Report to the principal’s office! For young Boomers, those words were the equivalent of “Uncle Sam really wants you!†Or “Is it contagious?†An invitation to the principal’s office in the 1950’s and 60’s was not for discussing world events or even for a chat about your future pursuit of higher education. It was not to find out your thoughts on the Homecoming Dance, … [Read more...]
Signs of Our Times
BBQ Ground Pork Patties
I really enjoy ground pork – not ground sausage, ground pork. I may even prefer it to pork chops because unlike chops, you really don’t have to worry about ground pork being dry or tough, and it’s not time sensitive with temperature. It is also absurdly inexpensive - under $5 a pound and zero waste. I bought some this week and decided to experiment a bit. I decided to make some BBQ Ground … [Read more...]
Getting Ready for the Grackles
My enemies are coming. They’ve wintered in Texas but will soon be on the way to Virginia where they will set up operations in my backyard. But they won’t catch me by surprise. These black pests drive me crazy. As I try to keep my bluebirds and other songbirds fed and happy in advance of the nesting season, the grackles arrive, usually in March and they stay until July, eating me out of … [Read more...]
The Evil Eye
Women have an almost extra-terrestrial ability to transmit neurological signals through space with a single piercing look. It’s called the Evil Eye, and both children and grown men live in fear of it. My wife, Nancy, has perfected the use of her Evil Eye, which can deliver up to 500 volts of “You better watch your ass†with a range of up to 300 yards in clear weather. She used it … [Read more...]
Comparison Shopping
Aldi’s had rack of lamb on sale at $9.99 a pound. I immediately penciled it in for dinner that night. But I knew Aldi’s wouldn’t have mint jelly, so I first went to Kroger’s, but Kroger’s didn’t have mint jelly. Damn! Now I’d have to go to Food Lion and hope they had mint jelly. Nancy had asked a for a bag of mandarins (I think they call them Halo’s). They were $4.48 a bag a … [Read more...]
Western Virginia Sport Show
We still have a few more weeks before things start to happen on the fishing scene. In the meantime, there are Sport Shows to whet out outdoor appetites. One of the best is the Western Virginia Sport Show in Fishersville on Feb. 23-25. It’s hard to believe, but this will be the 36th Annual Show. Wow, I remember going to the first one at the Augusta Expo. They always have lots of fun and … [Read more...]
Hand-Me-Down’s and Madras Shirts
Not many Boomers were able to avoid the scourge of hand-me-down’s, those clothes and shoes passed down from older brothers or sisters, or from one family to another. Most Boomer parents were children of the depression, and recycling was a way of life, not a fashion statement. Moms were even known to cut off buttons from old shirts and coats, so you know they were eager for gently used … [Read more...]
Mississippi Mud Cake
Recently I saw a recipe called Mississippi Mud Cake and I had to try it. Afterall, who wouldn’t like Mississippi Mud? But the “mud†is chocolate, and everybody likes chocolate, so I baked the cake. However, instead of baking a chocolate cake base from scratch, I used a mix – Betty Crocker’s Devils Food Cake. Betty knows how to make cakes, so I let her do the hard part. About 4 minutes … [Read more...]
A War Zone Lawn
My yard looks like a war zone with thousands of little mortar shell divots. The squirrels have taken advantage of my wet, soggy back yard and have dug holes in nearly every square foot, burying seeds and nuts and probably squirrel time capsules.The climbing tree rats have also dislodged the soil from each and every one of Nancy’s potted plants Squirrels are born to chew, and they are born to … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- …
- 456
- Next Page »