Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22
The last few weeks have been tough! We have experienced so much joy and so much sorrow all at the same time. My daughter had our first grandchild, a beautiful little boy that is perfect in every way. I have been named Bunny because I didn’t like any of those Grandma names…I needed a fun name! So my daughter gave me a bunny charm bracelet, a bunny tumbler from Taylor Beach Designs, and a bunny waffle maker. Add that to my LB Originals bunny napkins, and bunny plates from Williams Sonoma and I am set to have a Bunny bash!
While we were celebrating the birth of our grandson, one of my dearest friends went to heaven. I met Lea in middle school. I had lived in Corpus Christi my entire life and she had just moved there with her parents from Baytown, Texas. We met in band, where we both played the saxophone. Lea was the best saxophone player around. She started playing a year before the rest of us because Baytown started band in the sixth grade and Corpus didn’t start until the seventh grade. I remember thinking that she was so good because she had an extra year of playing, but really, she was just good…really really good!
In the eighth grade Lea and I got really brave and decided we wanted to try out for leaders in the Haas Band. Lea tried out for drum major and I tried out for twirler. She was an excellent leader and was the best drum major around! I made twirler, which looking back on it was a miracle, but I loved every minute of it! Lea led our band from eighth grade through high school! She was an expert! Our favorite performance opportunities were the football games and the illuminated night parade for Buccaneer Days! We got to use glow in the dark batons!!! We were the absolute coolest! I can still see Lea blowing her whistle and raising her big drum major mace in the air and off we would go! Can you imagine a little blonde girl keeping a band of high schoolers at attention for very long? Our band was made up of an incredible group of kids; each one watching her, ready to step off at just the right minute. The drum corp was incredible. They practiced morning, noon, and night. Using any available object as a drum, and they all respected Lea and followed her lead.
Outside of band, Lea was an excellent hostess! We had sleepovers at her house all of the time. Lea was an only child and she had the coolest mom! Her dad was a lot of fun too! Lea’s mom let us cook all of the time. The first thing we did when we got to her house was pop popcorn. This was in the days before microwave popcorn, so you know there was always a mess to clean up! Then we would watch movies or play PONG! Yes, she had PONG on her TV. The very first video game ever! My kids can’t believe I ever played PONG! Then around midnight we would get into the serious baking. We always made the same cake, a False Buttermilk Cake.
False Buttermilk Cake
1 box yellow cake mix 4 eggs. 8 ounces of cream cheese 1 box of powdered sugar 1/2 cup of butter 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in you baking pan in the oven. Mix 2 eggs and cake mix until crumbly. Pour cake mix on top of the butter- do not mix the cake mix into the butter. Blend the cream cheese, 2 eggs, the box of powdered sugar, and the vanilla together. Pour this mixture evenly on top of the cake mixture. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
Lea grew up to become the Dean of the Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona. Everyone loved her there. She was a hard worker and loyal friend. I am so sad to think that I won’t be able to give her a hug at our next reunion, or send messages to her on Facebook, but I know that I will get to see her again one day. Lea is in heaven, playing in a jazz band and baking the most incredible treats! We miss you Lea! Thank you for being such a great friend!
