Breakfast

Breakfast has always been my favorite meal. I think I realized that when I was around five or six years old. We lived in a multi-family house at the time right next door to my Nana. I would get up early and have breakfast at my house. It was usually eggs and toast, white Wonder bread or rye from Tyburski's bakery. Sometimes it would be oatmeal. I can still remember the names of the oatmeal we would get. It was Maltex or Maypo. I liked Maypo more because it was a little sweeter. We couldn't afford bacon very often being a family of seven with my dad working in the local mill and my mom at home taking care of all of us kids. After breakfast, I would go next door to Nana's where I would have a second breakfast. It was at this time at the age of five I started drinking coffee. I can remember my Nana having her cup of tea and I would have a cup of coffee. I've been drinking coffee ever since. There were usually some muffins to eat too. And if you were good, you could go into the pantry and help yourself to cookies from the cookie jar. My kids can still remember that special pantry. I have fond memories of coffee perking on the stove and waking up to the smell of that strong coffee. Even when I went into the Navy and boot camp at Great Lakes Illinois, one of the memories I have is waiting in sub freezing temperatures at six a.m. to get in the mess hall for breakfast. I never missed it! After I had kids of my own, I usually was in charge of making breakfast for them. It was usually eggs or cold cereal. They loved the sweet cereals of the time like Coco Puffs or fruit loops.

Today breakfast is still my favorite meal. I usually get up, make my coffee and fix myself an egg. I always have to fix one for Zoey our golden retriever too. She likes hers over easy just like me. If I break the yellow on mine she gets that egg. She doesn't seem to mind. Sometimes I'll fix oatmeal for Susan and I or have cold cereal. We usually go out for breakfast at least once a week. Our favorite place is the Apple Barn and my favorite breakfast is "Nana's french toast". I wonder if my Nana had something to do with that being on the menu. It's the one meal that I get together with my kids the most often too. I guess in instilled my love for breakfast in them too.