Technically you are looking at cruddy, from a box, Pillsbury cupcakes topped with Amber's amazing, decadent, most delicious, truffle-like, chocolate frosting. Really, the cupcakes don't deserve such a topping. However, I had to make Finny Finn's gluten/dairy/egg/everything free cupcakes from scratch and there's only so many hours in a day. This post is only sort of about Amber's amazing cupcakes.
Let me start with a little history. If you hadn't guessed this about me yet, allow me to reveal that I have a very active imagination. Always have. I ran up from dark basements afraid of what might be hiding in the corners my entire childhood. As a teenager, I ran up the dark driveway after taking the garbage out..not even sure what I was afraid of! The plus side to this imagination, though, is that I have always been able to meditate or visualize easily. So, whenever I've had trouble sleeping or I'm stressed I imagine myself on the beach. The sand, the waves, the wind, all are very calming and soothing. They remind me of summers on the shore with my brother. It always puts me at ease. I have literally used this specific visualization for over a decade, most recently when they were administering my spinal block for Finn's delivery.
But, a crazy thing happened two nights ago. For some inexplicable reason, as I lay down to sleep, my mind was bombarded with images from some really lame Patricia Cornwall murder/mystery I read ages ago. Naturally, I couldn't remember any of the positive details, like how it ended or the love interests. Instead, my head was full of crime scenes and suspenseful stalking episodes. The images were beginning to escalate - I don't know why my brain works like this - thoughts start to snowball. Anyway, I could tell I would be up all night if I didn't nip my imagination quickly. Normally, I would conjure up my beach scene, but instead, my head was filled with Amber's amazing cupcakes.
Now, I know what most of you are thinking. Typical B, right? Conjuring up a sweet treat she loves to eat. Classic. But Amber's cupcakes are more than just delicious, they are filled with all kinds of love. Amber loves to bake and cook, and she is really good at it, so it's no surprise that her results taste just so. But, and this is paramount, Amber is filled with love and she so generously shares it with all the people around her, and let me tell you, it makes her cupcakes, braises, short ribs, and so on, taste that much better.
My mind filling up with Amber's cupcakes was filled with warmth. It was like having a nice little brain hug, warding off all the nasty thoughts, the way chocolate melting on your tongue makes any other taste disappear. All you are left with is happiness and yum.
I am so lucky to have a friend like this. And not to leave anyone out, I am so lucky to have the friends I have. Each of you is amazing and awesome in your own special way and I am so grateful for each and every one of you. On a final note, I truly hope to learn how to replicate Amber's amazing frosting (I'll shoot for the cupcake, too, eventually. One step at a time...). I want every one I know to have a chance to fall asleep with that amazing taste melting away either in their head or on their tongue. Mmmmmmm.......
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