Sunday, June 8, 2008

Life is full of surprises

So, have you ever received a package unexpectedly? How about unexpectedly from another country?? How exciting would that be? VERY exciting, right? Well, I have an Internet friend in Oz (being that my name is Dorothy, that might not strike you as so very odd, but it’s the other Oz, as in Australia), she can be found here, and she sent me the sweetest care package after my mom died. How fun to to be expecting only bills in the mail, but instead to see an Airmail package, open it up and find this:

…and you can bet my kids will be wearing these during the Summer Olympics (especially if the US boycotts… not that I’m saying how I feel on that one way or another):

…and I imagine SIS lives right on a beach, and her life looks like this:

Anyway, on the enclosed card she instructed me on the finer points of eating Vegemite. (Shudder) Vegemite comes in a jar, like this:


and it's a smooth, brown, chocolaty looking spread, which smells just the opposite of "chocolaty goodness", like this:


You take a piece of toast, butter it, and then spread on a little bit of Vegemite. Like this:

Now, a seasoned veteran of Vegemite might add a little bit more… but I was frightened, and had been working up the courage for 2 weeks to accomplish this.

Then you take a bite, like this:

…and you know what? It is really not so bad. It’s a bit like eating beef bouillon paste on toast. Nothing offensive about it, and really not as scary as I was thinking. I don’t quite know what I thought Vegemite might taste like – but it was a pleasant surprise. Of course, it’s a by-product of the beer making process… anything in the beer family is usually A-OK with me.

Thank you so much, SIS!! Your package came at a wonderful time, I loved that you cared enough to send it, I’m so glad we Parkview Moms have discovered you all the way on the other side of the world, and I cannot wait to gather a few American goodies and send them your way! Anything you’re dying to try? How ‘bout some grits?
Oh, and by the way, girls? Next time we get together for coffee? I'm bringing the Vegemite!

11 comments:

Colleen O said...

Did anyone figure out how to send SIS a airmail butterbraid? I bet vegimite tastes great on a butterbraid!

Dodi said...

GAG!!!! I can't believe you went there!

Martha said...

YEAH DODI: and now we know that we never out grow the need for a random care package....

Vegemite,, eh...um...ok, but Colleen...you go first, ok?

Sitting In Silence said...

Ohhhhhhhh Dodi...you got it !

I am so pleased....you are so very welcome....

LMAO @ the photo's...what a beautiful post AND you even tried the V Jar !....

Yes...the postcard is all local and that is the beach we go to !

I must be the luckiest blogger in the world...to find a bunch of beautiful woman like you guy's....

Enjoy

xoxoxoxox

Sitting In Silence said...

Oh and I am sure Martha was saying how much she would love to try the V jar as well LMAO !

Dodi said...

I loved it! Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness!!! It meant so very much to me. I smile everytime I think about it.

And? Martha, Colleeno, TZ, and Aimee will all be in for a V treat! I would totally eat it again, I can see how if you grew up on it you'd love it.

ganelle said...

Hey!!! I'm not good enough for some vegemite?!?

Geez, move to Parker, and all of a sudden I might as well be in another country. Wait. Cancel that. I'm not even keeping up with SIS Down Under!!!

Vern said...

Nothing against Australians, but I dare say they should take notes from the Europeans who make their brown stuff for toast out of chocolate and hazelnuts. Nutella is like my favorite food group!

Vern said...

OH MY GOSH!!! I finally understand those lyrics to the Men At Work song now! "She just smiled and gave me a VEGEMITE sandwich!" Wow. I always thought she threw some kind of punch at him at that part of the song.

Dodi said...

Ganelle - parker IS like another country!! But, you are MORE than welcome to join the experimenters at the next hen party.

Vern? So glad we could clear that up for you!!! Decades of confusion gone in minutes - where else but the internet can that happen?

Vanessa said...

I'm not a fan of vegemite, ewww! Isn't it wonderful how blogging can turn strangers into friends?