The Crabby Cook - by Jessica Harper

This Mother’s Day my kids AND my own mother are all two thousand miles away. For the first time in 20 years I won’t have some kind of maternal relationship in the house, unless you count Oliver, my dog and almost-son. However, since he is equipped with paws, he is (sadly) unable to bring me breakfast in bed (my favorite Mother’s Day privilege), although I know he’d like to.

My daughters will be home from college in a few weeks. They’re studying for finals, and in a frenzy of maternal energy (inspired by their upcoming absence on Sunday), I sent them care packages.

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My daughter Nora is pissed off at me.

“Why do you buy things for yourself right before Mother’s Day?” she asked, irritably, when I bragged that I had just bought a panini maker, exactly what she’d planned to get me as a gift for my favorite holiday.

It is pretty shocking whenever I buy something for the kitchen, whether or not a holiday is involved, because I do it so rarely. I have limited counter space (and limited patience) for cappuccino machines and waffle irons. When things like that enter my house, they usually make their way to the garage in short order, where they cure for a couple of years before heading down to the Goodwill. Read More