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Category Archives: Family matters
In which we discuss matters of the family.
This is Perry Mason’s birthday song! It isn’t very long!
I’m taking a break from blogging this month and sharing some words from friends, some posts from the past and other assorted bric-a-brac. This was originally published on July 23, 2007, as “Birthdays and heartache.” Perry Mason turns 29 later today, and that makes me feel oh-so aged. Happy birthday, kid!
Many, many years ago, on one very hot July day, my stepsiblings and I decided to do something very out of character. Normally such a long, hot, boring day would find us scheming to torment one another. The day in question, though, should have been one to go down in history. We cooperated. That would have been amazing enough in itself. Consider the project at hand, though, and you’ll agree that our cooperation was nothing short of miraculous.
We decided to throw a surprise birthday party for my little brother.
Perry Mason was turning 6 or 7 or 8 that summer. He was the youngest of our little crowd, which meant that he bore the brunt of most of the tormenting. I still don’t know what got into us, what made us decide to be nice to him that day. But we pulled out all the stops. My stepbrother, Wayne, covertly invited a few other kids from the neighborhood and then conspired to keep little Perry Mason busy while my stepsister Kristy and I gathered supplies and made the cake. I believe we went so far as to ride our bikes to the corner store for candy, decorations and water balloons.
The three of us were so proud of ourselves. We lit the candles and carried the cake out to the porch, singing “Happy birthday to you.” And as we approached Perry Mason, his eyes welled up. He leapt to his feet and ran way as fast as he could. He wailed and screamed and refused to join us. He thought it was a conspiracy. That we’d baked worms into the cake or something. We couldn’t convince him that there were no evil intentions behind the party.
I can’t remember how the day ended. In all likelihood, we hunted Perry Mason down and pelted him with water balloons until he cried for mercy. I do know that was the last time I tried to make a birthday cake him.
Until this year.
Happy birthday, little brother. I promise there are no worms in your cake.
Chocolate Blackout Cake
for the pudding
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whole milk
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extractWhisk sugar, cornstarch, half-and-half, and milk in a large saucepan. Set pan over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk constantly until chocolate melts and mixture begins to bubble, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla, and transfer pudding to a large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
for the cake layers
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing pans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extractAdjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in coffee, buttermilk and sugars until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla, then slowly whisk in flour mixture.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool layers in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.
Assembling the cake
Cut each cake in half horizontally. Crumble one cake layer into medium crumbs and set aside. Place one cake layer on serving platter or cardboard round. Spread 1 cup pudding over cake layer and top with another layer. Repeat with 1 cup pudding and last cake layer. Spread remaining pudding evenly over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle cake crumbs evenly over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere crumbs. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
from Cook’s Country magazine.
The formula for a perfect childhood summer? 1 part camp, 2 parts water and more friends than you can count
Today’s guest writer is my friend Amy. I met Amy at a Superbowl party when we lived in Missouri. It was the Janet Jackson year, and Amy and I hit it off immediately.
Amy is loyal, kind and funny. She’s one of the best people I know.
When Nichole asked me to write about favorite childhood summer memories, I was excited. Then I panicked. What could I possibly have to say to her loyal readers about my favorite childhood summer memories? And, at the same time, what don’t I have to say? There’s so much to tell. Where do I start?
One of the things I loved most about growing up is how much time my sister and I were able to spend with our tight-knit circle of friends. We both had a core group that we spent a ton of time with without any complaint from our parents. I remember a time when my friend Carrie and I took turns spending the night at each other’s houses for 19 days straight one summer. One night I’d be at her house, the next two nights she’d be at my house, etc. It was a great way to spend a summer. And we had a pool growing up, which also meant lots of friends (between my sister and me), all laughing, listening to the radio and hanging out at the pool. Of course, sometimes I was inside reading while everyone else was lying out by the pool. If you know me, you know I’m extremely pale. I don’t tan, only burn.
The week wasn’t just about the Bible lessons. It was also about those friendships. Boating and swimming in the lake, nightly devotionals by the campfire, games, arts and crafts, the weekly talent show and those summer crushes. I remember all too well those nights of lying in bed in the cabin, talking amongst friends, only to have our entire cabin area serenaded by a group of boys singing, “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling” or “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” Of course, the week would always end way too quickly, and there I’d be, crying and hugging friends and promising to write letters and keep in touch until next year.
This same scenario was replayed for many years, until one summer, I had a job. And like all good things that must come to an end, so did camp. I didn’t go, but I remember my friend Carrie and me driving up one year just to say “hi” and see a few friends. It was weird. Different. We were just outsiders visiting. And then the next year we didn’t even visit.
It’s been almost twenty years now since I’ve attended camp, but I’ve never forgotten it. Each summer when I hear about the kids at my own church going away to camp for the week, I get that same warm, fuzzy and nostalgic feeling of those years gone by. I wonder what happened to my camp friends. Where are they today? Are they married? Do they have kids? I know in today’s world, it would probably be fairly easy to find them or friend them on Facebook and check in, but I haven’t done that. Instead I just wonder. Maybe part of me doesn’t want to know how everything turned out for everyone. It’s nice to remember things exactly how they were. Carefree, fun, perfect.