Everyone is aware of the baby formula shortage. How did we get here? It is described as a perfect storm of supply-chain issues, plus the recall of three types of infant formula by Similac/Abbot after possible contamination with Salmonella and Cronobacter bacteria. Four babies were hospitalized with one death, after ingesting formula. I honestly just loved nursing my two children. I was so lucky that I was able to do that, but it was because I was able to take my babies to the office with me. Not everyone has that opportunity. Adoption, inability to nurse, careers and many other obstacles stand in the way of nursing. Every situation is unique and not all women can breastfeed. That’s where formula comes in. For me, breastfeeding was convenient, easily digestible, great antibodies, always warm, but most of all, it was affordable. I had no clue how expensive formula is. I was so surprised to find that a 30.8oz. can of Similac powder is $36.99 online at Target. It’s one scoop of powder to two oz. water, and if a bottle is 8oz. Yikes. A can won’t last very long with a hungry baby. Target did have a stock of formula on Memorial Day week-end. FYI.
It’s a long list. This time it is graduation caps and gowns. Balfour and Jostens are among the makers of graduation regalia that have been working overtime to ship robes, caps, hoods and tassels to grads in time for ceremonies. Staff shortages, supply chain issues from the past year, and new COVID-related shutdowns in China are to blame. Don’t you think it’s about time we start re-using ‘stuff’ and decide just how important it is to have something ‘new’ – it should be priority to look nice on that day, but the expenses related to that one graduation moment are pretty ridiculous. Surely, we could all learn to recycle caps and gowns. Last month my daughter used her brother’s gown to trade a friend for his sister’s gown because it was shorter, and the friend is tall like my son. Perfect fit. Then I found her cords from high school, and she used those instead of buying the ones which were not provided – something like $40. Total savings: over $100.
Lydia (our office baby who is now going into first grade in the fall) was at this office this week for a playdate with Teller. She didn’t bring any lunch so I offered to share my lunch with her, then I suggested to her that perhaps we could make some stone soup. I shared the story of stone soup with Lydia, but I was really the one that benefited, all the time reminding me of how much easier life is, when we share and work together. Perhaps we should all make stone soup this week, especially some of our politicians.
In case you don’t remember the story, Wikipedia says: Some travelers come to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food with the very hungry travelers. Then the travelers go to a stream and fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The travelers answer that they are making “stone soup“, which tastes wonderful and which they would be delighted to share with the villager, although it still needs a little bit of garnish, which they are missing, to improve the flavor. The villager, who anticipates enjoying a share of the soup, does not mind parting with a few carrots, so these are added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travelers again mention their stone soup which has not yet reached its full potential. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient like potatoes, onions, cabbages, peas, celery, tomatoes, sweet corn, meat (like chicken, pork and beef), milk, butter, salt and pepper. Finally, the stone (being inedible) is removed from the pot, and a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by travelers and villagers alike. Although the travelers have thus tricked the villagers into sharing their food with them, they have successfully transformed it into a tasty meal which they share with the donors.
RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Country singer Don Reid of the Statler Brothers is 77. Guitarist Fred Stone of Sly and the Family Stone is 75. Financial expert Suze Orman is 71. Drummer Nicko McBrain of Iron Maiden is 70. Saxophonist Kenny G is 66. Actor Robert Englund aka Freddie Krueger is 75. Playwright-actor Harvey Fierstein is 70. Hairspray. Actor Virginia McKenna of Born Free is 91. Singer Nancy Sinatra is 82.
Singer Tom Jones is 82. What’s New Pussycat? Talk show host Jenny Jones is 76. Actor Liam Neeson is 70. Actor James Darren is 86. Gidget, The Guns of Navarone. Singer Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night is 80. Singer Boz Scaggs is 78. Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams is 65. Rapper Ye aka Kanye West is 45. Sports commentator Dick Vitale is 83. Guitarist Mick Box of Uriah Heep is 75. Actor Michael J. Fox is 61. Actor Johnny Depp is 59. Actor Adrienne Barbeau of Maude is 77. Drummer Frank Beard of ZZ Top is 73. Singer Graham Russell of Air Supply is 72.
Ray Liotta, the good-looking actor from New Jersey, best known for his role as hustler Henry Hill, who rats on his crime family in order to get out of the mob in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, died in his sleep at a movie location, at 67.
A man died when he fell through a sunroof of an industrial warehouse in Cypress. Three men gained entrance to the industrial lot because one of the men had a key, then used a crane with a basket to get on the roof, where they were walking about 40 feet high. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff said the men, who are in their 20s, appeared to be drinking alcohol prior to the incident. It is amazing how smart and stupid alcohol can make you.
My daughter took a recent big trip by herself, to NY, Boston, and North Carolina. I was not excited to watch her leave, but it was time. She has never taken self-defense, and pepper spray and tasers are a struggle to use or get out of a purse or backpack, and not hurt yourself, plus airlines will not allow you to carry the products on the plane with you, and she wasn’t checking baggage. So, I helped myself feel better by buying her a Birdie. It is a personal safety alarm that has a 13db alarm (loud!) and a flashing strobe light, all designed to deter an attack. I told her to trust her instincts in any situation, pull the top and bring all eyes towards HER. It just pops together and attaches to the outside of a purse or backpack. She said there was one occasion that she kept her hand on the Birdie as she walked in Brooklyn. I also sent one to my son in Boston and ordered one for myself.
Beer is now cheaper than gas. DRINK. Don’t drive.
Listen up. I am going to tell you this one time, then I will not mention it again because it won’t make a difference. There won’t be any tickets left, so therefore nothing to even tell you about. Here goes: Tickets for Brazosport Center Stages’ summer musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, are ON SALE NOW! July 8-10 and 15-17 in the Freeport LNG Theater. Friday and Saturday night shows are at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees are at 2:30 pm. The last time Center Stages performed Beauty and the Beast it was absolutely the most outstanding theater production you could ever imagine.
Are YOU able to: adopt an animal, foster an animal, walk a dog that would otherwise have to stay in a cramped living space all day long… then come over! My kids and I started out by walking Teller in the afternoons at the SPCA because he had never been on a leash. Teller is such a gift to our family now. The shelter is full to critical-capacity level. Please help if you can. What a great volunteer job for your kids this summer! adopt@spcabc.org or call 979-285-2340
Momma June (of Honey Boo Boo fame) Shannon, 42, married her boyfriend Justin Stroud, 34, a tattoo artist, after less than a year of dating. A fire broke out on the Carnival Freedom recently while the ship was docked in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The flames were put out quickly and no one was hurt. The grieving husband of one of the slain Uvalde teachers died of a heart attack after visiting his wife’s memorial. Yes, you can die of a broken heart.
Supposedly… an anonymous Russian intelligence officer is claiming that President Vladimir Putin is on the verge of losing his eyesight and has a short lifespan because his health condition is deteriorating from a rapidly progressing cancer, and he has been given a max of three years to live by doctors. Now, whether this is true, or wishful thinking, only time will tell.
Milan fashion house Dolce & Gabbana said it will drop the use of animal fur in all its collections this year, and transition to eco-friendly faux fur. It joins Armani, Gucci, Prada, and Moncler in adhering to guidelines set by the Fur Free Alliance.
When is the human brain fully developed? I was sitting here at my desk wondering, so I Googled it. We have always given so much credit to kids when they turn 18. They can vote, do military, buy fireworks, get tattoos, change a name, buy lottery tickets, or alcoholic beverages. The list continues with jury duty, signing yourself out of high school, buying tobacco, skydiving, getting married, a passport, buying a house or mortgage, donating blood, booking a hotel room, or adopting a child. What I found along with this search were many articles about the teen brain not being fully developed until age 25. In fact, an 18-year-old brain does not even weigh as much as a 21-year-old brain. (Then after age 50, about the time we start getting some stuff right, the brain begins to gradually lose small amounts of weight…geez.) Some scientists agree that the brain even continues to develop into the early 30’s. So, back to my actual point. Should an 18-year-old be allowed to buy an assault rifle when they do not even have a fully developed brain? One article said that it eliminates completely the ability of young adults of the mechanism of defending themselves, should you take away this privilege. What!?! My mind now tends to wander several times a day, to thoughts of a classroom of 9 & 10-year-old babies calling 911, trying to get someone, anyone, to help them. I picture my own children at that age. It is so hard to shake that image. How terrifying it must be to sit and know your friends have been killed. How do you fix that? In September 2021, the shooter asked his sister to help him buy a gun and she “flatly refused.” Hmmm. At this point, just praying is not going to fix it.
In Lafayette, Louisiana, the makers of Tabasco recently discovered a religious painting of The Last Supper, complete with a bottle of their original hot sauce setting on the table within passing distance to Jesus and his 12 apostles. The painting was hanging on the wall of a church. I love a fun story.
Don’t you just hate it when you try to take a bite of your bulging food-filled burrito, all the good stuff falls into your lap? Four engineering seniors at Johns Hopkins University were eating lunch while brainstorming the perfect invention for their product design course, when Erin’s tortilla on her burrito opened, and the inspiration for the design fell into her lap. Today their prototype product is called Tastee Tape. It is clear and edible so look out, no more messy wraps and burritos in our future. Have a great week. Thank you for taking the time to read and shop with us.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
