NationalDayOf

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

NATIONAL CREAM-FILLED CHOCOLATES DAY

Chocolate lovers rejoice as February 14th is National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day! On a day when heart-shaped boxes are filled with bite-sized chocolates with ooey, gooey centers, quite a few of these cream-filled goodies will be exchanged and shared on this Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!

Here’s a new one; the date on the above picture is incorrect, so sharing the information with you was interesting. Just goes to show, even a National Calendar web-site can have errors. Next time you find yourself making one, know you are in good company. If you don’t have a special someone in your life, call your Mom, or sister, or Dad, or brother; share the day with a person in your life that has loved you from the beginning.

And don’t forget the chocolates.

02/14/2017 2

So this is National Clean Out Your Computer Day. I thought, yeah, they will give me instructions as to “how” to do it. Not to be. The calendar says delete old files, put things in folders, delete duplicate information and old apps not being used. I understand that would be a good thing to do, but alas, I don’t know how to do it.

I recently attended a couple of sessions of a Word Press Meet-Up group. I had heard they could help me learn how to use Word Press to my advantage. Unfortunately I ran into the same thing. They talked about all the neat things one can do with Word Press, that’s the program I am using to write my blog, but they never got into the how of things. When they did get close, the speakers were using so many initial terms I had no idea what meant, I got frustrated. I did ask a guy I was sitting next to where I could learn the how and he told me You-Tube. I need to schedule a time to attempt that feat.

I like writing, but it isn’t super easy for me. When I hit a question or unknown of how to use the computer to get to where I want to go, instead of trying to find an answer, I give up and return to my sewing room where things are easy for me. I still make mistakes in my quilting, mostly because I have convinced myself I know exactly what I’m doing when sometimes I don’t, but I can easily and quickly come up with a finished product for someone to snuggle under.

Maybe what I need in my life is an extra teenager that will be patient with me and walk me through the steps of cleaning out old files. I’m sure my computer would appreciate being less burdened.

02/13/2017 0

It’s National Umbrella Day. When I first see the name of a day, sometimes immediate thoughts come to mind. Other times, I get a cup of coffee and think about things, then I read what the National Day of Calendar web-site tells me and I start seeing images to write about. It’s a process.

The calendar reminded me of wonderful movies in which an umbrella played a major part; “Singing in the Rain” and “Mary Poppins”. If you start picturing the use of a parasol for sunny days, I know the list would grow quickly. “Gone With the Wind” and “Downton Abbey” were the first two I thought of.

I lived in the Seattle-Tacoma area for fourteen years. And no, it doesn’t rain all the time. Often times, it’s just a light mist. We always used to say you could tell a local, because they wouldn’t carry or use an umbrella. I now live in Rochester, NY and we have more cloudy days than Seattle does. I’m not sure about the actual rainfall; if it compares or not. I have an umbrella in my car, but it rarely gets unfurled.

Let’s not leave out how film makers and photographers use umbrellas. I just learned they have a reflective under coating that diffuses the light in order to get a better picture. Interesting. I thought the curve of the umbrella did the job.

Whether you use an umbrella to ward off rain or shine, today is the day to thank the middle-eastern countries for inventing them over 4000 years ago and China for waterproofing them.

Now let’s bring it back home, what would we do without the umbrella on our patio table?

02/10/2017 0

Always Prepared

When I was young, I knew some of my class mates were in the Boy Scouts. I heard them talking of earning badges and working their way up through the ranks. There was one boy I had a big crush on that attained his Eagle rank just before he graduated from high school. I didn’t have any brothers, so really all I knew was what I listened to on the school bus. I did get to go to one of their Christmas parties with that boy I mentioned. I digress.

If you’ve never been directly involved in the Boy Scouts, I urge you to go to their web site and read the requirements for a young man to attain the Eagle rank. I looked it up when I was doing research for my novel. I was surprised at how detailed and extensive their training is.

The boy I mentioned was the oldest of six children, and hence was the after school babysitter for his siblings while their parents worked. He was also involved in the school band, on the track ream, and started meals and did laundry at home. In retrospect, I don’t know how he had time to meet the requirements to attain the Eagle rank. I do know his parents were very proud of him. He went on to a career in the Navy.

The badges the scouts earn give them a well rounded education in all sorts of daily experiences. Things that will help them with their every day lives. They also learn to help others, work as a team, and be respectful. The Boy Scouts motto is Always Be Prepared. It’s a good plan for anyone’s life. I wish more youngsters made time for the Boy Scouts.

02/08/2017 1

The National Day of Calendar tells me that Alfredo di Lelio created fettuccine alfredo for his wife when she had no appetite after having their first child. It says it was noodles, cheese and butter. Yum. There is a recipe you can click on, so I did. To my dismay it was made with store-bought jars of sauce. Not in my kitchen! I’ll make mine from scratch, thank you, so much less salt that way! And adding cream is a must. If one is going to eat alfredo sauce, it might as well be the best it can be. You can always add some chicken and vegetables to make yourself think of it as a more healthy meal.

About thirty years ago, my daughter and I went to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada for the day. Back in the days you didn’t need a passport to cross the border. I don’t remember what the reason for our trip was, but when we came back across the border, the guard asked us if we had bought anything during our stay. I’m way too honest a person; fearing he would tell me I couldn’t take it into the states, I answered, “We have leftover Fettuccine Alfredo in a to-go box.” He got this serious look on his face and asked from which restaurant. I told him, Mama Mia’s. He got a big grin and said something to the effect of, “At least you knew where to get the best. Have a good day.” We are still talking about his comment.

I just looked up on Trip Advisor to find out if Mama Mia’s is still open. It is, but the reviews weren’t all that favorable. Still, I would go back just for the good memory. My daughter is now 42 and she does have a passport. Maybe we should go for a ride and have Fettuccine Alfredo for lunch one more time.

02/07/2017 1

Frozen Yogurt or Ice Cream

When it’s hot out, do you prefer frozen yogurt or ice cream? Well, that depends! If I want something tangy, refreshing, and fruity, I go for frozen yogurt. If I want a fat fix and have my usual caramel craving, it’s ice cream all the way.

Somehow I never jumped on the frozen yogurt bandwagon, or the gelato for that matter. Maybe it’s my age. You know, I’ve always liked ice cream so why change now. I do know there is a common thread to eating it; it’s always better if you share it with someone.

We used to have a Harley before my husband’s back gave out. It was a regular weekend event in the summer to get together with some other Harley owners, have a big breakfast out, then go for a ride. It was the ride that was important, sometimes hours long. We would find back roads that ran through the countryside where the scenery kept our attention and there wasn’t a lot of traffic. Often times, ice cream or frozen yogurt was our lunch. One of our friends, J.C. could find an ice cream stand in the most out-of-the-way places. We let him lead the pack. We are still talking about the fun times we had.

Now days when my husband and I go for a drive in our Mini Cooper convertible, (one has to have some sort of toy) our lunch is still frozen yogurt or ice cream. If we have had a small breakfast, maybe it’s a sunday with toppings and whipped cream instead of just a cone. The fact remains, it’s better because we are sharing the experience.

02/06/2017 0