This may sound strange, but it is a piece of her parents’ wedding cake. Yup, the Bag Lady has 59-year old wedding cake in her china cabinet. Petrified. It’s wrapped in plastic, and nestled in cotton, which is why it looks a little funny. (That dark spot is not mould - blame the lighting or the photographer.)
Weird, huh? Now this may not be the weirdest thing in the Bag Lady’s house, but it’s certainly in the top ten.
And why, you may ask, does the Bag Lady have a 59 year old piece of petrified wedding cake? Because she does, that’s why. It brings back memories, which is why anyone keeps anything, right? Her mother saved that little piece of white cake, tucked away in that little Stetson box, tucked away in turn in a drawer with her table linens, her entire life.
The Bag Lady remembers taking it out of the box when she was a child. It still smelled of sugar and sweetness then, in spite of it already being well on its way to petrification. It no longer smells like much of anything. There’s still a faint hint of sweetness, and it feels dry and powdery.
Today would have been the Bag Lady’s parents’ 59th wedding anniversary. They met during WWII when her dad, who was in the Navy, was stationed in Halifax. Dad was a shy young farm boy from Alberta. Mom was a shy young Nova Scotia native who worked in the dockyards, charting underwater obstacles in Halifax harbour.
The Bag Lady will continue to save that piece of wedding cake. It doesn’t take up much room, and when she runs across that little Stetson box, it reminds her of her parents, and that’s not a bad thing, right? When the Bag Lady dies, whoever has to clean out her house will probably open that box and wonder what the hell…? She hopes they turn the lid over and read the inscription there before they toss it out, cursing the Bag Lady for the pack-rat that she is!
(Happy Anniversary, mom and dad, wherever you are - one thing I know for sure is that you are together!)
So, what’s the weirdest thing in your house? Got any 59-year old cake hanging around?
17 comments:
Wow, thats a great post bag lady!!
The strangest thing in my house is a little more morbid.
My BF's parents are in a rubbermaid bin in my basement. Yeah... it weirds me out sometimes.
Their cremated remains are in pretty gold boxes within the rubbermaid. They've followed us accross the country and back. One day when BF and his brother feel it's right, they will be spread somewhere, until then... rubbermaid in the basement.
dfBag Lady- What a wonderful tribute to your parents, and that really is a great photo of them.
We have plenty of weird stuff in the house, chiefly the occupants.
Okay, Sarah, so far you are winning in the weird category!! My parents are NOT in a rubbermaid container...
dfLeah, that is a great photo, isn't it? They didn't have a "formal" wedding, so all their wedding pictures were taken outside.
Oh, and the occupants of the Bag Lady's house are in that top ten weird category, too!
What a great photo - they look so happy.
I think the *box* is rather cool actually...as long as you're not planning on eating it, it seems like a nice thing.
I'm trying to think of odd things we have saved...a brick from the house my husband's grandpa was born in is all I can think of...not too odd. I'll have to work on that :)
Absolutely wonderful post, Baggie. Your and Reb's parents were two beautiful looking people. I don't think it's at all weird that you continue to keep the cake.. I think it's lovely and sentimental.
And besides, it's probably way more acceptable to keep old cake than well.. umm old umbilical cords.
Ok well not the whole cord but I kept each of the dried bits that fell off of my kids after they were born. Most babies lose them within a week. Not my kids. It took them each a month to lose their cords. By then I got used to seeing them, so I kept them. I still have some of their baby teeth too.
That was almost 21 and 18 years ago. Sigh.. I'm still having trouble letting go.
Hilary...the Bag Lady doesn't really know what to say. Having never had children, she doesn't know if she would have saved any shrivelled body parts or not. (Probably...she saves everything else!!) The teeth, for sure - hell, she saved her DOG'S baby teeth...
Geosomin - sorry, the Bag Lady got a little distracted by the umbilical cords - didn't mean to ignore you! Must be nice to know that, so far, you and Leah are the most normal people to comment...and the Bag Lady is starting to feel way less weird. No rubbermaid containers with ancestors in them...no shrivelled umbilical cords. Sheesh - 59 year old cake is looking pretty tame!
This one bought tears to my eyes, Bag Lady.
Let's see... the weirdest thing we probably have in this house would be in the bedside table and I'm not giving any futher details lest my mother decide to start reading blogs.
That's a very sweet post and a lovely pic!
I'm sure I have at least one or two odd things around the house since I'm quite the packrat, myself. Nothing comes to mind right now that competes with umbilical cords and parental cremains, though.
I bet if you asked my husband, he could give you an earful!
That was a great post Sis. Yes, I am sure you are right that they are together, too bad mom is all dressed up and dad looks like he is ready to work in the yard! The difference between open & closed caskets for those outside the family.
Hmmm...wierdest thing in my house- I've never thought about that before. I guess I'd have to say controversial pictures with me & an ex. Nuff said but I looked good and that's my incentive to get back to looking good! (Of course we have cut the ex out of the pictures- we're not THAT wierd)
What a wonderful post! And what a handsome happy looking couple they were too.
We're just pack-ratty enough to make moving a pain, but not quite pack ratty enough to have anything interesting hanging around--sorry!
scrumpy's baker - the Bag Lady was a little weepy writing this post, too! And, okay, maybe we don't want you mom to know what's in your bedside table!!
BG - thanks! The 59-year old cake is looking a little tame in comparison, isn't it? :)
Reb - they're still dancing together, no matter how they're dressed.
Crabby - what? No weirdness? Sheesh, the Bag Lady was counting on you for something really strange! (Couldn't you have made something up?)
Emily! The Bag Lady didn't forget about you (she just lost track of her comments for a second - it's been a really, really long, stressful day...)
You have photos? Hope you kept all the copies so we won't see them on the cover of some tabloid when you become rich and famous!!
LOL, when I'm rich and famous these pictures are the least of my concerns!! And yes, I have all copies.. I always plan for the future involving media scrutiny!
That is so sweet.
Let's see - weird things? I have a "secret box" that has all my dirty secrets in it. Some photos that one doesn't admit to taking, a tape of me singing a song I made up, before and after pics, x-rated letters. Wow - I sound like a bad girl - really, I'm not.
POM - the Bag Lady believes you when you say you aren't a bad girl.
(X-rated letters, eh? - Cool!)
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