Adam is 2½ years old and James is 15 months old and they really do have a handle on life! They got me thinking about what I have forfeited over the years in order to play by the rules - who's rules? I can't even remember!
Watching Adam and James playing in the garden, running through the sprinkler, made me wonder why I don't do that any more. It used to be such fun, so why did I stop? Sitting on the swings and feeling the air rush past my ears - that was real freedom. Running into the house soaking wet, laughing and needing only one thing from my Mom - a hug, and then everything in my life was complete. Why did hugs became so scarce?
The final life lesson was when we started baking cookies.
When did I become such a perfectionist in my cooking and baking, that I forgot what it's really about?- having fun. Adam and I made cookies together. He taught me that it's okay to have a finger print in the middle of a cookie, and to eat more dough than you bake, so long as you are enjoying yourself! And when you doing the decorating, it doesn't need to look like it's shop bought, with artist squiggles you find in fancy restaurants - smiley faces are great too!
Always be very proud of what you do, whether it is mud cakes or a simple trip to the toilet by yourself - and never forget to tell every one just how clever you are.
We made these cookies from the November issue of Ideas magazine.
Melt-in-the-Mouth Chocolate Cookies
300g Flour
25g Cocoa Powder
175g Castor Sugar
250g Butter - it must soft
1 Egg yolk
30ml Cream (milk worked just as well)
Sift together the flour and the cocoa.
In separate bowl (we used the food processor) beat the butter and the sugar together until pale.
Beat in the cream and the egg yolk.
Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mix and stir well.
Add the second third and mix and then the final third and mix until well combined.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2 hours (we cheated and did 45 minutes in the freezer instead).
Pre-heat you oven to 180°C.
Roll the dough our and cut shapes.
Bake on a greased baking tray for 10 minutes.
While they are baking make an icing mix of 150ml Icing sugar and 5-10ml warm water.
Remove the cookies from the oven, decorate with icing and sprinkle with castor sugar.
Wait for them to cool and eat as many as you want!
Thank you to Adam and James,I can't remember when last I had that much fun in the kitchen and
I'll bake cookies with you any time!
(So long as Mommy is there to clean up afterwards!)
Rosemary Gough
3 comments:
What a fabulous post...just had to stop and say thank you!
As I learn every week by volunteering at a local children's hospital, this moment (the present)is to be valued, honored, AND enjoyed!
Just because I was raised to be a perfectionist doesn't mean that I now can't have fun holding onto that loose string and running joyfully through life...allowing life to unravel and reveal a brand new bliss.
Thank you so much!
take care,
Louise Lewis, author
No Experts Needed: The Meaning of Life According to YOU!
FREE gift e-book at: noexpertsneeded.com
(No strings or spam attached to offer, really! Simply my way of 'giving back'...)
Noexpertsneeded - Thank you for those very kind words. I love the words you use...have fun holding onto that loose string and running joyfully through life...allowing life to unravel and reveal a brand new bliss.
Wonderful post, and so true. When did all this other nonsense become more important than fun? I run from the train to my front door as fast as I can to get out of the rain - my nephews run straight out into the rain to play in the puddles! ALthough I have taken a conscious decision this year that dust/laundry/dishes can always wait if there is a friend to see or a sunny afternoon to enjoy in the garden :)
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