Fish and Horseradish for a Fairy Godmother
I realized yesterday that I was in trouble when the used baby animal dot-to-dot book I had ordered from Amazon had not arrived. I was in the midst of preparing for a seder for 10. We were planning a quick day trip to Newport News on Thursday to celebrate my uncle’s 90th birthday over lunch, knowing that I had to be back to read to the kids at the homeless shelter that night. I was counting on that book for the activity.
Every local bookstore I called either had no dot-to-dot books or the wrong ones. That is, until I came to Fairy Godmother Children’s Books and Toys, a place on Capitol Hill which I had never before noticed. I called at 5:45 just as the proprietor was closing so she could go home and cook. She took the time to make sure she indeed had two very appropriate dot-to-dot books in stock. After we determined we were both making a seder tonight and she was the lone lover of gefillte fish in her family, I offered to bring her in a couple of pieces with some homemade horseradish when I came to claim my books today.
This morning I made the horseradish before zipping into the city to get the books. I’m always so amazed that something as ugly as this root of horseradish can become the delicious red stuff I love at Passover.
It’s an easy recipe. You just have to remember not to put your face directly over the food processor when you take the top off because the fumes will almost take your breath away.
The store is delightful. I found not only the dot-to-dot books, but some adorable finger puppets, thinking the children could create a little play about how the animals greet spring after they do a page or two of dot-to-dots. (As a child I adored doing these. They are valuable as a counting skill as well as creating something artistic.)
The big surprise was the huge box of beautiful free books she sent home with me. It seems they get books to review before they are published. They are not allowed to sell them, but they are perfectly good books. She had been looking for a home for these books and the shelter will be just the place. I was happy to walk away with everything I came for and more.
And she was thrilled to get some homemade fish and horseradish. It seemed the least I could do for a Fairy Godmother!
posted by Barbara at 2:06 PM
5 Comments:
What a great experience! I have enjoyed that store the few times I've visited, ostensibly to buy stuff for nieces and nephews but really because I like a good toy store. I like it even more now, as a result of your story!
Kristin -- Guess what came in the mail at 3:00 today? Oh well, we'll have a lot of dot-to-dot pages to choose from tomorrow night!
What a great story! I love finding little book stores. There are not so many around these days. They have been pushed aside in the wake of the Borders and Barnes & Nobles. There is "Books of Wonder" in NYC that I still have not visited but it is very popular. They get a lot of children's authors there as well.
Several years ago I spent passover with some friends of mine and attended their seder. I tried the gefillte fish. I am no fan. But I LOVED the seder. The tradition, the honor, the language, the family involvement.
I'm jealous of the gift of books but can think of no better place for them than the shelter. She is a fairy godmother indeed.
So things worked out for everyone involved! I love stories like that. :)
I love horseradish too. I rarely eat it but it's always a pleasant treat.
I'd love to visit that shop! and taste some of your horseradish, too. We're down to 3 little bookshops in our town, and only one sells new books.
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