Sweet New Year

Another year is gone.  What is remarkable about the year is that the war in Iraq finally ended, in a manner of speaking.   Our troops came home. These four words: Our troops came home do nothing to tell the story of the profound loss some of us suffered or how our lives changed forevermore.

As I have throughout these years, I attempt to find meaning in all this 'sound and fury' of this life. I deal with this rage over this unspeakable loss of my only child, through the tireless activities of my day to day existence, in the forceful and difficult breaking of old habits and the willful discovery of new ones. But I also reminisce about my past and what there could be in it that led me to survive where others have not.

From my past I gather and reorganize my memories again of days when the the aunts and cousins from Monterrey or Villaldama, or Puebla arrived in Laredo with gifts for us. We all lived frugally in those days, that is, the 50's and 60's, but no one ever arrived without treats for us. Recently, one of these cousins, visiting from Mexico city arrived with a magical box from a legendary candy store in Mexico City: Dulcería Celaya.  I was fascinated by the elaborate decoration and delicate aspect of these sweets. I had not seen my cousin in years and the box she brought me resurrected memories of the past when everything was safe, and good...and sweet.

On this one year anniversary of the launch of this blog, las dos Gildas wish you all the luxury of time to spend with your families.   Enjoy the sweet things in life as if there is no tomorrow!

If you have never tried your basic dulce de leche, here is a recipe from Girl Gone Granola