"Cookin" Up Some Wonderful Memories!

This post is prompted by a conversation I had with a young lady at the baby shower we had in our home last week. She and Miss Bonnie were friends in kindergarten and she would visit our home quite often. After kindergarten they were in different classes in school so they ended up developing new friendships. As a result, this was the first time I had seen her in over eighteen years!

At the shower Caitlin came up to me and said, "I will always remember Miss Bonnie's birthday party because it was so much fun." This truly amazed me because she was only five years old at the time. I know I have very few memories at that age so I was really surprised that she would remember something so far back. You're probably wondering what we did? Well, first, I'll tell you what we DIDN'T DO: We didn't have a bowling party, a movie party, a museum party, a skating party, or a party at McDonald's. We didn't go to the circus, the pool, or even rent a clown and one of those bouncy things.

Well then, what did we do? We made pizza together, decorated cookies, and made homemade ice cream sundaes. We had cheapo blow up balloons and homemade games to go along with that. Boy, was I "bucking the trend" at the time. It was the "thing" to do to have your child's party at one of those different venues, never, ever in their homes. I was determined that Miss Bonnie's party was gong to be different. It wasn't about creating huge amounts of debt to have the grandest party in the class, but instead, it was all about creating wonderful memories.

Caitlin went on to tell me that she loved cooking side by side in my kitchen because she never got to do this in her home. It was truly a treat for her! I didn't care one bit that there were sprinkles all over the floor and even a pepperoni or two, or three;) All I cared about was that we were creating memories in that tiny little kitchen of mine! I can't tell you how happy it made me to hear Caitlin say, that, I indeed, had done that all those years ago. It brings a big smile on my face to know that she looks back on that day with such fondness.



Cooking side by side with Miss Bonnie is one of my most favorite things to do!

Finally, I want to leave you with this quote below. It's well worth the read.

"Home cooking is a catalyst that brings people together. We are losing the daily ritual of sitting down around the table (without the intrusion of television), of having the opportunity to interact, to share our experiences and concerns, to listen to others. Home kitchens, despite the increase in designer appliances and cabinetry, are mostly quiet and empty today. Strangers are preparing much of our food. And our supermarkets, which once considered restaurants and fast-food places the enemy, have joined the trend by enlarging their delis and offering ready-to-eat food they call "home-replacement meals." But bringing ready-cooked meals home is not the same as cooking in your own kitchen, where you are in control of the ingredients you use, where you fill the house with good cooking smells, and where you all share in a single dish, taking a helping and passing the platter on to your neighbor. Nothing can replace that."
by: Marion Cunningham