Secret Recipes, or just Secrets?

Today would have been our Nana, Glenna Golden’s 97th Birthday.

Nana was a pretty funny chick.

Here’s a photo where she’s falling out of a hammock, and it’s hilarious.
Or maybe it’s just hilarious to me? Yes, this would totally happen to me, thus it’s even funnier.

She was extremely passive, very calm and could bake anything under the sun.

Nothing really bothered her, except thunderstorms and scandal.

Cue the recipe box, exhibit A.

This is Nana’s Recipe box.

It houses delicious dessert blueprints including: Lemon Loaf, Divinity Fudge, Pie dough, Marshmallow Squares, and Dirty Elva’s Molasses Cookies.

Cue the letter, exhibit scandal B.

I found this letter in a suitcase with some other papers and a few photos.

Since Grandpa was born in Winnipeg, he continually made visits to see his Mother (Great Grandmama Golden (I)) and his brother, Tom. While he was in Winnipeg he would write letters to Nana, checking in.

In this particular letter, there was some scandal (purposely blurred), and one giant chunk missing. I figured it was something purposely censored for no one to see.

Later that week, Aunt Cathy (II) and I  we were preparing for our annual Christmas Bake Fest, and I showed her this particular letter.

And this is when Aunt Cath had a light bulb moment.

She came back to the living room with an old piece of scribbled paper, which was tucked inside the recipe box.
This is what it said:

I’ve only been to the races three times – just don’t seem to have time to go very often – however, mother had me play 6 & 7 for the quinella the other day and she got back $54.50 which was…

Which was?…

(Heads up, the last line was: “not too bad…”)

Why was this little racing win inside the recipe box?

Well La-de-da, wasn’t this the damn missing piece of the letter!

After laughing hysterically for a very long time (possibly attributed to the wine), we taped the pieces together and sat back in awe. We read the letter in full, but for the life of us, couldn’t determine why the non-scandalous portion was ripped out, and placed in the recipe box.

Hmm…

Nana + Scandal + Recipe box + Nana…

Poor Nana.

We’re guessing she had worked all week, was tired, and in all probability, she ripped the wrong portion of the letter out and hid it within the recipe box.
Oops!

Secret Recipes, YES. Secrets, no. However I’m still LOL’ing over here.

And if Nana were reading this right now…

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!