Thursday, June 11, 2015

Her Last Gift


After the funeral was over and all the relatives had left, I stayed alone in my mother’s house.  Next morning I sat in the empty kitchen and recalled the days gone by in the house.

From the moment we woke up to hot cups of milk to the time when we returned famished from school, it was the hub of all activities and the very soul of our house. 


Sitting at the table my eye fell upon a notebook on the sideboard.  Inside in her unmistakable longhand was a collection of family recipes that she had been writing for us.
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Written for the Friday Fictioneers  Word Count : 100.  

To read other recipes from Friday Fictioneer kitchen go here.  

So I thought the lovely warm photograph also deserved a story with a happier ending, thus here is my second offering for the week after this earlier submission http://subrotopant.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/bakers-delight.html 

22 comments :

  1. Anonymous8:25 am

    That's what mothers do...Nice one.

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    1. Thanks Ansumani, I am glad you liked it.

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  2. Lovely! Sad but uplifting too! My mother and grandmother both have lovely longhand. In the future will we reach for the tablet? :(

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    1. Surely there will be an App for that! Thanks for your comments Yolanda I am glad you liked it.

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  3. Nice. Lovely memories and delicious meals to help remember.

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    1. So true Caerlynn there is an association between food and happy memories. Thank you for reading and commenting.

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  4. For the second time.... (an irritating consequence of having a computer crash that you have to sign in to Blogspot sites all over again) :( this was a heartwarming ending to a naturally sad event. Nice one.

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    1. Thanks Sandra I am glad you liked it and your comment came through.

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  5. I do hope that's based on truth - I have two such notebooks - one from my mother and one from my mother-in-law. Some of the wartime ones are fascinating.

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    1. Some fiction and some truth, she did leave us a hand written recipe book that we've already used. Thanks for reading and commenting Lizy.

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  6. Anonymous1:17 pm

    Oh, a double whammy. I enjoyed both stories, but really like your first one because I related to the kitchen being the hub, the soul of the house. I had that growing up! The kitchen was always busy. For whatever reason, everyone always ended up being in the kitchen. Lovely stories, both.

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    1. That is so true about kitchen being the hub of the house. Thanks for your comments Amy, I am glad you liked it.

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  7. A lovely, evocative description of her memories. The discovery of the recipes finishes it off perfectly, as though their mother is still with her in that room.

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    1. And that is why it is her last gift. Thanks for your comment Margaret, I am glad you liked it.

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  8. Dear Subroto,

    A rather sad, poignant story that makes me wonder if it's based on fact. Nicely done as was the first.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. Probably a mixture of fact and fiction as she did leave us with a handwritten book of her recipes. Thanks for your comments and support as always Rochelle.

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  9. There is something really special about finding old recipes of your grandmothers. You have written the kitchen being the hub of the household beautifully.

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    1. It is a special feeling indeed. Thank you for reading and commenting Irene.

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  10. That''s going to be a treasured keepsake, Subroto. .Lovely story and well done. :) --- Suzanne

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    1. It is indeed. Thanks Suzanne I am glad you liked it.

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  11. Anonymous7:26 am

    A tale that evokes feelings of sadness. Well written, and as others have said I suspect drawing upon past experience?

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    1. Thank you Weltchy, sometimes bits of life can permeate through fictional stories too.

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