Search

Sue Spitulnik

Writing, Sewing, Travel, and Thoughts

Open Search
Tag

NationalDayOf

Unmanly?

It’s National Skip the Straw Day. My husband rarely uses a straw. When we first met, I was working part-time at a local restaurant. One of the other servers said to him, “I never date a guy that uses a straw. It’s so unmanly, and childish.” He has never forgotten that statement. To this day, when he picks up a straw to open, he says, “Sorry, Chrissy.”

This designation has some interesting history.  The Coral Keepers, students at Whitehall Middle School in Whitehall, MI, along with their advisor, Susan Tate, founded National Skip the Straw Day in 2017 to encourage Americans to give up the straw habit and help spread awareness about the damage caused by disposable plastics.

If Marvin Stone (the inventor of the first paper straw in 1888) were alive today, he might be shocked to know of the five large areas of the ocean, called gyres, where plastic garbage collects. The sea’s currents create vortexes trapping plastics, and in the collection are plastic drinking straws.

Straws and other plastics cause harm to marine life in many ways.  Birds, fish and other sea life consume plastics accidentally or when they mistake it for food. Plastics don’t biodegrade.  They break down into smaller and finer, microscopic pieces. When plastics break down, they produce bisphenol A (BPA) which interferes with reproductive systems in marine life. It also produces styrene monomer which is a suspected carcinogen.

According to the National Park Service, Americans use 500 million drinking straws daily! So, on National Skip the Straw Day that’s potentially 500 million fewer straws that don’t end up in landfills or the ocean.

I am spending the day with a quilting friend. We will be visiting four quilt shops, and having lunch some place new.  I’ll be sure to skip using the straw in my drink.

 

0

Caramel and Nuts

It’s National Sticky Bun Day. I looked at the calendar last night to see what today’s subject was and woke up this morning thinking of a sticky bun. One of my favorites in any situation.

What makes a perfect sticky bun? The bun itself must be soft, easy to pull apart and be rolled with cinnamon between the layers. The topping should be a drippy, sugary, caramel goo, with so many nut pieces (I prefer pecans) you can barely see the bun. Now if you can have this, and have it warm, you have a bit of heaven. Too finalize the enjoyment, a good  cup of hot coffee as an accompaniment would be my choice. Oh, and if the topping is the right amount of drippy, a moist towelette to clean the hands when done eating, would be a good idea.

Any sticky bus is good, but some are better than others. I have had some that were a week old (I like to stretch and savor my package from the bakery) that were still wonderful. On the other hand, I have had some right from the bakery, that were hard, the goo was crystalized, and the nuts almost mushy. At least the flavor was there. I can’t imagine who picked the above picture, there aren’t any nuts!

If you follow my posts, you know I generally bake my goodies from scratch, but in the case of a good sticky bun, with a yeasty flavor, I don’t take the time. Some parts of me are lazy and want to be waited on. I’m already dressed, most often I write in my pj’s, I think I will leave you now and go to Leo’s bakery for the best sticky bun in my locale. Enjoy your day.

 

2

It’s National Love Your Pet Day. According to the calendar, this day is set aside to do something special for your pet, or pay it some extra attention. I think most people show their pet they love it on a daily basis, but we all know that one dog or cat that gets left out in the cold with little shelter and not enough attention.

Our cat is one of those cats that owns us, we don’t own him. If Useless wants attention, he will rub on my legs, get in the way, and meow until I give-in and go sit to hold him. When he is in my lap I can scratch his chin and face all I want, but I better not touch him if he is on the floor. Like I said, he owns me! When he wants to go out, he leads us from door to door to show him the weather is the same on either side of the house. He expects us to stand with the door open as long as he wants to sniff regardless of the temperature. I know this is all typical stuff for a cat. What isn’t typical about him is his name; Useless. He’s a good mouser and keeps me company near my computer or sewing machine so he really isn’t Useless. My husband happens to think all pets are useless, hence the name. Isn’t he pretty?

bob-holding-useless

One of my favorite pets over the years was my son’s ferret, named Casper, because he was almost white. On any given day, Casper could make me laugh with his antics. He loved to steal anything shiny and hide it/them in the couch cushions, usually my son’s truck keys. He could walk/hop down the hall with the front of his body facing you and the back of his body propelling him forward. He could open cupboard doors, to get into mischief, curl up in a boot (so you couldn’t find him), or slither into your sleeve to sleep for an hour. The chattering noise he made got quicker and higher pitched the more excited he got. He was always a lot of fun to be around.

When I was a kid, there was usually a canary in the kitchen. My father liked the yellow ones best. Dad would whistle while he did dishes and the bird would sing its heart out. I can picture it and hear them to this day.

Whatever your pet of choice is, today is set aside to show them some special love. If you don’t have a pet of your own, maybe you could make a donation to your local shelter to help care for those animals while they wait to become someone’s special pet.

0

Not Just for the Professionals

It’s National Care Givers Day. According to the National Day of calendar this day is set aside to acknowledge, thank, and give credit to professional care givers. Amen to that! Where would we be without our nurses, doctors, technicians, and even the cleaning and cafeteria crews at a hospital; or the staff in our doctor’s office? These people are there when we need them, hopefully it isn’t too often. Note: they get to go home at the end of their shift.

Let’s take this a step further. After a loved one has a knee replaced, with a hospital stay of only two nights, now who is the caregiver? If someone is going through chemo treatments, with rides needed, meals prepared, the house cleaned, and a gentle touch; now who is the caregiver? If someone is in an auto accident that shakes their security to the core, who is their caregiver? You got it, usually it is a family member or friend.

In my circle, I am known as the hospital sitter. I don’t mind sitting quietly, for hours if necessary, in a hospital room, or waiting room, knowing that I am making the patient just a bit calmer. I’ve done it for my husband, the neighbor, my boss, other family members, and a  fellow Harley rider after a terrible accident that left him in a wheelchair. I’m not looking for praise, it’s a way I can calmly give back. There is a down side. On the odd day I’m needing a boost myself, it’s a little too easy to ask, who is taking care of me? Thankfully that thought doesn’t happen often, or last long.

Currently in the U.S. it is socially acceptable and even suggested to tell a military veteran thank you for their service. It’s about time. May I suggest, if you know a caregiver, especially the stay-at-home type, add them to the list of people to say thank you to. By acknowledging the person that needs the care and the caregiver, you let them know you are concerned for both of them. It will mean a lot as the stay-at-home caregiver often doesn’t have an escape like a professional does.

 

0

Keep “Em Guessing

It’s National Do a Grouch a Favor Day. I love the picture they chose, it reminds me of a teacher or grandparent ready to scold a small child who is a might rambunctious, or maybe one that just brought a frog into the class room. I’m curious why they picked a man for the picture. I know quite a few grouchy women too, and, interesting that the person is older.

I tend to be a complainer myself. It’s something I am not proud of, and would love to be able to change easily, but I’m not doing well at my goal. I do however think there is a difference between being a complainer and being grouchy. I see a grouch as not remembering how to have fun and laugh at the world, a practical joke, or him/her-self.

You never know what is in a person’s background that has made them a grouch. I’d be willing to wager it has to do with personal loss,  disillusionment with, or expecting too  much of themselves. I’d also wager they will never tell you, they might not even realize it. This applies to the grouch I know best. There is pain inside the person doesn’t know what to do with, or how to heal from.

Let’s keep the grouches we know guessing by being nice to them. Say hello in a most pleasant voice. Ask them how they  are and wait for an answer. Maybe even take them a plate of cookies, or a single rose. I realize if you are nice, you might get stuck with them as your new best friend, but maybe that is just what they need. Do a grouch a favor, it could make their day.

 

 

0

It’s Singles Awareness Day and once again the National Day of Calendar has surprised me. I expected a discourse on loneliness, but the write-up pointed out there are quite a few benefits to being unattached. Singles can come and go as they please with no regard to a partner’s schedule, wants or needs.  Career opportunity?  A single doesn’t need to consult a spouse before accepting an offer or deciding to move.  It’s also easier for a single to keep up healthy habits. There isn’t anyone to sabotage their efforts to work out and eat right.  Singles also tend to be more self-reliant.

I like to have the positive pointed out. It makes me feel good inside and out. I have been on both sides of this coin and could tell you stories all day about my feelings at the different times, but I would probably lose your interest quickly, so, let’s think about a specific type of single.

I am now in the age group that my families, our friends, and the neighbors are finding themselves in the widow and widower category. Single by the passing of time. I think death, even though being a natural part of living, is the cruelest part of life. The other day, a close friend was over. She lost her husband to pancreatic cancer two and a half years ago. She made the comment, “I am lost.” She still has the same job, the same house, her daughter and family are close-by, but without her husband to share the path of life with, she feels lost. I knew him well and miss him too.

When I was working in retail, a large portion of our customers were in the retired group. We would hear of someone losing their spouse so I would give them a little more TLC when they came in. I often heard the remark, “I’m single now, our married friends don’t include me anymore because it’s hard to have an extra person when playing cards or at the dinner table.” How sad is that? I’m sorry that it is a reality.

If I might suggest, when you see someone you know is single, and doesn’t want to be, smile at them and speak. You don’t have to ask how they are, just acknowledge them with some attention. It could be the bright spot in their day. Sometimes all a single needs is someone to be aware.

 

2

Website Built with WordPress.com.

Up ↑