The Best Apple

Ok, hold the phone.... I have found the BEST apple in the world. I was watching the Today show, or, actually, tolerating the Today show, which I watch while getting ready for work, and Katie Couric talked about how much she likes Honey Crisp Apples. She went on and on..... whatever...... apples to me, are a big old letdown. They turn brown if you put them down for a second, and then, just, stink. Well, today, while I was shopping for the 25 families our church adopts for Thanksgiving, I was hungry and saw this display of Honey Crisp Apples. They are monsters, big and fat and expensive. But, who cares? It's an apple. Harmless. Well, I bit into this thing, in the parking lot, and oh, man.... amazing apple. I devoured it. And, the great thing is, I didn't immediately wonder how many calories, fat grams, etc. It's an apple. It felt good. And, who cares how much they are? I must agree with Katie.

So, later, when I finally finally got a chance to shop for my family, I went and bought a bag of apples. They were $2.88 a pound. When I got to the checkout, making small talk, I said, 'have you tried THESE apples? They are awesome!' Well, the cashier looked at me like, 'whatever', and, then the sacker rolled her eyes and said, 'well.... it's a hybrid, so, what do you think? It's more than likely injected with something, and, my god, they are so expensive!' Gee, thanks for raining on my parade, you big creep.

Too friggin bad. I love these apples. They are awesome, and, as as widow with no life, I of course had to look them up on the computer. No, no INJECTIONS! So much better than a jonathan or red delicious. And, by god, for me to come across ANYTHING that I discover AS MY OWN, for someone to come up and poop on it... well, watch out.
This is a big deal: this is one of the first things I've come across that I have no guilt about liking and buying.

I re-discovered this weekend a collection of postcards my late sister Ann collected. I was so lucky to inherit them. Oh, they are so beautiful and it made me miss her so so much. But, that can be a good thing. I want to finally share this collection, and offered to bring them to work to show co-workers. I rarely talk about Ann. She died just short of a year before Gordon. I was in the midst of chemo. And, it was absolutely the hardest thing. But, I was in shock, just moving from one horrible event to the other, because I had to. I had to do, so many things. I remember vividly calling her for the last time and telling her over and over, "I love you so much, Ann, so so much". By then, she was already near death. I felt like we were all drowning. But, the postcards. I looked them all over; she had carefully cataloged them, mounted them on beautiful, acid-free paper, organizing them. I am so proud that she was my sister. She was such a wonderful woman! Oh, so talented. Oh, so sweet. I know that Ann would have already discovered the Honey Crisp, and, Ann, too would have done research on it's hybrid. I love so much that those that I have lost each have given me, small gifts. My love of reading these days? Thank you, so much, Gordon. My love of apples? I suspect, Ann. Thank you, Ann. My passion to keep the tutoring center going, and feeding 129 people for Thanksgiving? Thanks, mom. I know that all of them, give me the best of themselves. These are the things I am thankful for.