Years ago, when my kids were just tiny specs of what they are now, a best friend of mine would drive from her house, nearly an hour away, just to cook dinner for me.
At least once a week.
She invited herself of course, as all good friends do. In my state, it never would have entered my mind to entice another person into my varying vortex. When it began, I had only a single child. The task was fairly uncomplicated at that point, but even when the total of tots quickly rose to three, she, somehow, was not deterred.
She would arrive to screaming babies, scattered Cheerios and mounds of laundry piled in the hallway. There would often be a sink full of dirty dishes, a forgotten diaper gracing the table or me, crying in a corner.
But, week after week, in the door she’d burst with an arm full of groceries and a funny story to tell. Out would come the pots and pans and commence would the chopping, slicing, stirring and simmering.
My husband was traveling a lot then and with three children under five, her visits meant the world to me. Raising kids—being housebound for long days on end—can be very isolating and as decadent smells, (these being anything non-urine or spit-up related) started to permeate the air, I’d often reflect on how having someone go to the magnitude of shopping, commuting and cooking for me was much like a good dose of vigorous CPR.
She didn’t have any children at that time and I wish I could say that now that she has had two of her own, I’ve been as worthy a friend as she. I’d always intended to return the favor, but as it turns out, tiny tots transform into taxing teens and there is somehow even less time now than there was all those years ago.
Over the days, weeks, months and years that this went on, we, okay she, concocted many recipes that the two of us shared a love for. One of these favorites was fresh Crab Cakes with, made from scratch, Chipotle Sauce.
And I’ll tell you, having it made for you when your children are five, three and zero is truly wonderful, but returning home to find a serving of it in your mailbox when they’re eighteen, fifteen and fourteen is a true lump-in-the-throat moment.
OMG…I have a lump in my throat. I wish it was lump crab!!!!!!! I know who you’re talking about, and I just feel like knocking on her door and giving her a big hug. What a special person she is.
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You should. She loves hugs. ;0)
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She is a true bestie lifer Hazy. I love her too! Share please 😘.
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Yes, she really is.
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Those were the days 🙂 …. ER didn’t come on until 10…. had to be busy doing something or might be recruited to diaper duty :0
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Hahaha…if only I’d known! Well, there’s always grandchildren!
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Sounds like you have a good friend. They’re hard to come by these days.
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I sure do and yes, they are. Thanks for stopping in, GR!
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I love the whole post, and the description of your friendship made me smile. But my favorite part was this little gem of alliteration: “tiny tots transform into taxing teens”.
Eh, I’m a writer.
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Yes you are. And I’m an alliterator. Not to be confused with alligator.
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