I really loved this shot.As I was climbing up with the girls I found the leaf like this. Pretty awesome!
Today is Halloween
Zush is in her traditional jesters collar, and to put devil ears on Kasia was wrong in so many ways, although she is a devil most of the time in public.
We hope your Halloween is fun and safe! Please keep candy from the pups,as they don’t know it’s bad for them!
We took my Mother-in-Law to Mass last night, as I had to work today. We go to Mass over in Cape May at the Washington Street Mall church called Our Lady Star of the Sea.
I took advantage of this situation to go to a favorite spot of mine, The Original Fudge Kitchen.
I figured Douglass still had my heart, James/Fralingers was quite a disappointment in molasses paddles;why not try Original Fudge Kitchens’?
My disclaimer here is that I adore their fudge.I only buy it once a year in the end of January when they have their customer appreciation sale.It is, indeed, the fudge of my childhood and brings back some loving memories.
I purchased their dark chocolate molasses paddle.At first, when I picked it up, I thought,” Whoa…wide like Douglass? Could it be?” Unfortunately it was not as thick as Douglass’, but overall, I would put it in a 2nd place” could have almost been the molasses paddle of my childhood, but not quite.
Douglass still rocks.
We actually went for a later Mass today as our favorite priest, Father Edward Fitzpatrick, has his retirement Mass today.
This allowed me to kill some time on the Washington Street Mall and go down to James/Fralinger salt water taffy.I was so enamored of the one I had last weekend at Douglass Candies’ in Wildwood, I figured I’d try a competitor out for size.
Hah! Size matters to Douglass, but obviously not the James/Fralinger molasses paddles.For all purposes you could have bit into and eaten a whole James/ Fralinger one while still chewing your first bite of your Douglass’ molasses paddle.The competition has a quick dip in a dark chocolate coating, whereas Douglass’ paddle came out like it went into a dark chocolate spa.
So there you have it, my friends-if you want low-calorie and mediocre dark chocolate dip, satisfy yourself with the competition.
Me? Only Douglass molasses paddles will do the trick!
We met our friends in Wildwood yesterday afternoon and spent some hours with them catching up: we hadn’t seen them since this past November.
By the restaurant where we met was a candy store that has been on the Wildwood boardwalk from when my Dad was young.It’s called Douglass Candy.
In a shore resort town, people are awfully peculiar about their favorite spot to buy sweets when on vacation. For my family, we always went to Douglass for salt water taffy, creme mints, and molasses paddles.I have pretty much outgrown any desire for salt water taffy, and yesterday bought some creme mints. When my Mom would go in and buy candy to bring home when we were on vacation, Douglass used to make the white mint into a braid, and Mom would buy it for my Babci, her mother.They no longer make it, but the creme mints are good to have for an occasion quick fix for indigestion or sour stomach.
The thing I am chomping on right now is the molasses paddle. They put a 4 inch square of what basically is molasses salt water taffy on a taffy stick and then dip it in dark chocolate.We used to have to wait to take them home, and stick them in the refrigerator,where the melted chocolate, from transport in the car, would firm up and the flip side of this? You would have to bite down hard on the paddle, as the taffy was hard as get out.My molars weren’t really fond of this.
Fortunately,I live within striking range, and my paddle that I am enjoying now isn’t refrigerated, and the taste brings me back to the 1960’s and 70’s while in Wildwood on vacation. I can see my Babci waiting in the outdoor pavilion across from the store while we came out with our goodies and we happily went on our way.
Good times!
In a previous post I mentioned my fondness for Chick-o-sticks. They are a wonderful candy with that peanut butter crunch without the chocolate.
I had placed the prior post on the chick-o-stick website, and boy was I surprised. I found there was a huge chick-o-stick!
It was big enough and able enough to break and share or just eat it all by yourself. I was green with envy! I never saw them
in the Philadelphia area.
Guess what?
Found them this morning in the Sweet stop at the Reading Terminal market..what a pleasant surprise!
Picked up a few to share with my family. We will truly be happy!
It’s almost 2:30 PM and I just found two little pieces of deliciousness lurking in my drawer.
Chick-o-sticks.
It’s like the center of a zagnut bar, a clark bar, but just without chocolate. Pulverized
toasted coconut had a lot to do with it too! When I lived on my own , in the 90’s for a few years,
I “found” the chick-o-stick. It became my go to candy: to hell with Reese’s peanut butter cups
I had reached the promised land!Peanut butter!
You don’t see too many of them these days,so when I do, I like to pick up a few.
If you see them, and have no nut allergies, try them! You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Things have really been sucky during the day.
When I hang out with one of my BFF’s,Denise, at lunchtime, we seldom do anything but stay back at our desks.
Today we didn’t.
We decided to do the poor man’s shuffle to 9th and Market Streets to the Walgreens. We got Easter Candy.
Yeah I know. I don’t NEED Easter candy, but sometimes, it just gives you that little comfort that you need.
We had a good time chatting while we were going over and, if anything, it makes me miss the old days.
Another of my BFF’S, Kathy,made a beautiful egg arrangement for me….what a sweetie!
Enjoy your holiday!
It’s been a year, Mom.
A year since I got to sing Happy Birthday to you.
A year since I gave you some chocolates, fuzzy socks you always liked, and sang Sto Lat.
Well, you didn’t make one hundred . You hit eighty- nine. I was blessed to have you for fifty-two of them. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t miss you. I miss those blue eyes, that soft touch, that smile.
Happy birthday in Heaven, Mom. I know Dad made the pound cake for you , not our favorite 1-2-3-4 cake. I’m glad Dad is with you to get you your first heavenly birthday card.
Our December birthdays won’t be the same without you.
Love,
Marisha
Everything about Halloween has me feeling my age, and then some.
We had a good amount of trick or treaters for a Wednesday after a hurricane.All the candy and chocolate were blown out by 7:30 pm.
It was weird, though: I saw the passing of time via costume. Sure, there were new youngsters starting out but the children who I have watched grow up, well, boy, have the costumes changed with their ages.
Maybe it was the 60’s and 70’s in me saw a more simplistic costume. Some of the stuff I saw tonite? Gee, if it’s not MTV, it was vampires and goths. My faith was restored when I saw one Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and a cowardly lion.
It made it feel like Halloween- old school!
One of my BFF’s, Kathy, was back in work Monday, after spending time at the Jersey shore. She brought salt water taffy back, from Douglass candies, on the Wildwood boardwalk .
Ah, Wildwood and childhood summer!
I remember we would go there, Mom and I , and my Mom would buy the biggest plaited white mint. It was the size of four ponytail braids put together.Mom said my grand mom, or Babci, would love it. I remember the salt water taffy. They would have the molasses taffy and form it into a paddle pop and then dip it into dark chocolate.
When I was at my desk, I unwrapped a lime piece, as it was a favorite flavor for me and Dad, and a molasses piece also. Ah, amazing what the taste does to memory recall.
Those were the days!
Well, it’s Saturday night and managed to get through today with a minimal about of tears thinking of Mom. Actually, I am chuckling to myself as I type this, because although she would have been happy that I went and got the basket of food blessed, she’d be looking for the coconut cream egg that somehow I forgot to get for the basket. It was bittersweet being in Church waiting for the food to get blessed, because the parishioners are waiting for word that the Archdiocese is going to close it as a Church, and possibly just keep it open as a “worship” site. Shingleman asked me what Mass we are going for tomorrow and I am truly torn, This parish is probably looking at its last Easter morning Mass: although since I have been married, I belong to the Church across the park and we really haven’t been up in the city a lot since Mom passed away,so we could go there too!
We threw a lot of things away today, with hopes of using our time here wisely and cleaning out to make the house ready for when we eventually move. Now the Phillies are on the television, although I honestly would want to know how Jamie Moyer, my favorite MLB pitcher, is doing in his game for the Colorado Rockies. I am waiting for the last load to come out of the dryer , and then, time to shower and bed.
As we would say in Polish- “Wesolego Alleluja”…..Happy Easter!
With this being a really, really rough week for me, I had to dig deep for this week’s five things I am thankful for.
1. In thinking back to Mom’s last four years, I am thankful I still have my mind, although I know there are friends of mine who would argue that fact…lol. Watching someone you love and care about slip into dementia is a horrible thing. I thank God for every day that I can sit at this computer and put thoughts together in my head and they make it out to the screen in front of me.
2.I am thankful for (almost) all the men in my life, past and present. Shingleman leads the way, but my brother Bob, nephews Matt and Greg,” Mr.Mel”, my honorary father-in-law,JP, who became a friend from the moment I met him professionally but look forward to holding our friendship as we get a little older, Jamie Moyer, who although he is in Colorado, I had the pleasure of talking to him once on a corner in Center City and he really, really put class in the definition of athlete, and the guys I have loved and lost, or they have loved and lost me….either way, I am wiser and stronger person for having the experience of knowing them, …I could go on and on…you get my drift, right?
3. I am thankful that I have a clean, made bed upstairs waiting for me to go to sleep in. Some folks don’t.
4. I am thankful for you all who read this blog: it is so uplifting to know someone is actually reading this and so far, almost all of you seem to think this is pretty good sometimes and I am not totally losing my mind yet….just kidding.
5.Butter krak and butter creme, hell, even coconut creme Easter eggs…after all, doesn’t chocolate solve all the worlds problems? 😉
Have a wonderful weekend!
Marian
It’s Valentine’s day!
Zush and Kasia had a good morning walk with their Mom. Kasia is out front standing guard and Zush is hanging with Mom until she leaves for work. I am savoring a good cup of coffee, and getting ready to leave.
If you are your own valentine, or have someone as a valentine- no matter what, savor the day! I even got my valentine some chocolate.( not that Jim will eat it around me)….
Enjoy the day!
…and if you happen to have a birthday today, like my friend Duch, more so the better.
Oh yeah, dinners under 500 calories…great article for me, right? After all, I subscribe to their magazine….you know, the one that is screaming “The Chocolate Issue”!!!!
Now, I know I am a big girl and everything and you are not a light recipe magazine ( I mean, come on now, the new darling of the diabetics, Paula Deen and her Mile High Pie on the cover), but can’t there be a happy medium somewhere?
Just sayin’….
..at least when it comes to working with chocolate.
For the Undisclosed location neighbors, last year I made chocolate bark in different varieties, and it went over pretty well. From watching the Food network, I tried to learn about melting chocolate. I found out about chocolate seizing, and how to loosen it up. So this year, I decided to something different- chocolate covered pretzels. I made a few different varieties, such as white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate, and topped then with jammies, brickle pieces,mint chocolate and non pariels. A few have made it out to neighbors so far-three more neighbors to go and then they are out of the house. It’ll be a good thing, because we both thought they tasted pretty good!
Eleven and two tenths doesn’t equal twelve ounces.
My Jim realized, when ordering a Stella Artois beer Friday night, that the bottle was not 12 ounces. After buying a half case today, he brought the bottle out and had a bottle of Yuengling beer, which had a full 12 ounces.
Where has he been?
I remember a few years back when buying a can of Maxwell house: all of a sudden, the can was a few ounces short. The same through the years on orange juice, ketchup bottles, among other grocery items. Sure, items were going to be on sale, but whoo-hoo , they were shorting me a few ounces. So now Jim has caught up to the fact that things just aren’t what they used to be.
I stopped at a candy store today to buy some candy for a buddy of mine and I also bought some fudge. Sure, now here is a situation that you got a full pound, but in addition, your order might be ” a little over”. So, of course, what you are paying is slightly higher. .. but at least it’s the full pound.
Now the key is just to keep a full pound off my belly…lol
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