The End Of The Gingerbread Era

My dad used to work at the Lockheed test base in the Santa Cruz mountains. Everyday on his way to work he passed the Crest Christmas Tree ranch. I believe it was my first Christmas we got our first of many Christmas  trees from there. The tree was bigger then the amount of ornaments mom had so a family tradition was started. Mom made gingerbread cookies and decorated them and hung them on the tree by ornament hooks.  The fun thing was as the cookies would get moist the hole in the cookie would break and the cookie would fall to the floor. Over the years mom would bag and tie them with a ribbon. Over the years of collecting ornaments the amount cookies mom made was greatly reduced and eventually they were only gingerbread boys.

A gingerbread boy was made for every member of the family and other non family members. The rule was that the cookies could not be eaten until Christmas day. Who ever wanted their cookie would take it and what was left I would enjoy. I usually doled them out to myself and enjoyed them for several months.

While my sister Lisa was here it was decided that last year was the last year the gingerbread boys would be made. So brown felt was bought and fabric paints bought. The actual cookie cutter that mom used for years was used as the pattern. They were sewn and decorated using the paint. A slit was cut in the back and a commemorative note slipped in the back. A cookie for each member of the family was made to be hung on our tree and one for each person to have for themselves to keep for their tree. One cookie was left from last year which happens to be Keith's.

I am going to miss my gingerbread cookies.

Today was a better day but still not much energy. My appetite was better!! Keith made a delicious meat pie for dinner.

The physical therapist came to see mom today. This is probably her last visit. She is very pleased with mom's progress. She had mom show her her canes and she adjusted them. She suggested that if mom is comfortable that she try using a cane in the house. When she went into the kitchen for dinner she used her cane and did very well.