BLOBBY'S BLOG

THE YEAR OF MAGICAL DRINKING

Long ago, in a city far far away (ok....like 2 hrs west of here) we had a great house to grow-up in, as I remember. We moved to Sylvania when I was two or so and I wasn't six when we moved from there, so I didn't really have much to compare it to. Oddly enough, the house was a similar set-up to where my parents moved in Chagrin. The difference was we had stools to sit at the kitchen counter.

The neighbourhood was lively w/lots of kids that ranged from my oldest sister down to my youngest. I remember most everyone getting along (I guess except for that kid who ran over another sister w/his bike, breaking her collarbone).

Our house seemed to be a gathering place for kids closer to my age...and my mother welcomed them all.

On some hot days my mother served Magic Water (trademark pending...............not). Sure, now we're told to drink eight 8oz glasses per day, but this was 1965-68. I'm not sure we knew that back then. We always kept a pitcher of water chilled in the refrigerator. Again, w/the year! There were no water dispensers in the fridge itself.

I'd say 5 or 6 of us would come in from playing and my mother would pour us water. Magic Water. Before she'd poor the water, she'd go into some gibberish about making our water turn colour. From the clear pitcher (or perhaps the tap if she really wanted to throw us off), into a clear glass, she'd pour. And the water would be blue! or green! or red!!! Each glass a different colour. Just as quickly she'd wave her hand over the pitcher and pour a clear glass of water.

FREAKY.

All the kids were astounded.....including us. The mothers in the neighborhood would call my mother asking what was going on, obviously after the kids ran home babbling about my mother's Magic Water. I have no idea what, if anything she told them. She probably kept her secrets.

Kids being kids would beg to know how she did it. She definitely didn't tell them. And kids being kids w/their short attention span never caught on.

Her trick? Either knowing we'd be coming by soon (or just in front of us, but we were too distracted to know), she'd put a drop of food colouring in the bottom of each glass. When water hits the glass - presto!

It was such an easy thing - and such a crowd pleaser. It still makes me smile.

What I find interesting is that. as far as I know, she's never done it for her grandkids. And I'm not sure any of my sisters have done it for their kids and their friends.