Monday, February 22, 2010

Sugar, Sugar


Sorry about not blogging for so long. I haven't really had much of a life outside of working and cleaning, etc. Sometimes I go somewhere fun and forget to take my camera. The other day Michael and I stopped in a candy store that he had read about. It's called "Sugar, Sugar" but it should have been called "The Baby Boomers Haven for Sweets". It's a little hole in the wall in Uptown run by a woman eauntrepreneur selling candy that you can't find at your local Walgreens. Stuff like Satellite Saucers, Lik-M-aid, those little wax bottles with an unknown colored sugar substance in them, Clark Bars and my favorite, licorice. I'm talking the hard stuff (again not the stuff you buy at Walgreens). She had 5 different kinds of licorice, most of it not twisted! It was a fun time just talking with her.I figured with the economy the way it is she was taking a big risk with her little store but she said for the most part people still love sweets even though times are tough. I think that is why Shirley Temple was such a hit during the depression. Helps you forget you are struggling.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Never judge a book by its cover


Haven't really thought about what to blog about for awhile. so much is going on here with M traveling so thought I would muse about a past event that stands out for me. When I was a kid I had always wanted to marry a cattle rancher so I could live in the great outdoors. I loved horses and went horseback riding every Sunday after church without fail. I couldn't imagine a better life. Anyway, my folks decided to visit some friends of theirs that lived in an upscale suburb of the Twin Cities. I didn't want to go since I thought it would be alot of sitting around listening to the adults talk. They had 3 children so I figured that would help even though I was extremely shy as a child. Anyway, I was in seventh-heaven. Their kids were friendly, their house was like a mansion, and most of all they owned 3 horses. I will never forget that beautiful fall afternoon getting to ride their horses and have so much fun with their family. I thought these kids are soooo lucky to have this wonderful life in a gorgeous house in a beautiful area of town PLUS horses. To my 11 year old mind they were rich. Little did I know that their father was an alcoholic and a number of years later lost everything that I was enjoying that one particular day. After growing up his children had him committed to an alcoholic residential facility and he eventually died from his drinking habit. Looking back on it after I became an adult I realized that my life wasn't so bad.