[After a little spring cleaning]
Walking the end of life journey with my mom was arduous and long. I put multiple aspects of my life on hold so that when death finally came, I returned home anxious to get back to normal. What I've come to realize is the feeling of normal takes a backseat to grief, which takes time to experience and move through. The thought that I was going to return home to pick-up where I left off before mom's passing and that I was going to organize all the family photos and mom's recipes too, makes me smile. The old Southern phrase, bless her heart, comes to mind. That translates into "she means well but she doesn't have the sense God gave her".
I write of this because I have many friends who are walking the same journey with their parents right now. I offer up my experience as one who is on the other side of the intense sadness and grief that comes from losing a parent. My friends, one-day life will feel normal again, you will think of your parents with a glad heart and not with overwhelming worry and sadness. Also you will be able to organize the family photos and recipes without tears.
Julia and I have started to gather and exchange mom's recipes. The little blue box that held all mom's hand written recipe cards sits on my desk but my sister and I prefer using a recipe app. There are multiple reasons why this works for me including but not limited to the fact my handwriting looks like the scribbling of an overworked doctor and my kitchen window is already cluttered with too many keepsakes. The main reason I like using a recipe app is that it is easy to share and edit. Julia enters the recipes she has and then emails them to me; I do the same. We chose the same app so the exchange is seamless. We purchased The Recipe Box about 18 months ago but since then the recipe organizing business has exploded.
There are apps and on-line services that will help you not only organize your recipes but also suggest menus based on what you currently have in your refrigerator or suggest wine pairings. The cost varies depending on what you are looking to accomplish. There's even a free recipe app marketed by Whole Foods for the budget conscious. Do you cook? How do you organize your recipes? Do you share your recipes with family and friends? If you are already using a recipe app or on-line service, what do you recommend?
Regards,
C
[Before a little spring cleaning]