APPLE CAPER

Mother sat at the table near the phone which was on the wall in the eating area on Oakland Park Road. She wrote the grocery list on the table top before calling it in to Riverside Grocery. They delivered. There weren't any big stores then, it was all Mom and Pop operations. In this case, Otis and Sunny Wold.

Delivery disappeared for several decades for the average person but in Fargo a couple of winter's ago, two big stores picked up on the idea.

Times have changed too, I check off on a computerized list I have made the the 'skeleton' of groceries, i.e. milk, cream, oranges, the items that are always on the list. To this list I add what I see we are low on inventory or speciality items we use seasonally.

And so it came to pass that I was ordering groceries in the winter because it was cold outside and came to realize that for less than $5 I could have them delivered. Let them pack and carry, right into the kitchen with the frozen items all together in one or two sacks ready to set in the freezer. And when I was buying gallons of water for the lake......let those handsome young men do the toting.

Now, the concept is simple. Log on, pick what you want, they shop and deliver. There is generally a picture by the product so you know if you are buying a quart of milk or a gallon.

I hadn't had much trouble with getting mixed up, except on paper plates. I kept ordering the little ones and finally learned my lesson to write 10" plates on the list.

That is, until the other day~~and the joke is on me. One of the things I like in the fall is fresh applesauce. I like to fill up the crock pot to the brim with apples, seasonings, and a shot of brandy and be spellbound by the aroma.

And, so, I ordered apples. I like a mix, so I just went down the line, one breed after another ordering 3 of each. What I did not realize until delivery that I had 3 of each kind AND THREE bags of one kind. I used a bag, (12) and one of each of the other kind, that filled the crock pot.

The rest lay in a basket on the dining room table. It makes a wonderful center piece as fall snugs in around us in Fargo. Tom even said so. Until I told him and then he tried not to chuckle but he did anyway.

Today's plan, from the first of the week, was to get the summer clothes packed and the winter clothes out along with washing sweaters I had bought at Kohl's last spring for 80% off. Well, guess not, looks like I will be doing the apple thing. And if you are lucky, I will post a picture of the basket empty instead of rotten apples rolling on the table.

Apple Annie, over and out.

Happy 40 Bud.