Friday, February 13, 2009

You can't go home again

On my weekly Thursday Thirteen, this was a comment I made on one of my "letter F" words:

"Fig newtons: One of my favorite cookies as a child. In fact, I wish I had some right now. I wonder why I never buy them? Excuse me while I add that item to my grocery list.

And I did. Today we went to the grocery store, and I found out that whoever commented that they are expensive knew what she was talking about: over $3 for a few cookies. I could have gotten the store-brand ones for a decent price, but I wanted the kind I had as a child, just this once. It's only a one-time thing anyway. While I was at it, big spender that I am, I bought a package of Strawberry Newtons too, although they didn't make those when I was a kid.

A six-dollar-plus walk down memory lane. Almost seven bucks, in fact.

Cliff and I came home and I heated up yesterday's home-made soup for our lunch, all the while anticipating those Newtons I'd have for dessert.

When I bit into one, it just didn't taste the same as when I was a child.

I've had this happen many times, and not just with food. It's as though my sense of taste (or sight or hearing) has faded, and what was once a delight to me is now just so-so.

Just one more thing about getting old that I don't care for.

I came upon a strange thing in the soda aisle at the store:

Someone walked right out of her shoes!

Just before we crossed the river on the way home, we saw a huge flock of snow geese that had landed in a last-years corn field to eat. I hope by clicking on the picture you can see them; anyhow, all that expanse of white you see is geese!

13 comments:

  1. I don't think we enjoy eating anything as much as when we were children. You know I didn't get many sweets as a child and I suppose that is why I crave them now. Can't have them though as I am a diabetic.
    That is a big bunch of snow geese. I hope it doesn't mean you are going to get a big snow LOL. Helen

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  2. Oreos still taste the same.

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  3. I still love those fig newtons and have them regularly. I find most cookies taste better with a big glass of milk, but usually I have them with my coffee at work.

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  4. I always loved raisin biscuits. You can`t get them now in the regular stores. The Vermont Country store carries them if you want to pay $6 plus shipping.

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  5. Ah I love fig newtons but I rarely buy them myself. The memory from childhood that didn't match in taste or thrill- was dunking a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in grape juice.

    Ugg. But I was sharing with my kids things I did. They too thought it was gross, but the peanut butter and mayo they LOVE.
    Jennifer

    ps. I love the flow you have with words:)

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  6. I like figs (turkish, not californian) but fig newtons are just ok, can't remember last time i had them.

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  7. Hi Mo I also remember the fig newtons. My mom bought them when my sissy and I were little. They just do not taste the same to either of us. Of course then there are so many things that just don't taste the same.Every thig just seemed to taste so different didn't realize that hought until we were much much older. Some things can't even be gotten. Like our very favorite cinnamon ice cream after swim lessons to the Y.
    Donna

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  8. Anonymous8:08 PM

    your taste buds change every 7 years and things I used to like just don't taste the same to me now.

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  9. It happened to me too. I tasted something I loved when I was a child, but it disappointed me.

    Here's the thing... there are many factors that may have changed the original taste, I figured:

    One, the maker may have changed, or changed the taste of the product somewhat;

    Two, I may have embellished it in my mind ten-folds that it didn't taste like I had made it up to be at all... those were happier times;

    Three, as I grew, I've tasted so many things that are much better and have changed my preference subconsciously somewhat;

    Four, I have become old and my taste buds are not as intense anymore.

    I hate to think of number four, but hey, that's life.


    Onward to the geese... Awesome sight, like a scene from the National Geographic special.

    Have a great weekend!

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  10. YOu have an award!! Come and get it!

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  11. I love those cookies! Come to think of it I haven't had them since my son was small. He really liked them.
    LOL on the shoes! That's funny.

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  12. What in the world....well were the shoes your size?! Free shoes....LOL

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  13. Our tastes do change, but I suspect it's a shift in ingredients more than taste buds in this case. They don't make cookies with lard anymore. And now they are avoiding hydrogenated oils too (the lard substitute). Many of my childhood favorite baked goods now taste NOTHING like they used to. I find the taste of my favorite chocolates are changing too as corn syrup replaces sugar as the cheap sweetener alternative.

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