Making Yogurt

We never had much money when I was growing up.

We weren't "Angela's Ashes" poor (at least I don't

think we were), but we didn't have a lot

of cash. As I grew older, my Mom would share

stories with me about times that were

especially hard, and some of the things

she would do to save money. One story she

told me was about using coupons to buy food.

Back then, if you used coupons, the store would

give you the cash you saved; not deduct it

like they do now. My Mom took that cash,

saved it, and bought herself a yogurt maker.

Home made yogurt was something that

I grew up with.

My Mom was so proud of that yogurt maker.

It cost her something.

She had to save for it. She made my brother and

me yogurt all throughout our childhoods.

I still remember the taste of home made yogurt.

There's nothing quite like it. I swear, it tastes

better than store bought.

Shortly before my Mom was diagnosed with cancer,

she'd decided she wanted to make yogurt again.

Her original yogurt maker was long gone. Not to be

deterred by the lack of a yogurt maker,

my Mom started her Internet search.

She finally found a maker she liked.

She didn't have to save the money this time,

she could just buy it. She was just as

excited and proud of this new yogurt maker.

She showed it to me when I was down visiting.

She was always planning on making more yogurt.

Then she got sick.

The yogurt maker just sat and sat. She was too

sick to eat, so we didn't use it. She always said,

"When I'm better I'll be making yogurt".

I used to tease her and tell her she should just

give it to me, and she would tell me

"No, I'm going to be using it."

I wish she had. When she died,

my Dad came across her yogurt maker,

he packed it up and brought it to me.

It didn't feel right to use it without her.

For a while, it just sat. Then I thought of how she would

want me to be using it. She would want her grand kids to be eating

some home made yogurt. So now I'm using it.

My kids are enjoying the taste of home made yogurt, and I'm

able to share with them the memory of their

grandmother making yogurt for me.

Today, while I was making the yogurt again, the kids

were telling me how they couldn't wait to eat it. They were

talking about how good it tasted, and I swear, I could

feel my Mom smiling down on us. Happy to see

her yogurt maker being put to use.