Today’s Special

Happy Mother’s Day everyone.  

Here’s to happy thoughts and memories of all mothers past, present and future!  

I had a memory over my morning coffee this past week.  DW prepares our morning coffee every night, last thing, programming the coffee maker to come on at the precise time for our first cup. And he sets out a cream pitcher to fill the next morning.  

He chooses the small pitchers randomly from my odd little collection, usually whichever is the most handy at the moment…. the vintage Florida souvenir, two pottery creamers (one blue, the other brown), a yellow honeycomb-looking china pitcher, a pewter flea market find, seasonal pitchers that come and go, another creamer from Poland, a blue and white Spode piece, and the newest acquisition to the collection, my mother’s everyday creamer. 

I can see it on her kitchen table and when I saw it sitting beside my coffee cup the other morning, I had a momma moment. Her everyday dishes were Royal Doulton’s Miramont (for you Beautiful Table Setting people), which she chose after her first set of everyday dishes wore out.  

This was a pretty pattern with a cream background and a small center detail of fruit and foliage. She put much thought into selecting this pattern, as she did most anything she did. 

Thankfully she had also put some thought into what my sister, brother and I should do with her things. Even though her move into assisted living was rather sudden, she orchestrated the packing and moving of her most favorite things from her new quarters and we (mostly) followed her directions. 

She would be pleased today that her pieces, large and small, are being enjoyed by those she loved the most. 

Great grandson Mack now takes piano lessons on her beloved Everett piano, purchased with her own money before getting married.  She always hoped one of her offspring would inherit my daddy’s musical ability to play the piano by ear.  

So far no one is showing that inclination, but she was and would still be happy to know that Mack dutifully practices every day and has a recital coming up. His sweet dad, Nicholas, had always told his MiMi he wanted her piano so she passed it one to his little boy when the time came.  And, she loved watching the videos of Mack playing his tunes sent to her by his thoughtful mother Laura. Makes this grandmother smile too.

Grandson Zachary was blessed with her vintage grandfather’s clock.  She instructed him to contact the “clock man” and have it cleaned and inspected.  He did, and now it continues keeping time in his Hernando office.  She would be happy to hear its chimes and all the comments he receives over this conversation timepiece. 

Mimi would also be smiling to see great granddaughters Emree and Hadley gathered around her much used blue patio table now gracing their back porch. We all loved to eat on her back porch and now we can gather around the same table again with this next generation, making more family memories as life goes on.

And she would never think about leaving out our third son James, for she loved him as one of her own, especially one who loved Christmas as much as she did.  She directed us to take her stereo cabinet complete with its still working turntable, her Christmas albums plus a couple of Dean Martin and Johnny Cash, to James.  And, she’d be thrilled that she is also sharing her favorite, comfortable blue reading chair with his lively and fun-loving family. Pure happiness, which makes us all appreciate her even more. 

And I love pieces of her garden… her garden scooter, a pretty pink spirea that blooms prolifically, a concrete pelican she and daddy bought in Destin, her chaise lounge where my daddy napped while she read in the swing, and her beautiful china (Lenox’s Bellevue Sea Green).  She had enough plates for her family, which is the same number that I need to set the table for ours.  What a beautiful table I’ll set and what a fitting tribute to this special mother, grandmother and great grandmother. 

She would absolutely love that she will be at the table with us to enjoy what she loved the most, her family gathered around the table, eating and enjoying each other.  And every time DW sets out the little coffee creamer I’ll enjoy my MiMi moment. Thanks momma for the memories.  

 

Recipe of the Week

 

Ham & Cheese Quiche

I kept her little fridge stocked with her favorite breakfast entrée to warm up anytime she wanted it!

 

1 9-inch deep dish pie shell, thawed

2 cups shredded sharp or medium cheddar cheese

1 cup ham, diced in small pieces

¼ cup diced white onion, or less

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup mayonnaise

5 ounces evaporated milk (one small can)

 

Preheat oven to 375 °.  

Toss together cheese, ham, and onion. Spoon into uncooked pie shell. Mix remaining ingredients, beat with whisk until blended and no longer lumpy. Pour over ham mixture in pie shell. Bake 45 minutes, or until golden and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool, slice and serve, or wrap slices individually to freeze.  Reheat in microwave.  Serve with fresh fruit, coffee, and love.  Have a happy day!