It was dark and rainy when Wilmette resident Jackie Holland spoke with Pioneer Press on Nov. 18, but she brightened the conversation by talking about how she keeps her spirits up when it’s dank and damp.
It’s rainy – what do you do on days like this, to cheer yourself up?
I do hand sewing. They call it needlework. It’s not knitting or crocheting. I make decorations for my clothing, little pins and other decorations. That makes me feel better.
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The holiday season is upon us. Do you and your family have a favorite holiday tradition?
We do. After Christmas dinner, we try to have a glass of port and some Stilton cheese from England. It’s important to us, and it brings back memories. We lived in England for a while, and we’ve visited it, as well.
Are you a raincoat person, or do you carry an umbrella?
I’m a raincoat and boots type. I carried an umbrella yesterday, a small one I put in my purse, but it was too windy to use it.
Do you have a cause you’d like people to know about?
Oh, yes, indeed: hospice care. I’m one of the founders of what was Hospice of the North Shore back in 1978, which became Midwest Palliative and Hospice Care. It just merged with other hospice services to become JourneyCare. I’m a nurse, and I saw the need for care, first for cancer patients, and eventually we broadened out to help everyone.
When your birthday comes around, do you want birthday cake or birthday pie?
My birthday is coming up on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Day, and I prefer cake, a Waldorf red velvet cake. I learned about it from a neighbor here in Wilmette, who learned about it from a friend who got the recipe from the chef at the Waldorf Hotel in New York … The funny story is that the friend asked if the chef could give her the recipe. She got the recipe, but with a large added charge on her hotel bill. The chef said why would he give his wonderful recipe away for free?
Do you have a pet?
Yes I do. His name is Angus MacDuff. He’s a great Westie (Western Highland terrier). He’s here in the car, and he’s a perpetual puppy!
And finally, have you ever watched “Singing in the Rain”?
Have I ever – it’s a classic!
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