Tuesday, March 2, 2010

My God, Zel, what did you send?

In what now seems to be another time and place, Iowa played Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl and beat them. Daniel and I bet on the game's outcome, loser sends winner foodstuffs. I was making plans to ship a carefully wrapped cheesecake. It was just going to be a matter of which one of the dozens that I make would be suitably impressive after being UPS'd across the country.

Then Iowa won.

Daniel has often said that while he is an exceptional cook, dessert is, cough, not one of his strong points. Well, purchased goods qualify as foodstuffs. A bag of Oreos is a foodstuff. A box of tea is a foodstuff.

After a few weeks, I was informed to watch my mail for a box. I watched.
And I watched.
And I watched.

About 20 days went by and there was nothing. Oh dear, this is awkward. What if he forgot? What if he really didn't want to send anything? It's not going to affect a friendship, the passing on a silly bet. What if he did send something but it's lost in the ether? I'd want to know. But if he didn't send something, then he's going to be shamed into sending something and I'll look greedy. Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh dear. I finally opted to ask if something had been sent because I felt he'd want to know it had not arrived. So...very...awkward.

He'd taken the box to the mailing department at work not knowing that personal packages are put dead last on the "to be shipped" list. Then, he attempted to ship it via USPS but had the box returned because "it rattled" and they thought someone had broken something inside. Seizing the box by the sides, as it were, he trotted it over to UPS and shipped it. I was to be on the lookout for it today.

I forgot all about it until I pulled in the drive and saw a box on the front porch. It's a nice box, sturdy and strong with my name on the top, but I haven't ordered anything...oh...wait. Return address. Ah! My goodness. It has some weight to it and yes, it does rattle. But I had been told the rattle was natural. I brought the box inside.

First Mija...
then Pilchard
examined the box. As you can see. It's a rather large box, very sturdy. It's a good shipping box. It was securely taped shut and I had to get a knife to get it open.

Upon opening, I discovered bubble wrapped packages. This is very interesting.


I could tell exactly what was the rattle, but I wasn't sure what the other thing was. It took some gyrations as I can be a bit of a klutz, but I got the big package opened and...

Hot cocoa mix and peanut M&M's. I could not be more thrilled! And in extremely useful, reusable containers.

I'm sure the cocoa mix is a highly guarded secret that I will have to exchange cookies, muffins and maybe a red devil's food cake with homemade milk chocolate frosting to obtain a refill.



The really funny and delightful thing about this is, on Friday, Carole sent me a box. It contained one item. It too, rattled. I knew she'd purchased this but was not expecting it when it arrived.



So, I shall slowly work through Carole's bag, which I did, in fact, open Friday night. Daniel's container will sit happily on the shelf next to the cereal, out of excessive heat and I shall have my favorite chocolate for the next 2 months. Yes, yes, I intend to stretch this out from now through the end of April.

Curiosity being what it is, there was an investigation of both the containers and, of course, the box.

It has been thoroughly investigated and approved as cat-worthy by both felines.


Instructions were included for making the cocoa. I have not had any yet as I had to, of course, come right away and tell everyone. I also found the amaretto I knew I had in the basement so my cocoa will be served avec l'amande. It's going to be fun raiding tonight.

And, lest I forget, there were instructions for the M&M's:
When I logged on tonight to compose this post, I noticed I had mail.
Hey! It's opened. I'm incredibly thrilled. You are the best and I do believe Mija and Pilchard would agree. Toss a sissal mouse into the box and it's been entertaining the cats off and on now for at least an hour.

I do have one question, however. Is that your real address on the label to where I might ship baked goods to bribe those friends you often have over for Sunday dinner into allowing an extra hour of WOW goodness so we can down the Iron Council?

Beverage: Slightly flat Coke which is now gone and which is about to be replaced by HOT COCOA!

Deb

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