Last night two amazing little things happened.
First, I made, for the very first time, Norwegian Skillingsboller (pronounced shillings-bulla). They are the Norsk version of cinnamon roll and a staple of my childhood. My mother, as you can imagine, makes AMAZING ones. With Littleman, she showed us how to make them when we were in NJ. I had to call her last night two steps into the process to clarify the directions - the deciliters and grams nonsense was tricky - even WITH the metric measuring cups I bought in Norway. Also, my past few encounters with yeast (the baking kind, people) were not very successful.
However, I am proud, pleased, and jubilant to report that my boller came out awesome. Sweet, and yummy. Okay, to be fair, the picture here is from the internet, mine did not come out quite so perfect...mine are more rectangular...don't ask, many of the mysteries of baking have yet to reveal themselves to me. I'll work on more circular ones for next time.
I also baked cinnamon scones for the first time last night. They are an absolute pain in the ass to make and this morning they were chewy and not all crisp and flaky like they are at Starbucks or Panera...I will leave them out over night and hope for the best tomorrow. Not that I or anyone should eat those fat-filled, heart-clogging treats. I made them for Papabear's mom. Today would have been her 40th wedding anniversary.
The second amazing thing happened while I was elbow deep in butter and flour. Papabear brought his guitar into the kitchen and just started playing. Littleman had already gone to bed and I was a little sorry he missed what transpired in our kitchen, but I am sure it would have never happened had he been awake and tearing up the kitchen on his tricycle. Inevitably, Papabear asks, "Could you sing this for me?" This question used to annoy me for a number of reasons - and then I realized at some point that he just needed a guinea pig to hear the harmonies he was working AND it didn't help that I do not have great faith in the sound of my singing voice (and Papabear is not really one for handing out compliments or positive feedback...he just doesn't say anything). Anyway, it had been a very long time since he'd asked, and the particular harmony was not only beautiful, but perfectly suited for my voice range. In other words, it wasn't hard to sing it well (which is not normally the case).
After we sang the line over and over, perfecting it, we moved on to older songs, ones we hadn't sang in ages. Songs we hadn't sang since college. At one point I ran to the attic and dug out an old journal I knew had the lyrics scribbled inside. (I must say Papabear was impressed I found it so quickly.) Anyway, we sang, while I baked and cleaned the counters and washed the bowls and eventually folded laundry. During some songs I cried, partly because some of those songs he and Z wrote are just so damn beautiful and partly because I really missed those carefree days when we seemed so young. At the end of the night, when he finally put the guitar down and the socks were all sorted, I think both of us felt a little transformed...a little younger, at least in spirit. It was refreshing and even a little wild. It felt wonderful.
I love where I am at now. I love being mommy and wife. I love taking care of my family. I love trying to get Papabear on board the "Baby #2" train (I'm getting closer every day, guys, I really am...). I love it all (well...most of it...the new job and the extra 15 pounds...er 20 pounds are kind of a bain in my ass, yes, I said bain, but it can't all be guitars and cinnamon rolls, now can it?). Still, it was magical to visit the good old days like that...and kind of silly that we don't do it more often. It's interesting how feeling wonderful is just sitting right there, in your chest, all the time, and you just need to find that little something that will trigger it, set it off and make an ordinary night amazing.
To your triggers, every one! Hope it's something simple..as I am out of Porsche's and bags of diamonds at the moment.
That part about the guitar is so sweet! Shows what a strong couple you are, that you can find such special moments, even after being together for so long. Perhaps you can take that act on the road: "Littleman, would you rather play on the beach or watch Mamabear and Papabear thrill 10,000 people?"
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