Lynn's Comments: As a kid, I was on my own a lot. My folks had a gift and jewellery store, which meant that they worked all day, every day, weekends and evenings, too. It was my job to get the dinners ready. My mom would put all the ingredients together and leave a detailed description of what to do. After awhile, I considered myself the chief cook! By the age of 13, I was proud of myself for being able to make meals for everyone, and I still use the recipes my mother wrote for me then!