What better to cheer you up than a picture of your mother?

Despite the quality this is one of my favorite pictures, because it contains many important things. A) My mom; B) pancakes; C) the Lefse grill; D) the Kitchen Aid stand mixer Mom wanted for so long; E) one of the longest-lived toasters in our family's existence; F) a cake pan reflecting some glare there behind the toaster; and G) flannel jammies.

Notice the used paper towel between Mom and the pancakes. It is coated with grease, because during Mom's years of pancake-making experience, she has learned just how to handle the temperamental grill to produce optimum results.

This is also one of those pictures that makes you irritated you can't pull out and see everything outside of the frame -- the row of bar stools on the other side of the counter, where children are fighting to sit and watch Mom. The milk left out on the counter. The chocolate syrup drips no one wiped up from the night before. Back in the oven, the stack of plates warming. Just out of the shot, the person trying to smoosh the orange juice concentrate lumps with a wooden spoon.

Then there is the smell of coffee brewing and the smell of bacon either fried or burned.

And the haze of the frying and grilling.

And the cold burst of air through the window, in an effort to relieve the haze.

And the sound of "This Old House" or someone barking at the dog who is yelling at a squirrel out the window.

And the taste of syrup that somehow got all over your fingers as you transferred some from the industrial-size jug to the small crystal pitcher.