Today, the 12th of July, 2018 marks the 1st Anniversary of my dad’s passing from this world. We shall be making our way to our girl’s school in the jungle this morning and on the way back, we shall stop by his resting place to offer flowers and prayers and tonight, there will be prayers at the house together with our relatives and friends.
Things are certainly not like before any longer since he and my mother left us. In the past, my girl would come home on Friday afternoon every week and on Saturday morning, we would go over to the house to spend some time with my mum – she, of course, was always delighted to see her dear grand-daughter. In fact, all week, she would be asking about her. Sometimes, we would take my father out for noodles or wherever he wanted to go.
Usually we would stop by somewhere for lunch before coming home but we do not do that anymore. My girl would come home as usual on Friday and she and the mum would go out to buy stuff- her rations for the coming week and we would have dinner at home that evening and breakfast, lunch and dinner the next day, Saturday as well. We would go for the sunset service in church that night and the next morning, the mum would cook up a storm in the kitchen – all the things that the daughter would enjoy to just heat up and eat in the course of the week ahead.
Last Sunday morning, when I woke up, I could detect the wonderful fragrance of something cooking – it was her beef stew in the slow cooker, left overnight and no, she didn’t stop there. Instead, she went a step further and covered it with mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes and mozarella cheese and put it in the oven to bake. We had her very nice version of the cottage pie…
…for our early lunch that day before we left the house to send our girl back.
Yes, we sure enjoyed it a lot…
…and the beef, after the whole night in the slow cooker…
…was tender and very much to my liking.
She also made this pumpkin & sweet potato soup…
My girl enjoys these thick, rich and creamy soups so the mum makes them quite frequently for her to take along to her school too.
This pie, an individual serving of it…
…was specially for her to take with her that day.
I would say Sunday is pretty much the same as always but not our Saturdays these days and we sure do not eat out all that much anymore, not like before.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
How times flies. The pie looks so good with big chunks of stewed beef. Pumpkin and sweet potatoes for me anytime. I guess most parents (if not all) would do their best for their children and seeing them happy enjoying eating what we have cooked for them, we feel the same too.
Aren’t we all the same, parents? Nothing makes us happier than seeing our kids enjoy what we cook. Yes, so fast, already one year has gone past.
If I stay near you, and if your misus conduct cooking class, I will be the first to sign up for it…
You’ll get to learn from the best – her cooking is always extra nice one, she does not scrimp on the ingredients, not like me. I tend to cut down on everything as things are getting mighty expensive these days so of course, what I dish out will not be as nice.
Lovely bake. Must be heavenly. Your girl’s pumpkin soup looked so rich and thick.
Long time I didn’t make cottage pie. Now kind of miss it.
Easy peasy, can make anytime…and it’s gluten free, no wheat. Soup’s nice – we particularly enjoy pumpkin.
Sometimes it’s all these simple things in life that we need and should treasure, isn’t it?
Yes, little things mean a lot.
I love beef in the slow cooker. I buy the cheapest cut, and slow cooking makes it nice and tender.
Yes, it works wonders. Our frozen imported beef is always so very tough but not this time.
wishing you positive thoughts as you remember your father on this anniversary. as each year goes by, the time also comes closer to when we perhaps will be reunited with our departed loved ones when we leave this earth too.
Thank you. That reminds me of my friends’ mum – the grand-daughter took a video of her before her demise and I remember her words, “Remember me and smile. If you remember me and feel sad, then it is better that you do not remember me at all.” So touching!
Oooo….your missus’ version of cottage pie looks fabulous! I would really love to dig into that.
Yes, we all loved it!