I grew up mourning my Grandma.She left this earth a few years before I came into it. And while I never got to know her in person, I have always felt that she would have liked me. And not just the affection grandparents are obliged to feel for their grandchildren, I think we would have been good, good friends.
From what I can gather from questions, stories and conversations, she was a woman who loved to give to others. One of her favorite past times was shopping, but she was thrifty and looked for quality. She worked in a hospital during war time and spent the early days of her marriage making clothes for her children and raising chickens.
She could have taught me about living through the depression and making a marriage last. And I could have taught her about pop culture and the internet. We could have shopped together and I'm pretty sure somewhere along the way we would have made this cake.
While I didn't have her in my life, I had her lasting impact she left on her loved ones. I have the legacy of a strong, generous, loving grandmother who knew what was important in life. I have the borrowed memories from those she held dear.And I have her recipe for chocolate mayonnaise cake and fast fudge frosting.
Each time I make it, I think of her. Of how I miss her and how I hope I'm living my life in a way to have made her proud. I think she certainly would be proud of how her cake (and her legacy) has been interpreted by her future generations.
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