The year was 1979. It was a year of many changes. In March, my mother had died suddenly. I changed my hairstyle by cutting off about 15 inches of my long hair. I quit my job and moved to another province that year. My best friends got married. So many events all packed into that one year.
So what has caused me to recall these events? Believe it or not…it’s raspberries!
I picked raspberries yesterday and today, I am sitting here enjoying a bowl of freshly picked raspberries with my Greek yogurt for breakfast. A flood of memories with every delicious spoonful.
But wait! Stop the flashback! Yogurt? Yogurt in our house in 1979?
No way…not yogurt with my delicious berries. Back then, I ate raspberries with sweet, thick, fresh farm cream. Yes, cream that was separated and skimmed off the top of cow’s milk. It tasted sweet and was so thick that my spoon could stand straight up in it.
My parents would order a quart jar from a local farmer once a week. Back when I was younger, no one worried about having the wrong kind of cholesterol or having too many calories. No, we just enjoyed the taste of fresh local products.
Come to think of it, maybe I should have been more concerned about the calories. Now that I really think about it, it’s actually quite embarrassing. Let me backtrack a bit and tell you why I shouldn’t have eaten so many of those dishes of raspberry with cream breakfasts.
My best friend, Deb, was getting married at the end of July in 1979. Deb and her fiancé Wayne had been high school sweethearts and by the time all of us had graduated from university, they had been dating for over 7 years. They were (and still are) a perfect match and I was honoured to be one of their bridesmaids.
So in April, Deb called all of her attendants up and told us that she had decided that we would all wear matching dresses. Because we were all predominantly the same height and size, the dresses would be a style that we could all wear again after the wedding. Deb was very practical that way. She had picked out the colour and purchased a size 8 pattern. The dresses were going to be homemade. Luckily for her sisters, Deb’s mom would be able to sew their dresses.
Oh, oh! What about me? Now between my being a past 4-Her and having had a mom who was always there to help me if I needed her to before, I could sew. However, I was now working full-time. How was I going to get a dress made in time? Who could I call on to help? Luckily for me, I didn’t have to worry for long. Deb’s mom offered to make my bridesmaid dress as well. It was all going to work out. By the end of May, we had our final fittings and everything was all set.
You’ve probably guessed by now that my raspberry and rich creamy breakfasts in June and July could create a problem. Well, you are right and they did lead to a bit of weight gain for me!
On the day before the wedding, my bridesmaid dress did not fit. Yes, I had gained a full inch around my waist! I was devastated at the time and totally embarrassed. Deb’s mom saved the day once again. Even though she was busy doing other last-minute things for the wedding, she got out her sewing machine and altered my dress.
This month, as we celebrate Deb and Wayne’s 34th. Wedding Anniversary, we can look back and laugh about my embarrassing fiasco, but we also reflect on their many wonderful years of married life together and our true friendship between friends!
Oh and let’s not forget…my love of delicious raspberries and cream!
Happy Anniversary Deb and Wayne!
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