Gasstove1

One fine day, Mother left Grandmother and Granddaddy sitting with three-year-old me at our house while she went shopping. As it neared suppertime, Grandmother herded the troops into the kitchen to help get supper on the table. Not used to working in anybody else’s kitchen – and certainly not used to cooking on a gas stove – Grandmother wasn’t aware that it is standard protocol to turn up the gas with one hand while lighting the pilot light with the other. She opted to light the pilot light and worry about turning up the gas later once she had something ready to go on the stove.

Covered in ceiling from head to toe, an excited Little Jeanne met her mother at the door, explaining that the kitchen was rather a mess because Grandmother cooked too fast.

Big Jeanne has never cooked on a gas stove a day in her life, and she doesn’t see that changing. Ever.