Ktichen Utensil or Memory Maker?

Ever seen one of these?

Have you ever used one?

Recently?

Ever tried to find one in a store?

Wondering why I ask?

In the fifteen years that Steve and I have been together, (but especially in the seven that we have been parents), Steve has been searching for one of these contraptions.

Why you ask? Or maybe you don't ask...that's okay. I'm gonna tell you anyway :)

Steve grew up living a couple of blocks away from his grandparents. By the time he and I were together, his grandmother was suffering from Alzheimer's and I never got to know who she was. But through the years, and after attending the funerals for both her and her husband (Steve's grandfather), I learned more and more about this woman. Steve tells me stories about going to their house on weekends with a cousin for a sleep over or going to their house after school. Every time I am spraying and cleaning fingerprints off the window, I remember what Steve's sister says that their grandma used to do. Rather than washing fingerprints off, she would give them soap to draw around them and turn them into masterpieces.

And one other memory he has is of the contraption above. They didn't use it for baking though.

They used it in the bathtub at grandma's house.

So Steve in turn has been searching for one for our kids for the tub.

And searching and searching and searching. Every Christmas for 15 years I have searched for one to put in his stocking. They just don't have them in the stores anymore.

But the other day when my MIL showed up for a visit with the kids, she came bearing a gift. She had found one in an old antique shop. And they wanted $10 for it. After talking them down quite a ways, she managed to snag it.

Steve was very excited.

But equally excited was our four year old Water Maniac.

Immediately, Steve began to fill a dish bucket with water and soap, and set Aaron to work.

















For three days straight, it was pretty much all Aaron wanted to do...play with "Daddy's Toy" in the water.

And then came the night when Steve actually let Aaron take it into the tub with him. I am not sure of the details. I am not sure what kind of craziness transpired.





But as beloved and for as long as this item was searched for, the mixer has not been seen since.






I wonder if Steve just wanted to keep it for himself in the bathtub.