A big thank you to all who left solicitous comments about my confession of being too tired at the weekend. I am just fine and dandy after two days of very good rest – thanks to Michael for keeping the show going (including making and delivering a pot of soup to the church for Souper Sunday) and to the Dafter for amusing herself the entire weekend with a complex piece of artwork.
What’s my secret, besides bed-rest (and copious vitamins and minerals)? Well, not so long ago Michael and I took a quick trip to the Mains of Drum garden centre. And besides birdfeed and kindling, what did we find but a whole selection of American CANDY! (And Cap’n Crunch cereal, and various other not-good-for-you things from the States.) We brought home four of these:
Heath bars, imported from America
At £1.39 each (about $2) we felt they were worth every penny. And we exercised great restraint because they also sold Reece’s Pieces! Heath bars, in case you’ve never had one, are long sticks of “English toffee” covered with chocolate. Not great if you have wobbly fillings but otherwise extremely yummy.
Whenever I have the rare treat of a Heath bar, I’m reminded of my dear friend Polly Lada-Mocarski. She was an extraordinary woman who was born in the early years of the last century. When I knew her she was in her 80s but to walk behind her down the street you would think you were following a very fit, and very elegant, 40-year-old. She was a bookbinder, and had studied bookbinding in Leipzig. She saw Hitler speak there in the early 30s, and said he was quite mesmerising. In later life, she donated all her bookbinding equipment to Yale University to establish their bindery. She once said to me – at the time I was spending a lot of time with medieval manuscripts – “My dear, the older you get, the more you come to appreciate vellum!” (True.)
She was one of the most vivacious and sparkling people I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. And for some reason, she always used to call Heath bars “Health bars”. So there you have it! The secret to my recovery.
I hope you’re all having a swell start to the week. There’s still no snow in Aberdeen, and we are watching t.v. clips of people crawling down blizzardy roads as if we’d never seen snow in our lives before.
That’s it – I am off to the vending machine to get a little something to boost my tea-break and it is ALL YOUR FAULT!
Glad to hear you are feeling a bit perkier!
By: Roobeedoo on February 6, 2012
at 3:03 pm
Dearest Sis,
Heath Bars are my favs!! If you put a whole pile of bad stuff in front of me (well, maybe neck-in-neck with Almond M&M’s) they would will hands down.
Any time you get hungry for some American candy, let me know and I’ll send you as much as I can fit in one of those flat-rate boxes!!
Glad you’re feeling rested.
Love, S
By: sarahwayland on February 6, 2012
at 3:06 pm
Okay, I meant win…where there’s a will, there’s a way.
S
By: sarahwayland on February 6, 2012
at 3:07 pm
Now I must try a Heath bar (checks fillings). The snow missed us, too, even though we were well prepared for the worst. Keep warm, and take care.
By: Martin on February 6, 2012
at 3:26 pm
I adore Heath Bars! Absolutely love Heath Bars! And—by the way–have you ever eaten a Skor Bar (I think the spelling is not right)- sort of like a Heath bar, but slightly different.
Please everybody, don’t call candy “bad stuff” or do like my neighbor and say “I was bad yesterday>’ Eat a bit and enjoy the taste and don’t worry,. I have found, if I really want something, It’s better to just eat some than to keep eating a bit of this and a bit of that. You aren’t satisfied and keep eating a bit of this and a bit of that. In the long run you eat mor e than if you had just had what ever you wanted in the first place.
LindaC
By: Linda DeMars on February 7, 2012
at 3:41 am
This is so true!
By: tearoomdelights on February 8, 2012
at 8:14 am
It sounds like a delicious form of medicine, somthing everyone should have in the cupboard in case of emergency!
Your friend Polly sounds like a remarkable lady, with so many memories to share, it is important to keep talking to older members of family and friends there is so much useful history waiting to be shared, I wish I had asked my mother more about her early life, when they are gone all is lost! Keep talking!
Susan
By: brentwoodprop on February 7, 2012
at 11:46 am
Heath Bars and Butterfingers…two of my all-time favorites! Glad you’re feeling better.
By: Dianne on February 7, 2012
at 8:48 pm
I ditto the comment about Skor bars. Heath bars are fantastic; I only wish they came covered in dark chocolate as well as milk chocolate (not at the same time! just another version).
One of my favorite medicinal goodies: homemade salted caramel. Shall I send you some?
By: Ellen on February 8, 2012
at 1:17 am
Christine,
I have been enjoying your blog and have learned so much about Scotland due to you. I got a kick out of you finding the US candy! I hate to tell you but the larger candy bars here are only a little less than $2, so you didn’t pay
too much more. I think you should go back to that store ever so often and
get some as a special treat for yourself and your family.
I live in Georgia and our weather has been so warm that we are in
short sleeved shirts!
By: Denise Brown on February 8, 2012
at 2:18 am
Mmmm, now I am craving some candy and I have none! Candy does have the mysterious power of making everyone feel better, just what the doctor ordered!
How nice of your sweet husband to make soup and bring it to the supper and for your daughter to entertain herself, and with art, no less. Love that!
Glad you are feeling perkier! xx
By: Karen on February 8, 2012
at 7:34 am
Ellen – you can send me some! Or, how about a recipe?
I hope you are feeling good. And your daughter. My son is still feeling depressed.
LindaC
By: Linda DeMars on February 8, 2012
at 2:26 pm
Dear All,
Ooh I’m glad we were all on the same wavelength! Sorry to be an enabler.
Sarah – that is a very tempting offer, especially now that the other commenters have reminded me of the existence of Skor bars and Butterfingers. And I have a dim memory of Almond Roca, which is also toffee-y. But I’d probably better not start having you export candy bars to me! “Let’s just not go there.”
Linda – I agree we should just enjoy what we choose to eat. Then we can digest it properly! Thanks for asking after us; I’m fine, my daughter is still unwell but okay. I hope your son feels better very soon.
Susan – Yes, it is great to talk to older people, and we should treasure them and their memories far more than we do.
Dianne – now see, I’d forgotten all about Butterfingers…
Ellen – homemade salted caramel? That sounds like a flavor clash to me, but when we were in a restaurant in Portland last year we were served ice cream with salt on it. The waiter said the salt helps the sweetness come out. We weren’t convinced, but perhaps your salted caramel hits the right balance.
Denise, hello and welcome to my wee corner of Blogland! I’m glad to hear we aren’t paying over the odds. That will make me feel so much better the next time I go out there and stock up! Enjoy your warm weather.
Karen – yes, I am very blessed with my family. Creative, practical and loving, what more do you need?
By: christinelaennec on February 8, 2012
at 8:15 pm
Bakerella just made heath bar cookies on her blog…and she called them health bars as a joke! Perhaps there’s more to them than toffee and chocolate.
By: Lisa Q on February 8, 2012
at 11:25 pm