Sale on 10 Year Olds

We don't make waffles very often around here, but this morning I thought they sounded delish.   I made up the batter and then pulled Mom's waffle iron down from the top shelf in the pantry.  I set it on the counter, plugged it in and just stood for a moment, thinking about Mom.

Julie and I got her this waffle iron for Mother's Day or Christmas or her birthday, I don't remember now the occasion, just that we knew she'd love it.  And she was so excited when she opened it up!  Somewhere in the cleaning up of all the wrappings and the box, however, the instructions were accidentally thrown away, and Mom wasn't sure how it worked.  She didn't know how long to cook waffles.  And so the waffle iron sat, in the way back of the cabinet for years.  

After Mom died, Dad asked Julie and I to take anything from the pots and pans that we might be able to put to use.  When we came across the waffle iron, I decided I would take it home and see if I could figure it out without instructions.

It was probably weeks later when, as a young bride, I decided to try my hand at making waffles.  I followed a recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and then plugged in the waffle iron to preheat.  I was looking through cookbooks trying to see if any of them said how long to cook a waffle, when a loud chirping sound came from the waffle iron.  

The tears just rolled down my face.  I couldn't stop.  My husband came in to the kitchen to find me sobbing.  He couldn't understand why a chirping waffle iron would make me cry.

So every time I get it out, and especially when I hear the chirp, my heart aches for Mom.  Especially today.