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Raspberry Fool
Zola Gorgon
Guardian Angels...
Okay, I get it now. I am fully convinced there really is such a thing as guardian angels. I've just had too many things happen to me that seemed way beyond coincidence to think otherwise. I'll give you a couple of personal examples.
My mother died years ago. She died in the fall. That following winter I was scheduled for some major surgery. I was scared. I had never been under full anesthesia and I realized that even more important to my surgery success than my surgeon, was the behavior of the anesthesiologist, and I had never met the man.
As I drove into the hospital for my final check up the day before surgery I was about to park the car when a special song came on the radio. It was a song that I listened to often after my mother died. It was a song that so reminded me of her that I cried every time I heard it. I thought I was pretty well over my mother's passing and there came that song again, on my car radio, just as I was to enter the hospital. I looked out the front window of my car and looked up at the sky as I came to the realization that my mother was trying to tell me she'd be watching out for me during surgery. I cried my eyes out. I dried them off, and I went into the hospital knowing everything would be okay.
Right before surgery the next day, the mystery anesthesiologist walked in to introduce himself. I had already been given drugs to make me relax so I was a bit on the tipsy side but I was still coherent. He introduced himself by saying "Hi I'm Dr. Smith (I'm keeping his anonymity here). I immediately burst out laughing -- hysterically. I could hardly get out my next words. I said "Do you realize your last name is the same as my husband's?" Then he started to laugh. Can you imagine how comfortable I felt? I knew, just knew, that my mother had something to do with which anesthesiologist I'd be assigned that morning.
My most recent incident that once again instilled in my psyche the existence of guardian angels came early this week, but I have to give you a bit of a back story to introduce it.
Many of you know I'm a full-time CEO. I lead a sales training company called Apex Performance Systems. We do business in 36 countries and have been training folks all over the world for over 24 years. Not that long ago we moved our corporate headquarters from Madison, Wisconsin to Chicago. That's why I have a home in both cities and why I spend lots of time at my home in Chicago now.
I am involved in a couple of CEO groups. One is called the Women Presidents Organization (WPO) and another one is called the MAC Group. My WPO group meets in Chicago and the MAC group meets in Madison. I travel to Madison for as many of these meetings as possible. Because of my back surgery, when I could not go up to Madison, I attended the meetings by phone.
During these meetings we talk about the challenges we are facing in our businesses and we do whatever we can to give advice or to help each other through these challenges. Many of you have heard of my buddy Roger who was battling cancer. Roger was involved in the MAC group and many times we'd discuss how he was doing with his treatment. (We didn't just limit ourselves to business issues if there was something huge that was pressing on us personally.) Roger was the guy in the group that would tackle a problem differently than anyone else in the group. He just had a different slant on life and on business. His questions were true to point, even pointed and invasive, and his advice was succinct and came from his heart. He was invaluable to the group. He was also a big music fan, played various instruments and loved to listen to Blues and Jazz. A well-rounded guy.
Roger lost his battle with cancer, unexpectedly, right before Thanksgiving.
Every day that passes I realize more and more how much I miss Roger. I miss more than his advice and counsel. I miss his jolly look at life; ever the positive force. Roger had a special talent for making people laugh and he had a sparkle in his eye that could make you melt.
Roger is my example of my latest guardian angel and I bet you'll agree with me when you hear this...
Business has been challenging since moving to Chicago. We knew it was the right move to make but nonetheless, growing a business in a new territory is a challenge. These economic times are not easy for our business and we have to work very hard to get each deal done.
Looking at cashflow for December was making me crazy. I had cut everything I could think of but still thought I might have to have a chat with my banker. I didn't want to go there. I was more than a little nervous about how things were going to go during the Christmas season. That made me feel pretty yucky. (How's that for CEO talk! ? )
I had forwarded an invoice to one of our biggest clients in Canada. They are a huge organization and it takes up to 6 weeks for invoices to get paid. The company is called Rogers Broadcasting. Rogers is the equivalent of Time-Warner in the US. They own media outlets including TV and Radio, newspapers, magazines, cable. They even own the video rental stores and a huge cell phone company. When I say huge, I mean huge. They are also one of our favorite clients.
When I forwarded the invoice I didn't expect to get a check until Jan 1. That's when the bill is due. Then I went off to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family.
I got back Sunday night and we got the company mail. I had been gone a few days so it had really stacked up. My husband sorted through it while I was upstairs. He came up and said, "I bet you're going to be happy to hear what came in the mail. The Rogers check is here". I about dropped over! I was stunned to silence.
I had sent the invoice up by email on Tuesday. This was 5 days later and I had the check. A nice, welcome check.
I really just could not believe it. Mail from Canada usually takes up to 14 days to arrive in our mailbox. Even if Rogers' A/P department paid the invoice on the day they got it we shouldn't have seen it for two weeks. And since when does an A/P department pay invoices the day they get them?! Never happens! I was flummoxed.
Then, the next day I was driving back from the grocery store and the commodities trading reports came on the radio. I cannot listen to the commodities reports anymore without thinking of my buddy Roger. Roger was instrumental in the development of the milk futures trading industry. Roger was "Mr. Milk Futures".
As I crossed a speed hump it hit me. Rogers Broadcasting's check arrived way too early, yet just in time to ease my fears. My buddy Roger. That's it! Roger did it. And he put in his regular twisted bit of humor. I got a check from Rogers Broadcasting! Get it?! I giggled and squirmed the rest of the way back home.
Roger was acting as my guardian angel. Thanks...again...my dear buddy. Roger.
P.S. Many heartfelt thanks go out to all of you that were participating in prayer groups that were praying for Roger. Individuals too. He told me more than once how much he appreciated your generosity in offering prayers for a complete stranger. He was touched.
And onto the recipe.
My buddy Roger was that special, fun guy. The life of the party. In Medieval times the "Fool" was the guy brought out after dinner to entertain the audience. That's Roger. Ever the entertainer. So today I'm offering a simple recipe for fool. I hope Roger gets the joke. Somehow I bet he does, and I bet he's performing in Heaven's Rock and Roll band and dancing his heart out.
Raspberry Fool
This simple dessert can be made while you are preparing the rest of dinner. I even make it for guests when I want a simple, light dessert. You can serve it over pound cake, angel cake, in tart shells or my favorite is to layer it in pretty glasses and just leave it plain. Guests remark about how nice it is to have a light dessert after a fancy dinner.
You can use any fruit. My favorite just happens to be raspberry.
4 cups of fruit chopped and divided into two, 2 cup portions. During winter I use frozen fruit. Raspberries, strawberries, mango and pineapple are perfect choices. Just drain the fruit when you remove it from the out of the bag.
One half cup of white sugar
One and half Tbl of fresh lemon juice
One had a half tsp. of unflavored gelatin
1 cup of chilled whipping cream
Blend half of your fruit, sugar and lemon juice in a food processor or blender until almost smooth. Transfer to a medium sauce pan and sprinkle on your gelatin. Let stand 20 minute to soften.
Stir this fruit mixture over low heat until it is just hot and the gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat. Transfer to a large bowl and put this in your refrigerator to cool down. A larger bowl means it will cool faster. I just open the door periodically and stir it while I am making the rest of dinner. You are going to leave it in the refrigerator until it begins to thicken. This will take about 2 hours depending on how cool your refrigerator is.
When the mixture is cold and thickened, in a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the thickened fruit mixture. No need to add more sugar. This will be plenty sweet enough.
Now get out your pretty glasses. Any tall wine glass will work great. Clear ones will show off the colorful fool.
Take your set aside fruit and put a few berries in the bottom of the glass. Then add a half inch to one inch layer of fool. A layer of berries and then a layer of fool. You'll get the striped affect. If you want to be extra fancy you can hold the glass at an angle and the fool will be tilted in the glass. Top with a final layer of fool and even add a fresh berry on top if you wish. Chill the fool until ready for dinner. If it's going to be more than an hour you might want to cover each glass with a piece of cling wrap so it stay fresh tasting. Serve it to each guest with a dessert spoon.
Leftover fool is even good the next day on pancakes or French toast!
Cheers,
Enjoy!
Zola
Send email to Zola at dinnerwithzola@hotmail.com.
This news arrived on: 12/03/2007
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Posted Comments:
12-06-2007 06:30
Fred Pearson wrote:
Gaurdian Angels
What a wonderful story. Yes, Angels come to us from all walks of life and as the words of the Alabama song says,
They come to you and me in our darkest hour.
The show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with the light of Love.
May God Bless you
Fred
They come to you and me in our darkest hour.
The show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with the light of Love.
May God Bless you
Fred
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