I like friends

Who know you really well. My friend Barb gave me a really cool present for my birthday. When I was at my mother's for Thanksgiving, Mark and I were looking at the Williams Sonoma catalog and came across this giant apple with a reported girth of 17". It was dipped in caramel, then chocolate, then rolled in nuts. We were fascinated by it and wanted to try it really badly but of course it was too expensive and we couldn't justify ordering it for ourselves. We read the description of how they get the apples to grow so huge: they put paper bags around the individual apples as they hang on the trees (if you choose to believe this) until they're ripe. When we went to the WS store, Mark said "I want to see that apple!" but alas and alack, there was no apple in the store.

Well guess what Barb got me for my birthday? A giant apple dipped in caramel, covered in chocolate and rolled in nuts! And I never told her about the WS apple or anything. Aren't good friends a thing of wonder. When she gave me the bag she told me it had to be kept in the refrigerator until I opened it. I carried it in from the car with Tess' nose attached to the bag the entire way, so I knew it must be good. Book group is meeting at my house on Monday night so I have something cool to serve. As Barb says, I'd never be able to eat this whole apple by myself.

Barb also gave me a windowsill herb garden--flower pots and seeds, etc., ready to plant. I suspected that if I left the box on the dinner table Chance would have to take a closer look and sure enough, when I got home last night the box was on the floor with a corner nibbled open. Apparently Chances is not interested in tarragon (fortunately).