Thank God it’s Monday, again. I always look forward to Mondays, as they’re my 52 Chances a year, in which I get to share Memories of My Mom with you. Therefore, happy Monday.
This is, among other things, Simplify Your Life Week. Most people covet “the simple life” – but what is that? It’s different for everyone – uncluttered living, in which one doesn’t have many things; having little-to-no modern technology; being content with quiet solitude, out in the woods or on the waterfront, just treasuring the time at hand.
Likewise, minimalism is a life philosophy to rid oneself of unnecessary things. The five basic needs that are essential for the survival of all living things are air, sunlight, water, shelter, and food. I would add knowledge as a basic need, too, but everything beyond that is simply the stuff that makes life more comfortable and happy.
Life isn’t always chaotic, 24/7, but it may get busy and hectic, occasionally or often. These times tend to create cravings for “simpler times”; like those depicted by Norman Rockwell, before the large growth in technology. In my biased opinion, it’s probably especially so for the “Baby Boomers”, who lived it and loved it.
According to FS.blog’s article, “The Laws of Simplicity”, the first four (of 10) laws of simplifying life are to reduce, organize, save time, and learn. I love its statement on the latter one: “Knowledge makes everything simpler.” Mom always loved promoting the importance to “learn something new every day”.
Some things, however, are not that easy to learn. It seems like the more technology grows and evolves, expanding its capabilities, the more it correspondingly simplifies AND complicates things. Probably, more complications than simplifications for older generations and the opposite for younger generations but it affects us all, nonetheless.
All that being said, what simplifies life for one person doesn’t always apply to everyone else. The evolution of technology has always been intended to simplify our lives. But it effects each generation differently and, for some of us, too much of a good thing can sometimes be a bad thing.
When it comes to Mom and Dad’s experiences (as well as my own), I’ll just say, there’s a reason why “they” (whoever “they” are) claim: “You can teach a new dog old tricks but you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”
Sixteen years ago, my brother, Mike, developed and launched TheRecipeDetective.com’s original website for our parents. It was meant to simplify (streamline) their Secret RecipesTM mail-order business, while expanding their successful audience reach from television, radio, and other media to the growing digital generation.
Back then, Mom was only semi-retired (thus, Dad, too). She was still doing lectures and radio show interviews, promoting her “shortcut cookery” concept for her copycat recipes but they had stopped publishing her newsletter (with the December 2000 issue).
Mom and Dad reprinted her popular Mostly 4-Ingredient Recipes (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; April 1986) cookbook in June 2002 and continued to sell it, along with her subject-focused recipe folders and bulletins that they had in stock, with Mike’s help, of course, until she passed away in 2018.
Mike’s the “tech savvy” one in our family. Our parents tried to learn it. I remember when they bought their first (and only) computer. They took lessons for several weeks, from one of my sister’s daughters, on computer basics – turning it on, going online, checking email, etc.
Unfortunately, the learning process stressed them out more than it simplified their lives. After a month, they still had a hard time opening and responding to their emails. Frustrated by the “new technology”, they gave their computer to their granddaughter.
For a decade, Mike managed the website, from where he lived, on the west coast; including their online orders and emails. Technology came a long way, in that 35 years, from Mom’s mimeograph to being on the world wide web. The summer after Mom passed away, Mike gave the website to me so I could keep Mom’s memory alive with my blog.
FROM MOM’S MEMORIES…
As seen in…
The Original 200 Plus Secret Recipes© Book (Secret RecipesTM, Marysville, MI; June 1997, p. 1)
A STORY TO SHARE
FROM THE MIMEOGRAPH machine that I hand cranked and inked, with every 200 copies, came the first pages of our newsletter and the first 200 recipes of favorite dishes from famous places.
Actually, I added only a few recipe cards at the time to each of the early issues of the newsletter and these grew from 25 to 50 to 100, finally being concluded with 200 selections as of our February 1977 issue.
Those we offered through the newsletter and on 4” x 6” cards have never been published in one complete edition, so we now [1994] offer this collection to celebrate over 20 years of our continuous publication of our Secret RecipesTM.
In most of these 200 recipes I’ve not had to alter the ingredients nor the technique but in some that had no regard for what is considered wholesome, I’ve made a few changes and improvements.
It never occurred to me that the dishes we were trying to imitate would not be of interest to a deserving family of readers, who simply wanted to enjoy dining in as if they were dining out.
From that day, in August 1976, when this recipe enterprise became this family’s only source of income, it was a welcomed challenge to be able to work at it, not as a job, but always is a joy. People often question my ability to continue at it with untarnished enthusiasm and never having had to deal with what is called ‘writers block’.
I can’t imagine a day when I am not writing and enjoying every moment of it. The 200 original secret recipes were only the beginning of what I felt would eventually become a well-described collection of worthy recipes. And it happened exactly that way.
A popular way to simplify our lives is in making space for what’s important, purging everything unnecessary to streamline the space (at work or home) then re-arranging and coordinating what’s left. In a roundabout way, this also saves time.
Organizing and clearing out clutter, reduces the number of possessions you own and, thereby, also the time spent, going forward, cleaning and taking care of such things. Have a yard sale or donate everything to a local thrift store. Incidentally, Saturday is National Garage Sale Day and Sunday begins National Bargain Hunting Week.
However, it’s not just physical stuff that weighs us down and complicates our lives. For a simple life, we must also declutter the mental/emotional stuff from our hearts and minds. Resolute to get rid of any negative habits, as well as negative people. Surround yourself with those you love and who love you back.
“Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” – Aesop
Start by practicing daily gratitude. Say thank you and give compliments often. Appreciation is always appreciated. It feels good, making others feel good. In fact, it can be contagious, as receivers become givers. That’s the kind of pandemic the world needs.
“I started out giving thanks for small things, and the more thankful I became, the more my bounty increased.” – Oprah Winfrey
Set a daily gratitude alarm/reminder on your cell phone, to stop whatever you’re doing at that time and express appreciation for something – anything – big or small. Otherwise (or likewise), keep a daily journal, for writing down something for which you are grateful. It can be basic and quick.
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward
The most common things for which people are often grateful, include family, friends, health, home, job, education, food, pets – even technology but, again, that’s a double-edged sword that can simplify and/or complicate our lives. Remember: EVERYTHING in moderation.
Even though many sources suggest that we should depend less on technology and services, in order to simplify our lives; some such things are good and helpful, at least for organizing our busy lives – that is, until we get less busy. As the old adage says, “too much of a good thing can be a bad thing…” (or something like that).
Thus, say “no” to unnecessary commitments (and bills). Spend less money, needlessly, to help streamline and simplify life. You can also cut back/limit your daily, weekly, and/or monthly tasks. Spend more time doing things that you enjoy and make you happy.
Mom knew from the time she was a young girl, after watching the 1946 Warner Brothers movie, “Devotion”, about the Bronte sisters, that she wanted to be a writer. She faithfully journaled every day about her thoughts, ideas, gratitude, and events – anything that struck her fancy.
“Find a job you enjoy doing and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Mark Twain
She dreamt of someday writing a great American novel. Instead, fate took her passion for writing in a different direction, as her great American novel goals became the FIRST, great American, copycat cookbooks.
On a side note, Mom’s initial career, as a satirical columnist and cartoonist, in various newspapers, during the 1960s and 1970s; was very similar, in many ways, to today’s blogging on the internet. Another old adage claims, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
That was almost four decades before home computers first became popular. Mom often said that she made a living with her writing but it was her writing that made living worthwhile.
LAST THOUGHTS…
In honor of last Thursday, being the first of August, I posted another one of Mom’s homemade artistries, for a “Granny Squares Purse”, on the Crafts tab. Check it out.
Plus, with Saturday, being National Garage Sale Day, and Sunday, being the start of National Bargain Hunting Week, I’ll be writing more about those in next week’s blog post. Please, return to TheRecipeDetective.com and check that out, too.
Thanks for visiting! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my memories of my mom, her memories, and other related things. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at [email protected]. You can also find me on Facebook: @TheRecipeDetective.
IN CLOSING…
In honor of August, being National Catfish Month, here are two of Mom’s copycat recipes (from Branson, MO) for “Catfish, Oven Style” and “Basting Broth”; as seen in her self-published cookbook, Make Alike Recipes (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Oct. 1991, p. 103). As always, I’m asking only for proper credit if you care to share it.
P.S. Food-for-thought until next Monday…
Some August observances are National Dog Month, International Peace Month, National Back to School Month, National Brownies at Brunch Month, National Goat Cheese Month, National Golf Month, National Panini Month, and National Sandwich Month.
As the first full week of August (4th-10th for 2024), it’s also… National Farmers Market Week.
Today is… National Work Like A Dog Day and National Oyster Day.
Tomorrow is… National Root Beer Float Day [aka: “Black Cow”]. See Mom’s recipe for this in my June 10th blog post, High Costs History Repeats or search the Recipes tab for “Root Beer” and “Vanilla Ice Cream”.
Wednesday, August 7th, is… National Lighthouse Day and National Raspberries N’ Cream Day.
Friday, August 9th, is… National Rice Pudding Day and National Book Lovers Day.
August 10th is… National Connecticut Day, National Lazy Day, and National S’mores Day. Plus, as the second Saturday in August (for 2024), it’s also… National Bowling Day.
Sunday, August 11th, is… National Son’s and Daughter’s Day and National Raspberry Bombe Day. Additionally, as the start of the second full week of August (11th-17th for 2024), it’s also… National Kool-Aid Days.
…32 down and 20 to go!
