Chocolate Cake and Coffee

Chocolate Cake and Coffee originated as a blog dedicated to the legacy of the friendship shared by two women, my mother, Juanita Tuckness, and her dearest friend, Irene Gilmore. Each woman's love, respect, and acceptance of the other melded to form a friendship that spanned more than six decades.

Irene and Juanita lived only a few houses apart for fifty years, and sharing chocolate cake and coffee was an almost-daily ritual. Juanita always made her favorite chocolate cake from scratch, never from a box. The recipe is in the book.

Irene, all dressed up as if she were going somewhere special, walked to Juanita's house, where Juanita, dressed in casual clothes and slippers, always welcomed her with a wide grin and a "Hello, Miss Astor!" a tongue-in-cheek reference to the extremely wealthy and stylish Mary Astor. The two friends laughed and enjoyed a piece of cake, a cup of coffee, and a little chat.

Juanita and Irene never solved any global problems, but the little corner of the world these two women occupied was always just a little better than the rest of the world because of their time together. Whether it was discussing their children's terrible twos or their terrible teens, their children's weddings and the births of their grandchildren, or who having an affair with whom, every word was another stone in the tower of friendship that would stand the test of time.

This is the story of those incredible women, of friendships, and of the wonderful family that Juanita raised, nurturing them with love, a warm kitchen, and chocolate cake.