Orange Juice

Bad news for the orange Juice lovers out there. Below is a price index for citrus fruits from the US government. It's increased from 255 (NOV 2021) to 306.5 (MAR 2022) - a price increase of 74.5% on an annualized basis. This will be a painful substitution for many of us. My grandmother loved orange juice too.

Both my maternal grandparents loved orange juice. My grandmother Irene would drink hers with breakfast. My grandfather David would often drink his in the middle of the night. He came and went at all hours. When my grandmother wasn't keeping an eye on him, he wouldn't always use a glass.

My Grandfather David

Normally this wouldn't be a big deal. Unfortunately, my grandfather also loved using chewing tobacco. Irene was a very proper woman who taught me to never drink after other people. She HATED germs. The previous evening at about 3am, Grandfather and I were watching a John Wayne film. I didn't think much when he went to the refrigerator.

My lovely grandmother made us a nice breakfast the next morning. Eggs, toast, potatoes, everything needed to put in a hard day. After taking care of us she sat down to join us. As she poured herself a glass of orange juice a giant chunk of chew flopped into her glass causing orange juice to spill over the side. At that moment my grandmother figured out that for a long time Grandfather had been chewing and drinking from her orange juice. She didn't say a word to him for a while. She also never drank from an opened orange juice container ever again.

Take a pause after your next sip of orange juice and enjoy. My grandfather taught me great things. How to have a happy wife might not have been his strong suit. Have a great day and do something nice for your special person.

-Dale