Sunday, February 17, 2008

I had always thought that once you grew up you could do anything you wanted - stay up all night or eat ice-cream straight out of the container.

Bill Bryson

A co-worker asked me to make a bracelet bag for her,
after seeing the one I did earlier this month. I knit it up
yesterday, knitting it on 4 dpns rather than than straight
with seaming (a la Aunt Purl's pattern) - just because I like
knitting in the round better than seaming. I felted it today,
and I'll be able to surprise her with it tomorrow.


'Anonymous' recently commented on my post about ice cream cones, bringing up memories of Carvel. I have a lot of memories from my childhood that center around the Carvel store in my home town, and I'm so glad to be reminded of them.

When I was very little (elementary school age), my father would sometimes take us on Sunday afternoons to Carvel for their parfaits. We weren't allowed ice cream cones because they were messy (we would have gotten all sticky as it dripped), but parfaits were better anyway (think fudge topping!). We'd either sit at the metal table inside, or stand on the sidewalk outside the store, taking our time until we were finished eating our ice cream. I don't have a lot of good memories of my father, so it's nice to have this one.

But the best Carvel memories are from high school. You see, I dated a boy who worked at Carvel. Actually, his brother and cousin, as well as another friend of mine worked there as well. So my friends and I would hang around, eating ice cream and having fun while we waited for them to get off work so we could all go out together. I spent so much time at that Carvel, that when I close my eyes I can still picture the metal table and chairs, and the railing that divided them from the lines of people waiting to be served. I can probably quote some of the conversations that we had at the table, except that I know my daughter sometimes reads this blog.

If you have memories of Carvel, please share them. And then we'll all go out and celebrate with a whale cake!

5 comments:

Ronnie said...

Hey Sandi! It's Ronnie! Yes, it has been a while, but I was reading your blog and saw your Carvel post and had to comment. Carvel--oh the memories! My best memory is always being locked in the freezer, doing homework. It sure was cold, but I could always count on a friend rescuing me. Now, many years later, I feel like I am still locked in that same freezer. It is very cold and dreary here. My friend, come and rescue me! Please send some Florida sunshine and warmth to NJ!!

Sandi said...

Hi Ronnie! I'll email you that sunshine.

I'd forgotten about being locked in the freezer. Of course, I didn't have to worry about doing my homework there...

Sandi said...

Ronnie - The email I sent you was bounced back to me. So I guess you won't be getting the Florida warmth after all.

~Sandi

Old friend said...

I'm Anonymous.

Carvel has played a big part in my life too. A couple of years ago my wife and I ran my families Carvel briefly before finally selling the store after 35 years. I remember the store at its original location near a movie theater. More then once I would take my girlfriend to the movies and then we walk over to the Carvel for ice cream.
Any of this sound familiar to you? :-)

Sandi said...

You know, you try to write a fairly anonymous blog and what happens but everyone and the old-boyfriend shows up. Sigh.

Now I'm going to have to suck in my stomach and put on lipstick every time I sit down to type.

Seriously, it's nice to hear from you. (Just don't read anything I write that might embarrass me after all these years!)