Happy Birthday, Debbie!

Today is my big sister's birthday.

Just a little older than I am, she stepped out first and gave me a good example to follow. She has a way of doing things with a little something extra, adding a touch of spice, a giggle, a little flair to just about eveything she does.

I remember once when I was a teenager, getting ready for one of my (rare) dates in high school, and nothing was going right. My clothes didn't look right, my hair wasn't cooperating and I was close to a meltdown.

But my sister was home from college that weekend and she came to my rescue. She looked at me and said, "Oh here, wear this with that!", pulling out something of hers that was just what the outift needed. I don't even remember what it was now, but it made everything work. Then she took a brush and with a couple of swipes at my hair I was a new person.

How did she do that?

I never knew, but I was glad she did.

She's still doing that, whether it's a simple potluck dinner, or sifting through the memories of our childhood as we cleaned out our parents' house so it could be sold.

She makes everything better.

And I love her for it.

Happy Birthday, Debbie!

Childhood Memories

My dad used to tell me that he hoped I didn't grow up and write a book someday. He often noticed me quietly observing the crazy show that was our family and shuddered to think of what I might remember and what stories I might tell!

It's true that I remember a lot of details about my childhood. I can tell you which friends lived in which houses on every block I walked between my house and my school. I can tell you where each of my homeroom classes were in that school and all of my teachers names.

I told my sister once that I could close my eyes and tell her exactly what we kept on each cubbyhole in the closet of the bedroom we shared when we were kids, and I closed my eyes and began to list them for her. She dropped her jaw and said "How can you remember all that?!" That's when my brother-in-law interrupted and said "WHY do you remember all that?!"

I don't know why my head clung to so many little details back then and yet now I go into the next room and forget why I'm there. Funny how our minds work once we turn 50.... But it seems many of my most enduring memories are about Christmas holidays.

I've been thinking about Christmas holidays lately because I just got an order to make 15 of my Mini-Puzzle Balls. I'm surrounded by candy canes and holly now and I'm already looking forward to the season!

Every year I make my Christmas Puzzle Balls and every year I make what I like to call My Crazy Aunt Becky's Famous Christmas Candy. She won't mind if I call her that...at least I hope not, because I think she reads this blog! I think most people who have known her for any length of time and become acquainted with her sense of humor have used the word "crazy" to describe her, at least once.

This toffee that she made, and taught me to make, is so simple to make and so delicious it's dangerously habit-forming. I could give you the recipe, but it's really something you have to see demonstrated. You have to know just when to take the candy off the stove and pour it into the pan. My aunt watches for the color to change to a deep golden brown with darker brown streaks. I watch for that, too, but the real key for me is how it smells. It's an art...really.

Anyway, I thought of that toffee when I saw this item in the shop of Tulip's Treasure Box, one of my fellow Etsybloggers:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8639691



She's a jewelry maker and you should really check out her shop. Now, I'm not one who wears much jewelry, but I'd like to see what these are made into someday! Looks like the toffee is just about ready!