Monday Memories

Actually, my memories on Mondays are usually memories I had on Sunday. I am not sure why Sundays seem to be more nostalgic than other days, but for me they are. Maybe it is the usually slower pace of the day. Fewer interuptions.



So on to the memories...



Yesterday stirred up a major hankering for comfort food. Oh I was craving creamy or cheesy or, well just not good for your arteries kind of food, but I did not care! I had to feed that craving!



So after a dinner of really cheesy burgers and tots, I was craving a Peanut Buster Parfait. I did not really want to go out, so I mentally inventoried what I knew we had: vanilla ice cream, check; spanish peanuts, no; cocktail peanuts, check; chocolate syrup, check.



As I gathered the goodies to concoct my own version of Dairy Queens sundae to feed my craving, I noticed a jar of caramel topping. And that is where the memories took off.



As a child, we lived just a few blocks from my grandparents, so visits were frequent. Spend the night trips, not too frequent. But whether the visits were just an early evening or the infrequent over night trip, there was ice cream.



And always the same: vanilla with caramel syrup.



No exceptions. They never changed it up. Never any chocolate or peach or chocolate chip mint cookie dough with brownie chunks (ok, so that flavor is kind of made up;)). I think this was more to my grandfathers liking.



It is funny how one item can bring back a slew of memories. Not deep long events, but the little things that comfort: the way he made that silly noise when we (the kids) came by. A noise that just cannot be described with words. That scent of the wrigly spearmint gum he always chewed. The way he teased the cat. Sitting in his lap, playing with the hair on his arms that he called his feathers.



He passed away Thanksgiving Day 1995. I had not seen him in a couple years - their living in Colorado, us in Georgia. Phone conversations had become next to impossible - he could not hear well and the calls just seemed to frustrate all involved. But aren't the good memories great?



Now, as for me and ice cream: I like to change it up. I very seldom have just vanilla. I love ice cream- year round, and I love all kinds of flavors.



But one thing I always have - even if I do not use it, is a jar in the cupboard or fridge of caramel syrup.





Memory Mondays hosted by Gayle at PlanetMFiles . . .



Smiles!

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