Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, who learned not from her mother but from her mother-in-law, don’t ask guests if they are hungry, serve. If they eat, they were hungry.
Sapta always had milk or buttermilk for the kids because of the one cow the family owned.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, set someone up with food if they say they are hungry. Do not give them money “to go buy food,” whatever that means.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, pour liquids and solids in the sink, because when they spill, not if, the sink is a good place to be.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, mustard and sour pickles add a lot of flavor and have no calories.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, boil a little extra water for tea.
Kent once remarked that I was filling the tea kettle with more than we needed for tea, but that way hot water for seconds was already there. Kent came from parents with a poverty mentality, and I did not—other mentalities, yes, but not poverty.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, while saying someone is smart or attractive are both big plusses, they are hereditary and not their own doing. It is greater praise to say someone is softhearted, honest or hospitable—that’s all them.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, use a pinch of sour salt in every soup. The citric acid adds a tang, reduces the salt needed and acts as a natural preservative.
Both my grandmothers used it in Europe.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, you can go out and have good time even if see a bad movie. It’s all in your attitude.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, if a favorite non-perishable item is on sale in the supermarket, ask a manager if there is a whole case you can have at the sale price.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, get gas when the tank is at the halfway mark. Don’t wait until the tank is on ‘E’ for empty.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, make your guest feel welcome by setting the table before they arrive.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, nothing tastes like homemade.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, one ingredient is craved by every cook—a hungry and appreciative guest. Never tell a host you are dieting; say everything is so delicious that you’re full.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, don’t drive friends home by dropping them off at the corner. Take them to their door, which takes you another minute, but feels so good to them.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, it is more important to get someone a small, quality gift than to get a big one of lesser quality. A fine gift says the recipient is a quality person.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, if you see something in the street that will give a passing car a flat tire, get in there and get it out of the way.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, it is generous to give hand-me-downs away, but do not call them a gift. A gift is something you make or buy.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, always leave yourself a backdoor explanation. When you don’t really stop for a stop sign until the police stop you, give yourself the ability to say at least that you did slow down.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, give with a warm hand, not a cold one. Generosity means so much more when you openly share what you have rather than when you wait until you are gone and no longer need it.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, when you’ve made enough mistakes for the day, it’s time to go home.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my mother, forgive but don’t forget. Forgive and forget is for an ideal world.
Guerilla Tip: As I learned from my father, work alongside your staff, especially laborers, to model the behavior you want to see in them—help the team, work steadily, pace yourself, take some breaks, put in an honest day.
