photo credit: @cloudett via Unsplash
“Weckmann” time
We just celebrated St. Martin’s Day in Germany, and that holiday goes hand in hand with these cute traditional pastries (“Weckmann”) that are given out to the kids on St. Martin’s Day. It’s a pastry in the form of a gingerbread man, which is made from sweetened yeast dough, sometimes with raisins. It’s similar to a brioche or challah bread. I shared the recipe a few years back, and I think I need to get baking!
Laundry chute
I saw this Reel on Instagram where a mom talks about her childhood dream of discovering a secret passage in her house, so she and her husband hid one (disguised as a slide) right behind the bookcase. Isn’t that cool? Well, there was no secret passage in my parents’ house growing up, but we had a laundry chute that went from the first floor down to the laundry room in the basement. I thought that was pretty cool at the time because I didn’t know anyone who had that. Does your house have a secret passage or a laundry chute, or both?
Clarisonic Mia 2
The other night, when I was going through my evening routine, brushing my teeth and washing my face, I thought, “remember when the Clarisonic brush was all the hype”? That was over a decade ago (gasp!), but you know why I had that thought? Because I am still using my Clarisonic Mia2 and I still love it. I don’t use it daily, but multiple times per week. Do you have a Clarisonic?
Ammo box for CDs
Oh hey, tell me you’re old without telling me you’re old. Believe it or not, I even remember the times before CDs (cassette tapes, anyone?), but the sound storage mediums of my teenage years were CDs. We all had huge collections, and we would schlep a selection around to every party in military ammo boxes (decorated with a bunch of band and festival stickers!), because we thought that was cool (and because they were sturdy and had the perfect size to securely hold about 20+ CDs. Much better than the flimsy CD organizers.) How did you carry your CDs?
Sugar on scrambled eggs
Jon and I talked about food preferences recently and how our palate is heavily influenced by what we were exposed to as children. I believe that in some ways, you can ‘train’ your palate, but that there are also preferences or aversions that can’t be explained (for example, I’d argue that my sister and I were exposed to the same foods and cuisines as children, but we still like (and dislike) different things. Overall, we’re both not very picky eaters, but she’s always been a little pickier than me. One thing I love: a little bit of sugar on my scrambled eggs (my Dad does, too). My sister doesn’t care for it at all. And Jon always incredulously tells the story when we first met in college, went to the cafeteria together one morning, and he saw me put sugar on my eggs. He still can’t get over that. Haha. Would you try sugar on your scrambled eggs?
Any random thoughts recently?
I am doing NaBloPoMo this month. 30 blog posts in 30 days. Come join me. #nablopomo2025
Happy writing!
violet
November 12, 2025 at 3:23 pmI once lived in an old house that had a dumbwaiter. My roommates and I loved using it for returning our nighttime snack dishes back down to the kitchen.
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:42 pmOh wow, that’s so cool!
Nicole MacPherson
November 12, 2025 at 3:29 pmI had a laundry chute in my childhood home! It was a bungalow and the chute went right into the laundry room in the basement. I think my cousin tried to slide down it but was stopped before it happened. Luckily!
In Morocco, they love sugar! I had some dishes in which cinnamon sugar was dusted on top, and these are things like vegetable pastilla and also a noodle dish with almonds and raisins. Dishes that were savoury, but had a dusting of cinnamon sugar! I was surprised at how delicious it was. I don’t eat eggs, but I can see how you would like it. The savoury/ sweet combo is nice.
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:43 pmOh wow, the laundry chute thing doesn’t seem so rare after all!
That is so interesting that they added cinnamon sugar to savory dishes in Morocco.
Lisa’s Yarns
November 12, 2025 at 4:49 pmWe did not have a laundry chute. It sounds like such a practical thing to have in a house!
I had a massive zip-up case for my CD with sleeves for each CD. You could then store the album paper book on the other side of each page. I schlepped that around for many years and had a 6-disk changer in my 2002 Accord. Then when that car broke down in 2014 or 2015, I got rid of the book of CDs. Sometimes I regret doing that but mostly it was the right decision.
I cannot fathom sugar in eggs. But I am not a sweet + savory person. I want something sweet or something savory – not a hybrid! I put salt and lots of black pepper on my eggs!
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:44 pmYes, I had one of those giant zip-up cases, too. Nostalgia! LOL
So, I have to ask: are eggs generally savory for you then? I mean, I wouldn’t put salt AND sugar on the eggs, but the eggs are neutral for me to begin with.
Michelle G.
November 12, 2025 at 4:54 pmMy childhood home also had a laundry chute! My current house is just one level, so it doesn’t need one. A secret room would be fun! I never would have thought of putting sugar on my scrambled eggs. I like a little salt on them. My in-laws always put sugar on their tomatoes, and again, I prefer salt.
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:45 pmOh wow, the laundry chute thing doesn’t seem so rare after all!
Sugar on tomatoes, mmh. That’s different. I prefer salt, too.
Elisabeth
November 12, 2025 at 6:12 pmWe looked at a house once that had a laundry chute from the bathroom to the basement laundry room and I thought it was the COOLEST THING EVER.
Our youth pastor loves kids and he and his wife HAVE NINE. It’s literally insane. But they are super fun parents and have a SLIDE that goes from their top floor to the basement.
I don’t sprinkle sugar on my scrambled eggs, but my husband is famous for his incredibly fluffy, delicious scrambled eggs and one of his secrets is putting a pinch of white sugar in while he’s whisking them up! I’d never heard of anyone else doing this!
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:46 pmOk a slide from the top floor to the basement (for the kids) is even better than a laundry chute LOL
That’s so curious that John adds a pinch of sugar to eggs before scrambling them! I wonder if it’s a European thing!
J
November 12, 2025 at 8:21 pmSugar on eggs? I’ve never heard of that, but am definitely curious. I like salt and pepper on my eggs. Is it just on scrambled eggs, or also over easy? Is this common in Germany? My grandpa used to put sugar on his grapefruit, which makes sense. And salt on watermelon, which I don’t really understand.
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:46 pmSugar just on scrambled eggs. I like mine well done, so they almost have a shredded pankcake consistency – so maybe that’s why sugar seems like a good idea?
Tina
November 12, 2025 at 8:46 pmNo hidden stairwells or chutes. I don’t even remember anything odd from my childhood, and we lived in some old houses. I will be honest, sugar on eggs is a new one to me. I grew up sprinkling a bit of sugar on fresh tomatoes, which many people find weird.
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:47 pmSomeone else just mentioned sugar on tomatoes! Strange!
coco
November 12, 2025 at 11:47 pmI had a clasonia mia. I don’t remember why I stopped using it. it was easy to put in the shower and use it.
sugar on eggs no sure, but I used to add black vinegar to eggs.
I agree that our palate changes over time and exposure.
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:47 pmDo you still have your Clarisonic? I had it in the shower for a while too :)
Jenny
November 13, 2025 at 5:05 amWell, I’m REALLY old, because I even remember the time before cassette tapes- good old records.
Growing up, my grandparents house had a laundry chute which we just thought was SO COOL!!! We would play games where we threw secret messages down the chute. And I remember getting in trouble on night because I threw my sister’s stuffed animal down the chute, and someone had to go down to the basement to get it. Fun times.
Um… no. No sugar on scrambled eggs!!!
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:48 pmHaha, of course, I also remember records! You’re in good company!
And the laundry chute thing doesn’t seem so rare afterall!
Ernie
November 13, 2025 at 7:48 amI did have a laundry chute in all of my houses growing up. The last house was one that my parents didn’t build, and it had a laundry chute too – oddly, it was located in my bedroom. No idea why they didn’t just flip the thing around and have the opening face out into the hallway.
I’ve never heard of that brush. I didn’t have a CD player in my car, so I didn’t have a CD carrying case.
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:49 pmOh, the laundry chute thing doesn’t seem so rare after all!
I also never had a car with a CD player but do you remember that some people had CD changers in the trunk ?
Daria
November 13, 2025 at 8:40 amNo laundry chute but we do have two staircases: one for the owners, another one for the maids/help. WE don’t have maids (darn it) but the staircase is still there from the 1930s owners who did have hired help. We also have a small room right off the kitchen called the butler’s pantry. We just use it to store servicing dishes and holiday stuff. No butlers here but would love one :)
Random thoughts lately:
1. should I purchase my son a Ralph Lauren teddy bear sweater?
2. Should I look a two night stay in a cabin in PA with my son which my daughter and husband go to Maine for those two days?
3. Should I dye my hair? And if yes, how, where, when, and with what?
4. I am not getting enough sleep.
5. I am not exercising.
6. I wanna go to London again.
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:49 pmOh my, you live in a very cool old house… :)
Martha
November 13, 2025 at 9:15 amNo secret passages or chutes in the house where I grew up, but my dad had a bookcase in his office that was a secret door. I don’t remember what it went to so it probably wasn’t anything impressive, but I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Sugar on eggs is totally new to me. I don’t think I’d try it. I make cinnamon rolls with crumbled bacon in top. Many people think that’s really weird but it’s delicious!
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:49 pmA secret door! Now that’s very cool too!
SHU
November 13, 2025 at 9:23 amI would never think to put sugar on eggs -but I might be weird that I like salt in oatmeal!!!
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:50 pmI can see salt in oatmeal if you make it savory. Or do you just add a pinch? Salt is a taste carrier after all (but so is sugar).
Sarah
November 13, 2025 at 10:27 amMy grandma’s house had a laundry chute, and we thought it was THE COOLEST (and sent all manner of toys to the basement)
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:50 pmOh wow, the laundry chute thing doesn’t seem so rare after all!
Melissa
November 13, 2025 at 12:51 pmWe considered installing a laundry chute in the house we had built, but the floor plan wasn’t quite right. I have not tried sugar on my scrambled eggs and don’t want to. I like my eggs with salt and pepper.
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:50 pmEggs with salt and pepper are good too :) Sometimes.
Suzanne
November 13, 2025 at 4:19 pmI would not put sugar on my eggs, but I would put tons of pepper on them!
We did not have a laundry chute or a secret passage in my childhood home, but there was a tiny crawl space in my closet that I used to play in with my best friend. My current house DOES have a laundry chute — or, at least, it has a little door to a laundry chute in one of the bedrooms, but we cannot find anywhere where it leads to! Certainly not the laundry room.
San
November 14, 2025 at 5:51 pmCrawl spaces can be cool too, esp when you’re a kid!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
November 15, 2025 at 9:10 amHell no with sugar on scrambled eggs.
I did not own such a cd box. I had the flimsy CD booklets. I liked those as they were smaller.
I have never in my life used an electric toothbrush.
Stephany
November 15, 2025 at 5:42 pmI had a Clarisonic! But then I got a replacement head and it was SO rough on my skin that I stopped using it and eventually gave it away.
Sugar on eggs! I don’t think I could do that. An old friend once put sugar in her spaghetti sauce – also a hard no from me!
Noemi
November 15, 2025 at 7:07 pmUm, that slide/climbing wall thing is so crazy cool. Can you imagine having a childhood like that? No house or apartment I ever lived in as a kid (and I lived in a few) had anything hidden passage ways, but my closet in one house had a weird little raised storage space in it, probably for putting boxes and stuff, and my mom let me make it into a little fort, which I loved. But it wasn’t a hidden slide into a pile of pillows. Actually, I just remember, that house did have another weird thing, wow I haven’t thought of this in ages… At the bottom of the stairs there was a door, and for years it just opened into… nothing. Like it was the outside ground, the room had walls around it but had never been finished. My parents did eventually put a floor in there, and made it a room, but it connected to a storage space that didn’t have a wall, so there were shelves on one side, but the other side was the ground of the hill the house was built on. That space always freaked me out. I did not love it. It’s crazy… I haven’t thought of that space in literal decades. Thanks for prompting me to remember!
Noemi
November 15, 2025 at 7:07 pmOh, and I kind of gagged a little when I read you put sugar on scrambled eggs. Hard pass on that one.