The View From Mrs. Sundberg's Window

All about purpose and meaning

July 23, 2012

Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. A rerun, a repeat, and seemed like the first time to me. There are people in the world who don't appreciate the same thing twice, and I think that's a little sad. They're the people who don't go for used cars, who get rid of clothes before they're worn to thread, who use too many paper towels, who toss out leftovers, who shy away from tradition at the extreme end of things.

I'm guilty on occasion, I guess. I suppose we all are. It's easier sometimes to toss something as opposed to using it again, or saving it, and storing it, which takes up space. I've been spending time lately "going through" the house, with all the heat and humidity outside it feels good to stay in and do some of that deep-level cleaning and sorting. For the first time in years I went through my wardrobe and anything I haven't worn in two years went into a pile.

By the time I'd finished, the pile was pretty big. A bit unsettling. When I started poking through it and re-thinking my decisions, my daughter shook her finger at me. "You stop that," she said. And she was right. I have nice things, but if they just sit there, what good are they when someone else might make use of them? I've just begun this move through the house, a pre-winter ritual of clearing out before the snow flies.

I'm not a hoarder, never have been. I've even been subject to teasing for my Spartan approach to having things. I'm not a knick knack person, and I don't see the point of saving ALL the plastic containers. However, what I do have, and keep, has purpose or meaning, and that works just fine for me. When I move on to the Next Big Thing and leave the world behind, I like to think there will be a solid cardboard box worth of stuff for each of the kids, and maybe one for each grandchild (should I be so lucky to have them one day, no rush of course). The only real challenge will be all of my books, which I do gather and keep, and all of the kitchen stuff. Wooden spoons and bowls for everyone, and all those spices.

Why we repeat things, and why we keep them is all about purpose and meaning. And if it has neither, well, someone else may not agree, so why not let them have it? Makes sense to me.

Here is a recipe I pulled out over the weekend. Haven't had these in a while and gosh were they good with strawberries and pineapple.

Classic Caramel Rolls

2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
Cook for one minute:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 large box vanilla pudding (cooked, not instant)
1/2-1 T milk

Fill a greased 9x13 cake pan with plum-sized pieces of dough pulled from the two thawed loaves. Pour butter mixture over. Let sit/rise 10-15 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!