During Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee celebration, Prince Louis, the youngest son of Prince William and Kate, threw a pretty powerful tantrum, which included putting his hand over his mother’s mouth several times when she was asking him to behave, sticking out his tongue, sitting with his arms crossed over his chest acting like he was furious, then shaking his head back and forth in fury. He was simply being a bored kid forced to sit too long at an adult celebration, who would have appreciated a distraction like coloring books, crayons, or Pepperidge Farm Goldfish to keep him occupied. Kids just know exactly when to test their parents and make a scene, and normally it is in public when everyone is watching. I remember those days. Church was a good example. I used the old ‘ear lobe squeeze between two fingernails’ trick when there was a behavior problem from my two. Ear lobes are sensitive, it hurts like heck, but there is no evidence. I promise you that when my kids saw it coming there was immediate compliance. But to those wishing to be judgmental about Kate because you yourself had such perfect kids, there will always be times in raising children, even royal children, that you fully understand why some animals eat their young. Good luck young moms everywhere. It does get better when they go to college.
It is that time of year. Dance recitals. The recital we/my office was interested in, was for Lydia our office baby – turned kindergartener-almost first-grader, turned ballerina. Yes, it was Lydia’s first dance recital, and she did an outstanding job. Perfect form, a smile, and she worked so hard to get it right. I had Anne-Elisabeth’s car cleaned up, so we decided to take the clean car to the recital. It is a cute little white Honda HRV. I mention this because it will help you better understand the rest of this story. Anne-Elisabeth was driving so I asked her to drop me in front of HEB so I could pick up a couple of flower bouquets. One bouquet for Lydia and one for Connie, who has volunteered for Barbie Rhodes Dance as stage manager for 32 years. Somehow, I think Connie deserved more than a flower, but she got a flower instead. Anne-Elisabeth dropped me off at HEB and said that she would be parked in front when I came out. I definitely could get used to having a driver. I picked out two small bouquets, self-checked which does not always go very well, then hurried out looking for her car. There it was, parked on the right. I dashed to the car so she wouldn’t have to wait, then tried the car door and was surprised to find that it was locked. I glanced inside to see if AE was going to unlock the door. Wait, there on the console was a very expensive handbag that no one in my family owns, so very quickly I realized I was at the wrong car, a very different white SUV. I glanced around and saw a woman standing under an HEB tent buying freshly boiled crawfish who happened to be staring right at me. I quickly said, “I’m so sorry, I was trying to get into your car thinking it was my daughter’s car.” She laughed. Then I said, “It’s what I do to meet new people.” She liked that, so I walked away smiling and shaking my head. I do NOT recognize cars and I NEVER go anywhere in Anne-Elisabeth’s car. It was a white SUV and that was good enough for me. Let’s face it, all small white SUV’s look just alike. My daughter said she watched the whole thing go down. What she was actually thinking, was that it is getting harder and harder to take me out in public. Wait, there is more. We found a parking place right next to the entrance of the auditorium and had a wonderful time visiting with friends at the recital that we hadn’t seen in years. Then we left. AE had parallel parked behind a – yes, white SUV, of course, and I marched right up to the wrong car… for the second time that day. I will do better in the future. I’ll make her put one of those Jack-in-the Box heads on her antenna. That will teach her to make fun of me. When we left, we went straight to eat Chinese Lo Mein at General Wok in Freeport, a restaurant that she loves, then on to Gazpacho’s in Richwood for a Mexican summer fruit cup, such a very international food day. Then we drove around our little towns to see what is new… like Brazoswood High School, and the construction and removal of the walkway and awnings in Downtown LJ. Such a delightful day going down memory lane with my daughter. Oh, and trying to gain entrance into other people’s cars.
If you don’t read any further, read this: At my house, there is nothing that I enjoy more than a good night’s sleep after taking 3mg of melatonin. But I am an adult, and right now there are many kids that are overdosing at home on melatonin, ending up in the ER, some on ventilators, intensive care, and some have even died. Melatonin is regulated by the FDA as a dietary supplement, requires no prescription to take, and is widely available in pill, liquid, and gummy form, which looks and tastes like candy. But it should be safely stored away from children and teens. If you suspect your child has consumed melatonin, immediately call poison control, especially if you have no idea how much was ingested. Poison control 1-800-222-1222. They will guide you if your child is showing symptoms.
Four people have been charged with wire fraud after orchestrating a massive fraud in which they created fake car dealerships and gained access to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles system, creating counterfeit Texas temporary paper tags for vehicles. They printed more than 700,000 fake tags and sold them throughout the nation, advertising on social media sites. If convicted, each of the four faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. This scam relied on a loophole in the Texas DMV. The fake paper tags create many problems, including making it harder for police to trace vehicles used in crimes, lost registration fees for counties and the inability to catch toll violators.
A 25-year-old woman suffered puncture wounds and other injuries, after she was gored, then launched 10-feet into the air by a bison in Yellowstone National Park. At around 5 to 6.5 ft tall and upwards of 2,000 lbs., American bison are the largest land animals in North America. They can run at speeds up to 40 mph and their sharp horns can grow to two feet long. Bison are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans. Park officials require visitors to stay at least 75 ft away from bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes, and at least 300 ft away from bears and wolves. This woman approached within 10-ft of the bison. It is not all about that selfie. Remember the bison were here first.
Nathaniel “Nat” Hickey, Jr., died on Memorial Day at age 99. He was a well-loved and cherished local historian, an expert in the history of Surfside, Freeport, Velasco, and Brazoria County. I remember going on a tour of Freeport with him as our tour guide about ten or so years ago, wondering who was going to tell the stories when he was gone. He will be missed.
The people who give you their food, give you their heart. – Caesar Chavez
Authentic Brands Group, which bought controlling stake in Elvis Presley’s estate in 2013, just sent cease-and-desist letters to companies in Las Vegas that offer weddings from Elvis impersonators. They said, “We are working with the chapels to ensure that the usage of Elvis’ name, image and likeness are in keeping with his legacy.” “From tribute artists and impersonators to chapels and fan clubs, each and every one of these groups help to keep Elvis relevant for new generations of fans.” BUT it is reported that ABG is actually offering “partnerships” that include $20,000 annual licensing deals in order for the chapels to continue business as usual. Authentic Brands Group owns a variety of well-known retailers, among them JCPenney, Forever 21, Eddie Bauer, Brooks Brothers, Nine West, Aeropostale, Lucky Brand, Barneys New York, and Juicy Couture. As a result, Authentic Brands has become one of the biggest operators of brick-and-mortar stores during a period of increasing online sales. The company also holds licenses to more than 30 brands, such as Sports Illustrated and Marilyn Monroe. Authentic Brands derives most sales revenue from licensing fees. How sad they own Elvis and Marilyn.
The Romans were the first to write about sangria, or so they say. Sangria made an appearance at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, and has been around, here and there, ever since. On Memorial Day week-end, I made a tray of yummies, and a big pitcher of sangria to share with neighbors as we sat and visited on the back porch. The story that I have always heard about taking a bottle of bad wine and making sangria, is false. Everything I found said to use a quality red wine that you love, but it does not have to be expensive. You are simply setting your sangria up for success. Isn’t that cute? I copied it. The use of Spanish wine was recommended along with Malbec from Argentina or Chile, a pinot noir or cabernet blend. I used a red blend that has a 93-point rating that I find at Total Wine and Aldi’s. The price is pretty close at both places. One article even suggested Prosecco for bubbly sangria or a rose for a pink sangria. How about a white sangria with sauvignon Blanc? So many different options besides just plain red. The traditional alcohol to use is brandy, which I used because I happened to have a bottle in the garage refrigerator, but you can also use vodka or whiskey, and it was suggested that you need not be afraid to play with bitters and liqueurs, or even infused vodka. Now for the juice. Orange juice is typical. Some recipes even call for lemonade. Sweetener: You can use simple syrup, equal parts boiled water and sugar. Other suggestions were molasses, maple syrup, or honey. Start with your favorite chopped or sliced fruit of the season. Strawberries, green/red grapes, peaches, blackberries. I chopped apples and oranges (1-2 cups) into small pieces, then I muddled mine for a minute in with the sweetener, then put a slice of orange on the rim of the glass. Basic Recipe: One bottle of wine, ¼ – ½ cup of liqueurs/bitters (I used a little more brandy with orange bitters) or ¼ -1/2 cup of spirits, ¼-1/2 cup of juice, 1/8-1/4 cup of sweetener. Just pull up a five-star recipe online. It sounds mistake-proof. The white Peach-Basil sangria looked wonderful. You can also make your sangria with alcohol-free wine. Be sure to think about me as you take your first sip.
There is a difference between (gun) control and (gun) responsibility. The first is a mandate that can infringe on our right; the second is a duty that will preserve it. Matthew McConaughey
A North Carolina man won $10 million from a scratch-off ticket in 2017. Then in 2020, he killed his girlfriend because she was texting other men. He confessed to the murder and was recently sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. Lottery giveth and stupidity taketh away. Reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, of Chrisley Knows Best, have been found guilty on all counts, including criminal bank fraud and tax evasion, in their tax fraud trial, and could face up to 30 years in prison. Following the May 24th killings in Uvalde, some school districts are hiring armed retired police as school officers. A man jumped to his death from the 16th floor of the Trump International Hotel and Tower last week. There is an outdoor restaurant located on that floor of the 98-story-tall building. Beaver Aplin of Buc-ee’s, has pledged $50 million to Texas A&M to build a new hospitality center, The Aplin Center, described as an immersive learning laboratory for students. Some workers at a Sonic Restaurant in Georgia, found a python snuggled up behind the fryer last month. John Hinckley, who shot President Reagan in 1981, will no longer have his electronic devices, online accounts or travel plans monitored by officials. He’s free.
Kyle Rittenhouse, who was acquitted after he killed two men and wounded a third during protests denouncing the shooting of a Black man by a white police officer, announced he’d be attending A&M university. The university quickly stated Rittenhouse had not been admitted as a student this summer or fall. Rittenhouse later posted that he’s actually set to enroll at Blinn, a public junior college in Brenham. Rittenhouse recently posted a video showing him firing a machine gun (a MACHINE GUN!) as dozens of shells fall to the floor. After Rittenhouse finishes shooting the gun, he smiles, gives a thumbs up and says, “Joe Biden, you’re not coming for our guns.” Former GOP Congressman Joe Walsh, a self-described “huge gun rights advocate” who is now pushing for gun control measures posted, “Initially, I felt sorry for this kid, and I sincerely hoped he’d get wise counsel from adults and get his life together. I no longer feel sorry for him. And he’s not a kid. And he’s gone.”
Thanks for reading us this week. We appreciate you.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
