Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Thursday, July 23, 2015

Water for Chocolate

How do you get your motor running?
I had slept in. Again.
It was summer. I was seven. It was acceptable.
Everyone else was working outside.
Well, except for mom who was busy with my little brother and baby sister.
Somewhere else.
I had the kitchen to myself.
My day had come. I could get my own breakfast!
I got down the bran flakes and poured a generous helping into my bowl. I grabbed the sugar, the Nestle Quick and a spoon and assembled them next to my cereal, together with the tallest glass I could find.
Then I went to the fridge for the all-important ingredient to tie the whole meal together. That white miracle heavily flecked with cream that, when poured over cereal or mixed with chocolate powder, produced gustatory bliss.
Fresh milk.
The door opened.
I know I must have let out a solid gasp. Because there, on the shelf that normally held the big, frosty-cold jug was . . . nothing.
Nothing?
How could that be?
Never had there been nothing!
Had Old Bossy passed on to greener pastures?
Had all of the cow milk-ers passed on with her?
I closed the door, then whipped it open again.
Still gone.
I tried a few more times, but with the same result.
My life was over!
I looked at the bowl and glass sitting together on the cupboard.
At the box of Nestle Quick beside them.
Then I looked at the tap.
The tap that was always full of fresh, healthy, sulphur water.
Hmm . . . could work.
I grabbed my glass and filled it nearly full of water. Then I carried it carefully back to my place and set it down.
So far so good.
Prying the lid off the chocolate powder, I scooped out a heaping spoonful and tipped it into the glass of water.
Then I mixed happily and put my spoon down.
My taste buds gleefully anticipating the first chocolatey contact, I took a sip.
I probably don’t need to tell you that my little experiment didn’t . . . work out. That the liquid refreshment I had hoped to create wasn’t refreshing.
Or even palatable.
Even after the addition of several more spoonfuls of chocolatey deliciousness.
Yes. My first attempt at culinary creativity didn’t get a passing grade.
Unfortunately, it didn’t stop me.
P.S. Sulphur water on cereal. Also horrifying. Even with extra sugar. Just FYI.

And a little bonus today:
A picture of Husby, camping in the rain. Any resemblance to any garden figurines you may know is entirely unintentional.
Maybe . . .

18 comments:

  1. That picture of Grant, explains why so many people left the campsites nearby.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was glad that I viewed this post in a beverage free zone.
    Love the damp garden gnome you share your life with.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Welcome back I loved the story and especially the LOL photo.
    Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The picture of your husband - wonderful! I remember mixing Nestle Quik with water once and had the same reaction I'm sure you did - yuck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep. Our first encounters with gustatory experimentation. Best forgotten. If only we could! :)

      Delete
  5. Darn! Now I have to sew little plastic ponchos for all the garden gnomes around here.
    I remember Nestle Quik with water, a truly yukky experience.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Only if you want the same high class gnomes we have around here! :)
      I'm amazed at how many people have tried NQ with water. I don't know just what that says about us . . .

      Delete
  6. Camping in the rain. Only a garden figure would do that! LOL Sulphur water? I can taste it, myself. Ugh!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I used to have a friend who's mom always made hot chocolate with Nestle's Quik and water ... I couldn't drink it - and always felt so sorry for her, that she didn't have a mom like mine who knew you should use milk!
    Your husband is a good sport - and the photo could win awards!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, your poor friend! *shudder*
      Hmm . . I should look into that - maybe it would pay for our soggy camping experience! :)

      Delete
  8. We both had garden gnomes in our posts. I think we're on the same wave length. That's good for me. Maybe not so much for you!

    ReplyDelete
  9. That picture is priceless!!!

    The sulphur-water-chocolate-drink, less so ...

    ReplyDelete
  10. It looks like your camping went about like ours. Rain everyday! I gave up after two days and went to a hotel for the remaining two days and that was heaven. The first day we checked in at noon was asleep by 1 after necessary showers. Slept until 6 woke up went out to dinner and was back asleep by 8 were we happily slept until morning in the wonderful air conditioning! We were wore out from the constant rain and camping with a 13 year old! I'm way behind in my reading so I'm getting caught up today! I've sure missed you!

    ReplyDelete

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