Cape Cod Rock Hopper

Adversities and Amish Cookies

          Adversities in life are a part that I honestly feel I could do without. The wife and I sadly have marked most of our travels through life by the road-blocks, hurtles, pot-holes and detours that have been put in our way. Although we would not have changed a thing, starting the marriage off between a teenaged girl and a myself just in my 20's with a child on the way is not the most recommended way to start out life as a married couple.  But even in those early months we were blessed enough to be about to spend a couple days that first year, with the bun still in the oven on the Cape. Next was the issues with my Mother and her years with cancer. The first memory is the year I got my first car, a 1979 Old's Regency 98, Silver, this was before I was married. My Mother said of all the trips that car was the most enjoyable riding car she had ever driven in to the Cape. I also remember us locking the keys in the car along I-80 in Pennsylvania. During the final years of Mom's life, she was able to enjoy having her grand-daughter with her on the Cape. Mom and Dad would take our daughter and watch her for an evening so the wife and I could have an evening out without the responsibility of having to get a sitter to watch her that we could not afford. Dad would also make sure that I had enough money to take the wife to a nice place. Then Mom passed away in July of 1988,,,,, it was also the summer that we found out that CommonWealth Winery was going out of business. Not a good summer  , but Dad opened the cottage to us again, and watched our daughter so the wife and I could go out. Also something else about that year that was an adversity was right before we left to go to the Cape the wife's Grandmother passed away. Two deaths within a months time of each other. The Cape for me was a haven, the Cape for the wife, well, was an escape that could have waited, but she went with and we used it to reflect what we had just gone through. This does not even account for the next year 1989 that less then a year later my wife's mother passed away in April. That year the Cape would bring a change as my Dad had remarried and his new wife was now with him on the Cape. But there, Ollie continued to open the cottage to our family and to take us in and love us and care for us as if we were her own. Those two years at that time were some of the hardest for us, but she brighten out days with opportunities on the Cape that we would not have had otherwise.
    Over time our lives quieted down from the death issues, I managed to do other things with build my/our own road blocks that the Cape would become issues because it was something that "I had to have" or it was "lets keep Dad happy" thing. Sometimes the best of things can be thrown out of whack when the rest of life is not going the way it needs to be going. I would find solace in coming to the Cape while at times the war would rage for other issues that I had created, thus making the Cape not so pleasant a trip for the rest of the family. But the family allowed the trips to continue and even through the turmoil good times prevailed and memories were made.
    Over the years we had car, issues and money issues that should have kept us from going, but either due to my stubbornness or what not, we continued to make it to the Cape for a yearly retreat. Yes there where years that it just did not happen, 1984, as we had just moved back to the Mid-West, we had no money, living with the in-laws, a new baby and I then got a new job and a vacation was not even a thought, either cost wise or if I wanted to keep my job and the list goes one....
    One might begin to ask what has brought these kinds of memories to the forefront of my thinking. Well about 8 years ago our daughter had the unpleasant experience of having her first major ankle surgery on her 18th birthday. Today, again, she has had to endure her 7th major ankle surgery in 8 years after blowing out one of the tendons that had been previously repaired and this time to such a tune that the damage pulled part of the bone from the foot away when the tendon blew. What is ironic is that through these 8 surgeries she has been to the Cape with us 6 of the past 8 years. This year was only the second she had not gone with us. The first a couple years ago when the wife and I went in September and she stayed home and watched our son as he was still in school, and this year as she had a new job. What is amazing is that every year despite having surgery after surgery she was never in a cast for the time that we were at the Cape. ( Ok if I missed this one you will read about it below). But still through all the adversities of surgeries and recouping, we were given the opportunity to go back to the Cape for some relaxation, rest and fun.
       The Cape has always been a place where I have been able to find my rest through the adversities that life has brought my way or even the ones I have created myself and put needlessly my family through. But in all I hope that somewhere alone the way, that these adversities can come to an end, and that the Cape will be more then just a reload for another adversity that is only too short on the horizon. I hope your life is filled with wonder and treasures and smooth sailing, and that live is good to you every step of the way. But when those times are tough, I hope that the memories of the Cape both before and after those hard times are ones that will bring relaxation and a smile to your face and give you something to look forward to the future. And don't be creating more adversities then what life will bring on its own,, trust me its hard enough you don't need any more then what's already been a lotted you. LOL,, And until that time I can find my way back someone keep the lamp in the light house lit so I can always find the way.
    Ok here is another cookie recipe from the realms of my wife's mother's collection of hand written wonders. As we live in the Mid-West the Amish community if very prevalent and simplicity is what the Amish lifestyle is all about. Although I am usually looking for recipes that either come out of the New England area or with Coastal cooking in mind. I believe that the Amish style of simpler ways fits right in with what I continue to look for to offer for today's Cape Cottage Kitchens. Cottage or full size who wants to be stuck in the kitchen for long hours. Home cookin' is only good if you can relax and enjoy what you've made. Ok enough preachin' to the utensils on with the recipe;    Today's recipe Amish Cookies

        Amish Cookies

        Mix these ingredients together and set aside

•     1    cup        white sugar
•     1    cup        powdered sugar
•     1    cup        margarine (oleo)
•     1    cup        vegetable oil
•     2    tsp        vanilla
•     2                  eggs
•                         dash salt

        Sift together

•     4 1/2    cups      flour
•     1            tsp        cream tatar
•     1            tsp        soda

        Blend we ingredients with dry ingredients until well mixed

    Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. flatten with a fork. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.