Every so often a memory of growing up activates in my brain and I start wondering about common place items we had in our home growing up. Casserole dishes came to mind which were made by the Everedy Company in Frederick, Maryland. My granddaddy, Paul, worked for the Everedy Company. I knew that they made casserole dishes and cake safes as I remember that my mom had those things but I had no idea how the Everedy Company started out.

From what I’ve been able to find the Everedy Company started out as the Everedy Bottle Capper Company in May of 1920. The factory made a range of metal items for the home including door hardware, gift merchandise, home bottling equipment and chrome cooking utensils.

During World War II the Everedy Company expanded into military contracts manufacturing anti-tank mines, grenade adapters, rocket parts and bomb parts.

I specifically remember my Mom’s cake safe which I now have and use on a regular basis. It’s made of stainless steel with a Bakelite handle. It still gleams brightly and you can truly say they don’t make them like that anymore. So when I happened upon another Everedy cake safe of course I had to buy it.

In researching the Everedy Company on the internet I came across a “tidbit set” for sale which is a small tray in the shape of a leaf used for displaying cheese, crackers, olives, or any other tidbit you might serve at a get together. I remember my Mom having a set of these as well. So now that tidbit set has been added to my Everedy collection.

I talked to my sister via email the other night and her memories were of rice pudding and scalloped potatoes being prepared in those casserole dishes. There was a greenish blue dish and a rose colored dish and both had a petal pattern on the base section of the dish. We believe they had glass lids as I did find a casserole dish on an auction site but it had a chrome lid and we neither of us remember chrome lids so my hunt for those casserole dishes will continue.

The one thing I really covet right now, though, is this stainless steel canister set by Everedy. Of course each time I find one of these my wallet is empty so I continue to watch and wait. Eventually a full wallet and the availability of one of these sets will coincide and I will acquire one.




I suppose you could say that I am a collector of sorts. However, that said, my collecting has a lot more to do with memories rather than seeking out items that are of great value. They are intrinsically valuable to me because they remind me of simpler days and times. We live in very complicated times and it’s nice to be able to time travel to a simpler gentler time every so often.

It all started with a promise to love, honor and cherish each other and then becoming a parent came next, although there was quite a gap of time in between (Perhaps God was waiting for us to be mature enough to handle parenthood)!




Today is a big day in our household. It's Father's day and 13 years ago we had our first bundle of joy on Father's Day. I wonder where the time has gone. It has just seemed to fly by. Fifteen months later our second bundle of joy in the form of our second daughter came along.



Now having been married for 15 years before we had our first daughter, some of my friends were concerned that DH would not like being out of the spotlight. They could not have been more wrong. DH is the ultimate Dad. From the very first DH was wrapped around the girls fingers and that is still true today. I'm the disciplinarian in the house when it comes to making the girls tow the line and be responsible for their actions. DH is the one that they go to when they want a puppy, kitten or that pair of shoes they know I'll say no to because the heel is just too high.


DH is the one to take the girls out for a father daughter day to the movies and lunch afterwards. DH is the one that calls them at 8 o'clock every night (he works the night shift so I can work at home and be with the girls) to ask them about their day and to say goodnight. He's the one who makes me feel better when business is slow and I feel I'm not making a big enough financial contribution. He always tells me he wouldn't have it any other way (I retired from the phone company when our second daughter was born).

Dad is the one who is the "fun" parent while most of the time I'm the disciplinarian. Don't get me wrong, Dad is right there when things are going rough and supports me when I lay down the law, but if the girls want to enjoy something really silly Dad is their go to guy (as evidenced by DH doing his he-man I'm not cold shoveling the snow in my bathing suit pose below!)




DH is the one that I leaned on completely when within a two year span my parents both died. He provided never wavering support when things got really tough and has stood by me through thick and thin. I don't think that there is a husband or father who has been anymore solid than my DH and the girls father.

My girls are Daddy's girls. They share their hopes and dreams with him and he tells them the sky is the limit. They can do anything they want if they work hard.

The highest compliment I can pay DH is that he is just like my Dad who was always there for me through every trial and tribulation one faces in life. Dad has been gone 9 years now but all I have to do is turn around and look at DH to see the continuing legacy of what a great father is.



So Happy Father's Day to all Dads everywhere. I wish an especially happy Fathers Day to DH. This year our girls are both in middle school, our oldest in 8th grade and our youngest in 6th grade. Time flies so fast and high school is on the horizon. To our girls, this is only the beginning of your journey. May it be filled with love and friendship. It will always be filled with our love and support.