Great photo prompt this week on Madison Wood’s Friday Fictioneers. Thanks to Raina Ng.
It’s still Gran’s kitchen, only tidier now.
There’s a lingering aroma of nutmeg, cloves and garlic, all mingling with the overpowering essence of vanilla pods.
The grained wooden chopping block, criss-crossed by a million serrations, prompts memories of busy hands quickly reducing vegetables to pot-sized portions.
Running my fingers over her storage jars, I bring to my lips the taste of salt, oatmeal, sugar and the unmistakeable tang of ginger.
Tears springing, I pick up the keys for the agent, and as I leave I suddenly hear her voice crackling down the years.
“Goddamit, the feckin’ spongecake’s collapsed again.”
castelsarrasin 
gran’s attitude was still present. good for her. nice job
LikeLike
Thanks Rich, enjoyed yours too.
LikeLike
Make me feel good and then it made me laugh. Well done!
LikeLike
Thank you! 🙂
LikeLike
haha bless grannie’s heart. Very well done
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Dear Sandra,
I loved the sentence with ‘pot sized portions’ in it. That rolls off the tongue so sweetly. The entire piece rings true and full of love. I wonder if you didn’t hear that last line in real life somewhere.
Aloha,
Doug
LikeLike
Doug, I hear that line every time I get the cake-tin and cookbook out. My gran said to me years back “don’t bake, Sandra, you don’t have the touch for it,” and goddammit she was right, too. Good job neither of like cake or pastry. 😉 Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
Lol.
LikeLike
🙂 Thanks for dropping by Sheila.
LikeLike
that made me laugh out loud — my grandmother used to make angel food cake that was so hard it was like wood!
LikeLike
Thanks for commenting Bill. My Gran used to make caraway seed cake. It was appalling and I used to try to pick all the grotty little seeds out – she never took the hint, she just liked making caraway seed cake! 😦
LikeLike
You did a wonderful job of making the scene real for me.
LikeLike
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
LikeLike
From the first word this story comes to live. Great imagery, funny and a pleasure to read. Well done! Perfect for the prompt. 🙂
LikeLike
Many thanks, pleased that you liked it.
LikeLike
You brought your Gran to life through your description of her kitchen, and her conversation. I hope I’m right when I picture a loveable, tough old bird with a heart of gold (p;ease don’t tell me if I’m wrong–I like her the way I see her).
LikeLike
You got her! Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
Hi Sandra,
You have a spectacular way of changing direction so fast it makes my head spin. I loved the rich, vibrant details in your description. Granny sounds like a bit of curmudgeon. Ron
LikeLike
Thanks for commenting Ron. When a piece appears to be getting mawkishly sentimental I like to turn it swiftly on its head. 🙂
LikeLike
Grans essence is what she will take with her when she leaves that house. I was left feeling happy about a bond, not sad over a loss. Nicely done.
LikeLike
Thanks for dropping by, glad you liked it.
LikeLike
Lol!!!
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/
LikeLike
Thank you kindredspirit23. 🙂
LikeLike
That’s definitely what my nana would’ve said
LikeLike
They’re not all sweet little old ladies… 🙂
LikeLike
Kitchens and grans- somehow you can’t imagine one without the other
LikeLike
So true. Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
I loved the story all the way through, but I especially loved the ending! Wonderful!
LikeLike
Thanks Jan, glad you liked it.
LikeLike
I love how you’ve used sight, smell and sound to bring back the memories of Gran, and I also like how we don’t understand the significance of the first line until the penultimate. Nicely done.
LikeLike
Thank you Claire, yes I was trying to cover the five senses.
LikeLike
Love the aromas: nutmeg, vanilla…sweet. And the voice at the end made me smile…bet it made her smile too. Thanks Sandra this was lovely.
LikeLike
Thanks Raina, and for the lovely photo prompt.
LikeLike
I’ve only just had breakfast but your medley of scents and tastes has me wanting cake – good job on the imagery and the evocative atmosphere. That last line is hilarious!
We’re here: http://www.lazuli-portals.com/flash-fiction/left-behind
LikeLike
Thanks Joanna. 🙂
LikeLike
Loving writing and it made me laugh with that last line.
http://adrarasdreams.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/fridayfictioneers-in-kitchen.html
LikeLike
Thanks! 🙂
LikeLike
In one line you drew a clear picture of Gran and made me laugh in the process. Love this story! Thanks Sandra.
LikeLike
Thanks Rochelle, glad you liked it.
LikeLike
Ah, to meet someone else who kens “feckin'”! Nice, evocative story, and I still hear my granny’s voice down through the years.
Thanks for the comment on mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/shuttered/
LikeLike
Thanks Maggie, yes I think it’s a lovely word. 🙂
LikeLike
Delightful. That last line made me laugh. Dear old Gran.
LikeLike
Thanks for dropping by, appreciate it.
LikeLike
A lovely story, Sandra. Mine is here: http://readinpleasure.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/fridayfictioneers-the-empty-heart/
LikeLike
Thank you.
LikeLike
Oh Sandra, this is fantastic! I laughed out loud at that final line – so much nostalgia and love for Grandma, and yet she’s perhaps not quite the perfect cook of memory after all. Perfect!
LikeLike
I hope mine will remember me in that way. 🙂
LikeLike
Just when I was starting to feel mushy and sentimental, you snapped me back to reality. Great closing line. I burst into laughter. Good thing I didn’t have my mouth full 🙂
LikeLike
Can’t do sentimental for long Russell, without indulging in a short sharp shock, I’m afraid. Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
I could never bring myself to selling a house with such memories… Must have been so hard for the protagonist of your story. Good work.
I loved this line in particular – “Running my fingers over her storage jars, I bring to my lips the taste of salt, oatmeal, sugar and the unmistakeable tang of ginger.”
LikeLike
Yes it was a rich photo in terms of the inspiration it offered. Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
There I was feeling all sad before Gran turned round and kicked my in the shin. Great last line. Very clever. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you Sarah Ann.
LikeLike
Just when I felt a little sadness coming on, you gave me a nice little chuckle at the end! Grandma’s the world over would smile reading this one! Great stuff Sandra!
LikeLike
Thank you John, glad you liked it.
LikeLike
I especially like the image of a million serrations!
LikeLike
Yes, I’m always nervous about those though, constantly bleaching the board. Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
Hi Sharon,
Love that striking voice popping out of memory just when tears might have started otherwise. Nice! Lorelei
http://westcoastwriters.blogspot.com/2012/10/fridayfictioneers-shadowed-kitchen.html
LikeLike
Thanks Laura, glad you liked it.
LikeLike
another good read
LikeLike
Thanks Sue, glad you enjoyed it.
LikeLike
Really nice, sentimental, but believably so, and with a great contrast at the end – sounds a little bit like my grandma actually. Loved the descriptions, too!
LikeLike
Thanks Brian! 🙂
LikeLike
Ha ha. Such a cute story. What a feisty, fun grandma she had, and maybe the new owners will hear her cackle, smell the aromas, and imagine her baked goodies. Loved it.
LikeLike
Thanks Joyce. 🙂
LikeLike
LOVE the story and especially love Gran. That surprise ending was great. Wish she had dropped the F bomb, though. haha. I’m at http://banterwithbeth.blogspot.com
LikeLike
I mean. Just say it. …fucking… (but maybe that’s how Gran really said it!)
LikeLike
I think that’s the version Grans used to use. These days, who knows? .. 🙂
LikeLike
Everybody’s commenting about the great last line. Did I miss something? Sure did. I had to go back… because for some reason, I missed it. Loved it (chuckle, chuckle), plus all the wonderful kitchen/cooking details. Nice work.
LikeLike
Thank you Lora, glad you got it.
LikeLike
Wish I’d had a Grandma like this, Sandra! Hey, maybe one day I can BE a Grandma like this. Great story.
LikeLike
I’m sure of it, though I hope your culinary efforts will prove to be more consistent.
LikeLike
How sweet. I’m not sure I’d want to leave if Grandma’s ghost was still hanging around!
LikeLike
Pingback: URL
Pingback: AGEN BOLA
Grandma it is!
LikeLike