Friendship: March 2006 Archives

A little pickup slip was in the mailbox yesterday but the post office had already closed. This morning Colby went over and pickedup what I thought was an envelope/package. It turns out it was a box. Not just any old box mind you. But a box from cooking.com .... And not just a plain ordinary box filled with cooking.com stuff but one that was really from Susie Sunshine -all the way from the frozen tundra that is Michigan. With much delight the box was opened. And there inside were many wonderous things for a boy and his momma. A big red tractor for a boy to play outside or inside with. Also a note apologizing for the redness instead of greeniness of the tractor. A fleece bunting bag by Natural Charm that is beary cute. (Pardon the baby talk. I couldn't resist.) A tree shaped plush photo frame that is a family tree complete with pockets to insert family photos. (I have no idea why the photo is so dark. On every shot the flash failed.) A John Deere book titled Corny Cornpicker finds a home with appropriate inscription from said giver. A chicken cookbook. This chick pays very close attn people. I don't remember telling her I collect chicken stuff. A gardeners journal to write down all my gardenish things in. A copy of Jen Lancaster's new book Bitter Is The New Black. Complete with inscription. I dearly thank you, SusieQ, for all of these beautiful gifts. The thought is lovely. I can't thank you enough. I also must thank you for making me the coolest mom of college age girls in this area. As I opened each item in the box, Colby ahhh'd over each thing and we held them up for Steve to see. As I opened the last item which happened to be the Bitter book -

Colby: Is that Jen Lancaster's new book? Me: Yes, it is. What do you know about Jen Lancaster? Colby: Everyone is reading her book and blog. Have you read her blog? Me: I have been reading her blog before you knew what a blog was. Colby: OMG, that is an autographed copy! Me: I know it is. Susie knows her well and went to her first book signing. Colby: I cannot believe you have an autographed copy. OMG it is personalized! Me: heh ...

I am so f'n cool now. Thanks, Jen! I'll stop lurking and try to send you email comments that you wn't read or answer because you don't have time for trivial email from the likes of lurkers on your blog. If you get a chance how about come over and leave a comment so I can be like UBER cool with the 18 - 20 year old set. Please? I do give you linky love, ya know ... Thanks, Susie! You give the bestest gifts. I'll be sure to do something for you so your boys realize they have the coolest mom in the universe too. The book comment is in no way intended to overshadow the sincere joy of having such a wonderful friend that I have never yet met face to face as you are, Susie. I just thought you would get a good laugh out of the reaction of my eldest daughter. I am now going to spend as much of the rest of the day as possible reading the book sent my really sweet friend, Susie. :-)

Blackbird's Show and Tell is butterdishes. My butterdish is actually a crock. More specifically it is a butterbell. It is about 4 inches tall and holds 1 stick of butter. I found this crock in an old shop after I moved from Georgia to Virginia. It is used every single day because one of our favorite food items on the table at every meal is bread and butter. Not margerine. Butter. There is more than appearance to this little crock. It is also more than just a dish in the refrigerator to store butter. This crock has its beginnings in the days when there was no refrigeration. This piece of earthenware allows butter to be stored at room temperature on the counter for about a month without spoiling or need for refrigerating. How can this be? Surely as butter is a dairy product it will spoil without being stored in a cold place. The secret is in the seal. How it works is by using water to make an air tight seal. The butter remains fresh, creamy and most importantly, spreadable. My butterbell is old. It is chipped. It is cracked. This does not take away from it. I think it adds charm. If something should happen to this dish I will replace it. If I can't find an old farmhouse crock I will buy a new one. I like it that much. BTW, I paid $1 for it. ******* Yesterday I had a lovely surprise when I stepped out my back door. The UPS guy and the mail carrier had delivered packages to my door. One was the baby's birth announcements and the other was a tidy brown box with "fra-gee-lay" stickers on it. The box had no card. It also had no return address lable on it that I could find. But I had a heads up and knew who it was from. In the box was this lovely bedtime prayer for children in a distressed frame in green very similar to the color I painted the babies room. How lovely, I thought. Mary had emailed me that she sent a gift and forgot to put the card in and so mailed it separately. I was thinking Mary was so very thoughtful to remember the color of the nursery and to send something that coordinated. And I loved the distressed look of the frame. I was planning to email her and ask if the frame was handmade as a craft project. As I stood at the table and opened the rest of the mail, I came across a card that was from Mary. It and the box arrived by different means but at the same time. As I read the card the story of the framed prayer was revealed, making it all the more special. I didn't ask Mary if she minded that I post the card (I hope she doesn't) but I think the thought and the sentiments contained are lovely and loving. In my babies nursery is a piece of Mary, her girls and her mother. How can a baby not be anything but happy in a room surrounded with items that were heartfelt and sent with kindness and goodness from beautiful hearts? He. Can't. Thank you, Mary. I do love the gift. It also reminds me of my childhood. This prayer, or one very similar, a variation, is the first prayer I learned aside from saying the blessing at our table. I said it every single night of my childhood and just before I sleep now, even though I say my grownup prayers, I still say my childhood prayer as well. Now I lay me down to sleep I prayer the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen. Those words are very important to me. I have taught them to my children and will teach them to my baby boy. Life doesn't get much better than the one I am living right this very minute.