GRAND Magazine - Spring 2022 - 19

grand brag zone
There are certain breakfast foods that are just fun
to make. Scrambled eggs are a good example of this.
Break the eggs, beat them up real good and then pour
them into a pan where you get to beat them up again
over some heat. One might even say there is some
therapy involved! There is a lot of movement when you
make cheesy scrambled eggs, and I have discovered
over the years that you can actually dance to music
while whipping the whisk, and it goes without saying
that if handled appropriately, a whisk can second as a
microphone while belting out tunes in the kitchen.
"
One, there will be syrup, and two,
there will be bacon (which for a
Southern girl aged three, and almost
turning four, means Heaven).
The three of us decided to go with another fun
food to make which also involved the whisk, Almost Four's favorite kitchen utensil.
Pancakes. The implications of having pancakes for breakfast are many, not least
among them is that one, there will be syrup, and two, there will be bacon (which
for a Southern girl aged three, and almost turning four, means Heaven). There has
never been a Sunday morning where we had pancakes that we did not have maple
brown sugar thick slices of bacon to accompany them. There is Jack and Jill, Bonny
and Clyde, and Pancakes and Bacon. Well, at least, that is the case in our home.
Almost Four grabbed my pointing finger on my right hand and started walking
down the hallway, pulling me along in her wake while she casually looked back
and whispered loudly, " Come on Nanni! Let's make breakfast, " the words tumbling
through her smile in the early morning light.
" Today I'm gonna help Papa, Nanni. Today I'm a chef. A chef, Nanni, " she continued
excitedly chattering as we moved into the kitchen. Our kitchen has an enormous
island where we prepare all of the food, and Almost Four is no stranger to
19 GRAND Winter 2022
this activity. She went to the pantry and began to drag her
plastic " tower " over to the edge of the island. The tower has
a plastic bar that runs along the back, and that allowed her to
lean back and not fall off of the step (which is what the tower
is - a stepping stool with sides). She jockeyed the chair into
position next to the sink, and as I watched, I remembered
how it wasn't long ago that she could not move the tower at
all, much less little girl-handle the tower with ease as she was
doing now.
"
"
Her smile beamed so bright that I felt sure
that the room became even brighter...
She moved it this way and that way, red hair bouncing on
her back and shoulders, as she mumbled soft encouragement
to herself, and once she was satisfied, she put her hands on
her hips and turned toward me where I was watching from
the pantry. I smiled thinking, " Well, there goes a little carbon
copy of her Mother! " and laughed inwardly at her mimicking posture.
" There, " she quipped. " I need the bowls Papa. Am I helping today Papa? " she
asked knowing very well she was, but she still wanted to hear it from me. " You
sure are beautiful. You are the chef this morning. I will help you today! " Her smile
beamed so bright that I felt sure that the room became even brighter as the sun
outside continue its early morning climb into the sky above.
Continue to read
Chris Wilkins, M. Ed.
Chris Wilkins is a husband, father, grandfather, brother, and
friend. A retired English teacher, Chris frequently writes stories
about the life and times of friends and family. Of course, that is so
he won't forget later...After all, Papa is getting older.
Continued on next page
"
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GRAND Magazine - Spring 2022

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