Two days ago my sister and my niece and nephew finished their holiday with us and left to return to Montreal. We had a great visit - so great that she decided to stay two weeks longer than planned. So we had more time to play. What did we do you ask - we went to the local chocolate factory outlet store. No, I didn't say heaven on earth, but I understand the confusion :)
You seem, here in my end of Canada, we are home to the Pot of Gold chocolate factory (it's actually named Moirs, owned by Hersey, but Pot of Gold is the important point). And they have an outlet store!! I had never been there myself in person, althought I have an aunt who shops there regularly (yah!). I knew once I started going, I would never stop. However, going with my sister would be an adventure, so off we went.
It's not very big and pretty sparsley decorated, but who is looking at the walls. The cashier looked pretty happy (who wouldn't be working there) and I asked how it was she didn't weigh 500 pounds working there. She said she had just started working there and to check in with her in a month to test the scales :)
There were rows and rows of boxes of chocolates: 5 lbs, 10 lbs, nuts only, mint only, whatever you want. The best was the row on the side that had bags of each type of candy that was in the box of Pot of Gold, so you could buy bags of your favorite pieces and not have to eat (out of obligation of course) the less than stellar pieces. They had 10 marshmellow snowman (yes they're getting ready for Christmas) for $1.50! So we had a ball and came out with bags of treats that would last at least until the end of the summer!
When we got home, we put them in the vegetable crisper (it was conveniently empty) to keep them cool in the fridge. They have a 13 month shelf life but it was so hot, we didn't want bagged balls of chocolate goo. This is the important part - the veggie crisper.
A couple days later it was time for her to go. Since I was going to be leaving the house first to take M to her swimming lesson I put a post-it on my sister's purse to NOT forget the chocolate. I figured this was a good idea, because we wouldn't be thinking veggie crisper while we were having our teary good-byes. Off I go.
We get home from swimming and I head straight for the fridge for something to drink. I am drawn to the crisper and lo and behold, there is the chocolate bag!! I can't believe it. M can't believe it and neither can my Mom, who happens to be there as well. Head straight for the phone to call her. She has only been on the road an hour maybe two, if she turns back and we head out, we can meet half way and deliver the treasure. Cell phone dead - oh yeah, we forgot to charge it before she left. So, I said what any other perfectly sane choclaholic would have said...ROAD TRIP. It would take my sister two days to drive to Montreal and her overnight stop was only 6 hours from my house! We couldn't mail or ship the chocolate to her, it would melt...right!!! So, I called my Dad to tell him that my Mom was coming with me (she was to afraid to call)...he said "you're kidding right - for chocolate?!" I said of course for chocolate! When I called my husband, he didn't say anything except "for chocolate?" M said if it was a laptop he'd totally understand!!!
Off we went and drove 6 hours to Woodstock. They were astonished. I had called my brother-in-law (he keeps his cell phone charged) to tell him we were coming and he said...you guessed it..."for chocolate?" Men!! M had a quick dip in the pool and we said our FINAL good-byes and off we went to our hotel. Unfortunately theirs was booked and we had to go elsewhere but that was OK. The next day M, Mom and I had a great day, in Fredericton, even did some Christmas shopping (the trip wasn't totally crazy) and enjoyed the ride home. It was so much fun.
M said " I can't believe we drove 6 hours for chocolate". I explained we didn't really do it for chocolate, we did it to eek out one last good-bye to family we may not see again for months and months.
Now we have a great memory and I have a great story to tell - I just have to be careful who I tell it to, otherwise, all I get is..."for chocolate?"
Sandy
PS My nephew put my sister's purse in the truck and that's why she didn't see it :)
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4 comments:
A chocolate factory..sounds like fun. I like chocolate way to much too..and can you believe, my oldest doesnt not like chocolate! Anyway, its nice to meet you, i found you at My Quiet Corner. Welcome to the "nieghborhood" feel free to stop by and say hi anytime.
I'm not kidding, opened your post, stopped to run downstairs and scrounge Sarah's cupboards for - you guessed it - chocolate. Only thing I could find was the semi-sweet baking kind, and literally had just popped a piece in my mouth, at 10:30 at night, then began to read THIS post......too perfect. Funny, funny post. Men would have done the same to transfer golf clubs, or a fishing pole or something. Women - chocolate is perfectly understandable.
That's a sweet story.
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