Long story about the trip and it was a good trip and I'm sure I'll be writing about it soon but of course, life goes on and I'm so far behind with mine.
BUT, I had to relate a small blog-related incident which I swear is one of the strangest things that has ever happened to me.
If you've read the last post you'll know that I was really enjoying the thought of the plethora of Jello salads that would be at the post-funeral meal. I even included a recipe I'd found in a church cookbook for a Jello Pretzel salad and stated that I "desperately" hoped someone would make that salad for the lunch.
So after the service, we all filed out of the "worship" hall at this mega-Baptist church in Allen, Texas for the luncheon portion of the day and there were tables of really fine Texas food- barbeque, ham, macaroni and cheese, casseroles galore, breads, pies, cakes, you-name-it.
There were also salads but only ONE Jello salad and folks, I am here to tell you that it was none other than the Pretzel Salad, same exact recipe (had to be, just had to be) as the one I blogged about last Thursday. In an oblong dish.
I couldn't believe it and it was like maybe there was a God or something except for the fact that no, it didn't taste like it had nuts in it and really, it was not as good as you'd think it would be although it wasn't bad.
One other thing- I wished for a liquor store to be right next to the hotel and there wasn't. In fact, no liquor store in the entire county- it was a DRY county and how do you account for something like that in TEXAS? You could buy beer and wine and buy drinks at restaurants but that was that.
So instead of wishing for pretzel salad I should have gone out and bought a lottery ticket and wished to win with it but of course we can't know these things in advance.
Pretzel salad.
Whoa.
If only you could use your power for good instead of Jello.
ReplyDeleteAin't that the damn truth?
ReplyDeleteIs it possible that the person who made the jello salad (and I'm sorry, I was force fed a lot of Jello as a child, but my mother never pretended it was a salad!) got the recipe from reading your blog?
ReplyDeleteI know that supposedly there's always room for Jello, but I avoid it, especially in a buffet, when there are so many other choices. I really hate the stuff, the last time I ate some was when it was the only thing I could eat the day before a colonoscopy!
You know, that did cross my mind. Of course. What are the odds? Even in that cookbook I got the recipe out of there were seventeen different jello "salad" recipes. And that was from a Tennessee Methodist cookbook, not a Texas Baptist one. But I honestly don't think so. I did a little bit of casual detective work and that turned up nothing. If someone from Texas is reading my blog and did make that recipe, I sure wish they'd tell me about it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I believe that it's only here in the south where we'd have the gumption to call something with jello, cool whip and pretzels "salad." And by golly, that pretzel salad was sitting in the salad section of the dinner- not in the desserts.
So there you go.
Had to laugh when I read your comment at dooce.com. My sons are 28 and 32 and we have four dogs and I'm raising my 10 yr old nephew, 13 year old niece (and have been for over two years) two dogs died last year, two more came our way, 28 year old moved back, and is dating a young woman with a 1 year old / girl and baby live out of town so the weekends I'm setting up playpens in my office for weekend visits, now 32 year old moved back home to relocate so suddenly at my age we had to buy a larger home (shouldn't I be cruising the Caribbean with my husband with the money I'm now spending on kids (some who are and some who aren't mine) and dogs and larger houses??)
ReplyDeleteToday all four dogs had teeth cleaned. Guess I'll end up having mine pulled.
Anyway, I got a kick out of your post when I realized maybe I'm not the only one out there that instead of "retiring" am now running a small country. Suddenly a cross country trip in an RV sounds like a good idea although in my youth I'd have shuddered to think such a thing.....will read more of your blog to see if we have anything else in common!
http://deepthoughtsfuzzymemories.blogspot.com/
Speaking of Jello, I read your post on depression and thought you might be interested in reading mine titled "Wrestling with Jello."
ReplyDeleteThe "big" depression hit me about 10 year ago and sadly, recently, due primarily to losing my father, two grandmothers in the past 18 months and this past Christmas day lost my stepdad. So, back to medication, therapist, etc.
Anyway, here goes:
http://deepthoughtsfuzzymemories.blogspot.com/2006/09/wrestling-with-jello.html
Terri- thanks for stopping by. Enjoyed your comments and your blog, too. Sorry you're going through depression again. Seems like it would only be fair that depression is something you only have to go through once, doesn't it? But it's a sneaky and malevolent disease. I hope the therapy and medication help you feel better soon. It takes time, though. Be patient with yourself and the process.
ReplyDeleteI always wonder why I become aware of things and then they appear in my life. I recently thought of a childhood friend and then he contacted me through the internet.
ReplyDeleteI always chalked it up to the breeze before a rain. Some part of you knows that thing is coming.
I had a blue period in the begining of 2006. A few chapters came to a close and I knew all the changes were for the best but I could not reconcile the failure I felt. Some physical issues followed and it took very long time to emerge from the fog. It seems if you can just hang on untile a few little victories come, and they will, everything slowly gets back to normal.
I always try to take care of my body first and then wait for the mind to catch up. It's not fun. Hang in there.
HWB- I love it when you comment. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI like that breeze before the rain thing. Very well put and true.
As to the taking care of the body- when I'm depressed I find it hardest to do that, even though I know that taking care of the body IS taking care of the mind. Sometimes you just have to FORCE yourself.
Well. Who said any of it would be easy, eh?
You do have to take care of your body but never forget....cake helps!
ReplyDeleteI'm from Delaware and have been researching whether or not the conjecture is true that Strawberry Pretzel Salad was invented here.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I wanted to say OF COURSE the only Jello salad on the table was SPS. It's probably the only Jello recipe that survived the post-modern era in tact. I'm a foodie, and it's one of the rare items I would happily make with processed ingredients.
Anonymous- Hey! Thanks for reminding me of the magical jello salad incident!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd make it myself. It did not taste that good. I do sort of love that kind of jello with whipped cream and canned oranges in it though. Not that I make it. But if someone else did, I might eat some.