If you were to sneak a peek into our kitchen cupboards you would find – amongst the utilitarian nesting stainless mixing bowls, the variously-sized modern black stoneware stove-to-table bowls, and the ornate glass serving bowls – a well-used, scratched and worn, slightly-yellowed white plastic bowl from days gone by.
This plastic bowl was manufactured at some point in either the late 1960s or early 70s – long before any kind of knowledge of leaching chemical toxicity had seeped into the awareness of the general public, long before the need for dishwasher- or microwave-safety standards.
To anyone else, this plastic bowl might be looked upon as a dated eyesore, a piece of junk, a health hazard… something that should have been tossed long ago and replaced with something prettier, something up-to-date, something safe.
Yet since its first appearance in my life, wrapped in bright Christmas paper and torn open with squeals of delight – “It’s a grown-up mixer!” – it has survived.
It endured enthusiastic baking sessions – “just like Mom!” – and produced wee cakes devoured with milk and accompanied by girlish giggles.
It served as an emergency cereal bowl when everything else was in the dishwasher.
It was the occasional receptacle for fresh fruit, or tuna salad fixings, or a half-dozen hardboiled eggs.
It escaped the ruthless purges of around a dozen house moves and, most recently, traveled across the country with me to my current home.
It survives, because I remember, and refuse to let go of this small snapshot of my childhood.
Written for GBE 2: Blog On -
WEEK #66 (8-19-12 to 8-25-12): Snapshot
drchoneydew August 20, 2012 at 8:27 pm
WOW you wrote this description of your little bowl so PERFECTLY, i even
saw scratches at the bottom of the bowl ((hugs)) well done!!!! And so
thankful you loved your childhood!
DawnStorey August 20, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Thank you so much!
Tweetsmom August 21, 2012 at 1:26 pm
How cool that you still have it. Brilliant story to go with your snapshot!!Kathyhttp://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com
DawnStorey August 21, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Thank you!
Farahnaz Salar Khan via Facebook August 21, 2012 at 5:28 pm
Adorable
Dawn Storey Publications via Facebook August 21, 2012 at 5:34 pm
Thank you!
BeckyCochrane August 22, 2012 at 3:00 am
Of course you can guess how delighted I am by this story and the photograph.
DawnStorey August 22, 2012 at 10:18 am
Thank you! I’ve taken a leaf out of your book.
The Shiny Butter Blog August 22, 2012 at 7:26 pm
I love this picture and I love your grown-up mixer! (As I write this, a flash from my own past just drove by my house in the form of the ice-cream truck!!)
DawnStorey August 23, 2012 at 10:51 am
Nice! I love childhood memories.
KarenWilliamsTaylor August 23, 2012 at 1:35 am
What a wonderful keepsake from your past. Great story. Love the pic.
DawnStorey August 23, 2012 at 10:51 am
Thank you!
Angela Parson Myers August 23, 2012 at 11:50 pm
I still have the tiny electric iron I had as a child. It didn’t really get hot enough to iron clothing, but warm enough to make me think I was really ironing.
Angela Parson Myers recently posted… Snapshots in My Memory
Dawn Storey
Twitter: ABCsalad
August 24, 2012 at 11:25 am
Oh, how fun! I wish I had the whole mixer set, not just the bowl!
Dawn Storey recently posted… Bloggy Housekeeping P.S.
Reiza August 24, 2012 at 3:16 pm
This little story made me smile.
Dawn Storey
Twitter: ABCsalad
August 25, 2012 at 2:26 pm
I’m glad!
Dawn Storey recently posted… BlogHer ’12: Voices of the Year
Beth August 24, 2012 at 11:38 pm
What a wonderful photo!
Beth recently posted… Misty Water-Colored Memories
Dawn Storey
Twitter: ABCsalad
August 25, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Thank you!
Dawn Storey recently posted… BlogHer ’12: Voices of the Year
tikulicious August 26, 2012 at 4:19 am
Wow, this is so cool. I relished reading it. Wonderful take on the weekly prompt.
Dawn Storey
Twitter: ABCsalad
August 26, 2012 at 8:59 am
Thank you very much!
Dawn Storey recently posted… 100 Words Replay 31