Happy Birthday Muriel

My late mother-in-law's birthday was last week.  (We were out of town and I could not post.)  I remember the first time I met her and Eric's dad.  It was on a Friday night and they were hanging blinds in the den of their home.  (These blinds were still hanging up when we sold the house in April.)  It's funny how you can recall specific details about certain events. Eric and I had been dating about 2 weeks.  Their house had 3 bedrooms but when Eric was born, instead of him having his own bedroom, he shared a room with his older brother.  The 3rd bedroom was made into a den.  Previously the living room had been used as a 'true living room', but when they converted the den, the living room was no longer used.  Yes, there was furniture, but no one went in there.  Except at Christmas. 

Anyway, after Eric introduced us, he and I went into the living room.  Eric's dad James, would come in every 10 minutes or so and ask if we wanted any watermelon.  We still laugh about that, you would have to have met him.

A lot of good memories come to mind when I think about Muriel, but I have to say cooking and food immediately jump out.  Every year at Christmas she would make fruit cake cookies.  Yes, you read that right.  Fruit. Cake. Cookies.  Lots of fruit, some nuts and a little cookie.  It was tradition and even when we would tell her that we didn't eat a lot of sweets, she still made fruit cake cookies.  She would offer them to Andrew and Paul, but again we didn't eat a lot of sweets.  So they would decline.  Now on the other hand, cut up fruit was plentiful at Christmas.  Oranges, grapefruit, apples, grapes and nuts in a big glass bowl with coconut sprinkled on top.  If we were over there for supper, she would ask what the kids wanted for dessert.  Cake, ice cream or fruit.  Always 'fuit'.  Always.  (They couldn't pronounce fruit.)  She could not get over a kid wanting fruit as opposed to cake or ice cream.  But you had to taste this fruit.  Eric now cuts up the fruit for Christmas, it is special only for that time of year. 

The black and white picture was made in front of their house that was built in 1952.  They lived there until they both passed away.  The color picture was made in 2000 or 2001. 

Good memories always stay with you. 

Happy birthday Muriel.