Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Memories…

You know how it is, you’re going thru your day, and a memory is triggered, and instantly you’re back in the past.

This morning I was looking thru my old battered cookbook with all the handwritten recipes.  I’ve had this since we were first married, and it’s much used and much treasured.

I was looking for my Texas Sheet Cake recipe, and stumbled upon a spaghetti and meatball recipe from Kathrine Cunnington, my neighbor when hubby and I were first married.

Katherine and her husband, Merle were in their late 60’s at the time, and I thought he  was such a special man.  They had been married since their twenties and every single month, on the anniversary of the day they were married,  he brought her a gift.  He had done that for 40+ years.  She said sometimes, when they didn’t have much money  it would be a simple thing, like a candy bar, and in the years I knew them, I saw a lot of flowers in her house,  he always remembered.  He also left a quarter tip on the table for every meal she cooked him.  I thought it was so touching, that he felt she was that special to him.

He drove this big old Buick Riveria, and I can just see him pulling into their drive.  John was a little boy, not even three years old, and I was pregnant with Ryan, and if we were outside when Merle got home, John would race over to their house as fast as his little legs would carry him, knowing that Mr. Cunnington would have a stick of Juicy Fruit gum for him.  I can see him now, that precious little red haired boy, those short little chubby legs flying thru the yard, often in his bib overalls and tennies.

Even though there was a huge age difference, Katherine and I were good friends and we talked daily.  I was always cooking, she gave me a lot of good recipes and we would discuss food.  She would know what I was baking and often, when I made a pie, there would be a knock at the back door and it would be Merle with a dessert plate and a fork.  He would just show up with a cute little boyish grin on his face, suckering me into giving him a piece of warm pie.

It was endearing and charming, and the memory of them is vivid this lovely fall day in Heavensville…

3 comments:

  1. What a wonderful memory! It's just the simplest things and the dear friends who make our lives so rich and golden! Makes you realize what's most important in life, doesn't it?

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  2. Now those are the special memories... where you knew your neighbors and it was such a special time.. the Cunningtons seem like a wonderful couple, and a welcomed adopted set of grandparents... my mom's friend Mrs. Kilby was like that.. she was a dear sweet lady and I viewed her as such... thanks for sparking memories of years ago Jan!! xo Christa

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  3. i loved this post jan! Our neighbor donna was the most generous woman i had ever lived next to. she was a good 25 years older than me and had so many skills to teach. i learned every bit of canning and jam making from her. her husband Udo was a brilliant multitalented man who had built there house, gardened all their vegetables and put in the drainage for himself and all the neighbors single handed. this is oregon remember and wet! so now you have stirred some sweet memories for me. she made my husband banana cream pie all summer long because he mowed her lawn every week for years after her husband died. even today someone in her family lives in that house. it seems they will never let it out of the family. it isn't a fancy house by any means but it is a cherished home to all the kids, grandkids and great grandkids.
    XO

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