muffins and memories

Top of the muffin TO YOU! -Elaine Bennes (Seinfeld, The Muffin Tops episode)

Elaine: "I'm sorry, I don't like the stumps."
Mr. Lippman: "So you just eat the tops?"
Elaine: "Oh yeah. It's the best part. It's crunchy, it's explosive, it's where the muffin breaks free of the pan and sort of does it's own thing."

I love Costco chocolate muffins-yummy!

Today is Memorial day and it is raining and, despite the rain, Gene is outside planting a dozen lilac bushes along the fence, courtesy of Lorraine. I hope the weather clears a little this afternoon so we can get more planting done. However, while it's raining I thought I would reminisce about my loved ones who have passed on. Before I do, I just want to thank all the military men and women who have fought and are fighting to make this world a better place. Thank you.

My dad passed away when I was 13. He made a lot of mistakes in his life, some that left wounds and scars that run deep, but I want to focus on my personal memories of him in better times. These are some of my memories. My dad had a moustache. I don't remember him without a moustache. When I was a little girl and he would give me a kiss hello, or good night, I would kiss him on the top of his moustache (I think because lower, on the lips, tickled). I remember one morning waking up early to watch Sesame Street and finding my dad already watching it. We sat there together, just the two of us, watching children's shows. That was fun.

My brother passed away at the same time as my dad. He was only 23. I remember him playing the piano beautifully-I could listen to him all day. I remember him making art out of broken glass. I also remember him teasing me, at the tender age of 6, telling me that every time the heat came out of the floor vents that it was the devil trying to escape -scared the crap out of me.

I never knew either of my grandpa's. My paternal grandma, Mabel, was so much fun! She also played the piano wonderfully and with much soul. I wish I had a recording of the specific music she would play every time we went over there. She always had on hand, colored mini-marshmallows that were so hard and stale they would turn to dust with the first bite. She would make ice cream sodas with starlight mint ice cream and 7-up or Sprite. She would play hide the thimble with us grandchildren and entertain us with her buckets of popsicle sticks with which we would build cabins. She always had a 6 foot pile of newspaper in the corner of her bedroom. And, when I was 12, and had just learned for myself how to play "uncle" I enlisted her in a game, and of course, even at 89 years of age, she wooped my butt -seriously. She was from strong Idaho farm stock.

My maternal grandma, Annie, was fun as well, and a little like a 2nd mom. She always had Pringles and Sugar Crisps cereal. The stairs in her house were multi colored and we would pretend the blue ones were water and the tan ones were quicksand. She had a big, dark closet downstairs that the older grandkids would tease the younger kids by locking them in it (for all of 10 seconds). Grandma would make Swedish dopa for breakfast after sleep-overs. She would fall asleep while watching M*A*S*H. She crocheted beautiful pieces, and wanted to teach me but, alas, I never had the patience. She had a little poodle dog named "Foo-Foo". She would read me stories and paint my fingernails. She always called me her little princess.

I'm grateful for these people and the memories I have of them. The sky is a little clearer now. Time to get to work in the garden.