“The Saturday Night Bath and Butterkruchen”
On Sunday’s my first task was to walk over to Schillings Bakery and pickup the Butterkruchen for Breakfast. This was always the high light of my week. Butter Cake is what “Butterkruchen” translates to in American. Go to the HyperLink Butterkruchen and see the recipe and a funny little blog written about it.
Anyhow back to the story. As I said my job was to get the Butter Cake on Sundays. Sunday’s were special for my Grandma. Because of her dogged insistence, I had to attended the “Mediator Lutheran Church Sunday School. Grandma had given up attempts to rescue my two brothers from the clutches of Satan and focused her efforts getting me converted and safely into the Blessed fold. Leading up to Sunday’s mixed blessings of Butter Cake and Sunday School was the Saturday night bath. Some of you may be too young to understand this ritual. Baths for many in earlier times were considered a luxury. My Grandfather believed that bathing was bad for your health. He only bathed twice a year, once in the spring when he took off his long Johns and again in the Fall when he put them back on. On occasions when he began to “Ripen” the women in the House would usher him into the bath room demanding his Baptismal to remove at least two layers of dirt. I remember once when he and Grandma were Hospitalized from a car accident. Uncle Bill and Uncle John, his two sons, came home laughing after visiting them in the Hospital. Uncle Bill with a devilish smile told us, “It took the nurses two days before realizing Dad wasn’t wearing “Black Socks”
Bathing more than once a week was an expense many of the poor could not afford. The Soap and Water cost cut into other necessities for the family. So “The Saturday Night Bath” became a “Ritual”. I suppose I should have been grateful that I lived in a time when I at least got clean water to bath in. Earlier times saw whole families bathing in the same water. The baby, (that would be me), was the last to get the privilege of bathing in dirty used bath water. “Don’t throw the Baby out with the Bath Water” was spawned from that era.
Summers dirt accumulation on me was fairly mild, but Winters had challenges to my hygiene. Our home was heated by Coal. I had the task to clean the Coal Bin before every coal delivery. To this day I don’t know why it is important to clean a Coal Bin. I had to do this job on Saturdays. Mother worked hard to support us so cleaning house was given to us Children. But cleaning a coal bin? Maybe it was Mom’s idea to keep me out of trouble. Anyhow, after a Saturday of sweeping out a Coal Bin you can imagine what a Eight year old might look like. This vignette from my pass explains my fetish for taking long Hot Showers and not sitting in a tub. Every time I see a bath tub, visions of two eyes peering out of a mask of “Bituminous Coal Dust” hurling me back to that nasty dirty COAL BIN.
The following is an easy quick substitute recipe for Butterkruchen that the Challenged Cook might find more to their liking.
4 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
I'm a 74 year old man who loves this new medium of Blogging. I am also an Senior Manager in Send Out Cards which gives me a superior method of relating to the world through Greeting Cards. I have met and enjoyed wonderful friends who support me and actually LIKE me which is very rewarding. My online presence is growing and if I can hang on to life I will reap the benefits of establishing a business that will comfort me when I get old. Mostly however I Blog about my life which for some strange reason is well received. Like most of us the future is scary and the remembrance of older days give a measure of comfort. So I continue to reveal the past with optimism that the future will some day be the comfort of somebody else.
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Yum – I want a Butterkruchen right now! I’m with you and the coal bin – doesn’t make much sense:) Hey – love the SOC sig at the bottom – really cool!
Glyna Humm´s last [type] ..Network Marketers – Are You Throwing Up On Your Prospects
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Nelson Reply:
September 20th, 2010 at 7:54 am
Butterkruchen is only for those with healthy Artery’s. However eating it while one Died wouldn’t be a bad way to go.
Nelson´s last [type] ..“The Saturday Night Bath and Butterkruchen”
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Oh Nelson,
That cake sounds absolutely yummy! I would have to double my work out to eat any of it! Mothers liked clean houses – even the coal bins?!? Boy what a fun job – not.
Times have sure changed, haven’t they. I agree on baths. I’ve taken way too many in my life to ever want that again,
Val
Val Wilcox´s last [type] ..Coming From Ground and Center
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Nelson Reply:
September 21st, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Might want to triple the workout. That cake is a killer in more ways than one.
Nelson´s last [type] ..“The Saturday Night Bath and Butterkruchen”
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Thank You Nelson, you put a big smile on my face with your story and I can visualize the scenario which the reason for the smile.
Wendy MacKay´s last [type] ..Discovering the Law Of Attraction
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Nelson Reply:
September 21st, 2010 at 6:23 pm
I love to put smiles on lovely ladies. Thanks Wendy for your gracious comment.
Nelson´s last [type] ..“The Saturday Night Bath and Butterkruchen”
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Oh, Nelson – your story just brought back memories of spending summers at my grandma’s with a whole house full of cousins. It was the early 70s and she still had us doing the Saturday night bath, get ready for Sunday school routine… lol. Thanks, that felt good
Dena
Dena-Lynn´s last [type] ..Building Relationships – Your Customer is Your Best Friend
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Nelson Reply:
September 21st, 2010 at 6:24 pm
I fully understand Dena. I bet there are some wonderful memories in you. Thank you for your contribution to my Blog.
Nelson´s last [type] ..“The Saturday Night Bath and Butterkruchen”
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Hi Nelson,
As usual, I found myself chuckling as I read through your post. Coal is such a dirty fuel and brings to mind images of black haze and black dust all over the place. The whole concept of not bathing more than once a week, let alone only twice a year! — is beyond my comprehension. I don’t blame you one bit for luxuriating in the shower and shunning the tub!
Mary Lou
Mary Lou Kayser´s last [type] ..How to Overcome Writers Block Part 2
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Nelson Reply:
September 21st, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Ah your an easy laugh Mary. I noticed you passed up on commenting about my
Butterkruchen. LOL
Nelson´s last [type] ..“The Saturday Night Bath and Butterkruchen”
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Haha. This was a pretty funny post and interesting.
However, still not totally for sure about this butterkrutchen business.
By the way, I like SendOutCards, I’m a rep for them as well though use it more as a customer for my client development. Great program!
To the top,
-Gregory Elfrink
gregthewriter.com
Gregory Elfrink´s last [type] ..Make Money in MLM Lesson 3- The Power of Network Marketing Books!
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Nelson Reply:
September 22nd, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Butter Cake is to die for and after you eat it. Welcome Gregory to my place. I appreciate your comments. Yes SOC is a great program.
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Great Story. I enjoyed reading it. It’s hard to believe that back then people took baths only once a week and everyone used the same water.
Ted Hunsaker´s last [type] ..Six Steps To Developing a Strong Personal Brand For Your Online Business
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Nelson Reply:
September 22nd, 2010 at 5:29 pm
What’s that saying Ted. The Family who baths together Stinks together. During the 40 and 50′s things were much different. Water was a premium and soap was expensive. Aren’t we glad that we live today with the abundance we have.
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Hi Nelson,
Another really great post. I do enjoy your stories… and hmmmm I think I want to make up that recipe. It sounds really great. Love the black socks
and like you, can’t imagine why in the world one would bother cleaning out a coal bin! Thanks for adding to my day.
Linnea´s last [type] ..Avatar Content Ideas
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Nelson Reply:
September 24th, 2010 at 6:22 am
I’m probably leaning to Mom giving me something to do and at the same time guaranteeing my getting a good bath. Linnea thanks for your excellent comment. I appreciate someone who even bothers to read some of my doodling.
Nelson´s last [type] ..“The Saturday Night Bath and Butterkruchen”
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Nelson,
Times sure have changed for us, haven’t they? Lorna has visited relatives on summer vacations where the “weekly bath” was still in place. On Friday nights, the bathtub in the creamery shack was filled with hot water (heated on a wood stove)… and from oldest to youngest, the bathing began. On other nights, for a quick clean-up, a large basin was filled with water in the front porch for a kind of “sponge bath”.
The butterkruchen sounds delicious… reminds us of Lorna’s grandmothers’ coffee cake (they called it “kruchen”). It was so good.
Thanks for the memories!!
~ Pat and Lorna
http://TheCoolestCouple.com
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Nelson Reply:
September 25th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Why do the young one always get the dirty water. Sorta like getting the crappy end of the stick. Some memories however best be left buried in our minds. Thanks Pat and Lorna for a “Kruchen” good comment.
Nelson´s last [type] ..“The Saturday Night Bath and Butterkruchen”
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Fun post! I bet you have one hell of an immune system. Thanks for brightening my Sunday. And for some strange reason, I am going to take a shower now.
Gary Young- China Sourcing´s last [type] ..Links for 2010-09-24 delicious
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Nelson Reply:
September 26th, 2010 at 10:27 am
Yep I do have a strong Immune system and Gary long hot showers are to die for.
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