Lydia vs. USPS

I have often pointed out that i am a fan of the postal service. I really am.
My friend Lydia however, not so much.
They have a knack of screwing up her deliveries. Weird, but true.
Case in point- i received an email from her after having to cancel a Friday adventure due to feeling gackky that said: I hope you are feeling better and am checking that you received the manatee.
Umm... manatee?
I hadn't seen any manatee and as a marine science major who studied in FL, i would certainly know a manatee if i saw one.
She checked to make sure she had my address right, which she did, and then set about trying to find the missing manatee.
Meanwhile i was left wondering how she found a box large enough for a manatee - they are not tiny creatures, people.
According to USPS, the package had been delivered 3 weeks earlier.
Except that it wasn't.
Then, they found the package at the post office and claimed that they had left one of those peach colored You've Got A Package post cards.
Which they hadn't.
It is baffling to me because my letter carrier is really good.
  She would have just left the package in front of my apartment and if for some reason she couldn't -like it needs a signature- she always leaves the postcard.
All i can assume is that it was her day off.
Or that Lydia really is cursed when it comes to the mail.
Anyhoo, i was going to pick it up, but was too busy all the week so Lydia picked it up herself before we met for lunch. Look at this:

Clearly marked that it was delivered.

How could it possibly be marked delivered and yet still be at the post office at.the same time?
How could no one notice that discrepancy?
Someone really fell down on the job this time.

Before opening it while we waited at Grilled Cheese & Co (yummmmmmmmm) i wanted a picture of Lydia with this frustrating box, which we continued to refer to as the manatee despite it clearly not being a manatee.
I told her to either look sad about it getting lost, mad at USPS or simply bewildered by the whole think.

She tried, but could not hold any expression before bursting into laughter.
It is one of the things i love about her: Lydia is pleasant and prone to chuckling.








And then i finally got to solve the riddle of the manatee.

It is a loose tea infuser!

A manaTEA!

I love it, love it, love it! 

She included some loose black Chai tea so that i could use my new toy right away and yes, it makes an excellent brew.

Thanks Lydia!

And next time you need something shipped, let me do it for you.
USPS likes me.

orange sherbert

Kate P.'s front yard

Never have i seen

this sunset hue of iris.

Soft, but bright. Lovely.

floral jelly

While i was in Ohio for my birthday/ Mother's Day i spent 2 days on the farm with Rea and helped make violet and dandelion jelly.
Here is the amazingly hot pink violet jelly.

Notice how is a completely different color from the violet infusion from which it was jellied.
The change happens when you add the lemon juice and cook it down.

It has a light, sweet floral taste that was able to stand up to peanut butter (the ultimate jelly test), but would probably be better on toast.
It was very fun for this City Mouse to do her first canning by helping with the jelly.

When i say i helped, let's understand that i was the photographer, put on lids and did a few other things.

For the full story and recipe, go here.

Hopefully there will be a post about the dandelion jelly which sounds gross and yet is one of the yummiest things i have ever eaten.

admonishment

Dashiell, April 2014

no choice but to finally wash the dirty dishes

A very, merry Mother's Day Birthday.

Every few years the High Holy Day of the Nikiverse -my birthday- falls on Mother's Day. I LOVE when it does because it seems appropriate that the celebration of my birth should coincide with the day honoring the woman who did all of the work on that day.
The last time it happened i spent the day with fTM Erin and her wonderful mother. This year i drove to Ohio to be with my mommy.
To make the day even sweeter, Mom and I had brunch with my sister. This was Kris' first Mother's Day without any of her sons as the youngest -Matt- moved to Florida less than 2 weeks ago, but she at least got to spend it with her mom.
There were heart-shaped sweet rolls and flowers and cards and presents and lots of laughter. The whole day was so relaxed, however, there weren't lots of pictures. In fact, there's only one, but it's a goody: