDB has not posted any Season 4 summaries.


This morning, over my cup of tea, I realised how much more pleasant DVDs are than watching a program on television.

The reason.

COMMERCIALS/ADVERTS/PUB

The US is the worst for commercial breaks. I feel I am watching advertising broken up by some kind of entertainment. Two lines of the story than umptyup commercials.

Brit adverts, as they call them, may not be as frequent but they go on forever and ever. One can almost wash and dry a load of laundry during those breaks.

French ones are somewhat shorter. Some stations which run perhaps three episodes of a series back-to-back, might start a new episode immediately after the old one ends and then ten or so minutes into it will do the pub as it is called. Rather clever to hook you in case you reached for the remote between shows.

DVDs at least save us from all that. They may start off with the threat that they will burn down your house if you copy or misuse it.

My housemate and I got hooked on DVDs with Grey's Anatomy. They became part of our DNA with Gilmore Girls. I still miss Lorelei and Rory.

In Argelès, I answered the door one night to find a season DVD of The Good Wife in the hall and hiding around the corner was my housemate who had come down from Geneva. Twice we have had Good Wife festivals, back-to-back watching with favorite snacks and even champagne.

Ballykissangel Rick and I bought and watched but my housemate took it up to the mountains. I almost heard her scream of frustration at the events in a season's end episode.

There are other loved series, watched together or shared.

The only disadvantage to NOT having the commercials/adverts/pub is having to push the pause button for a pee break.

A chance encounter

Wandering around the village taking photos, we decided that a cup of tea was absolutely necessary

"Hey, did you graduate from Harvard?" This was from a man sitting outside with a renversé (cafe au lait) and a deep southern accent. Rick's Harvard T-shirt was visible.

We sat in the sunshine and chatted for almost two hours about everything and despite his "hillbilly" and my "New England Yankee" self-images found so much in common.

He is visiting his grandchildren, told us of a flat to rent (beautiful but out-of-budget by 30%) is also involved in aviation and, like me, during his childhood had an adult in his life that insisted on showing courtesy to others.

His travels exceeded both Rick's and mine.

The true richness in life are these moments be it the beauty of our village or the warmth of a new human contact.

US Stealing billions of dollars

One industrialized country practices Citizen Based Taxation--The US.

What does that mean? Every cent an American, accidental American or green card holder living outside the US earns, must be reported including, pension funds, capital gains, investments, unemployment, welfare benefits. They then pay taxes to the US on it as well as paying taxes where they live on the same money sources reducing their disposal income.

There are some deductions but still taxes are flowing out of the economies where the expats live and get all the normal services one receives where they live. This money is being stolen from their local businesses and governments.

This money is being sent from where they live to a place where they don't live and receive no services. (The US may or may not rescue from danger, but guaranteed you will get a bill.)

The US is constantly threatening their citizens (including those who were never born there and never lived there) with fines if they don't fill out this or that form which can cost them five figures or sometimes even exceeds the amount of money not reported.

Countries have caved to the horrible FATCA bill in fear that their banks and other financial institutions will face huge fines and be shut out of the international banking system. The billions spent on compliance could have well gone to better projects.

Why the governments put up with this robbery I do not understand.

What room is the soul of your house?

I know the title sounds a bit like all those quizzes on Facebook such as which dog would you be?

I define soul of a house as the communication and sharing center, where family members come together regularly to unconsciously create internal nourishing memories. 

I am sure for each family, couple or individual (no Oxford comma, Rick) it varies. For me it has. There were the five houses with my ex that never developed a soul, although I wasn't aware of it at the time.

200 Grove Street, Reading MA

The dining room, with its plant-filled bay window looking out on the rose bushes that had their own seasonless beauty, was the soul of the house. Food was important with recipes a regular topic. Meals were a time to tell one another what was happening in our lives.

We played games almost every Saturday night, read books, came together for quick chats. And the wonderful smells of my grandmother or mother's cooking wafting in from the attached kitchen were like a bell to Pavlov's dog. 

I can still picture my mother sitting there with her afternoon cup of tea reading Gourmet.

Tavern Road, Waltham MA

I loved its well-padded, yellow banquette and matching Formica table. Countless games of Yahtzee were played and tons of good meals eaten there. Plans were made, confidences shared, solutions found. (Oxford comma because there is no and, Rick). And it had more electric plug outlets than appliances making cooking easy. Two great meals were Bill's onion soup and his cabbage, noodle, bacon casserole. 

The refrigerator was a message center.

The Riverway, Boston MA

Its kitchen bay window looked out not on a garden but the city that I loved. The room was decorated in in red and white and my bright red dishes made me smile even on a bad day. Hard to be sad against a happy color.

This was where my daughter and I caught up on the events of our day before homework and writing separated us. It included the almost ritualistic Friday night's Soup La Poubelle which was made out of the leftovers of the week and Saturday's fried bread from the dough left over from the week's loaves.

The cat loved perching on top of the cabinets and the memory of Albert, my Japanese chin, learning to open the lower cabinets explained missing food adding yet another memory.

François Lehman, Grand Saconnex Switzerland

This galley kitchen soul room was a little different because I lived alone much of the time although my daughter did spend a good two years with me and RB2 bunked in while he had a local contract. 

Sunday mornings, sitting at the table, staring at the château across the street, drinking hot chocolate brought a sense of peace no matter how hectic the week had been.

When my daughter was in residence it was also the game room, with our two Japanese chins under the table...all four living creatures crowded into a small space.

Argelès France x2

Since my Argelès nest is a studio, the whole place is the soul of the home. The kitchen area is much too small to do anything but cook and then take the food to the table. 

However, there have been wonderful meals with friends and guests. One of the fun experiences was this summer where we put guests in the nest and they invited me to dinner--a guest in my own home. I walk into the studio and my soul goes "ahhhhhhhhhhhh." The ahhhhhhhhhh factor determines which room is the soul for me.

The flat Rick and I share in Argelès, because the nest is too small for us long term, has a wonderful kitchen with the original 400-year-old wooden beams. Stone walls feature fish carvings by a Danish artist. 

Rick and I eat more often in the dining area or on the patio but there is a table and two chairs in the kitchen where we may chat long after breakfast has finished. It feels good.

However, because the flat so suits us, we both work at home, we communicate any place within its rooms, I am not sure that the kitchen is the soul of the flat. It is a joy to work in, but it has taken a little while to get it set up with all the tools I like to use.

The addition of a slow pot cooker, pots and pans that aren't Teflon or other chemically finished, and opening up the middle space has made me love every minute I am cooking or eating in it. I also love when Rick cooks.

I would say in a way the bedroom might be the soul and it has nothing to do with the physical act of making love, but everything to do with love full stop. When we wake up in the morning, one of us gets two cups of tea, we each read or check email, plan the day, giggle, share information on any topic under the sun that it is so special that the kitchen may be relegated down to the heart of the house.

A home with a heart and soul...what more could anyone want?

Two Jessicas

American-style BBQ is not common place in Geneva, and truck foods seems are a new phenomena.

Thus when we heard about Funky BBQ on Facebook, we wanted to try it. They do publish their location and today, we were only a couple of block away at lunch time.

"Can you speak English?" one of the servers asked. I'd been on the phone to my housemate to see if she wanted us to bring anything home. She did and we did.

The truck was manned by two charming women named Jessica, one from Tennessee and one from California. The choices included corn bread, baked beans (not Boston), cole slaw, ribs, pulled pork, chicken and a bit of European boar.

Yes...

The smell in the car just made us hungrier and I don't think people ever sat down to a meal so fast.

After lunch, the smell was still on my hands reminding me there are a couple of ribs left over.

This will not be the last time we track them down.

Bernie and Babette

Cats don't vote and even if they did, a Swiss cat can't vote in America, but I think Babette might like to.

I was on my bed, my iPad propped on my stomach listening to a speech by Bernie Sanders. Babette walked up my legs and rested her head in such a way that it looked like a totem.

My camera was downstairs, one of those perfect shots that will never be captured.

Bernie kept talking, Babette kept purring.

Hmmmm...or rrrrrrrr

The Oxford comma

Rick and I agree on most things. In the three years we’ve know each other there has been only 2.5 times I’ve been annoyed or angry at him and he has shown exasperation with me only once. Consternation doesn’t count.

Even in politics we will each roll out information and both of us modify our opinions as needed.

However, one place we don’t agree on is the OXFORD COMMA.

The Oxford comma is placed before the coordinating conjunction after a series of three or more items.

I love ice cream, chocolate, and champagne. Even putting that comma in there my fingers quiver and a little voice says, “Don’t, don’t.” Well maybe not so little.

A comma replaces the word and. Thus when I used the Oxford comma, I wrote I love ice cream and chocolate and and champagne.

I don’t care that Colin Dexter, creator of the Morse mysteries wrote in the dedication of his The Remorseful Day, “For George, Hillary, Maria, and Beverly (Please note the Oxford comma)” I believe what he said was For George, Hillary, Maria and and Beverly.

As for the with and without example, I suspect very few people would think that the orange juice really was on top of the egg-filled toast.

We can agree to disagree.

Smile research

Because of my low white blood cell count, the doctor said I should wear a mask when I came in for a blood tests because of "microbes" which I did.

I am a smiler. I smile at almost everyone I pass and I wave a small children--it's an almost automatic reflex. Infact it is so automatic that ever with my mask, I kept smiling as I passed people. I discovered most people smiled back even though my mouth was hidden.

I tried not smiling at people under my mask. They didn't smile back.

Maybe they picked up something from my eyes.

I may try more research even though my white blood cells are now protecting me once again from all those nasty microbes.

Fall and dessert soups

More Stove Stories from my late mother's unpublished cookbook.
When I make the fish chowder I often add corn or make it with corn without the fish.

My mother also loved dessert soups.

BAKED FISH CHOWDER

This is in no way your traditional New England fish chowder, but it is easy and delicious. I've tried

adding salt pork to the original recipe given me. It seems to make this chowder even better.

Really, I don't remember which aunt contributed this many years ago, but I do know it's a favorite with family and friends.

• 1/4 lb. at least of salt pork
• 2 lbs of haddock or cod fillets
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• Several  chopped celery leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 dried dill seed
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup Vermouth
• 3 cups boiling water
• 3 cups light cream

Bake the fish until flaky.

Add all ingredients to 3-quart sauce pan with 3 cups boiling water.

Simmer until vegetables are done.

Add Vermouth and 3 cups light cream. (Note: there's chopped parsley in the photo)

 COLD CHERRY SOUP

• 2 one-pound cans pitted tart cherries
• Juice from a third can of cherries
• 1 cherry can of water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 whole gloves
• 6 allspice berries
• 1 lemon sliced
• 1 two-inch cinnamon stick
• Dash of salt
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 2 cups light cream
• 1/2 bottle white wine such as Medoc

In a kettle combine the two 1-pound cans of cherries, the juice from the third can, 1 cherry can water, the sugar, cloves, allspice, sliced lemon, cinnamon and salt.

Bring to a boil.

Blend 1 tbsp. smoothly into the 3 cups light cream and stir the mixture into the cherry combination.

Add the 1/2 bottle white wine and bring to a boil stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and chill thorough.

Serve with 1 tbsp. whipped cream on each serving.

Will keep for 2 weeks refrigerated.

Makes 12 small servings.

 STOCKPOT SOUP

I had an uncle with whom I had great rapport although we argued constantly (but without rancor) at

the drop of a word, any word.

Financially very comfortable, he was the ultimate in contradiction. He never buttoned any sweater he ever owned. The elbows might be worn but the buttonholes were as they came from the men's shop.

Three cups of tea from one teabag was his cardinal rule but he'd pay $400 for a postage stamp without blinking an eye. He'd have loved the economical way with leftovers.

Keep a soup "stockpot" in your refrigerator by pouring in a suitable kettle all juice from vegetables, canned, fresh or froze. Also add any leftover bits of meats and vegetables. At the end of the week simmer the stock with either a packet of dry soup mix or add fresh vegetables any kind of cooked pasta or whatever suits your fancy. An easy meal with a salad and French bread of hot rolls.

SALAD (SPRING) SOUP

This must be the most ingenious leftover ever devised. It is always different and always delicious.

Don't tell your family you're serving them the remains of yesterday's salad or that's why those little leftovers have vanished from the refrigerator. If they insist on knowing what it is, tell them it's "Spring Soup."

• 1 1/2 cups green salad more or less with dressing remaining in bowl
• Lettuce leaves (5 or 6 large)
• 1/2 to 2 cups leftover cooked vegetables
• 2 to 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 to3 cans chicken broth or stock
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 drops Tabasco

Heat oil in a heavy sauce pan and add leftover salad and vegetables.

Saute over medium heat 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until lettuce is wilted.

Pour this mixture into a blender with some of the chicken broth and puree thoroughly. Return to the broth remaining in the sauce pan and bring to moderate boil.

Add, salt, pepper and Tabasco.

Serve with croutons if desired.

The measurements are flexible and dictated by the amount of ingredients you have on hand.

GRACE'S CARROT SOUP

Even people who don't like carrots like this.

• 1-1/2 cups carrots, cut up, cooked
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Dash nutmeg
• Dash cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Blend carrots, broth, spices. Heat. Add cream and milk and simmer. Do NOT boil.

CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP

 Get out the soup kettle and prepare to see your reputation soar to new heights. The first hint of autumn

absolutely dictates this soup, although I actually make it all year round. It's that good.

• 1 large onion
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (or beef)
• 4 cups milk
• 1/4 SHARP cheddar cheese
• 1/8 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Paprika
• Worcestershire sauce
• Sauteed mushrooms (optional)

Chop the onion medium fine and saute in butter in a heavy kettle over low heat. Don't let them brown.

Sprinkle with flour, stir in a smooth paste.

Gradually stir in chicken (or beef) broth.

Add milk slowly, stirring  constantly until thickened.

You can use a double boiler to be safer if you'd prefer.

Grate in SHARP cheddar cheese, add dry mustard, stir constantly.

Heat until cheese melts and remove from the stove at once.

Season with salt, pepper, paprika and two or three stops of Worcestershire.

Add sauteed mushrooms if you wish.

Six servings. you'll wish you'd doubled it.

PINK STRAWBERRY SOUP

Pretty as a picture, this is a party soup or for romantic dinners for two. Call it a glamorous soup, call it

exotic, call it elegant.

• 1 pound fresh ripe strawberries
• 4 cups Port
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp. arrowroot

Hull and wash strawberries and put in a saucepan with 4 cups Port and one cup of water.

Bring to a boil.

Mix the arrowroot with with 1/4 cup water and stir into the hot soup.

Reheat and stir until it thickens.

Serve the soup chilled and topped with a small dollop of whipped cream and/or a sprinkle of chopped walnuts.

Serves six to 10 depending on the role it plays in your menu.