SWIZZLIN'

 My wife laughs at me because I insist on stirring the drinks I make at home with what's probably now an antique swizzle stick.

I got it many years ago from a then-popular restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Trader Vic's was one of a Polynesian-themed chain that was a big hit across the country and certainly in Arizona with it's tiki-statues and it's "authentic(?)" food and drinks of the South Seas.

I loved the place.

And I've had this swizzle stick ever since, even though the restaurant closed in 1990.

It's made of plastic and I'm amazed that it's lasted all these years.

But maybe it's the Menehune.

They are a mythological group of dwarf people in Hawaiian culture that supposedly pre-date the arrival of people from Polynesia.

Well, Trader Vic (Victor Bergeron) bought into the mythology and they were featured on his menus.

AND on his swizzle sticks!

I don't know about their mystical powers but they've sure kept my swizzle stick safe all these years

Now watch.

I'll probably break it tomorrow.

COOKERY

 Okay, not to brag, but today I'm cooking a meat loaf.

And a couple of baked potatoes.

I say, no brag, because when I looked up the recipe in my binder it said "Judy's Meat Loaf" and knowing her like I do I followed the recipe to the letter.

It's pretty simple anyway and there's a note that says I made it in 2017 and it was "easy and delish!"

So what more can I say.

Just wait a half hour or so and I'll have a picture.

Okay, been waiting long?

Here it is, in all it's glory.

There's nothing quite like a good meat loaf.

And this one (thanks Judy) is one of the best.

Accompanied by a baked potato smothered in butter and sour cream and chives, and Judy's sauteed asparagus, you just can't beat it.

Even if it's just "simple food".

THE THINKING MAN

 

CORONATION DAY

"There'll always be an England

And England shall be free

If England means as much to you

As England means to me."

--popular song written by Ross Carter and Hughie Charles in 1939

Not sure about the monarchy, though.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 HEY!

It's Cinco de Mayo!

And you know what that means.

Well, that's in the United States of America.

Meantime, in Mexico, here's how the day is marked.

You see, Americans have it all wrong.

While the 5th of May does commemorate the day the Mexican Army defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla, the French regrouped and later conquered Mexico.

So Mexicans in Mexico don't really celebrate Cinco de Mayo much.

Their big day of festivities comes on September 16th when they celebrate Mexican Independence Day.

Just so you know.

Meanwhile, speaking of celebrating . . .

Well, I'm afraid that's it for another week.

Now you have to get serious about having a sensational weekend full of roisterous revelry.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

HAPPY FOURTH OF MAY!

 The BRD sent me the following GIF this morning.

I never knew she had a sense of humor.

(Jut kidding, Gayle.)

SWEETIE PIE

 

NONAGENARIANS

 Recently I shared some news and humor from an old pal of mine, newspaper columnist and book author Sam Lowe, who had become (I say in amazement) 90 years old.

I haven't heard about his birthday party but I doubt it could have topped another one this past weekend.

Ol' Willy Nelson became 90 the other day and he celebrated with two nights of star-studded music at the Hollywood Bowl.

He planned the entire affair and invited all the performers, from young Billy Strings to his old pal, 86 year old Kris Kristofferson.

The second night's music was capped by the appearance of Keith Richards, who sang a couple of songs with Willy and paid tribute to the birthday boy.

But, believe it or not, I have ANOTHER nonagenarian friend, who I've known for over half a century.

Not quite half her life.

My dear friend, Diane Kalas, is turning 91 in less than three weeks.

This was how she looked back when she was a new t.v. star in Phoenix.

She's still going strong, too, with a daily schedule that would exhaust a much younger person.

If you happen to be in reach of a television set that picks up Channel 12 in Phoenix, Arizona, Diane's life is going to be featured in a report by Tram Mai on the 10 o'clock news tonight.

All I can say is that it's one helluva May Day!

Let's hear a round of applause for all of them.

COMPULSIVE

 Can one have too many cats?

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes!

It is FRIDAY once again.

Can you tell I'm excited?

I'm thinkin', Tucker Carlson was fired and Jerry Springer passed on.

What more could make me happy?

Oh, I know, I know, I'll chill.

So at the end of this rather thrilling week, what can I do?

I know.

I'll submit you to an all-text Friday Funnies.

No cartoons, just words.

So stop frowning, turn those expressions right side up and get ready to chortul, chuckle, guffaw and LAUGH!

Okay, now that your eyes are tired from all the reading, I'm gonna cheat and change the game.

Because.

Well, because.

Because I couldn't end the Funnies without these guys.

So that's it.

Your humor potpourri for the week is over.

Now you have to find your own good humor.

And good food.

And good drink.

And have yourselves a good weekend.

No!

A GREAT weekend!

Enjoy!

And always remember to keep laughing!!!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

MYSTERY WOMAN

 I was going through a huge collection of family photographs recently and found this tiny one.

It's only about two inches tall by an inch and a half wide and mounted on some stiff cardboard or pasteboard.

Do you know her?

I found it in a collection of photographs from my Berry family.

My paternal grandmother, Daisy Berry, married my grandfather, Berthold Wayne Taylor, B.W., as he was known most of his life.

They came from southern Minnesota.

The photo apparently was taken at a photo studio on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis.

It may be of someone in the Berry family or it may be a friend of one of the many brothers or sisters in that family.

I can not identify her but thought I'd throw it out to you Internet sleuths to see if anyone can solve the mystery of this rather smartly dressed young lady.

Unfortunately there is no reward for solving the puzzle, other than the eternal gratitude from your scribe.

And, of course, the international adulation that might arise from this blog!

BREAKFAST

 Taking a cue from my friend, Cross Town Lori (LL), I'm having a senior's breakfast this morning.

A slice of my birthday carrot cake with whipped cream!

Old age comes with benefits.

One of them is you can eat whatever you want whenever you want.

BIRTHDAY DINNER

 Several of you made comments on yesterday's post wondering if I had a celebratory meal to mark the beginning of my 84th year on this planet.

And I can tell you (Yorkshire Pudding) that it did not involve a quick run for a Big Mac.

As I told you (RedPat) it was exceptional.

And (LL) though it was tempting, I did NOT eat dessert first.

But let me not delay tempting your taste buds and making your mouths water a moment longer.

My birthday repast began with this salad of blanched snow peas, cucumbers and red mini-peppers.

As long time readers of this blog know, my wife Judy is not only an exceptional cook but an artist as well and I think she excels at her arranged salads.

The entree was one of our favorite meals - Chicken Picatta and Fettucini Alfredo topped with freshly grated Parmigianno Reggiano cheese from Italy, accompanied by toasted garlic bread.

Mmmmmm.  I just recreated the flavors in my mind and I'm hungry again!

And then - - dessert.

Judy's legendary Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

And SPRINKLES!

The master chef in my house created all of this herself.

I was only allowed to grate the cheese, mix pre-prandial drinks and pour the wine.

We could have gone out to some fine (and expensive) restaurant or even to Mickey D's for a couple of Big Macs but why spend the money when I have one of the world's great cooks right here at home.

It was a highly rewarding (and filling) celebration of my special day.

THE BLOODY 24TH

 Let's see what's in the news of my world today.

Oh my, the big news comes to us from Fox, of all places.

It seems their big star, Tucker Carlson, and his employer have parted company.

That's in the wake of a 787.5 million dollar settlement the company made with Dominion to make a lawsuit go away.

But listen: when the news of Tucker's "departure" broke, the company's stock price tanked and their market value was down 700 million dollars!

In other news, a friend of mine said that over at CNN they "buried the lede" with the news that one of their longtime stars, Don Lemon, had been fired.

But let's get on to news of some survivors.

Barbra Streisand is celebrating (?) her 81st birthday today.

And another famous lady, the actress Shirley MacLaine is marking her 89th whirl around the sun today.

These last two are probably having a better day than the first two but, you know, life is what you make it.

Oh, I almost forgot one - this time a birthday BOY.

Well not exactly a boy, as the hair color can tell you.

And the moustache and chin whiskers have been white for seeming forever.

Now if you guessed this is your scribe, you'd be correct.

I share my birthday with the two talented ladies above and today is my 83rd.

I've only found one celebrity who was born on the exact same day I was.

That would be the author of the alphabet mysteries, Sue Grafton.

Regrettably she won't be around to blow out the candles today.

She died in 2017 before she could write that final novel in her series which she had already titled: Z is for Zero.

She was 77 when she lost a battle with cancer.

As those two media stars who started this post might say:

Sic transit gloria.

EARTH DAY 2023

 

Let's save it from us, for the others.