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My husband and I had just bought a new range and were having lunch at Olive Garden. I started to talk about the smooth ceramic cook top that would be such a breeze to clean. What a difference it will be from the electric coils and stained beyond help drip plates under them on the old range, and I do mean old. Then I realized that I wouldn't be able to sit things on the new cook top like my crock of tools and spoon rest. It might scratch the surface. I knew I'd have to do some decluttering and rearranging on our existing minimalist counter top. My husband, being agreeable, gave me an enthusiastic second on that idea and reminded me of the clutter that rests atop the microwave. "I know, I know", I told him. That reminded me of the cookie. I rediscovered it the other day.

About two years ago, my daughter's day care provider made sugar cookies with her day care kids. The cookies were in the shape of each child's hand print. How precious! I remember the day I carried it home from her day care after picking her up. We parents do some silly things in the name of trying to preserve memories but I was about to do the one of the dumbest. I couldn't bring myself to eat that cookie that was in the shape of my only daughter's precious 5 year old hand print so I left it in the Ziploc bag and, not knowing exactly where or how to store it or even why I was doing it, I placed it on top of the microwave. Time passed and it was covered by artwork, receipts, computer print out recipes and even a bag of bottle caps my daughter started collecting.

With the purchase and impending delivery of the new range, I decided to paint the kitchen walls since the nook that nestled the old range was imprinted with its outline. The last homeowners painted around it but not behind it. I had to clear the counter top on that side of the room and the microwave, with its top contents, was placed temporarily on the floor.

This morning, before I let the dogs out of their crate for walks, I put all the food up out of their reach. I can't tell you how many times food that has been left out on the counters has been stolen and devoured by my female black lab who has the scenting abilities of a bloodhound. She has eaten an entire loaf of bread in minutes and a bag of lollipops, each chewed right off of its stick, But the cookie had been safe in its bag on top of the microwave for so long that I did not even consider that it would be noticed. So I took my male lab out to do his business and when I returned, I could clearly see that my female was busy chewing with her head down in the corner of the dining room. I couldn't imagine what she got into as I placed my daughter's half eaten breakfast high up out of reach. I saw a ripped up plastic bag and some paper with grease stains. I looked at the top of the microwave. All the papers had been rifled and some had spilled to the floor. There was no hand print cookie.

I can honestly say I spent about a half second lamenting the sentimental value of that cookie. I was more concerned that my dog just ate a two year old sugar cookie. Two years old! It had to be beyond stale and though surprisingly, no mold was visible, there had to be mold spores present. It had just recently started to crumble on the edges. So what was I thinking I was going to do with that cookie anyway. We surely weren't going to eat it. Was I going to give it to my daughter on her wedding day as something old? Note to day care providers- when making cookies with your day care kids, skip the sentimental shapes and don't even consider putting a picture decoration of my kid on something edible either. It just going to lead to something bad and unhealthy. Hand shapes and pictures are meant to be preserved on items that will have some longevity, not on edible items. It mixes up my "mmmmm" response with my "aw" response and my body just doesn't know how to respond.

Well, for now, dare I say "problem solved"? Let's just hope it doesn't make a reappearance later this afternoon, if you know what I mean.