The Cake and I

A few years ago, a very lovely lady, Lucille Cheleny, was hostess for our church circle. Lucille made the most delicious cake—different—“Lucile, what’s the name of this cake and can I have the recipe?”

“Sure” said Lucille, “It’s called Better Than Sex Cake.”

I couldn’t believe my ears.

Lucille sent me the recipe and I put it away—never got around to making the cake until a couple of years later.

Our church has a progressive dinner held in January each year. This year, I opted to bring dessert. Ah ha, the cake—I’ll finally make it. And I did.

The main dinner I chose to go to was at Martha Manring’s “fun” home. Martha had a butler named “Robert,” and a maid named “Fee Fee.” Martha’s theme was, of course, French--grape stuff to drink, cheese, candles, French music, beef burgundy, garlic green beans, special broccoli quiche. First course—a special salad made by Fee Fee, French bread to go with it all. We even had a young lady harpist play beautiful songs as we finished our meal around the most beautifully set table—Viva La France!

Somehow, the name of my dessert that I was bringing to Karr’s home (everyone from all the host homes was to gather there for a big get together and dessert) leaked out. Everyone wanted to taste it. I took the cake into Karr’s kitchen to cut into serving pieces. I said as it was being cut, “Oh dear, it’s too soft, it won’t stand up.” There were smiles.

Later when said cake was on the serving table, Barbara Yuost, our minister’s wife, was helping herself to a piece as I had just done before her. “It’s really good,” I said, “I just wish it …” I remembered the name of the cake, so I did not say “stand up.” Barbara knew what I was about to say. That cake went, soft or not, it went!

The next day, I was talking with my daughter, Sally, who lives in Tennessee. Sally likes to bake, so I was telling her how good this cake called Better Than Sex was. I said the only trouble with it was—it turned out too soft and wouldn’t stand up. I stated she might have to fool around with it to get it stiff enough to stand up. WELL—by then we were both laughing so hard we couldn’t talk and almost had to hang up. Of course, I was talking about the recipe, but with the name in mind, it just got funnier and funnier.

Lucille, I’m only sorry I waited two years to make this cake. I couldn’t find pineapple instant pudding, so I used vanilla—I’ll bet that’s why it didn’t stand up. What fun!

Believe me, this special cake and I will go down in infamy. Tell me, Lucille, how do you get it to stand up—what’s the secret? I did everything right except flavor of pudding—even kept it in the refrigerator for seven hours. What more could I have done?!

Norma Lucia Schieb

BETTER THAN SEX CAKE

1 box Jiffy yellow cake mix

“Bake in greased 9x13 pan for 15 min., cool.”

BEAT WELL……….8 oz. Cream cheese

                                   ½ cup milk

Then add…………….to the above cheese mix—

1 box instant pineapple pudding

1 ¼ cup milk --- beat until thick

Spread on top of cake

Then add……20 oz. (Drained well) crushed pineapple…

                        Spread on top of cheese mix

TOPPING……Cool Whip

                 CHILL 4 to 5 HOURS


For more of Norma's recipes, visit Hearty Hodgepodge.

A Story of Three People

I’m going to tell you a true story about three people:

Once upon a time, a woman was coming home from visiting her daughter and young granddaughters in Tennessee after Easter. She was looking for her seat on the plane out of Nashville. She had a window seat. Anyone who flies knows how one looks to see where 9F really is. As she came upon where she belonged, in the aisle seat was a young gentleman looking intently as each person came near. Whatever prompted her she didn’t know, but as she looked at the young man she said, “You have been looking for me, haven’t you?” One doesn’t usually say that to someone you don’t know on a plane. Right?! He answered with a smile, “Yes, I have!”

She got settled in her seat and he started to talk. He’s a frequent flier, an engineer by profession, and lives near Washington D.C. he confided that the more he flies, the more nervous he is becoming, especially when there’s turbulence. Then she read his book, he his paper, etc. In flight, they ran into turbulence. Without hesitation, she reached over and held his arm, asking if he was OK. A closeness developed as they talked about their lives and it helped him to feel less frightened. During the course of the conversation, they discussed the Pittsburgh Airport and how awful it is to find your gate for connecting flights. She took her ticket out to check again and he found she had read her connecting flight number wrong. He helped her get it all straight in her head. Then he said, “You stick close to me and I’ll get you to your flight.” He knew they had to take an outside bus in order to get to their flights and time was of the essence.

After getting off the bus and back into the airport proper, he told her, “Now stay with me ‘Lovely Lady’ so you don’t get lost like you almost did catching this bus.” She tended to march ahead. The mass of people in the airport was unbelievable; a novice as she was could have been buried forever trying to find Gate 5. He delivered her to her gate, where they parted company, hugging and saying one to the other, “I love you.” Both felt it and meant it. Then they turned and went their separate ways, never, no doubt, to meet again, but to be remembered always.

“OK,” says you. This is a story about two people, “Who is the third?” It is God, of course, For you see that’s how He works—through you and me, your hand to my hand in love. It was not by accident that they sat together on that plane. God knew he needed her and she needed him in a very real way. Believe it or not!

Norma Lucia Schieb

The Dance

John & Norma dancing at their wedding

February 15, 1991

Dear God,

I’m sitting in the blue chair in the living room—my corner—listening to a birthday gift from Judy and Dave: “Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti in Concert.” Today is my birthday. Why I thought about writing this today—who knows? Maybe because I’m snow-bound and thought it would be fun.

You see God, I have this very special friend who edits all I write for publication of sorts. You know I can’t spell worth a bean and could care less where to punctuate correctly because I talk to people when I write just like they were in the chair next to me—just like I talk or write to you. Unless you’re Victor Borge, people don’t talk with : ; . ! ? as such. By the way, I’m eating popcorn as I’m writing this. The music is BEAUTIFUL!

Norma on her wedding day

“The Spiritual Growth Area,” or whatever at Church of the Savior—I know You know everything, but just in case You don’t know our church by name—ask persons in the “The Church of the Savior” to write “What the Bible means to me”—as you know I did that, but my friend didn’t think it was that great. She likes a story. A couple of days ago, a story about the Bible and Norma came to mind. Not really suitable for “The Lenten Book”—I can see you smiling and shaking Your head, because of course.

When I was a young girl, I used to open up my Bible in the morning with my eyes shut tight, and in like fashion would run my finger down the page to where I was sure God had me stop to read. That was “The Word,” so to speak, for my day. I did this whenever I needed help with problems also.  Norma was doing this Bible help into her twenties.

Norma & John wedding portrait

The time of this story I was in my twenties and was working at McDonald House at University Hospitals. There was to be a formal dance at the Union Club, but it was to be for the upper crust—so they said. I had charge of the nursery on the relief time 3-11 P.M. Our team worked hard taking care of the newborns. We had a happy, quiet nursery and some staff resented that—believe it or not.

I loved to dance, and romantic soul that I am, a formal was too much for Norma to resist. How I loved to dance in a long, beautiful gown. A good doctor friend secured two tickets for me. I was more than a little afraid to go, because at the time, it was true the hospitals had a definite cast system. One did not even eat in the hospital cafeteria with anyone in or out of your cast. I really wasn’t in the upper crust, BUT—I had chutzpah to the nines and no one was going to put Norma in any cast—top or bottom—that just wasn’t kosher—Jesus said so!

To make matters worse, I had fallen out with the only person I was dating at the time that could dance. I was desperate! I had paid for two tickets, new dress--no date—Oy Vey!

I order to get to work, I took the Noble Road bus to Euclid Avenue to catch the street car to the hospital (Yes most people rode buses and street cars in those “olden” days)—I had been to a big welcome home party for a friend a while back and met this handsome man named John. We talked for just a short time and that was that, never thought much about him after—until I got on the Noble Road bus and who was piloting it—John! And he could dance! Let me tell you, all the light bulbs went off in my head. He remembered me very well. I talked to John like I wouldn’t even believe. You could have heard a pin drop in that bus—everyone was listening. By the time we reached Euclid Avenue, John was going to the dance with me and the whole bus applauded!

What had I done—going to the upper crust dance with a man I really didn’t know that well? What if he wore the wrong clothes, and maybe WHITE SOCKS of all things!

Norma went to her Bible, closed her eyes, ran finger down the page and prayed “God what will happen?”—opened her eyes and read “YE SHALL BE THROWN OUT”—Well—what would you do? God had smited me, or so I thought. But it was too late. John came dressed proper with lovely flowers for me, and could that man dance!

We were not thrown out, but applauded (again).

I married that John, had four children—Judy, Sally, Clark and David. We loved, fought, laughed and danced for 35 years until John died. God must have been winking--Don’t you think?—when I read that Bible verse.

Never did know if he wore white socks. Forgot to look. J

Norma & John ... still dancing

Ode to Adeline

Adeline Helene Ehrke Hertel

Adeline loved to read and enjoyed poetry.  In her older years her favorite little poem went like this:

A mule it has two legs before,
and two it has behind;
You tickle behind before you find
what the two behind be for

Her favorite toast was:

Here's to you as good as you are,
and here's to me as bad as I am;
but as good as you are,
and as bad as I am,
I'm as good as you are
as bad as I am


She had a wonderful sense of humor and had the best belly laugh you ever heard!

She loved the television show, "Perry Mason"  -- When that show came on everyone in the house had to be VERY QUIET!

"Grandma Turtle" in the newspaper

She was a "crackerjack" secretary and worked for the Draft Board until her retirement, after which she did quite a bit of baby sitting.

She was a very loving and giving person, and was always there ready to "give the shirt off her back."

John, Norma, & Adeline

I'm in my corner of my livingroom where I read, write, listen to music; trying to think how to write about my mother, Adeline Helen Ehrke Hertel.  There are so many facets to her life.  Mother was a business woman par excellent, she could spell any word given to her and was a bookkeeper to the end.  Adeline could never remember how old she was, but until the end she remembered her birth year 1894.  Then she looked at the newspaper for this year, 1989, subtracted in her head and would say, "I'm 95, NO! - boy I'm an old bugger!"  Adeline was 95 in body but never in spirit.  She brought happiness and joy where-ever she went.  The Eastern Star Home, where she lived the last month and a half, is for ladies only.  She kept the ladies laughing because she was always looking for some men- stating, "I used to be a sharp cookie, but now I'm a dumb cluck -- far from it, Adeline!  Her three favorite toasts were  1) A mule it has two legs behind and two it has before, you tickle beind before you find what the two behind ---be for !--  2)  Here's to you as good as you are and here's to me as bad as I am, but as good as you are and as bad as I am, I'm as good as you are as bad as I am.  It took me years to understand those.  3)  and #3 isn't any better---  Time makes ancient good uncouth.  What's uncouth?", she would always ask me.  It ain't couth," I would reply, and we would laugh.

Adeline & Ralph

Mother took my two daughters, Judy & Sally, on a bus tour of the west when she was 75, they were young teenagers.  She hurt her leg on a ride in Disneyland.  She took Judy & Sally to see the "Beatles" when they were in Cleveland.  She took my sons, Clark & David, at Thanksgiving to be with Jack, my brother, and his family in New York, usually by bus - she loved the bus.

Mother loved unconditionally.  She saw the flowers in people, never the weeds.  These later years when I saw her, she always greeted me with, "Here is my beloved daughter."  She hated my chewing gum - told me I would get short teeth; now that's something to think about.  I never knew anyone to leave my mother without feeling better about themselves.  My friends and Jack's friends were always welcome in our home.  We had some wonderful times at 3784 Delmore Rd.

Jack, Adeline, & Norma

Adeline was an avid reader.  I remember her coming home from work in the winter, taking the book she was reading, plunk down on the floor by the dinningroom heater with her hat and boots still on.  The house could have burned down around her when she was into a good book.  She loved opra and introduced me to my first.  Mother could cook a standing rib roast and a goose to a turn.

Adeline did not have an easy life, but she did her best with grace.  She was a lady to the nines and to the end.  Table manner were important to her.  We could never put a carton of milk or whatever on the table, it had to be in a pitcher.  Jack and I had to sit up straight and never use a toothpick even if offered.

Adeline, Lucie, & Eleanor

Mother believed in God - she never preached it, she lived it.  She knew her bible in English and German, but "at my age," she said, "I get to pick & choose the parts I want to read."

We had great times these last years going for rides to Middlefield to visit our amish friends, or Chagrin Falls for ice cream and popcorn balls, stopping for Bar BQ ribs to bring home to eat - mother loved ribs!

Like Paul in the Bible, there was a peace and contenment to her being.  She was happy in all circumstances.  When I was young she taught me a great truth - "Unto thine own self be true, and it must follow as the night the day, thow cans't not then be false to any man."

                                                                                                               Norma Lucia
                                                                                                               December 1989

The Tale of Two Roses

Norma

I used to sit out in my park-like backyard in late afternoons and crochet or read while our old dog, Benson, roamed around doing his thing.  Now that it is too cold for that, we take a walk through, what I still call, “the gravel path,” although asphalt replaced the gravel long ago.  We walk through the path from my street, Kingston, to Queenston and around and about.  At the second home across Queenston next to the path, there is a rose bush with two beautiful red roses still blooming on the bush.  The front rose became my last rose of the summer.  I kept wanting to bring my camera on our walk to take a picture of the rose and give one to the people in the home, but in all the hustling I always forget the camera.

Nurse Norma

Last Sunday on our walk, the young man who lives in that house was out in his yard.  I told him how I felt about his rose and about wanting to bring my camera and always forgetting it.  Benson and I started back down the gravel path for home.  Halfway there, I heard a man’s voice calling, “lady, lady!”  I turned around to see the young man I had just talked to about his rose.  He came running up to me, and low and behold, he had what I thought was my last rose of summer in his hand.  He presented the rose to me.  I was so touched and taken aback, I cried the rest of the way home.

Jack & Norma

Yesterday, on our walk—there was my rose, still in the bush where everyone could view it.  He had given me the other one in the back, that no one could see, that was just like the one in the front.  At first I was disappointed, but as I thought about it, giving me the rose nobody cared about because it could not be seen from the sidewalk was like giving me God in Christ Jesus.  Yeshua was saying, I’m giving you myself in the gift of this rose—the rose that was hidden for you to love.  The sidewalk rose, perhaps, many people will see the beauty of my love in it.  Enjoy, Norma Lucia, I am with you always.  Bless that young man, Lord, he picked the right rose after all.


Norma Lucia Schieb
December 2002