Some Sweet Memories

Growing up wasn't all guns and roses for many of us, but there are some sweet memories.

One time, after church, my mom left out of the house, saying she'd be right back.  Mom never did that, so I suppose all of our foreheads had crinkles on them, wondering just what all that was about.

An hour or so later she came in with donuts and hard rolls from the New York Bake Shop!  All kind of donuts; from jelly doughnuts to glazed to whatever you cold imagine!  We children couldn't believe our lucky stars.  So much that it never occurred to us to ask Mom whatever brought that on!

Then, it became almost regular.  If mom went to town after church, we knew there was a treat at the end of the basket.

Oh, how I treasure those simple, luxurious moments.


So!  What special, out of the ordinary treat came to you in childhood?

Saturday was baking day for my mom and she was a great baker. I'll try to remember something fonder but I sure did like Saturdays.

When my Grandfather would come to visit it was fight for yourself because you'd open the cookie container 5 minutes after she'd baked them and put them away and all that would be left would be crumbs. He'd eat them all Lol.

He liked jello too and she'd make him jello and leave it to set but when she'd come back it was all gone. Grandpop woulda drunk it all before it set.

Summertime in the Bronx !
I guess it was hot but as a kid I never recall days with high temps just the freezing ones ,anyways in the summer if my mom got a day off she would do the ritual of making a pitcher of Welchs grape juice and mix a can of frozen Minute Made lemonade and put it in a Thermos . I knew that meant one thing and that was a trip to Orchard Beach in the Bronx . That mix of straight grape juice and frozen lemonade made a crappy world into a vacation land .
I try to replicate it but for some reason its never the same .

It's never the same when I try to replicate things either.

Red Lily wrote:Saturday was baking day for my mom and she was a great baker.   I'll try to remember something fonder but I sure did like Saturdays.  

When my Grandfather would come to visit it was fight for yourself because you'd open the cookie container 5 minutes after she'd baked them and put them away and all that would be left would be crumbs.  He'd eat them all Lol.

He liked jello too and she'd make him jello and leave it to set but when she'd come back it was all gone.   Grandpop woulda drunk it all before it set.

LOL.  Sounds like you had a grandfather with quite the character!  

Did your grandpa live with you?  A shame no one thought to spike the Jello.  lol

Daily Bread wrote:Summertime in the Bronx !
I guess it was hot but as a kid I never recall days with high temps just the freezing ones ,anyways in the summer if my mom got a day off she would do the ritual of making a pitcher of Welchs grape juice and mix a can of frozen Minute Made lemonade and put it in a Thermos . I knew that meant one thing and that was a trip to Orchard Beach in the Bronx . That mix of straight grape juice and frozen lemonade made a crappy world into a vacation land .
I try to replicate it but for some reason its never the same .

You had Welches' and Minute Made?  You musta been rich!!

Aw, but yeah, Jack London said it best:  "You can never go back."

2cent wrote:

Red Lily wrote:Saturday was baking day for my mom and she was a great baker.   I'll try to remember something fonder but I sure did like Saturdays.  

When my Grandfather would come to visit it was fight for yourself because you'd open the cookie container 5 minutes after she'd baked them and put them away and all that would be left would be crumbs.  He'd eat them all Lol.

He liked jello too and she'd make him jello and leave it to set but when she'd come back it was all gone.   Grandpop woulda drunk it all before it set.

LOL.  Sounds like you had a grandfather with quite the character!  

Did your grandpa live with you?  A shame no one thought to spike the Jello.  lol

He was a character Lol. I think of him whenever I make cookies or jello. We lived in the city and he lived a few hours away in a country town.

Red Lily wrote:

2cent wrote:

Red Lily wrote:Saturday was baking day for my mom and she was a great baker.   I'll try to remember something fonder but I sure did like Saturdays.  

When my Grandfather would come to visit it was fight for yourself because you'd open the cookie container 5 minutes after she'd baked them and put them away and all that would be left would be crumbs.  He'd eat them all Lol.

He liked jello too and she'd make him jello and leave it to set but when she'd come back it was all gone.   Grandpop woulda drunk it all before it set.

LOL.  Sounds like you had a grandfather with quite the character!  

Did your grandpa live with you?  A shame no one thought to spike the Jello.  lol

He was a character Lol.   I think of him whenever I make cookies or jello.  We lived in the city and he lived a few hours away in a country town.

My mother grew up in an elegant home, not far from where I grew up, in a quaint, little town, in Connecticut.  By time I came around, my G-mother had passed away, and Grandpa, a very proper man, moved into an apartment across the street, and 4 houses up.

One day, when I was around 5, I got it into my head to visit Grandpa all by myself.  I asked permission, of course, and he and my mom set it all up for me to go to lunch.  I got all dressed up for it, and couldn't wait!
Come time to go, I ran back to the house:  "Mom, which door do I knock at?"  (He had a front and side door.)   
Mom:  "Side one would be best."
Ran back again: "Mom!  Should I wait for him to come down the stairs, or just go in?"
Mom:  "Just go ahead in.  I'm sure he'll be fine with that."
Go skipping down the sidewalk again, when it occurs to me...

"Mom:  Go!  Or you're going to be late!"  LOL

Grandpa seated me in this special chair that was a stool when it needed to be, or a seat w/table, for a 5 yr old.  He served me Chicken a la' King on toast.  I though it was the BEST thing I ever tasted!  
Then we went into the living room, where I wish I were more inquisitive, 'cuz I could've sat there and listened to his railroad stories forever.  I feared being impolite.  My mistake.  I'm sure he would've relished it.

No matter.  A fun day for a 5 yr old girl.  I think maybe it pleased Grandpa, too.

Oh to be a kid again with barely a care in the world. I reckon it would have pleased Grandpa a great deal 2. He probably spoke to his friends of it with pride forever.

Red Lily wrote:Oh to be a kid again with barely a care in the world.  I reckon it would have pleased Grandpa a great deal 2.  He probably spoke to his friends of it with pride forever.  

Oh, I don't think he'd go that far, but thanks for the thought of it.  I do so much wish I'd just been more myself.  I wish so much that I'd pursued plugging at him more for his railroad memories.  He always played it down, by saying, "I was just a clerk in the office."  Oh, he wasn't "just" anything!  

He owned three homes, but when the Depression hit, he lost two, but was able to keep their main home.  I never knew my grandmother.  My elder siblings say she was quite strict, and hated to go visit.  Not all memories are good, and I'm not trying to stick my head in the sand. Just wanting to pull out the good ones, simply for the fun of it.