Our children grew up on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Even my husband and I sometimes sneak one in late at night with a glass of milk. I believe that the Earl of Sandwich himself would agree with me that the success of this universally loved concoction（混合，调合） lies not in the brand of peanut butter used, but rather in the jelly. The right jelly delights the palate（味觉，上颚）, and homemade is the only choice.
I wasn't the jelly maker in this family. My mother-in-law was. She didn't provide a wide range of flavors, either. It was either grape or blackberry. This limited choice was a welcome relief in the days of toddlers, siblings and puppies. When all around me other decisions and choices had to be made, making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches was easy. And since we liked both flavors, we usually picked whatever jar was at the front of the pantry or refrigerator.
The only contribution I made to the jelly making was to save baby food jars, which my mother-in-law would fill with the tasty gel, seal with wax and send back home with us. For the past 22 years of my married life, whenever I wanted to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for myself or my husband or one of the children, all I had to do was reach for one of those little jars of jelly. It was always there. Jelly making was just a way of life for my mother-in-law. She always did it, following the same rituals - from picking the fruit to setting the finished jelly on the homemade shelves in her little pantry off the kitchen.
My father-in-law died several years ago and this past December, my mother-in-law also passed away. Among the things in the house to be divided by her children were the remaining canned goods in the pantry（餐具室）. Each of her children chose from the many jars of tomato juice, green beans and jelly. When my husband brought his jars home, we carefully put them away in our pantry.
The other day I reached in there to retrieve jelly for a quick sandwich, and there it was. Sitting all alone on the far side of the shelf was a small jar of grape jelly. The lid was somewhat rusty in places. Written on it with a black marker was "GR" for grape and the year the jelly had been made.
As I picked up the jar, I suddenly realized something that I had failed to see earlier. I reopened the pantry door to be sure. Yes, this was it, this was the last jar of "Memommie jelly." We would always have store-bought jelly, but this was the last jar we would ever have from the patient, loving hands of my mother-in-law. Although she had been gone for nearly a year, so much of her had remained with us. We hardly ever opened a jar of jelly at the breakfast table without kidding
Holding that last jar in my hand, my heart traveled back to meeting my mother-in-law for the first time. I could see her crying on our wedding day, and later, kissing and loving our children as if she didn't have five other grandchildren. I could see her walking the fields of the farm, patiently waiting while others tended to the cows. I could see her walking in the woods or riding the hay wagon behind the tractor. I saw her face as it looked when we surprised her by meeting her at church. I saw her caring for a sick spouse and surrounded by loving children at the funeral.
I put the jelly back on the shelf. No longer was it just a jar of jelly. It was the end of a family tradition. I guess I believed that as long as it was there, a part of my mother-in-law would always live on.
We have many things that once belonged to my husband's parents. There are guns, tools, handmade sweaters and throws, and some furniture. We have hundreds of pictures and many more memories. These are the kinds of things that you expect to survive the years and to pass on to your children. But I'm just not ready to give up this last jelly jar, and all the memories its mere presence allows me to hold onto. The jar of jelly won't keep that long. It will either have to be eaten or thrown out...but not today.
相关单词：sneak
sneak解释：vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行
sneak例句：
He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。
相关单词：concoction
concoction解释：n.调配(物)；谎言
concoction例句：
She enjoyed the concoction of foreign dishes.她喜欢调制外国菜。
His story was a sheer concoction.他的故事实在是一纯属捏造之事。
相关单词：maker
maker解释：n.制造者，制造商
maker例句：
He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。
相关单词：siblings
siblings解释：n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )
siblings例句：
A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分
相关单词：retrieve
retrieve解释：vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索
retrieve例句：
He was determined to retrieve his honor.他决心恢复名誉。
The men were trying to retrieve weapons left when the army abandoned the island.士兵们正试图找回军队从该岛撤退时留下的武器。
相关单词：rusty
rusty解释：adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的
rusty例句：
The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。
相关单词：wagon
wagon解释：n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车
wagon例句：
We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。
相关单词：spouse
spouse解释：n.配偶(指夫或妻)
spouse例句：
Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？
相关单词：mere
mere解释：adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
mere例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
