This is one of those rare months that has 5 Tuesdays and that means a bonus blog. I have
allocated the bonus blogs to “A Free For All”. So here we go, this is not geared to a writing tip but just a
rant that I have saved up.
I sat down to write this post and voice my displeasure at how far the pendulum has swung away
from reason. Elmer Fudd and Yosimite Sam have lost their guns but then the stupidity continued with
Aunt Jemima being removed from the label of pancake syrup and Uncle Ben is rumored be close behind
on the way out the exit door. I was ready to put forth my view on the stupidity of those moves and it
dawned on me, if you don’t have a better alternative to what is being offered, quit complaining.
So here it is, why don’t they honour my Aunt Mary on the label. It is doubtful Aunt Mary would
offend anyone even in this age of hyper sensitivity turned up to the Nth degree.
My Aunt Mary made good pancakes, really good pancakes at a time when pancake syrup was an
unaffordable luxury. You got good pancakes, farm cream and Rogers Golden Corn Syrup. It was a time of
sensibility – you could have pancakes for supper, and you didn’t have to have a bunch of other stuff using
up room. Okay sometimes there were raspberries or strawberries depending on the season.
I could go on to tell you about the doughnuts she made that gave you a stomach ache and only
because you ate to many of them, and she let you. She knew better but she let you enjoy them. I could go
on but you get the idea, and I bet most of you had an Aunt Mary. It was the early 60’s and times were
tough on the farms of southern Manitoba, there was not a lot of extra money and grocery purchases were
thought through.
Aunt Mary made pancakes when I would go to visit because she knew I loved them. That is the
kind of lady she was and she deserves to be on the label of a food product. She knew about making good
tasting, high quality food, and letting you enjoy it.
The pendulum has swung way to far to the side of stupid, but it is unlikely that I will be able to
change that but in my mind Aunt Mary will be the face of pancake syrup in our house.
Sit back and think about some favorite food of your childhood and the lady that made it, now
isn’t that better than the nonsense that is going on today?
