In memory of my successful socialization as a North American person
I’m feeling exceedingly smug and self-satisfied at the moment: through an ingenious act of cunning I managed to save myself ISK 10,000 [USD 126 / EUR 81] by a] buying a new pair of Asics running shoes on eBay, b] having them shipped to my stepdaughter in New York City, c] having the woman for whom my stepdaughter works as an au pair bring them to work on a predetermined day, d] having my father, who was there on holiday and staying near where she works pick them up, e] having him subsequently deliver them to me at home here in Iceland.
It’s all about networking, you see. Networking and planning. Oh, and visualizing success. Every day for two weeks I sat in a lotus position and pictured those shoes running towards me, running running across the land and over the sea, until they finally landed on my doorstep, rang the bell and handed me a symbolic check for USD 126. And my faith never wavered.
Anyway.
My father also came bearing a gift. A souvenir, if you will.
No doubt the more astute amongst you will recognize this as a peanut butter and jelly spreader, specially colour-coded to prevent error, and now that I have one, I seriously cannot imagine how I managed to survive all those years without. I must confess, though, that I was slightly taken aback by my father’s, um, thoughtfulness - that is, until he explained what was going through his mind as he chose this gift. You see, after I had moved to Canada as a child, I came back to stay with him every summer, and it seems that during those first few visits I was quite taken with the type of cuisine served in Canada, more specifically with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and insisted that peanut butter be added to the household grocery list. I don’t even know if peanut butter existed in Iceland in those days [it does now, but you hardly ever see it - it’s not a staple] and I can imagine my poor father threading the grocery stores looking for it, because that’s the kind of guy he is. Meanwhile, I had no recollection of any of this - clearly the impression made was more superficial than initially presumed.
But I treasure the gift, nonetheless.
HOW GORGEOUS WAS THE WEATHER TODAY?
Very. Primarily because it was calm and still - and as I keep saying, when there is no wind here in Iceland the weather is ALWAYS gorgeous. The sun made an appearance late in the afternoon and YT headed for a walk into town, metaphorically soaking up all the budding green everywhere. I planned to buy myself a dress [see how summery I am feeling?] but I could not find a single dress that cost less than ISK 28,000, and the only one I found that I might have wanted cost ISK 34,000 [USD 353 / EUR 228]. So much for that, then. I may be crazy, but I’m not insane. Current temps 8°C [46F] and the sun came up at 4.18 this morning here in the capital, set at 10.32.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
You are far too clever, Alda! Now I’m trying to figure out how you can have someone deliver Eric Clapton to me when you’re finished with him in Iceland. Now that I know it’s hard to find peanut butter there, I’m not sure that I’ll be visiting any time soon.
Aw! That was really sweet. And honestly, the PB&J spreader is sort of cute.
Your networking skills are utterly amazing. I stand (errr, sit?) in awe.
What a loving thing, a gift inspired from memories of your childhood. It’s not about the spreader, but it’s surely about the thoughtfulness of your father.
What a great thing that you can appreciate each other as adults. (My dad died when I was 14 and I think of him every day, there’s no time for a PBJ spreader in our relationship.)
Now… what kind of bread, what kind of peanut butter, and what jam/jelly? I vote for a fresh, stretchy wheat tortilla (we have Mexican bakeries in our town), almond butter and lingonberry preserves, rolled up into a “happy nodule.”
My son just discovered this treat, now he would like PBJ sandwiches to school every day. (doesn’t get them, though, but it’s a very useful carrot to use on him).
Bluegrass Mama, you can get peanut butter in every store and supermarket around here, never fear
Cat - re. Eric, see my reply to your comment on the last post. Re. the peanut butter, see Hildigunnur’s comment. I didn’t mean to imply you can’t get it here - it’s just not as common as in NA. Although, as Hildigunnur says, it’s getting there.
Jamie - yes I agree, it is kind of cute. In fact I think I’ll frame it and put it on the wall.
Teri - necessity is the mother of invention, as they say. If you saw the prices here in Niceland, you would understand.
Lynn - a whole wheat tortilla! Never would have thought of that for PB&J. In fact I had ww veg tortillas for dinner last night. But - almond butter, mmmm. Or, even better, cashew butter. Double mmmm.
Hildigunnur - do you use the natural stuff (from Solla?). I ask because I read recently about the awful things they put in ‘regular’ PB to make it soft … apparently it’s super bad for you.
Oh - I just finished a PB&J (Skippy crunchy PB, really good strawberry preserves J).
Hope you still wrote the tax man a check and mailed it in, to support the good state.
Joe - I’m constantly writing checks to the tax man. He has naught to complain about where I iz concerned.
Despite having lived in the US for many many years, the mysteries of the PB&J elude me, no matter how many I make for my kids.
As for the contents of mass-market peanut butter - many moons ago, when we were first dating, my missus had a mouse problem in her apartment. She had read that mice love peanut butter, so put it as bait on a trap - but no luck. Easy to understand, I said, because you’re using that hippy all-natural peanut butter with no extra sugar or fat - what mouse would touch it? She told me to put my money where my mouth was, so I bought a small jar of Jiff, we baited the trap, went for a half-hour stroll, and came back to a dead mouse. Thus: Jiff peanut butter, full of additives endorsed by household rodents.
Well done on the shoes! When you`re done with that, the girls school schedules could use some professional help. Lemme see… Three girls, three different schools, two different carpools, soccer, volleyball and other assorted after school activities and so forth…
I have never seen a peanut butter and jelly spreader–somehow I’ve managed to get along without one.
Way to go with the shoe networking!
oops, no, must buy the natural one next time. Hadn’t heard this :O
Colin - great story! Pretty sure the manufacturers aren’t too keen to use that in their marketing campaigns, tho’.
Steve - when I launch my super-duper organizer enterprise I’ll be sure to let you know.
Rozanne - you too? The mind boggles.
Hildigunnur - it’s a bit harder to spread, but at least you’ll have the peace of mind.
I ate peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches all the time when I was a kid, ca. 20 years ago. I think my mum used to buy the peanutbutter in Hagkaup.
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