This is Monday evening here at the Eicher homestead. Son Joseph brought supper home. On the menu was pizza, wings, and subs. What a treat for daughter Lovina and me to not have to get supper.

Joe and I left after he was home from work and showered. We attended the viewing / visitation of son-in-law Tim’s Aunt Sylvia, age 64. She passed away suddenly on Friday. Her husband found her lying down in the house — life had fled. Our sympathy to her husband and family left to mourn.

Sylvia was in the same church district as we were for quite a few years. She always had a smile, and when I went to their general store and greenhouse she always asked how we were doing. She will be greatly missed. Her husband Mervin will have many lonely days ahead. Their four children are all married, and he lives alone now.

I had to help take a dish in for supper tonight. I made a Cherry Delight. Tomorrow morning, I plan to attend the funeral, Lord willing, with sisters Verena and Emma.

Joe plans to go to work. He was off several days last week because of sickness. Now this week they won’t work a full week. It’s bad timing when building a new pole barn. We aren’t getting any younger, and the bills still have to be paid. We take one day at a time and trust in God.

Church services will be held at daughter Susan and Ervin’s on Sunday, Lord willing. They have quite a lot to do yet. Those helping them with their work on Saturday were Joe and I, sons Benjamin, Joseph, and Kevin, daughter Lovina and her special friend Daniel, daughter Loretta, Dustin, and sons, daughter Elizabeth, Tim and children. A lot was accomplished

Ervin’s dad is still in the hospital and is showing some improvement. He will need to go to a rehab center after he’s dismissed from the hospital. He still can’t walk yet. Hopefully this will only be short-term. Susan was unable to go with Ervin on Sunday to visit him due to having several children sick with the flu. Ervin and sons Ryan and Curtis went to visit Perry. We are hoping and praying Perry will have a complete and full recovery.

Today was a nice but windy laundry day. The towels are so soft when blown dry in the wind.

Daughter Verena left tonight with her special friend Daniel Ray to also attend the viewing / visitation of Sylvia. Daniel Ray’s dad Alvin is a pallbearer at the funeral tomorrow. They were neighbors with Sylvia and Mervin for many years. Verena and Daniel Ray will also attend the funeral tomorrow and so will daughter Elizabeth and Tim.

Sylvia has many brothers and sisters and lots of nieces and nephews as well, so I am sure it will be a big funeral. Sylvia will be buried in the graveyard just down the road from us. We have three loved ones buried there beside only one other person in this newer graveyard. How this brings back sad memories of losing our loved ones three years ago.

Coffee Cake

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup water

1 (13.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix

1 (3.4-ounce) box instant butterscotch pudding mix

1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Mix eggs, oil and water together. Add dry pudding mix and cake mix and beat well. Pour half of the batter into a 9-by-13-inch pan. Sprinkle half of topping on top. Repeat. Bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour.

Variation: Pour batter onto a cookie sheet and sprinkle on topping. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes. Two boxes of vanilla pudding mix can be used if you don’t have butterscotch pudding mix.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight who lives in southeastern Michigan. Write to her at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, P.O. Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org.