Chapter 18 - Winter Blues

 Another day, another chapter. Actually, I’ve been quite delinquent with my writing. My motivation seems to have gone out the window. Not sure if it is the weather, the winter blues or the state of the world. The winter blues is a real thing for me. Always has been but I didn’t understand why until almost a decade ago, when I was diagnosed with depression. But that is a whole other story that I’m not quite ready to get in to.

The weather this winter has been nasty by times. We had our driveway plowed for the seventh time yesterday. Two years ago, we went the entire winter without a single plow. There was a lot of talk about global warming that winter, but maybe it isn’t as far along as we anticipated. That’s not to say we don’t feel the effects. Our weather patterns are definitely changing.

I have managed to take a couple of items off the retirement bucket list. My wonderful mother-in-law has shared more of her creative kitchen talents with me. A few weeks back, I learned the craft of making brown bread. It is a fair amount of work, but worth every bit! She shared with me, after we had finished, that she expected to get her hands dirty showing me the art of kneading. To her surprise, she didn’t have to lift a finger. Apparently, I take instruction well. The end result was some of the most delectable brown bread I have ever tasted. I’m looking forward to making more soon.

My next cooking adventure was learning how to make mustard beans. As a kid, I was never a fan of homemade pickles and the like. A neighbour lady changed that. Helen was like a second mother. I spent as much time at her house as I did my own and consumed many meals there with her family. At supper one evening, I was persuaded to try the mustard beans made with beans from their garden. One taste and I was hooked. I couldn’t get enough. For years after, Helen would make me my own batch. Decades later, I shared this story with Mum. One day, a few weeks later, she arrived at the house with a freshly made batch of mustard beans just for me. Since then, she has continued to keep me stocked. As with the jelly and brown bread, I wanted her to teach me how to make these while she her health and can enjoy passing on her skill. As each year passes and we lose more of our older loved ones and friends, I’m reminded that with them goes their memories and knowledge. History that hasn’t been documented and is lost. Tidbits of information they possess from past generations is gone forever. I’m hoping to retain some of that wisdom so I can, in turn, pass it down the line. Hopefully, someone below me in the family tree will have the same interest.

I guess I’m feeling a bit philosophical today. I am in need of sunshine and fresh air. I’ve had enough of winter and am ready to get outside and tick a few more items off the list. I will get more into that next time. Hope you can join me.