The View From Mrs. Sundberg's Window

You have yourself a lovely day

June 9, 2008

Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. We had a birthday party here at home, and that's always a good time. The kids were all spring babies, and this birthday party was number three and wrapped it all up for the year. Which is, if I may say, a bit of a relief. All that running to find just the right gift, and decisions about what kind of party, and the whole cake issue. I do enjoy it, but as I said, I tend to get a bit carried away.

Which is what happened Friday. I'd taken care of everything, really, but had it in my head to pick up some flowers on my way home. There happened to be a shortage of white roses at the floral shop, so I headed on over to my grocery store, and sure enough, white roses. I picked one out and the sweet young woman wrapped it up and off I went. "Brick House" was playing on the car stereo so of course I cranked it up and was practically hollering along with the song when BOOM! — I bumped into the car in front of me on the bridge over the Interstate. Big sigh. I'm certainly not about to drive off after something like that, even though it was just a bump, so I followed the car across the bridge and into the gas station.

About the sweetest older man you could imagine (he looked a bit like Colonel Sanders, which is ironic because there is a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant next to the gas station and that felt like some good Karma to me) got out of the car and shuffled a bit back to where I was examining his bumper. Not a scratch. I introduced myself and apologized for the mishap while we shook hands, and then he pulled me in for a big ol' hug. "There, there, dear," he said. "Let's have a look-see." Before I knew it he was on his back under his car mumbling about the muffler and how it seemed to be intact. He was having a hard time getting himself up off the ground so I offered him my hand and he took it, which ended up in another big hug. "I don't think there's any problem here," he said, and I was quite relieved (though, truth be told, he did execute a series of stops and starts on that bridge and the stop before I hit was really quite abrupt.)

We exchanged information and off we went. But not before a hug goodbye. "You have yourself a lovely day," he said, "and don't worry yourself one bit, young lady."

Well, now. I'm no spring chicken, but it was rather nice to hear the word "young" once again, especially with three children nearly as tall as I am whose ages nearly add up to mine. The candles get brighter every year, and soon they'll be off having their own traffic incidents and their own children and searching all over creation for just the right flower. Which she loved, by the way. She put her nose to it and breathed in deep and said, "I love it. I'm going to dry it and keep it forever. Thank you, Mom." And that was, and is, enough for me.

This dessert comes to me from my mother down in Owatonna, Minnesota. She's in a phase right now, and every recipe she sends has the word "sensation" in the name. Last one was "Ham Ball Sensation." Can't wait for the next. For this recipe, however, the word fits. If you've guests on the list you want to impress, here you go. And I'd advise you to make two: serve one, hide the other. If you know what I mean.

Strawberry Whipped Sensation

2 cups fresh strawberries (reserve 1-2 large berries)

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tub (8oz) Cool Whip, thawed

8 Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies, finely chopped

1 tbsp. butter, melted

Line 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with aluminum foil.

Remove stems and bruises from strawberries.

Mash 2 cups of strawberries in large bowl.

Stir in condensed milk, lemon juice and 2 cups of the Cool Whip.

Pour into pan.