You know the saying, "It's the best invention since sliced bread!"? Even though I can't say that I think sliced bread is the GREATEST invention of all time (I actually like cutting my own slices from fresh loaves of bread best), I often take notice of what GREAT inventions we have out there.

Like the Twin Pop Popcycle. Genius!

Not only do you feel like you get TWO juicy treats in one, but you also have the option of saving one for later or sharing one with a friend! And the flavors?! You can't get much better than the banana or rootbeer ones...and the blue ones aren't all that bad either. It seems like they'd become old hat after all these years, but every year I look forward to them more and more.

Ah, twin pops. Best invention since...fresh baked bread that you can cut into yourself. :)

While gathering my week's supply of fruit and veggies in the produce section of the grocery store the other day, a bustling produce worker approached me and asked what I was looking for in an apple (almost as if he were asking what I looked for in a man).

I laughed, "Well, I guess I like crisp, sweet apples."

He proceeded to share his wealth of apple knowledge describing to me the characteristics of each Fuji, Gala, Cameo, Granny Smith, Red & Golden Delicious, Braeburn, and all others that were out on display.

"I've always been a fan of the Fuji," I said.

"Well, if you like the Fuji, come back in a month or two and we'll have one that's so big, and so sweet, you'll have to hold it with two hands and eat it with your husband in front of the TV with a block of cheese."

I laughed again, "Oh! Sounds so romantic!" I was serious...sharing a nice apple with my sweet hubby & cutting up nice little slices and enjoying the evening together sounds romantic to me! The produce manager gave me a look that suggested I was nuts for thinking an apple could ilicit any romance at all. Perhaps our ideas of romance differ as much as our idea of a good apple may differ...maybe he likes sour, mushy apples. Sigh. I'll have to go back in a month or two and try it out, I guess. Maybe report back to him...

In the mean time, I'll just continue to watch how every apple my babeh holds seems to be as big for him as I anticipate the early summer apples to be for me...

Yesterday I did the unthinkable. I went to Walmart.

I realize that some, if not many, of you don't have anything against Walmart and would think it rediculous that I am so opposed to stepping foot into the greeter-filled, lowest priced everything, get-everything-you-could-ever-need-in-one-stop warehouse of a supermarket. And I don't think any less of those of you who love the place. I love Target, so what would I have against Walmart?

Well, I was born with blood that supports small businesses that are local, personable, and classy. I was taught that sometimes spending a few extra pennies and making a few extra stops to keep people we know and love afloat is well worth the time and trouble. So, the thought of the Walmart Empire sucking people's businesses OUT of business (like FOX books did to The Little Shop Around The Corner in You've Got Mail) makes me not only sad, but almost physically sick.

I also have found that when I've made my way into Walmart, I most often feel dirty, cheap, and lazy. But, it was nearly naptime, I knew there was a mechanical horse that would entice my babeh to be happy, and I knew I could get everything I needed in one stop, so I chose Walmart. Yuck.

But what I found made me almost as sick as I had felt about going there. I found that produce was half the price of my local grocery store's produce and just as fresh. I found that the frame I had had my eye on at a local shop was a quarter of the price. I found all kinds of random non-edible grocery items that I needed to be next to half the price of what I normally pay, and my heavens, I even found a new ceramic pot for my soon-to-be-growing-tomato-plants without having to run to the local nursery. Sigh. I almost feel guily for spending so much time and money elsewhere...I'm afraid I might want to go back.

But my blood says I shouldn't. I refuse to become a regular Walmart Shopper...but I may stop in now and then when I want something for nothing again...

Hard boiled eggs are surely the most indicitive sign that Easter is drawing near. I happened to have 18 EXTRA eggs just chillin' (pun intended) in my fridge this week, so we decided that instead of overwhelming ourselves with eggs for every meal, we'd boil them all hard and treat ourselves to eggs when we felt the need for a snack.

The best part of the whole harded (is that a word) egg is the process of smashing it against the counter and rolling the crispness out of the shell until peeling it off the whites is easy. Its almost a liberating motion in and of itself. And then sprinkling salt, pepper, and maybe paprika over each half of the split snack just tops off one of the best non-sweet sweetnesses of spring. I can't wait to dye another batch of 18 eggs with my babeh and hubub in a week or two.

I love hard boiled eggs. Heavens, I love spring. So so much.