It was my turn to choose a video. I shuffled through the Netflix titles and found "Bread and Tulips". I read the description and when I learned that it was set in Italy, I was immediately drawn to it. In one of the scenes, Rosalba, the main character is on a picnic with friends. There is food, and relaxation, which in and of itself drew me in. The dreamy moment for me, though, was watching her play the accordion for her friends. Joe just looked at me and said, "You're in your element, aren't you?" Of course I was. Actually, I was wishing I was in my element. Ever since I was about four years old I had wanted to play the accordion. Ok, I admit it! It's one of my favorite instruments. My husband knew this about me, and bless his heart, he was inspired. Fast forward a few months. I was snuggled under my covers when Joe burst into the room. He was carrying a large suitcase and delicately set it on the floor. Irritated, I asked him what he was doing and couldn't he see I was almost asleep? Proudly, he announced that he had a surprise for me. He opened the suitcase, and out came a beautiful, pearl white accordion. He'd won it on e-bay, and bid on it to surprise me. Beautiful and unbelievable. Beautiful, in many ways. The accordion was lovely, but his thoughtfulness was even more beautiful. And then, I have the unbelievable, that after all these years, I finally have an accordion. Now I have to find an instructor.
My Betty Crocker cookbook is a wreck. It was given to me as a bridal shower gift in 1979, and I have treasured it ever since. Over forty years later, it remains a prized possession. It has been my cooking guidebook, truly important when you’ve grown up feasting on a mainly southern Italian diet, (no complaints here) which included a lot of pasta and meatballs. Yes, our meals had variety, but gravy was simmering at my house just about every other day. The traditional, and now collectable Betty Crocker cookbook became my best friend in the kitchen. Today, it has all the signs of being used and maybe a little abused. The pages are weathered, written on, and stained. The covers are loose, no longer held in place by the familiar spiral binding. The only thing keeping it together is an oversized, stretchy band. I’ve collected other cookbooks over the years, but this one has been my go-to manual. In it, I discovered new recipes, tried making things I had never heard of, and was thrilled
Comments
Post a Comment