While my family was quarantined, we used the HEB Curbside, picked out our groceries online, and had someone bring them to our back porch. I do not mind grocery shopping, in fact I rather like it, but this was pretty nice because it was service that we truly required during this time. We placed our order and received a 1.5 lb. bag of tiny potatoes from a company called Pro Health… Baby Blondes. Written on the bag was “Grown from Scratch.” Well, that is nice but what the heck does it mean? Aren’t all potatoes grown from scratch? Better yet, are there any potatoes that are not grown from scratch. Sometimes I believe companies think we are a bunch of air-headed dummies. And maybe that is true. Read labels and know that you are being misled on purpose. It is your job to figure out the puzzle.
This past weekend, my daughter and I cleaned the office bathrooms, vacuumed rugs, threw around a feather duster, then decided because it was such a beautiful day, our time was better spent making a quick trip to Houston Garden Center for some flowers. We had, after all, been stuck at home for almost a month, compliments of COVID. From there we said, “What the heck,” and continued to Buchanan’s Nursery in the Heights, one of our favorite places. We called ahead to make sure they allowed dogs. We found out that they don’t just allow dogs, they love dogs. A plus for us since Teller was in the back of my car, and we are seizing opportunities to further socialize him, especially situations where strangers are involved. So, after we purchased pansies and white alyssum, we rode around for a while just looking at houses and landscaping. Along the way, we happened upon a Voodoo Donut shop. You know, the pink donut shop with the cult-like following. The Voodoo Doll, the donut that started it all, is a raspberry jelly donut, covered in chocolate frosting, topped off with a pretzel stake. It is such a fun place that police officers are often required to help direct traffic while you get your fix. It only took us a split second to decide to turn to the left and pull into that line. It took way longer to decide what we wanted to order. We agreed on two blueberry cake donuts (boring, but tasty, and they were easy to eat in the car), two Bacon Maple Bars(out of this world delicious with two slices of perfectly cooked bacon on each donut…we split one but yearned for many more).We shared the second Maple Bacon this morning for breakfast. I believe I will be sharing these as gifts from now on, because “Good Things (do) Come in Pink Boxes.” And how often does someone say, “Oh, just keep your gift, I don’t like donuts.”
I came. I saw. I forgot what I came for. Recently, on my last birthday, I upgraded to the new 65.0version,and it is not all that it was advertised to be, but I heard that all upgrades after this, just aren’t any better.
Gummy vitamins are way more fun and taste better than pills, but often they are not as effective. I like them because I seem to remember to take my vitamins more often and that has been my argument to date. Well, they have more sugar, so it really is like eating Halloween candy every day. Some gummies lose potency over time, so manufacturers put in more of certain vitamins than labeled, to ensure the product provides at least 100% of the labeled amounts. Conclusion: Pills or capsules are probably the better source for our vitamins, for now.
Just a small portion of the influential people we lost in 2020. Buck Henry. Terry Jones. Jim Lehrer. Kobe. Mary Higgins Clark. Kirk Douglas. Orson Bean. Robert Conrad. Zoe Caldwell. Katherine Johnson. Lyle Waggoner. Kenny Rogers. Curly Neal. Bill Withers. Little Richard. Jerry Stiller. Phyllis George. Carl Reiner. Hugh Downs. Charlie Daniels. Regis Philbin. Olivia de Havilland. Chadwick Boseman. Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Gale Sayers. Helen Reddy. Mac Davis. Eddie Van Halen. Johnny Nash. Billy Joe Shaver. Sean Connery. Alex Trebek. Chuck Yeager. Charlie Pride. K.T. Oslin. Pierre Cardin. Dawn Wells. Forgive me for the ones I left off.
RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Actor Tommy Cole is 79. The Mickey Mouse Club. Drummer Bobby Colomby is 76. Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Former Kiss drummer Peter Criss is 75. Musician Alan Parsons is 72. Talk show host Phil Donahue is 85. Actor Jane Fonda is 83. Actor Samuel L. Jackson is 72. Actor-comedian Ray Romano is 63. Actor Hector Elizondo is 84. Country singer Red Steagall is 82. Actor Ronnie Schell is 89. TV anchor Diane Sawyer is 75. Actor Ronnie Schell is 89. Duke Slater in Gomer Pyle, USMC. Guitarist Jorma Kaukonen is 80. Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna. Drummer Ron Bushy is 79. Iron Butterfly. Actor Sissy Spacek is 71.
Singer Annie Lennox is 66. Actor Susan Lucci is 74. All My Children. Singer Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam is 56. Author Stephenie Meyer is 47. Singer Jimmy Buffett is 74. Country singer Barbara Mandrell is 72. Blues musician Joe Louis Walker is 71. Singer-guitarist Lukas Nelson is 32.Son of Willie. Singer Abdul “Duke” Fakir is 75. The Four Tops. Guitarist David Knopfler is 68. Dire Straits.
Actor Nichelle Nichols is 88. Nyota Uhura in Star Trek. Actor Maggie Smith is 86. Harry Potter and Downton Abbey – has appeared in more than 60 films and over 70 plays, Singer-keyboardist Edgar Winter is 74. Singer Noel Paul Stookey is 83. Peter, Paul, and Mary. Singer Mike Nesmith is 78. The Monkees. I saw him recently and he is still rocking. Actor Jon Voight is 82. Actor Anthony Hopkins is 83.
Gerry Marsden died at 78. He was best known as the lead singer of the 1960’s British group Gerry and the Pacemakers. Their song, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” was from a 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical called Carousel. “When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high. And don’t be afraid of the dark…” This song has been embraced by many during our pandemic. Other popular songs were “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying,” and “Ferry Cross the Mersey.” All favorites. Tanya Roberts, the actress known for the 1985 James Bond film, “A View to Kill” and replacing Shelly Hack in Charlie’s Angels, joining Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd as the third angel, died at 65.
Beginning January 1, a federal rule says hospitals must list the cost of at least 300 “Shoppable services” and must explain them in a language that the general public can understand. Hmmm. This will allow you to shop around and make a more informed decision before going to the hospital. Hospitals will also need to show their highest and lowest negotiated rate for service.
The new extremely contagious (70% more contagious) strain of COVID-19 has now been identified in at least four states. The strain is known as SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.17. It is believed that the current vaccines, treatments, should still be effective, but because this variant is so infectious it is predicted that it will spread quickly in the US over the next few months. In fact, it could already be spreading because our current COVID testing does not test for specific strains. The suggestion I read was to assume and operate as though it is here today in our community.
Just weeks after Papa John’s rolled out their new stuffed crust pizza, Pizza Hut is offering (at participating restaurants) a pizza-less ring of cheese-stuffed dough in honor of the 25th anniversary of their stuffed crust’s debut. It is called, drumroll please, “Nothing but Stuffed Crust.” Pretty sexy name. Shake Shack is introducing a new Korean-style Fried Chick’n Sandwich and Korean-style Gochujang Chick’n Bites. Both items use Gochujang, a fermented red chili paste common in Korean cuisine. Hmmm. I see chicken sandwich wars in the future… Oh, and there is also a new Black Sugar Vanilla Shake and crinkle-cut fries served with Gochujang mayo sauce. Chipotle is adding cilantro-lime flavored cauliflower rice to its menu as a healthier substitute for their regular rice options. Now we are talking. Word of the Day: Gochujang pronounced Go Chu Jang. Go ahead, practice saying it now, not when you get into line to order.
On Christmas Day at a San Jose hospital, a well-meaning staff member, without symptoms, dressed as a smiling, red-nosed Christmas tree in order to spread cheer to those working on a holiday. It was one of those air-powered costumes where the fan helps keep the shape of the costume. It is likely that it spread coronavirus-laden droplets throughout the emergency department. 44 employees have tested positive and one has died. No one seems to grasp that this virus is spread PRIMARILY by asymptomatic people, and that there is no such thing as a completely zero-risk activity right now, even if you follow all guidelines and use PPE.
The Lifetime Original Mini-Movie released last month is called A Recipe for Seduction. It is presented by Kentucky Fried Chicken and stars Mario Lopez as sexy and hunky Colonel Harlan Sanders, complete with a graying moustache and goatee. Now, before you start thinking that my fingers slipped while I was typing sexy and hunky, let me tell you the rest. It is an actual mini movie. Just 16 minutes long. The Facebook page read, “Some folks take their secrets to the grave, but Colonel Sanders takes his to the deep fryer.” The movie poster features, “We All Have Our Secrets, His Just Happens to Be… A Recipe for Seduction.” I am not joking. It tells the story of a young heiress who struggles to choose between a wealthy suitor chosen by her mother, and the new house chef Harland Sanders. (I bet he comes with a suitcase of 11 secret herbs and spices.) I miss the old days when KFC just meant a red and white striped bucket and a great dinner. I have not watched it, but I will. I promise.
Did you know that you can get a price cut within 30 days at Costco if an item you bought goes on sale within that time? Southwest now has $49 flights. They gave me 6000 anniversary points to sweeten the deal. Too bad we can’t go anywhere. 2020 was one heck of a year. I just heard it described as a dumpster fire. Yep. Good description. The Grammys were scheduled for Jan. 31 but were postponed as COVID cases are surging in LA where the ceremony was set to be held. A new date was not announced. Something I read suggested that in 2021, we eliminate apps that are sucking the life out of us. Facebook was described as “the new cigarettes for our society.” Hmmm. George Clooney has cut his own hair with a FlowBee for the past 25 years. A baby girl was born from a record-setting 27-year-old frozen embryo.
Dogs have been trained for finding drugs and explosives. They can detect malaria, cancer, and Parkinson’s. When I was home with COVID, one of my cats, Sully, would not leave my side. For six whole days. If she moved, it was to smell my breath, then go right back to her spot, either laying on me or right next to me. It was very comforting, but I wondered what she was doing. Google said that they can smell death, so I told her I was OK and encouraged her to please go into the other room. I would even pick her up and take her to the food bowl and water, but she would come right back. Boom-a-rang cat. Then one day, she jumped down and she was finished with me. Weird, but I figure I owe her for taking such good care of me when I was so sick. Dogs are being trained to sniff passenger samples for COVID at some airports. Some dogs can identify infected individuals with 85% to 100% accuracy, ruling out infection with 92% to 99% accuracy. A dog’s sense of smell is said to be more sensitive than that of humans. In fact, a dog has more than 220 million olfactory receptors in its nose, while humans have only 5 million, and cats have an estimated 45 to 200 million odor-sensitive cells in their noses. There you have it. She was practicing so she could be an airport COVID dog.
OK, I watched the Colonel Sanders movie after I finished this column tonight. 16 minutes long, so totally tolerable. It was not bad. It was not good. You should watch it. Mario Lopez gets the girl at the end. Thanks for spending this week with us. We appreciate you.
Lisa
