Random Recollections II

"Christmas when I was a child was a very exciting time. I remember helping Aunty Mabel bake cookies for the holidays. The main thing was she made a ton of the little pfeffernusse, some of which were rolled in sugar and some left plain. I can remember seeing the baked cookies filling up a washtub. Exactly where she stored them until eaten I’m not sure, and I’m sure she gave away a good many, also. This is a German cookie which she probably remembered from her childhood. My memory is that she was born in Chicago and lived there with her parents until she was 7 or 8 years old when she had to come to live with Aunt Annie and Uncle Louis because she was then an orphan. Aunt Annie and my grandmother, Lizzie, were her mother’s sisters.
The story goes that Aunt Annie seemed to favor Mabel’s sister and was more critical of Mabel. So one day when Grandpa Thompson was visiting over there and Aunt Annie started to pick on Mabel, Grandpa said to her, “I think you should come live at our house.” Whatever discussion there was ended with Mabel taking up residence with Grandma and Grandpa Thompson, Roy and Vivian."

So that explains why Aunt Mabel lived with my grandfather's family when he was growing up. It may not have been much better for Mabel at that house than it had been at her Aunt Annie's. Roy's stepmother favored her own daughter Vivian over him and Mabel. Still, Aunt Vivian was Mabel's firm friend and roommate for the rest of their lives.

I have made some large batches of cookies in my time, but never a washtub full. I think a washtub would hold maybe twenty or twenty-five gallons. That's a lot of cookies!