Couldn't you just reach through your computer screen and just eat this yummy vision of amazingness? There's a pretty good story behind it.
One balmy evening early in September, I asked Mark to accompany me on a few errands I hadn't been able to get done during the day. We left Hyrum in charge, and hopped in the car. There were only a few items on my list, so it wasn't going to take any time at all. Mark is the best errand buddy. He is quick, efficient and focused. Give him a list, stand back and watch him work! But still, it meant some "grown-up" time, a few moments alone as we puttered around and Got Stuff Done.
The last thing on the list was dropping the John and Melanie's little truck back by their house. Amidst all of our van woes these past several months (story to follow...eventually), John and Melanie have been Automotive Angels sent from Heaven. They insist it is no skin off their noses. After all, they have three vehicles, yet only two drivers left at home. But the open-ended, on-going, in-good-faith loan of first their car and then their truck has been such a boon for the House of Phogles. It would take inches and inches to say enough about my gratitude for their nonchalant, self-effacing generosity.
So, we pulled up in front of their house as it is getting dark - Mark in the truck, me in our little car. We knocked at the front door, and then let ourselves in (because this is John and Melanie, and they sort of expect that's what we will do when we stop by). No one was in the house, even though all the lights were on, so we went on through into the back yard, and that is when we became aware that we were crashing a party.
Bless their hearts, John and Melanie - and Darrin and Cynthia - were throwing a surprise birthday party for Lauren! Complete with barbecue and potluck side dishes. We said 'hello' all around, and handed over the keys, and expressed our thanks profusely. Really, we were just going to pop in and back out. Then Mark started chatting with Joe, and I said Happy Birthday! to Lauren, and told Cynthia and Melanie how sweet it was, what they were doing. The children wanted to know where our children were ("at home, sorry, we're just running errands, we can't stay..."), and so on.
And one comment lead to another, and soon it was one conversation leading to another. John cooked Mark a hot dog. Cynthia offered me a hamburger. The pasta salad was tasty. So, we didn't exactly crash the party, but we were there for it, without any one's advance notice. And then Melanie and Cynthia lit candles on this gorgeous Black Forrest cake that Cynthia had made from scratch, and we all sang to Lauren, who was just beaming.
The cake. Was Heavenly. I said as much. Repeatedly. Particularly when I was enjoying my second piece. Cynthia informed me it was her mother-in-law's recipe (which, I have learned from experience, means two things: A- it's yummy beyond compare, and B- it's a secret, and Cynthia is not at liberty to disclose it). Mmmmmh-Mmmmmh-Mmmmmh!
So, imagine my thrilled surprise when, just a week later, on a Sunday afternoon, Cynthia comes up my back walk with an identical cake in her hands. For me. For me! And she apologizes for it being late, since my birthday was earlier in the week. Pshaw! What is there to apologize for? She made that Confection of Divine Tastiness for me. I have the greatest friends.
It was so beautiful, and I was so bowled over by her kindness and thoughtfulness, that I had to take pictures to preserve the memory for posterity. Because you just know this sort of thing Does. Not. Last. Long. (I mean, besides that which is now preserved as part of my dress size...)
And it just so happened to be George's 1st birthday that day. I was actually standing in the kitchen assembling ingredients for chocolate birthday cake when Cynthia knocked on my back door. So, it was a sign from Heaven. This Birthday Cake of Birthday Cakes was to do double duty that day.
My children were vibrating with joy. I made them wait until Daddy came home from Home Teaching. And we ate that yummy cake. All up!
One balmy evening early in September, I asked Mark to accompany me on a few errands I hadn't been able to get done during the day. We left Hyrum in charge, and hopped in the car. There were only a few items on my list, so it wasn't going to take any time at all. Mark is the best errand buddy. He is quick, efficient and focused. Give him a list, stand back and watch him work! But still, it meant some "grown-up" time, a few moments alone as we puttered around and Got Stuff Done.
The last thing on the list was dropping the John and Melanie's little truck back by their house. Amidst all of our van woes these past several months (story to follow...eventually), John and Melanie have been Automotive Angels sent from Heaven. They insist it is no skin off their noses. After all, they have three vehicles, yet only two drivers left at home. But the open-ended, on-going, in-good-faith loan of first their car and then their truck has been such a boon for the House of Phogles. It would take inches and inches to say enough about my gratitude for their nonchalant, self-effacing generosity.
So, we pulled up in front of their house as it is getting dark - Mark in the truck, me in our little car. We knocked at the front door, and then let ourselves in (because this is John and Melanie, and they sort of expect that's what we will do when we stop by). No one was in the house, even though all the lights were on, so we went on through into the back yard, and that is when we became aware that we were crashing a party.
Bless their hearts, John and Melanie - and Darrin and Cynthia - were throwing a surprise birthday party for Lauren! Complete with barbecue and potluck side dishes. We said 'hello' all around, and handed over the keys, and expressed our thanks profusely. Really, we were just going to pop in and back out. Then Mark started chatting with Joe, and I said Happy Birthday! to Lauren, and told Cynthia and Melanie how sweet it was, what they were doing. The children wanted to know where our children were ("at home, sorry, we're just running errands, we can't stay..."), and so on.
And one comment lead to another, and soon it was one conversation leading to another. John cooked Mark a hot dog. Cynthia offered me a hamburger. The pasta salad was tasty. So, we didn't exactly crash the party, but we were there for it, without any one's advance notice. And then Melanie and Cynthia lit candles on this gorgeous Black Forrest cake that Cynthia had made from scratch, and we all sang to Lauren, who was just beaming.
The cake. Was Heavenly. I said as much. Repeatedly. Particularly when I was enjoying my second piece. Cynthia informed me it was her mother-in-law's recipe (which, I have learned from experience, means two things: A- it's yummy beyond compare, and B- it's a secret, and Cynthia is not at liberty to disclose it). Mmmmmh-Mmmmmh-Mmmmmh!
So, imagine my thrilled surprise when, just a week later, on a Sunday afternoon, Cynthia comes up my back walk with an identical cake in her hands. For me. For me! And she apologizes for it being late, since my birthday was earlier in the week. Pshaw! What is there to apologize for? She made that Confection of Divine Tastiness for me. I have the greatest friends.
It was so beautiful, and I was so bowled over by her kindness and thoughtfulness, that I had to take pictures to preserve the memory for posterity. Because you just know this sort of thing Does. Not. Last. Long. (I mean, besides that which is now preserved as part of my dress size...)
And it just so happened to be George's 1st birthday that day. I was actually standing in the kitchen assembling ingredients for chocolate birthday cake when Cynthia knocked on my back door. So, it was a sign from Heaven. This Birthday Cake of Birthday Cakes was to do double duty that day.
My children were vibrating with joy. I made them wait until Daddy came home from Home Teaching. And we ate that yummy cake. All up!
1 comment:
This is truly a BEAUTIFUL cake!! What a kind gesture:). I know you enjoyed it. And me in my business forgot your birthday *sigh*.
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