Category Archives: Things

A portrait of Jean (I think)

Things,

My mom was an artist — not professionally, but she did have talent at drawing. I found the pencil drawing below among her things and I think it is of a neighbor. I know Mom drew (in chalk) a portrait of Marie, Jean’s older sister who died when she was around a year old. Her mom, June, gave it to me, along with a drawing of their house that Mom drew, at my Mom’s funeral.

This drawing was not in a frame, but matted (with black construction paper) and behind glass, in a box in the attic. I don’t know if she was going to give it to June and changed her mind or maybe this is not Jean at all.

What do you think? Is this Jean? I vaguely remember she had a haircut like that — and the dates match.

Probably Jean
Jean and Cinder sitting on my bed
Jean Lodge and Kevin in the spinkler.

Thoughts on some teaspoons that I never use

Things,

I’ve had these Silver Jubilee teaspoons since 1977. They were a gift to me from the Burgoynes — my British “second-family.” They are in perfect condition because I have never used them — I always think I should take them to the kitchen and actually use them for special occasions, but they are sort of impractical because they are so top-heavy (although I have never tried, I think they’d fall out of a tea cup). Besides, if I put them in the drawer that holds the teaspoons I actually use and if I actually used these, they’d end up falling in the garbage disposal, someone would turn the disposal on and then their perfection would be gone.

In 1977 the Queen had only been on the throne for 25 years — but it was more than a lifetime for me. Today she’s been on the throne for over 65 years, still over a lifetime for me, but it seems different somehow.

When I received them, I planned on using them but my life has turned out so differently than I’d expected it would in 1977 that it is okay that I keep them in my attic, admiring them only when I happen upon them now and then.

But if I use them, I’ll let you know.

Silver Jubilee teaspoons
Close-up

 

 

A Swedish Meal and a Swedish Smorgasbord by Mary Martensen

Food, Things, ,

Until today, I’d never heard of Mary Martensen. Apparently she was a dietitian who wrote cookbooks and cooking columns for newspapers. She also was head of the home economics department at the Chicago American whose duties included conducting lessons for large audiences.

The document below must have been given out at one of the lessons. Lesson 10, Week of June 5, 1934. I wonder if one of my ancestors took this lesson or if it was something that Mom found somewhere. I can’t imagine either of my grandmothers traveling to Chicago to take this lesson, although I know my Grandma Patrick went to the Chicago World’s fair in 1933 or 1934 and Mary Martensen wrote a book called “A Century of Progress” cookbook that was published in 1934. It is possible that my Grandma Patrick picked up the typewritten lesson at an exposition at the fair.

I only wish that I had this document when I hosted my bookgroup for “A Man Called Ove.” I would have used some of the recipes.