Posted by on Jan 19, 2017 | 10 comments

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I might do a little dance for Lilly, too, and so am practicing.

So–freezer fare, or, you might say, fare for freezing, just in case guests do not eat all of this fish stew that mama is making for her friend’s 88th birthday.  Lilly is from Strasbourg and has been a family friend and so much more for over 35 years.  You would never know that she is even over 35!  Here she is with papa, her punk hair and all (she had just taken off her warm winter hat and mama said, “Leave your hair that way–I’ll paint the ends blue, green and pink!”

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Lilly laughed her Lilly laugh but you could see she was thinking about it…

Lilly is someone who has the answer for most every problem–how to get rid of mold, what to take to stop a cold, when to prune the roses in France, how to get odors out of old musty closets, correcting mama’s French and of course, what Strasbourgians love to eat: flammekueche, fish soup, apple tart, all of which mama will make for her on Sunday when she celebrates with us.  I am cleaning up my nip garden and will pick her a nice, nifty little sniffy bouquet that she can take to her nap after such a repas!  I think I’ll let her play with my String, too…

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On top of this dough (mama’s pizza dough), stretched very thin, put sautéed, sliced sweet onions, little cooked bacon pieces and crème fraiche with a pinch of nutmeg in it and spread to the edges.  Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes.

She stays with me sometimes when I need an overnight friend and I really love her snuggling and petting.  Sometimes when someone lives alone, a kitty is a nice little moment that adds smiles to the day.  But this lady, with three children all grown and with kids themselves, has NO need for company.  Mama is always trying to match up people–I think she should have a business called Czech Mates, haha–she is Czech–but Lilly backs away as if that alligator is coming at her and says, “I eat when I want, I sleep when I want, no one says ‘when will you be back’ from wherever it is you wish to go, and there is no one to cook and iron and deal with!”  I think she had lots of years of that and if not for having kids, could have been the CEO of a company!

I love birthdays.  I think mine is coming up in March but I can’t be sure as I don’t remember when I wandered into this life.

Happy birthday, anyone out there who is having one today!

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Happy BIRTHDAY, dear anyone.  Happy birthday to you…la, la ,la

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