MY DAUGHTER GINA

My lovely daughter Gina. She will be here by noon tomorrow. We both are so happy to share Mother/daughter time. She emailed not to long ago and said, I feel like I need a Mommy fix. I so love that as I need a Gina fix every now and then. When we are together we seem to recharge each other's batteries. We always feel energized and more powerful when the two of us are together.

I just took my vanilla cupcakes out of the oven. They smell like Christmas. This recipe has twice the vanilla as most recipes and I use a high quality pure vanilla. So the air now is permeated with rich dense vanilla.
When the cupcakes have totally cooled using a very sharp tiny knife I will cut a small deep circle out of the top of each cake. Into that hole I will put a small dollop of seedless raspberry jam.
The frosting is a butter cream but it is moistened with lemon juice instead of milk and also lemon zest for a pop.
I am going to have one of these cupcakes with a glass of champagne. Seems like a perfect fit.

I cannot express how wonderful it is to see the sky even though cloudy there have been breaks where I have glimpsed some blue. It is warmer too a good thing. I woke in the night  kicking covers off as we added an extra quilt and have quite enjoyed it's warmth this past few weeks.

We were up so early again and I was off to the store for needed items. Others must have been still having coffee and in their slippers and jammies as the parking lot was nearly empty.

It has been sixteen years ago today that my dear Mother left this old earth for a better place. The old saying that time heals is correct. Each year that goes by I am able to remember more of our life together with so much happiness in my heart. And another thing that time does it softens all the edges of your memories and you magically remember all the best parts. Of course with my Mother and I all the parts were pretty grand. She was one of a kind in that she always put others first. She did this without a thought I am sure. She was just who she was, giving, always smiling and loving.
My husband always says to me, you do not even know how blessed you are to have had a Mother like that. But oh I do. Maybe I did not when I was young and immature. I can remember times I hurt her heart but I realize now I was just a kid or a teen and trying to gain my own independence. My Mother and shared a wonderful life together and we were always close so that only makes it harder for the one left when someone passes over. 
I am sure we do not all hurt the same when a loved one dies. To be close and feel all that love for all those years is a hard thing to lose. To not have it as a lot of folks do not it seems to me it would be easier when that person is lost to you. But that I do not know as I have not lived that life. And maybe then there would be regrets and guilt other things to make you sad.

On a fun note my dear friend Judy had a birthday today. I hope she is having an amazing day with family. Happy Birthday Judy!!!

My hubby will be home soon so I must get my cupcakes frosted before he wants the kitchen. He is making Gina his special salsa that she loves.

I will not blog for a few days now as I will be to busy having fun with my daughter.

Have a lovely weekend.