I’m making bark right now, so feel that perhaps I’m finally able to get moving again with the business.  As the bark’s currently cooling on the counter, I thought what a great opportunity to write this week’s blog.

Some of today’s bark is for an order from a loyal fruitcake customer.  I’ll use the rest for the big cherry event on July 23 at the Wine Museum in downtown Kelowna.  Actually, I’ll have to make pounds of bark for that day as they’re expecting around 1,000 visitors.

I’ve been a veritable social butterfly for the past week.  On Tuesday I was invited to Kathy’s for a dinner party.  It was tons of fun because two of the guests couldn’t speak much English, so I was able to speak German to them.  They’re a lovely couple from Dresden, and it was interesting to hear about their lives in the former East Zone.

Then on Wednesday I went out for lunch with my pal of 51 years, Liz, and her mom Liza.  Isn’t that adorable?  Liz and Liza.  We went to Joey’s near Costco and I must say I’ve never had bad food there, so highly recommend it.

On Friday I met Marilyn for lunch at Yama’s, a Greek restaurant in downtown Kelowna.  I always have the same thing, which is their deep-fried calamari.  I don’t think anyone else in town can compete with theirs.  The rings are a nice size, and they’re always nice and dark, not pale and half-cooked as I’ve had in some nasty restaurants.

The capper occurred yesterday when I picked Jerry Jr. up at the airport and delivered him to Osoyoos.  He’s mom’s partner’s son, and lives in Manhattan.  Mom’s pal Jerralynn came over for dinner, too, so we all had a pleasant evening and mom allowed me into bed at 11:00 PM which was really great.

Jerry Jr., though a darling man, is a tad on the eccentric side, in my opinion.  How else to explain a person bathing at 5:23 AM 10 feet away from my bedroom door?  He was sleeping downstairs, and I was in the computer room, which means we were sharing the old original bathroom which only has a tub.

Just due to simple force of will I was able to go back to sleep, and felt great when I woke up at 8:15 AM.  By 8:30 four new people had arrived.  Jerry Sr.’s organ needed repair (not what you’re thinking) and mom’s cleaning person, Ginette, came to start working.  The house was a beehive of activity before I’d even had my first cup of Joe.

Now I’m back home and it’s just me and the chocolate.  Once I’ve made pounds of bark and packaged the one order,  I’m going to feel great.  Hopefully that’ll give me the impetus to begin with what is most crucial at this point, which is to start marketing. 

Margaret, the marketing maven, wants me to make videos of myself cooking various things for You Tube.  Jerry Jr.’s a video and camera genius, so he’s going to give me a lesson using my camera when I return to Osoyoos on Friday. Unfortunately, the new digital cameras’ lenses can’t be smeared with Vaseline so that the image is softened.  Pity.