Little piece of childhood.....

Circus animals, the smell of Jergens lotion, the cool, dry air of basement playrooms, and the hugs of extended family strangers all remind me of our almost-yearly treks back to the western US into the embrace of my family heritage. Fresh from our East Coast isolation, it always took a day or two to warm up to the cousins, aunts, uncles and grandmas that all seemed to go together just fine without us. And if (a BIG IF) we got lucky, we'd get these pink and white sugar-balls to go along with the reunion. I'm on my way after work to see if I can find some because I just found out that MOTHER'S, after 94 years in business, gave up the ghost last month. Goodbye circus animal cookies--I, for one, am going to miss you.