Reunited

I really love to bake. I just didn't realize how much of a comforting and healing impact baking has on me until this weekend. What seemed like a dreary weekend that somewhat "depleted" me suddenly turned around and came to life again once I started the Kitchen Aid mixer, looked at it churned, whipped and frothed the heavy cream for the topping of my cupcakes. Once I immersed myself into decorating these light and airy blueberry cupcakes (Martha's page 42), the dull and dreadful feeling just seemed to dissipate. Surprisingly powerful antidote!
This was a very special bake for me. Somewhere several thousand miles across the oceans, in a different country, a very special friend was also baking on the same day (well, just several hours apart), from the same book, same page, the same recipe. A very dear friend whom I've known for two decades and just got reunited recently via a social networking site. It has been almost a decade since Tina and I last met or sat down to have a chat, hardly imaginable back during those days when we would chat over the phone every other day. I still remember the time when she took the long drive from Iowa, all by herself, just to spend a weekend with me in Kansas. Ah, the good times we had and things that we'd share - the laughter, silly girly giggles, the fun as well as the tears, the heartaches, the growing pains.....
Today. Over a decade later. Several thousand miles apart. Separate lives in different worlds. We've both grown and changed, but the beauty of friendship is just this: it transcends geographical boundaries, race, religion and even time. I'm truly glad Tina and I remain friends and now, we have one more thing in common to create new memories for our friendship.
Tina posted pictures of her blueberries-and-cream cupcakes online and they were just plain lovely. They look just like the pretty cupcakes on Martha's book! I wished I had the link; I will try to post some of the photos here.
Bake on, my friend!

Update: let's try this link to Tina's gorgeous cupcakes.