to my g-ma and g-pa

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a photo in honor of my g-ma and g-pa

The above photo encompasses memories of my “grandpa b” and “grandma kopp” (dad’s dad and mom’s mom).  My grandpa used to love butter mints and would always have them near his favorite seat in his house.  My grandma used to serve me a bedtime snack of cocoa pebbles with vitamin D milk in this green bowl.  This coming Friday marks the one year anniversary of my g-ma’s passing.  It is amazing how certain people can make such an impact on your life.  I hope, hope, hope, hope, hope that I am able to keep some of the little grandma kopp-isms with me for as long as I live.  Below is a list in progress of the things that made her “grandma kopp.”

  • the above mentioned cocoa pebble nighttime snack
  • sizzlean (a bacon substitute)
  • her love for the Irish
  • the way she would “decompress” before she stood up
  • playing golf in her 80’s
  • ice cream for breakfast
  •  going to happy hour at the Pumphouse with her granddaughters and daughter while in her late 80’s
  • the way she would tactfully clear throat after finishing a meal (something my sister and I now have developed)
  • being my personal cheerleader at volleyball games and wearing a gold skirt and purple turtleneck (school colors).  blowing me a kiss before the games would start.
  • posting my business card to her front door at the independent living apartment.
  • her zest for toast with butter
  • no one can ever fry a ham quite like my grandma could
  • taking power naps with her at around 3:00
  • an appreciation for closed captioning
  • her taste for mogan david wine.
  • the best jello with applesauce and 7-up in it (so mid-western!)

Oh, how I miss my grandma kopp

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penguin in the sun

I realized the other day that I have two cooking related things that give me a thrill:

1.) After cutting most of the fruit off of a mango for everyone else to enjoy, getting to eat the rest of the fruit off the seed when no one is looking.  It is messy, juicy, and so dang enjoyable.  Man, I wish I had a mango to share right now. 

2.) Peeling garlic.  Not smashing the garlic to remove the peel, but manually trying to get each layer off in big pieces.  It is similar to peeling off a big chunk of skin after a sunburn (I know. That is gross. But, doesn’t everyone enjoy it?).

Speaking of peeling skin off after a sunburn…tomorrow Cooper and I take off for Mexico trip #1.  I am so excited, although a little fearful of how I might handle the 90 degree heat.  I am not good with heat.  I guess it just means that Cooper and I will have to take lots of turns going into the water/babysitting the camera bags.  Zihuatanejo here we come! 

Author: Ali Carras

At a very young age I lost site of my mom in a local grocery store in Boulder, Colorado. I did, however, have the smarts to go to the customer service counter. The kind woman at the counter asked "What is your name little girl?" My reply: "Assi." The woman gave me a look like, "Are you playing with me you little devil?" but she proceeded to blast on the loudspeaker the "We have a lost Assi at the front of the store." Customers throughout the store gagged and giggled, but my mom knew exactly who the woman was referring to: the mullet haired little girl with a tongue too big for her mouth, wearing a leotard, skirt, tights, and jelly shoes (with florescent green laces in them...even though they didn't need the laces). A shy little character for whom every little detail in life was a huge thing. I am pleased to report that today I am able to fully pronounce Allison (aka Ali), but the Assi pseudonym has always stuck, evolving into Aszi. As for the shy little character for whom every little detail in life was a huge thing? Some things never change. I have closed my comments due to mass amounts of spam that no filter could ever control. Feel free to contact me abeckord [at] gmail.com!

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