Recalled Memory

My friend who sent me the marzipan gift in the previous blog called, Nuts! Nuts! Nuts! has just read the blog and explained "Why Marzipan?" Her mom and I are life-long friends. She is now afflicted with Alzheimer's. Her daughters have always called me "Aunt Gere." This message came from Hawaii via e-mail. Isn't it great? ! !

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

YAY! I am SO glad you like your surprise! When I was a little girl, Mom and I were shopping in a specialty store, and she picked up a package of marzipan fruits. They were in a long, skinny white rectangular box wrapped with cellophane. The fruits were lined up side by side. I can distinctly remember her excitement when she saw them, “Oh, Aunt Gere loves marzipan!” Believe it or not, I can still see her picking them off the high shelf. She handed the box to me and asked me to hold it while she finished her shopping. I was completely captivated by the details of the fruits. They were so real looking! They were a work of art, and I was sure they must taste as incredible as they looked. I must have asked a hundred questions about them (and probably asked if we could get some for me), because I remember Mom telling me how they were hand painted to look real and that they were an “adult” treat. After we finished our shopping, the two of us delivered them to you at your house. You opened the box right then and there, and you offered a small piece to me. I was SO excited and felt very special to be able to share an “adult” treat. (I did not know then what a tremendous sacrifice this was on your part!). I eagerly popped it into my mouth, but unfortunately it did not taste anything like what I thought it would—I was expecting a fruity sensation, not an almond flavor! I was sorely disappointed!

For whatever reason, this memory has stayed with me all these years, and I think of you whenever I see marzipan. Enjoy every bite!

Love,

Sue 8-)

Nuts! Nuts! Nuts!

The UPS truck rarely stops at our home. Last night's delivery was a surprise. The box read, "Nuts Online" so I figured it had to be from someone who knew I was a bit nutty, BUT...I can't eat nuts! I have no "chewers" so it had to be from someone who didn't realize that fact.

The next thing strange was the delivery label. It was an address we had up until 1997 when we moved to the other side of the lake. Who hasn't contacted me since 1997???

Mystery solved. The greeting inside revealed a dear sweet friend from Hawaii, with whom I've been only e-mailing and not "snail-mailing."

The best part of the surprise was that this friend remembered that my favorite, my VERY favorite candy is marzipan!! And, although it comes in many different shapes and forms, the fruits are the ones for me; limes, strawberries, oranges, peaches and apples!

I cannot express enough the thrill when I saw them. It's an extremely strong willed person like me, who loves marzipan and doesn't immeditely rip into it and gobble it all up in one sitting. I WILL do that, I promise you, when I'm better prepared and then hit the sack with a superb sugar high.

Addendum: This morning when my husband was disposing of the shipping container the candy came in, I had painful moments because of laughing so hard. He had opened the box to fold and compact it for recycling, not realizing it was full of packing peanuts and they went all over the floor. Have you ever tried to hand pick up those little white puffy nuts? Well NUTS! is all he could say. There are now nuts to eat, nuts for shipping, and a nut on the floor.