I was driving down the road when a huge poster caught my eye. Done in red with black marker, arrows pointing down the road, you couldn't miss it. But the way the sun hit I could only make out: ----GE SALE!!!
My mind immediately went to Fudge. Hey! A fudge sale? Where? Looks like it's a big one by the size of the poster. Look at all the writing underneath it. Must have a lot of flavors. I've got to check that out!
As I get up on the sign I now see that it says: HUGE SALE!!! With a list of what they are selling.
Oh. Well, who wants to go to that?
Maybe if they had some fudge . . .
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Cookie candle
In college I had a favorite store bought cookie. I had no idea how vocal I was about it though until some 20+ years later an old college friend tracked me down. We got together, got caught up on each others lives and reminisced. Through the course of the day she would suddenly say to me, "Do you want a cookie?"
"No. I don't need a cookie, thank you. Hey, do you remember that time . . ."
Fifteen minutes later: "Do you want a cookie?"
"No, thanks. Remember when we . . ."
An hour later: "Do you want a cookie?"
"No. I'm good. Oh! Remember when all of us . . ."
After the fourth, "Do you want a cookie?" punctuated with "now" I decided that there was something I wasn't getting. "Okay, fine, I'll take a cookie."
"Yes!" From her bag she pulled out a box of store bought cookies and presented it to me.
"Oh, my gosh! These were my favorite cookies in college!" I said.
"I know! And that's what I remember."
"No. I don't need a cookie, thank you. Hey, do you remember that time . . ."
Fifteen minutes later: "Do you want a cookie?"
"No, thanks. Remember when we . . ."
An hour later: "Do you want a cookie?"
"No. I'm good. Oh! Remember when all of us . . ."
After the fourth, "Do you want a cookie?" punctuated with "now" I decided that there was something I wasn't getting. "Okay, fine, I'll take a cookie."
"Oh, my gosh! These were my favorite cookies in college!" I said.
"I know! And that's what I remember."
 |
| Which is why this was given to me in college. |
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
How far to go?
I can't really say I stumbled on this chocolate bar by accident since I always check out the chocolate section when I'm in a store but I was surprised to find a Lindt bar discounted. One I had never seen before. It looked pretty good so I bought one of the three there. Tried it out in the parking lot and immediately went back in for the other two.
Never found the bars again in a store but did on-line. Shipping was as much as the bar itself and it wasn't discounted there. Not paying that. I call Lindt. "Have the store that you bought it from order it for you." Okay, back to the store. Never came in. I asked a couple of other stores who sell Lindt. They tried ordering it for me, nothing. Went back on the website to find that it was no longer listed.
Months later my husband and I are traveling when we stop at the outlet mall two hours from home to take a break from traveling up north. "Look at that!" I yelled, "A new Lindt store!" I was out before he came to a complete stop. I burst through the door. "I am looking for your Passion bar, Caramel and sea salt."
"We have that right over here." YEAAAHH! "No. That's not it. Just Passion. Not Passion Fruit."
"It's right over here." Yes! "No, not the Excellence line with caramel and a touch of sea salt, although that's pretty good. But the best one is Passion, Caramel and sea salt."
"It's right over here." "Where?" We both look at the table he has taken me to. Finally he picks up a small placard, that he shows me, that reads: Passion. Caramel and sea salt. Half price.
"This sounds like it but where is it?" "We're out." "You have some in the back though, right?" Surely I have not come this close . . .
"I'm sorry ma'am, we are all out. We should have some more in next week. Why don't I get your name and number and we'll call you." I give him my card and leave somewhat disappointed but still, it's coming. I'm close.
Two weeks later I call. No, still not in. A month later. It's in and this is the last that they are going to be getting it. NO! "Okay, how many boxes do you have?" "Two and they're half off." "How much is a box?" He tells me. "I'll take one but I don't know how soon I can get up there." "We'll hold it for you."
I find my husband reading a book. "What day would you like to travel to Frankenmuth?" "Why?" While I am formulating the best, honest response that will get me there, he has already read my face. "Your chocolate is in, isn't it?" "Yes, isn't that wonderful? And they are never going to have it there again so we're only going to go the one time." "Two hours up there and two hours back," he looks at me. "Is there a problem?" "Do you know how much gas is?" "Yeah, but we're talking chocolate here." The book goes back up.
Fine. I call the store back. "Can you ship that to me?" "We don't ship." Great. "Still formulating a plan. Do not put those bars out on the floor. They are still in the back room, right?" "Yes, ma'am."
As I decide what to do next I hear my daughter come home. Oh! "Hey, don't you have a college friend that lives up near the outlet mall?" "She used to but she moved last week. She's a good hour away by now." "Rats!" "Why -- no. You are not still going on about those chocolate bars, are you? Give it up." "They're being discontinued! I'll never taste it again. I should have taken both boxes. I could kick myself. Maybe I should call them back . . ." "You're not going to let this go, are you?" "How about if you and I drive --" "I'll ask Ann to do it." "How close does Ann live?" Ann is her friend that she's known since middle school. "Twenty minutes." "Call her, call her now." With a roll of the eyes, she does.
"She says she'll do it. And you're in luck. She's coming home to see her family next weekend." I call the store. "I have someone coming in the next week so I'll just charge this and she can --" "We don't take charges." "What? She's a college student she can't afford to buy that and wait to have me reimburse her." "I suggest you send her a check, she can cash it and then come in with the money." "Okay, I'll do that. But it's been almost a month. Are you sure you still have my box in the back." "Lady, there is a piece of paper stapled to the bag and written in red in big letters it says: Do Not Touch. I promise you it's back there." "Great. Thank you. Any more on the floor?" "They're gone."
"Ann's not going to forget to pick up my chocolate before she comes down, is she?" "She's coming here to the house. She doesn't dare." The day of Ann's arriving. "There has been a change of plans. I'm meeting her in town for lunch." "She forgot my chocolate!" "Mom, not everything revolves around you and your chocolate! This is just convenient for her. She came to see her family, not to bring you chocolate." "Do you know for sure that she has it on her?" "No." "She forgot it."
An hour later I receive a text from my daughter. 'You can breathe again Ann brought your chocolate. I have it.'
I am trying my best to only eat one bar a month to prolong the great taste but so far I haven't been able to do it although I did stretch one bar out to two weeks. I have no idea why this bar wasn't a best seller other than the fact that I only saw those 3 bars in one store.
I have friends who in their travels have looked for me. In fact, I've received a few phone calls, "Okay, the bar says . . ." "Nope, that's not it but thanks for looking." And thank you Ann!
Never found the bars again in a store but did on-line. Shipping was as much as the bar itself and it wasn't discounted there. Not paying that. I call Lindt. "Have the store that you bought it from order it for you." Okay, back to the store. Never came in. I asked a couple of other stores who sell Lindt. They tried ordering it for me, nothing. Went back on the website to find that it was no longer listed.
Months later my husband and I are traveling when we stop at the outlet mall two hours from home to take a break from traveling up north. "Look at that!" I yelled, "A new Lindt store!" I was out before he came to a complete stop. I burst through the door. "I am looking for your Passion bar, Caramel and sea salt."
"We have that right over here." YEAAAHH! "No. That's not it. Just Passion. Not Passion Fruit."
"It's right over here." Yes! "No, not the Excellence line with caramel and a touch of sea salt, although that's pretty good. But the best one is Passion, Caramel and sea salt."
"It's right over here." "Where?" We both look at the table he has taken me to. Finally he picks up a small placard, that he shows me, that reads: Passion. Caramel and sea salt. Half price.
"This sounds like it but where is it?" "We're out." "You have some in the back though, right?" Surely I have not come this close . . .
"I'm sorry ma'am, we are all out. We should have some more in next week. Why don't I get your name and number and we'll call you." I give him my card and leave somewhat disappointed but still, it's coming. I'm close.
Two weeks later I call. No, still not in. A month later. It's in and this is the last that they are going to be getting it. NO! "Okay, how many boxes do you have?" "Two and they're half off." "How much is a box?" He tells me. "I'll take one but I don't know how soon I can get up there." "We'll hold it for you."
I find my husband reading a book. "What day would you like to travel to Frankenmuth?" "Why?" While I am formulating the best, honest response that will get me there, he has already read my face. "Your chocolate is in, isn't it?" "Yes, isn't that wonderful? And they are never going to have it there again so we're only going to go the one time." "Two hours up there and two hours back," he looks at me. "Is there a problem?" "Do you know how much gas is?" "Yeah, but we're talking chocolate here." The book goes back up.
Fine. I call the store back. "Can you ship that to me?" "We don't ship." Great. "Still formulating a plan. Do not put those bars out on the floor. They are still in the back room, right?" "Yes, ma'am."
As I decide what to do next I hear my daughter come home. Oh! "Hey, don't you have a college friend that lives up near the outlet mall?" "She used to but she moved last week. She's a good hour away by now." "Rats!" "Why -- no. You are not still going on about those chocolate bars, are you? Give it up." "They're being discontinued! I'll never taste it again. I should have taken both boxes. I could kick myself. Maybe I should call them back . . ." "You're not going to let this go, are you?" "How about if you and I drive --" "I'll ask Ann to do it." "How close does Ann live?" Ann is her friend that she's known since middle school. "Twenty minutes." "Call her, call her now." With a roll of the eyes, she does.
"She says she'll do it. And you're in luck. She's coming home to see her family next weekend." I call the store. "I have someone coming in the next week so I'll just charge this and she can --" "We don't take charges." "What? She's a college student she can't afford to buy that and wait to have me reimburse her." "I suggest you send her a check, she can cash it and then come in with the money." "Okay, I'll do that. But it's been almost a month. Are you sure you still have my box in the back." "Lady, there is a piece of paper stapled to the bag and written in red in big letters it says: Do Not Touch. I promise you it's back there." "Great. Thank you. Any more on the floor?" "They're gone."
"Ann's not going to forget to pick up my chocolate before she comes down, is she?" "She's coming here to the house. She doesn't dare." The day of Ann's arriving. "There has been a change of plans. I'm meeting her in town for lunch." "She forgot my chocolate!" "Mom, not everything revolves around you and your chocolate! This is just convenient for her. She came to see her family, not to bring you chocolate." "Do you know for sure that she has it on her?" "No." "She forgot it."
An hour later I receive a text from my daughter. 'You can breathe again Ann brought your chocolate. I have it.'
I am trying my best to only eat one bar a month to prolong the great taste but so far I haven't been able to do it although I did stretch one bar out to two weeks. I have no idea why this bar wasn't a best seller other than the fact that I only saw those 3 bars in one store.
I have friends who in their travels have looked for me. In fact, I've received a few phone calls, "Okay, the bar says . . ." "Nope, that's not it but thanks for looking." And thank you Ann!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
The Chocolate Bible
Many years ago on our honeymoon my husband and I traveled across the USA and back. It took us a month stopping whenever we felt like it and wandering off to places that looked interesting. We had a few goals in mind as far as places to visit and people to see but mainly we just "did our own thing." But one of those people on our list to see was my husband's uncle who lived in California.
He graciously opened up his home to us and we spent a few days with him. Somewhere along the line we got to talking about my writing, chocolate and my love of both. "So, you must own a Chocolate Bible," he said. I laughed and said, "Well, if there was such a thing I'd own it. Huh, what a concept, a Chocolate Bible. Somebody should write one." I remember the funny look he gave me but he simply smiled, sipped his coffee and we went on with our conversation.
About a month after returning home to our little apartment a package arrived in the mail from my husband's uncle. Odd, he'd already given us a wedding present. But wait, this was addressed to me, not to the both of us, with a note: "Thought you might want this."
I do.
He graciously opened up his home to us and we spent a few days with him. Somewhere along the line we got to talking about my writing, chocolate and my love of both. "So, you must own a Chocolate Bible," he said. I laughed and said, "Well, if there was such a thing I'd own it. Huh, what a concept, a Chocolate Bible. Somebody should write one." I remember the funny look he gave me but he simply smiled, sipped his coffee and we went on with our conversation.
About a month after returning home to our little apartment a package arrived in the mail from my husband's uncle. Odd, he'd already given us a wedding present. But wait, this was addressed to me, not to the both of us, with a note: "Thought you might want this."
I do.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
No chocolate?
I recently attended the National Quilt Show in Columbus, Ohio. Wonderful quilts, had a great time. About half way through my sister-in-law (who had never been to a quilt show but was game) and I decided we were hungry so we ate.
Well, after eating (and usually before) I always want chocolate and this day was no different. I usually carry something with me but it has been so hot out and melted chocolate is really not my thing. I would simply buy a bar or cookie or brownie wherever we ended up. I walked over to the vendor where there were chocolate bars. Not willing to pay THAT price I decided to squelch my taste bud desire and put my money into chocolate fabric. I have quite a stash but I am always on the look out for chocolate or chocolate inspired fabric. Chocolate inspired could be swirls of brown, or something that looks carmelly, or brown with green in it (mints getting chocolate dipped), etc.
Nothing.
The days that I don't buy chocolate fabric is because I already have it. But this day I couldn't find anything that remotely looked like a good piece of chocolate (or even a bad piece). Do I need to alert the fabric companies that they need to make some new designs? That they are falling down on the job?
Or . . . do I need to design my own?
Well, after eating (and usually before) I always want chocolate and this day was no different. I usually carry something with me but it has been so hot out and melted chocolate is really not my thing. I would simply buy a bar or cookie or brownie wherever we ended up. I walked over to the vendor where there were chocolate bars. Not willing to pay THAT price I decided to squelch my taste bud desire and put my money into chocolate fabric. I have quite a stash but I am always on the look out for chocolate or chocolate inspired fabric. Chocolate inspired could be swirls of brown, or something that looks carmelly, or brown with green in it (mints getting chocolate dipped), etc.
Nothing.
The days that I don't buy chocolate fabric is because I already have it. But this day I couldn't find anything that remotely looked like a good piece of chocolate (or even a bad piece). Do I need to alert the fabric companies that they need to make some new designs? That they are falling down on the job?
Or . . . do I need to design my own?
Monday, June 24, 2013
Starting out . . .
I have a love of chocolate which I know most people do. It's been in my life since the beginning. I don't recall one dinner when I was growing up that didn't end in dessert. I also don't recall it being anything but chocolate: cakes, cookies, fudge, candy, chocolate anything.
Oddly enough, I've raised my four children the same way with the disastrous result that none of them like chocolate! How do they not know what they are missing? How can anybody be -- dare I utter the words -- sick of chocolate? Beyond my comprehension.
Oddly enough, I've raised my four children the same way with the disastrous result that none of them like chocolate! How do they not know what they are missing? How can anybody be -- dare I utter the words -- sick of chocolate? Beyond my comprehension.
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