Tuesday, February 19, 2008

February 22

Sissy's birthday is Friday. Friday. How did it get to be late February? I am no closer to finishing the Amy Butler Weekender Travel Bag than I was before Christmas. We're having dinner in the city with her on Friday, so I have to bring her present to work with me that day. I have three nights. What can I make in three nights? I think I have an idea. I just hope someone has the recipe...

Okay, I just wrote to my great aunt to see if she has memere's (my great-grandmother) fudge recipe. That stuff was gritty with sugar, but Sissy's favorite candy is circus peanuts... Memere made mean fudge and even better brownies. She called all the great grandchildren "brownie" or "cookie." I always thought she just didn't know our names. I may have been right: she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1987 or so. In the 1970s she drove a pristine forest green bug with white leather interior. Yes, I said pristine and white in the same sentence. This is the same woman who helped my grandmother with her cleaning every week for as long as I can remember. She ironed everything: sheets, underwear, money... Another thing I remember about her was how she used to draw on an upper lip with orange lipstick. I photographed her 75th birthday party with my brand new black and white polaroid camera. (I'm so old.) She'd have been 108 this month and I haven't thought about her in a very long time. Thanks.
If I find the recipe, I'll happily share.

3 comments:

Melissa said...

Good luck with the Weekender Travel Bag! That's a fabulous gift, can I be your sister? The fudge sounds tasty.

Love the story about your great-grandmother.

Jacque said...

You have the greatest grandmother stories!!!! Must have the fudge recipe.

Michelle said...

You sound like me with my plan b.