Sunday, January 22, 2006

Odd moments of humor. Or moments of odd humor.

Partway through this past week, I started copying the basic principles into my morning pages each morning - because it didn't seem as if I paid attention while doing my daily reading of the dratted things otherwise!

I quickly came to have a pattern. I would finish the last principle: "...we move toward our divinity." And the very next line in my MPs would read, "Mmmm, Divinity!" I was alternately deeply amused and somewhat mortified that, once the joke had popped into my head, it stuck. For days. (Although sticking is fairly appropriate for that candy, I suppose.)

Growing up, my mother made fudge and divinity each Christmas. I liked the fudge more, but I liked the divinity also. The divinity, however, was somewhat her despair. It was always just for the family, never right. Never light and fluffy enough. But I liked it and I reassured her it was great. Then once, she either made it right or (I think) actually bought some divinity.

I hated it. It wasn't "right" - it wasn't divinity - it was all fluffy and had no substance! Go figure...I don't remember mom's reaction. Perhaps it was validating, to have me react that way. Perhaps it was aggravating or amusing. Given how random and fussy I was about food then (I still am, but in different ways), perhaps it was just life.

But I sincerely hope I can one day again read the basic principles without adding "Mmm, divinity" at the end. Particularly considering I haven't had divinity of any sort in years and don't even really want to. (The fudge, now.... I'll need to "settle" for the brownies instead, though. I'll manage somehow, I'm sure....)

6 comments:

GreenishLady said...

Laura, I'm afraid you're going to have to translate for us transatlantic types: What is divinity? What goes into it? I am intrigued. I've never heard anyone refer to it. Divinity? Hmmm.

Laura said...

I can't really translate. It's a slightly puffy-shaped white candy that's supposed to be rather less chewy than my mother's was. I think it has nuts but I'm not sure. I haven't had it since I was in my teens, and I never did know how to make it, I don't think.

I did a search on "divinity recipe" on Google and turned up quite a few hits, but I've no idea if any of them are anything like what I was used to. Or even what I was told was "right".

Kara said...

My mom made divinity too. Now I'm going to laugh when I read the basic principles. I pulled out the recipe my mom always made - I remember it being really sweet. It had sugar, corn syrup melted then 3 egg white added to it - then nuts and vanilla. I don't remember if my mom's was fluffy - but it didn't last long. Makes my teeth hurt thinking about it now - but thanks for this post. I'll be laughing as I move toward divinity!

Leah said...

it's not just you greenishlady, i've never heard of divinity either. i kept reading the first paragraph of your post thinking, "i don't get it. what's the joke?" lol...then i read the rest and figured out it was food. lol...and no need to stifle your jokester self...once i understood, that gave me a giggle too! :-)

Otter said...

I think adding "mmm divinity" is perfect. It sounds like something I would do. Keep going with it. You've got humor and humor is something we all need more of in our daily lives. Lisa

Dana S. Whitney said...

Glad to have followed the links back from greenish lady and other IF/AW bloggers.... Mmmm Divinity has that spiritual spin to it as well... enjoyed your post and description... My grandmother made it... I remember her boiling the sugar and Karo syrup and drizzling it into a cracked tea cup she kept just for that purpose. She new "soft ball" stage by intuition and never used a candy thermometer... and it was always just right... to me at least.