BAKING WITH MY MOTHER

Although this week was busy enough, I felt I should take time to visit my mother who lives 2 hours away. Icy roads had caused me to cancel the trip last week, and then again earlier this week. Mom has lived alone since my dad passed in 1972 and she's struggling with dementia. Being with her is sometimes trying, to put it mildly, and it's not unusual for us to have the same conversation three or four times in one visit.

A few years ago, I began the tradition of visiting her just before the holidays so I could help her get out her decorations and bake cookies. She then has treats to share with family members when they come to visit at Christmas. Yesterday Mom and I had our traditional cookie baking session and we both had a good time.

I first put on Christmas CDs and untangled extension cords so I could plug in Mom's tree lights and window candles. Then it was off to the kitchen to start baking cookies and making fudge. As I was preparing cookie dough, Mom left the kitchen and returned with a Christmas gift wrapped in pretty paper. She wanted me to open it right then and said I might want to use it. I told her I never turn down a gift. What I opened was a very unique rolling pin that stores its own cookie cutters. I'd never seen one like it. I was thrilled with my gift and we washed it and used it for our baking session.

After baking, decorating, and cleaning up the mess, we surveyed all we had made and Mom had four tins full of five kinds of cookies and one tin filled with fresh peanut butter fudge. She was happy to have homemade treats for the holidays. I was glad I'd spent time with Mom, and had a new rolling pin to use.