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What I Heard This Week 01-26-2023

What I Heard This Week January 25, 2023

Former US astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, recently remarried for the fourth time, which also happened to be on the occasion of his 93rd birthday. This time it was to Dr. Anca Faur, his 63-year-old, long-time companion (who looks like she wants to be 27), has a PhD in chemical engineering, and is now the executive vice president of Aldrin’s company, Buzz Aldrin Ventures.  He was first married to Joan Ann Archer in 1954 until divorcing in 1974. The next year he married Beverly Van Zile; they divorced after three years. His third marriage was to Lois Driggs Cannon in 1988 on Valentine’s Day, divorcing 23 years later. Looks like he hasn’t given up on ‘love’ quite yet. He has sued two of his children and his former business manager claiming they stole money from him and are slandering his legacy, and that they also undermined his “personal romantic relationships” by forbidding him from getting married. His children say he is also spending money at an alarming rate. Sounds like those children are out of luck. There is a new sheriff in town and her name is MRS. Aldrin. ☹ Notes: Aldrin is also a strong advocate for human exploration of Mars. In 2002, he escaped assault charges after punching a man who demanded he swear on a Bible that the Moon landing was not staged. Good for him. He also said, “Tang sucks. “

Let’s talk about weddings. Did you know: the average cost of a wedding in 2021 was $28,000 according to The Knot. A separate study from The Wedding Report says that after surveying 1,699 individuals, it was determined that the average cost of a wedding last year was $27,000. There is now a financial services platform called Maroo that gives couples the option of a buy-now – pay-later program, like putting your wedding on lay-a-way or an installment plan. Then the vendors pay a fee of a percentage of the total wedding cost. Personally, I don’t really believe people should go into debt for a wedding, but many do. Aren’t we supposed to be aware of the dangers of spending before earning?

I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together. Marilyn Monroe

As you may remember, I live with Teller the Wonder Dog who sheds red hair by the bucket-full. Then there’s Sully, Winnie, and Oliver Twist, the cats. Sometimes I have to sticky-roller my sheets before I climb into bed at night (because I’m allergic to cats). The sweet babies wait until I lock the door behind me in the mornings, then they run straight for my bed. There was also a time when I wore black clothing almost every single day. Needless to say, I now shop for performance fabric and easy to clean clothing. Hailey and I were talking at the office, and she suggested I try the Bounce Pet Hair & Lint Guard Mega Dryer Sheets. They’re pet hair fighters. Now, it’s not perfect but it is certainly better than it was, making life a whole lot easier. The sheets really help. I just don’t know what my life would be without them, and my Roomba. If you have pets, try them. Target and Walmart have them.

After just three hours of deliberation, the January 6th rioter from Arkansas, Richard “Bigo” Barnett, was convicted of all eight charges he faced, including interfering with a police officer, obstructing an official proceeding, and remaining in a restricted building with a dangerous weapon. If you remember, he is the one that posed for photos with his feet on the desk of Nancy Pelosi, leaving her a note that stated, “Nancy, Bigo was here bitch.”  Hmmm. “That’s how I sit at my desk at home,” Mr. Barnett said of his famous photo of him in Mrs. Pelosi’s office. “It’s such a habit for me to do that…it’s not nearly as bad as it looked.” He also brought a Hike n’ Strike, a hiking stick containing a 950,000 Volt stun device with spike electrodes, which he said wasn’t working on the day of the riot. He will be sentenced in May.

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Country singer Dolly Parton is 77. Actor Margaret O’Brien is 85. She was honored with a Juvenile Academy Award as the Outstanding Child Actress of 1944. Her Juvenile Oscar statue was stolen by her maid in 1954 and not recovered until 1995 at a flea market. Actor Chad Lowe is 55. Actor-director Regina King is 52. Opera singer Marilyn Horne is 89. Country singer Ronnie Milsap is 80. Country singer Jim Stafford is 79. Spiders & Snakes, Swamp Witch, Under the Scotsman’s Kilt, My Girl Bill, and Wildwood Weed. Radio host Dr. Laura Schlessinger is 76. Actor-dancer Debbie Allen is 73. TV host Bill Maher is 67Singer Sade is 64. Actor-playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda of Mary Poppins Returns & Hamilton is 43. Actor Robby Benson is 67. He is just as beautiful now as he was in the 70’s. Maybe more.

Actor Tippi Hedren is 93. The Birds. Actor-singer Michael Crawford is 81. The Phantom of the Opera. Actor Shelley Fabares is 79. TV chef Paula Deen is 76. Singer Dewey Bunnell of America is 71. Actor Desi Arnaz Jr. is 70. Actor Katey Sagal of Married…With Children is 69. Comedian Paul Rodriguez is 68. Actor Geena Davis is 67. Singer Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) of the Spice Girls is 47. Guitarist Paul Stanley of Kiss is 71. Bassist Ian Hill of Judas Priest is 71. Actor Lorenzo Lamas is 65. Opera singer Placido Domingo is 82. Actor Jill Eikenberry is 76. Guitarist Jim Ibbotson of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is 76. Singer-songwriter Billy Ocean is 73.

Texas Children’s Hospital recently published a full-page advertisement in The Houston Chronicle to congratulate J.J. Watt on his retirement. It said: Texas Children’s Hospital is happy to congratulate J.J. Watt on retirement after a life-changing career on and off the field. Throughout the years, the former Houston Texan has provided more than just entertainment for our patients, he’s provided lifelong memories. From surprise visits dressed as Batman, to toys and tickets to games – J.J. Watt’s influence reaches far beyond the stadium. Congratulations, we can’t wait to see what you do next. The difference is life changing. Did you know that J.J. Watt and his wife, soccer star Kealia Ohai Watt, welcomed their first child, a son, Koa James Watt.

According to Rover.com, the most common Dog Names for 2022: Girl Dogs: Luna, Bella, Daisy, Lucy, Lily, Zoe, Lola, Sadie, Bailey, and Stella. Boy Dogs: Max, Charlie, Cooper, Milo, Buddy, Rocky, Bear, Teddy, Duke, and Leo.

Pepsi is replacing Sierra Mist with Starry, a new lemon-lime soda with a balanced, cleaner, crisp finish, designed to rival Sprite and win over the Gen Z market. It’s caffeine-free and available in regular and zero-sugar varieties, and with higher citrus flavors. I can honestly say that I have never had a Sierra Mist so I have no idea what we will be missing.

OOOh, I just read this. If you need a bigger Ziploc bag, then turn one inside out and connect it with the locking strips to another bag of the same size. Bingo, you just doubled the size of your bag.

About 21 years ago, Nick Day proposed to his girlfriend with a beautiful engagement ring, then she accidentally flushed it down the toilet the day before their wedding. The couple searched, even climbing into the septic tank, then pumping everything through a strainer, but still no ring. About two months ago, his mother hired a plumber to put in a new toilet and the plumber found the ring. That’s a nice ending to a fairytale.

Don’t forget the 50th anniversary of Brazoria County Day 2023 in Austin. Sponsors are still needed. debbiep@eda-bc.com or 979-848-0560. Since all events are underwritten, attendees do not have a fee. What a wonderful way to showcase your business or your community support.

The advertisement says: Like Chips & Queso, Beer & Barbecue and Burgers & Fries, we just belong together. Houston Boat Show & Houston Auto Show. 1 ticket gets you 2 shows. January 25th – 29th. NRG Center. autoboativeShow.com

As I said, I have three cats, two rescued from Harvey when they were almost 3 weeks, and the 6-month-old that was dumped in front of my office, after the driver knowingly carried him all the way over from Wild Peach in the engine of her SUV one evening. Anyway, I had experimented with every litter and litterbox I could find… I even mixed different litter, trying to find just the right combination that didn’t stink and wasn’t messy, and clumped properly. We even built our own litter box that used pressed wood pellets. When Oliver went through his recent UTI problems and then surgery, a friend let me borrow a Breeze Litter System by Tidy Cats. Pellets that don’t clump but absorb the odor and dry the poop out for easy scooping.  There is a pad at the bottom where the tinkle goes. I can’t say enough about this system, especially since I have three cats. As one cat parent to another… it’s terrific. No, I’m not being paid to tell you this.

The winner of the $1.35B Mega Millions ticket that sold in Maine has not come forward yet. Can you imagine? A friend and I were out to dinner the Friday 13th evening of the drawing, so when we left the restaurant, I drove us straight to Busy Bee and we threw away a $twenty, just in case the stars were lined up that evening. Note: My stars WERE NOT lined up properly that evening.  😊 But a Maryland woman won $25,000 from a Pick 5 Lottery drawing having won $25,000 with another Pick 5 game just last year. She said she had played Pick 3 and Pick 4 for several years, then decided to add Pick 5 into her routine. Her stars were lined up.

A mattress reviewing company, Sleep Junkie, is looking for five “Dairy Dreamers” for a $1000 paid study about consuming cheese products before going to sleep. They will be asked to track their sleep and provide written evaluations of their sleep quality, energy level throughout the day and reports on dreams and nightmares after consuming various cheese products before going to sleep. Applications are being accepted through Feb. 10th. $1000 and I know you like cheese.

A snake escaped from its terrarium home in a 6th grade classroom at a Kentucky school. The science teacher said he just didn’t put the lid on securely. Three months went by, and despite the discovery of a snakeskin in the classroom, there were no sightings of Gummy Worm until early January (three months) when they found the corn snake wrapped around a heater under a sink after students returned from the holiday break, just a few feet away from her former terrarium home. Gummy Worm now has a heavier lid.

Jeremy Renner says his snowplow injury resulted in 30 broken bones. Britney Spears announced she has changed her name to River Red. Hmmm. Rojo Rio. The Wiggles (Fruit Salad) have a hot new member named John Pearce that moms are swooning over. He’s the purple Wiggle, and now women across America are thinking about having more children or even buying concert tickets this Christmas for their adult children. He’s pretty cute. Exactly three years ago, the first known case of Covid-19 was reported in the US. In China there is a place widely known as China’s North Pole. Temperatures there on the first day of the Lunar New Year dropped to MINUS -53C – their coldest ever recorded. That temperature can cause frostbite in as little as five minutes. Have a great weekend and thanks for reading us. We appreciate you.

Lisa

Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com

What I Heard This Week 12-01-2022

What I Heard This Week November 30, 2022

Today I walked into my office and found the evil ants… again. So, I put out a little ant appetizer, then watched them march from all over the office to devour it. The ants will be gone in the morning; I will vacuum, and all will be well. Then I read this story about a man in India sitting down to a dinner that his wife had just prepared and found ants in his rice, so he demanded an explanation. An altercation occurred and she strangled him with her scarf. Gentlemen, if you find any ants in your rice, first off, hide all the scarves, then try Terro Ant Bait before you mention anything at all to your partner.

The ants and the bees are, in many ways, far more intelligent and ingenious; they manage their government with vastly less quarreling, wastefulness and imbecility.  H. L. Mencken

Most of us know that we need to minimize our exposure to Teflon. Yeesss, you do. I was texting a friend today about the carbon steel pan that I just ordered for my son for Christmas. My son’s request. He wants a carbon steel pan, an air-fryer, and boots. My own carbon-steel pan is fantastic. I seasoned it once per the instructions it came with. Just like an iron skillet except you use salt and high heat, and I haven’t had to season it again in the past year and half. Nothing really sticks. I wash it out by hand each time I use it using just a little soap and a swish of a sink brush, then dry it out with paper towels. So easy. It’s light weight (that was so important to me) and I wouldn’t trade it. So, if you’re looking for a great Christmas gift… there you go. Just like in a restaurant, so don’t expect it to be pretty and shiny, but it won’t expose you to health issues like testicular cancer, low birth weight, infertility, liver disease, kidney issues and thyroid disorders. Look up Teflon Coating Health Risks.

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason. Mark Twain

General Motors revealed a new electric SUV that is expected to be the cheapest compact electric SUV on the market. The Chevrolet Equinox EV will have a starting price around $30,000 which will make it among the cheapest electric vehicles of its kind. The average electric vehicle available today has a base sticker price of about $47,500, according to Edmunds.com.

Experts estimate you can reduce up to 15% of electricity used by your refrigerator by cleaning off the dust. When I read this, I immediately pulled the front panel off my kitchen fridge, and I was surprised to learn that I’m a super nasty person. Most of the time I only look behind my old appliances when they have to install a new appliance, or when I move to another house. There before me the nicest collection of dog hair, cat hair, dust, and dog & cat treats, but it’s clean now. Dust buildup makes the fridge use more energy to cool your food. In case you missed it, November 15th was National Clean Out Your Fridge Day, just in case you need more encouragement to get out the Windex and paper towels.

The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been. Madeleine L’Engle

Sigh. A Florida woman (yep, Florida again) has filed a lawsuit (asking for up to $5 million) against Kraft Heinz’s for their Velveeta Shells & Cheese instant macaroni product, saying that it is not the easy, cheesy macaroni that it is advertised as. It takes too much time and too many steps to prepare. If you include ripping off the lid, adding water, and stirring in the prepackaged cheese sauce, then it takes longer than the 3-1/2 minutes advertised as the cooking time in the microwave. I say, what kind of attorney would take on a case like this. Then I answer myself with, “the kind of attorney that you probably wouldn’t want to represent you.”

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: TV personality Bill Nye (“Bill Nye the Science Guy”) is 67. Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. is 93. Singer Randy Newman is 79. Country singer Kristine Arnold of Sweethearts of the Rodeo is 66. Musician Paul Shaffer of Late Show with David Letterman is 73. Singer Gilbert O’Sullivan is 76. Actor Judd Nelson is 63. Blues musician John Mayall is 89. One of my all-time favorites. Actor Diane Ladd is 87. Musician Chuck Mangione is 82. Director Joel Coen is 68. Actor Brendan Fraser is 54.

Actor director Woody Allen is 87. Singer Dianne Lennon of the Lennon Sisters is 83. Singer-guitarist Eric Bloom of Blue Oyster Cult is 78. Drummer John Densmore of The Doors is 78. Actor-singer Bette Midler is 77. Actor Treat Williams is 71. Actor Charlene Tilton is 64. News anchor Stone Phillips is 68. Singer Ozzy Osbourne is 74. Actor Daryl Hannah is 62. Actor Julianne Moore is 62. Actor Cathy Lee Crosby is 78.

Singer and actor Irene Cara, best known as Coco Hernandez in the 1980 musical Fame, and was the voice behind Flashback… What a Feeling, which she co-wrote, has died at 63. Actor Clarence Gilyard of Walker, Texas Ranger, died at 66. French-American actor Robert Clary died at 96. He was a survivor of the Nazi death camp during WWII. What I found most interesting was that he was most famous for his role as a feisty prisoner of war Corporal Louis LeBeau in the unlikely 1960s sitcom Hogan’s Heroes. Before 1980, he remained silent about his true wartime experiences. He also had recurring roles in the soap operas Days of Our Lives, and The Bold and the Beautiful, along with live theater performances and was a wonderful artist.

Businessman and politician, governor of Kentucky (1979 – 1983) John Y. Brown Jr., died at 88 from complications of Covid. Brown established Kentucky Fried Chicken as a worldwide name and global corporation after he bought it from Harland Sanders in 1964. He also owned three basketball clubs, including the Boston Celtics. In 2009, Harvard Business School honored Brown as one of the top American Business Leaders of 20th century, along with Ray Kroc, Sam Walton, Walt Disney, and Bill Gates. Brown married three times, once to former Miss America Phyllis George and once to a former Mrs. America.

Lauri Cherian is a local actor, teacher, volunteer, mother, wife, great friend, and is now a writer of poetry. Lauri will be holding a poetry reading open to the public at the Lake Jackson Library on Friday, December 2nd from 11 am to 12:30 pm. Congratulations Lauri and thank you for your hard work in the kitchen at Madrigal Feast. Madrigal Feast is now at The Center for the Arts and Sciences. The meal, dessert, and show are absolutely fantastic. You should try to come. It’s a great memorable way to start the Season. 979-265-7661. A Night of Worship W/ Justin Gambino + Friends is planned for Saturday, December 10th at 5pm, at the Brazoria County Courthouse. Everyone loves Justin. Congratulations Brazoswood Water Polo teams, (boys earned in the very first Class UIL 6A State Championship and the girls are the Texas UIL 6A State Runner-Up). Most of all, congratulations to Coach Robert Brown, the man who worked so hard in past years for my own child, for my friend’s children, and for continuing his tradition of being one of the most beloved and respected coaches at BISD. Hard-working assistant coach is Kiel Haner.

A new Alzheimer’s drug shows promise for slowing the disease but may contain significant risks such as brain bleeds, swelling and other side effects. A Buddhist temple in central Thailand has been left without a single monk when they all tested positive for methamphetamine. Oh, dear. Two never-before seen ‘alien’ minerals were found in a 2.5-ounce slice of a gigantic meteorite weighing 16.5 tons, discovered in 2020. Meteorites are meteors that survive traveling through the Earth’s atmosphere and land on the ground. A third mineral may have been identified, but it is still being reviewed. What will they find if they look through all 16.5 tons?

This one is fun. A man posted a TikTok video that showed him cutting off the zip-ties where a neighbor had attached her snow fence to the man’s guttering on his house. The next video he posted said, Update: this morning the neighbor put these two things in her window facing our house where the snow fence is. People responded saying that the two objects were motion detectors. Along with this information came ideas and encouragement to trigger the motion detectors 100% of the time… so the words I should use would be constant motion. Hmmm. How about a bird feeder that you never let go empty. How about a perpetual motion waving cat or an inflatable lawn decoration, then pray for wind. It’s my new favorite show. Who is bringing the popcorn?

A 1969 orange Dodge Charger, one of four built and previously owned by John Schneider, who played Bo Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard, recently sold at auction for $194,400. A Harley-Davidson FLH Electra-Glide motorcycle purchased by Marlon Brando in 1970, just sold for $216,000. Do you remember the Gianni Versace dress that Princess Diana wore in a photo shoot in 1991, that was used on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Tribute to a Princess issue in 1997. It was figure-hugging shimmering blue-green, and her hair was slicked back where it looked almost wet. Well, that dress just sold for $172,800.  A Marilyn Monroe worn dress from her final film in 1962, Something’s Got to Give, recently sold for $313,200. The figure-hugging silk crepe dress is printed with scattered painterly roses in shades of persimmon and deep cherry with a plunging V back. Very pretty.

Teller the Wonder Dog loves to chew on things, so I bought some bones with yummy centers. You know, very expensive fake marrow. He loved them, but I discovered that they shed crumbs of fake marrow and attracted many of our very dependable office ants, so I decided to take the bones to the SPCA for the outside dogs to chew on. Teller just doesn’t go outside during the day unless he is on a leash, so I loaded up the bones in a plastic bag with Teller very curiously watching me as I took them to the car, constantly giving me the look that was supposed to remind me that they belonged to HIM. Just imagine the longing look on a baby’s face when you take away their pacifier or bottle for the last time. That’s the look that was on his sweet little face when we dropped the bag off at the door of the SPCA. I had rolled down the window on his side and he kept looking back at the bones, then looking back at me like saying, “Wait, you forgot something, the bones, you forgot MY bones.” They grow up so fast.

Tom Cruise is set to become the first actor to shoot a movie in outer space. Yep. Plans are to take a rocket up to the Space Station and shoot part of a movie, but most of it would be shot on Earth. Does Tom realize that he just turned 60? I bet it’s hard to get him insured on a set.  James Cameron’s sequel to Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, is expected to be a huge box office hit. It opens on December 16th. Avatar made history 13 years ago by becoming the top-grossing film of all time with $2.92 BILLION in ticket sales. The Way of Water is three hours and 14 minutes long. It stars Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang. Newcomers are Vin Diesel and Kate Winslet. I just loved the first Avatar. Taylor Lautner is an actor best known for playing shapeshifter Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga film series. He just married and his new wife, also named Taylor, was Team Edward before they started dating, not Team Jacob. Silly girl.

In a symbolic break from the Middle Ages, Camilla, Queen Consort, has dispensed with the title of ladies-in-waiting, instead appointing a group of five personal assistants who will be known as Queen’s Companions. Queen Elizabeth’s remaining ladies-in-waiting will stay on, helping King Charles host events at Buckingham Palace. They will now be called “ladies of the household.” A name all working women share. Have a great shopping week. Remember, memories are the best gift.

LISA

Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com

What I Heard This Week 11-24-2022

What I Heard This Week November 23, 2022

Lately I have been craving roasted chicken. I had bought a roasting hen last week but when I opened the package, it just didn’t smell right so I chunked it in the trash. I don’t have time to be sick. Last night when we left the office, I stopped and picked up another chicken. It was too late to cook, but I WANTED chicken. So when I got home, I dried off the bird, slathered it in olive oil, stuffed it with basil and rosemary along with several tiny jalapenos, the only fresh things I have growing, salt & pepper, then into my 450-degree oven (450 for about thirty-five minutes, then turn off and don’t open oven door for another thirty minutes – internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.) It’s always perfect. I was wondering what I could do for the next hour. Hmmm. How about mashed potatoes? Yes, I heartedly agreed with myself. I halved potatoes, threw them in boiling water with salt, then watched a movie about George Bush on Netflix, while I cleaned up the kitchen. When the potatoes were done, I peeled them, added lots of butter, cream, and some chicken bouillon, then mashed them roughly so there were some chunks. I cooked extra so I could use the leftovers to make my mom’s potato pancakes. If you have never done this, try it. They’re delicious. Here’s the ingredients. My momma would be proud.

About 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 large egg
Several chopped green onions
About 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour – maybe more, maybe less, depending on how wet your mashed potatoes are.
Salt and pepper to taste – (maybe your mashed potatoes already have enough salt and pepper)
********
Combine everything, then heat skillet with a little butter or olive oil, add large spoonful of batter to pan and smooth out until about ½ inch thick. Cook until golden, flip, top with a little dab of sour cream and more green onions, or with ketchup if you’re feeling brave. I personally eat them as I cook them, like a hot cookie. I think my mom added a little baking powder too. I always forget that. This food sure brings back memories of growing up.

Then, this morning I was looking at Better Homes and Gardens, and they suggested making a dip from leftover mashed potatoes by mixing in cream cheese, shredded cheddar or Colby Jack, sour cream, bacon, chopped green onions, and a little top-off of low-salt steak seasoning or BBQ spice (nah), then bake uncovered in a pie plate until cheese is melted & serve with crackers, chips or veggies. They also had a recipe for Spiced Potato Pastry Pockets where you add Indian spices and vegetables to your leftover mashed potatoes, then wrap them in store-bought pie crusts. Of course, you have to actually have leftovers to do all of this. Hmmm. Here’s another idea for leftover Thanksgiving gravy. Take frozen seasoned fries, bake them, then pour over a little hot gravy, add cheese curds or torn fresh mozzarella, a little chopped parsley, then add a little more hot gravy. Hmmm. I am so hungry right now. Bon Appetit.

“Do, or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda

A break-in at an Ohio mink farm released as many as 40,000 minks into the wild. Authorities warned local farmers and residents because mink resemble ferrets and weasels, are not considered dangerous, but they stick to a diet consisting of fresh kills, and they regularly hunt prey that are bigger than themselves – like rabbits, chickens, koi and other fish.

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” John Lennon

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Singer Livingston Taylor is 72. Actor Juliet Mills of Nanny and the Professor is 81. Actor Goldie Hawn is 77. Keyboardist Lonnie Jordan of War is 74. Brother of James. Actor-singer Lorna Luft is 70. Daughter of Judy Garland. Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman is 60. Actor Nicollette Sheridan is 59. Singer Bjork is 57. Comedian-director Terry Gilliam of Monty Python is 82. Singer songwriter Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods is 81. Guitarist-actor Little Steven aka Steven Van Zandt of The E Street Band and The Sopranos is 72. Bassist Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads is 72.

Actor, producer, activist, and philanthropist, Marlo Thomas is 85. Daughter of Danny Thomas. Some of us remember her from That Girl, the show about Ann Marie, a beautiful, up-and-coming actress with a writer boyfriend played by Ted Bessell, who leaves her parent’s home, moves to New York City, and struggles with many different temporary jobs while trying to become an actress on Broadway. She was also the producer of That Girl and after producing 136 episodes in five successful years, Thomas decided to end the series. Clairol was their sponsor and they wanted to end the show with a wedding. Thomas said, “I just can’t do that to these women and girls who followed Ann Marie’s adventure. I can’t now say that the only happy ending is a wedding because I don’t believe it. There was a big ruckus about it, but I wouldn’t do it. On the last show, Ann Marie took Donald to a women’s lib meeting, which made nobody happy but me. I loved it.”

Jason David Frank, who played the Green Power Ranger Tommy Oliver on the 1990’s children’s series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, has died. He was 49.

Sorry I didn’t get this information to you about a month ago, but I didn’t see it soon enough. I believe that Christmas gifts should make memories, and this would do the trick. You all remember The Munster’s 1960’s TV show with the spooky looking house at 1313 Mockingbird Lane. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then I’m sorry because you missed out on some really good TV fun in your younger life. There was Herman (Fred Gwynne), Lily (Yvonne De Carlo), Grandpa (Al Lewis), Eddie (Butch Patrick) and Marilyn (Beverley Owen). In 2001, in Waxahachie, Texas, a couple built a replica of the Munster Mansion (house) after watching all 70 episodes of the show repeatedly.  Every cobweb covered painting, the dungeon, rotating suit of armor at the top of the staircase and décor is perfect. There’s even Eddie’s pet dragon Spot that lived under the stairs. Private tours ($120 for a group of 4 or less) are available by appointment, then there are monthly murder-mystery dinners (costumes required), with the Munster Mansion open year-round. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a fun week-end trip for any time of the year. www.munstermansion.com

Have you been pretty cold and wet lately? Yeah, me too. Just remember that June 21st is the official start date of the Sunny Summer Season – the first day of summer. Depending on what day you read this information, that’s only about 209 days from now. Can, and will you survive that long?

Dolly Parton is the new co-host for Miley Cyrus Live from Miami on December 31st, for the second annual Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party, which she co-hosted last year with Pete Davidson. NBC from 10:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. in addition to streaming live on Peacock. After a brief appearance in 2002’s Manna from Heaven, Shelley Duvall left her career behind and moved to a quiet and peaceful life in Blanco, Texas. Twenty years later, they just talked her into a cameo appearance in the upcoming horror film, The Forest Hills. Our beloved meteorologist Al Roker has been in the hospital with a blood clot in his leg which then spread to his lungs. In 1996, when Willard Scott retired, Al Roker took his place of honor in weather.

I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old-fashioned way. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to my house, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed them and took their land.  Jon Stewart

According to WebMD, a couple from Ohio welcomed twins from embryos frozen and stored 30 years ago by an anonymous married couple, and then recently donated. The twins, named Lydia and Timothy Ridgeway are the longest-frozen embryos to result in live birth. “It doesn’t seem like a sperm, or an egg or embryo stored in liquid nitrogen ever experiences time,” said fertility specialist Dr. Jim Toner. “It’s like that Rip Van Winkle thing. It just wakes up 30 years later, and it never knew it was asleep.”

Jay Leno left the burn center where he was treated for third-degree burns for nine days after a gasoline garage fire where his vintage car erupted in flames. Jane Fonda has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma but is expecting a good recovery. She says “I’m ready. I’ve had a great life. Not that I want to go, but I’m aware that it’s going to be sooner rather than later.”

This is terrible. On a dairy farm in Indiana, a piece of farm equipment rolled into a lagoon of manure. A man working on the equipment fell into the lagoon, became trapped, severed his leg, and died. They literally had to drag the lagoon to find the body. Farming is the most dangerous work environment in the US with higher fatalities than police, fire, or other emergency responders. Think about that.

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-time takes twelve minutes. This is not coincidence. Erma Bombeck

A jury deliberated less than two hours before they sentenced a Texas woman to death for stabbing over 100 times, then beating an expectant mother with a hammer, killing her, then ripping the baby from her womb. When the speeding woman was stopped by the police, she told them that she had just given birth by the side of the road, they rushed her to the hospital where the baby was declared dead. The woman had been lying to her boyfriend about being pregnant for nearly 10 months, faked ultrasounds, had a gender-reveal party, and even posted about her fake pregnancy. Is our world getting crazier?

I like football. I find it’s an exciting strategic game. It’s a great way to avoid conversation with your family at Thanksgiving. Craig Ferguson

The 1970’s well-used brown-suede Birkenstock sandals worn by Steve Jobs who co-founded Apple, recently sold for $218,000 at auction, and set a record for the highest price ever paid for a pair of sandals. Reality TV star, Todd Chrisley has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for bank fraud and tax evasion, with his wife Julie receiving seven years for helping hide their wealth. A Houston woman has earned a Guinness World Record for her size 18 feet. Her right foot measures 13.03 inches, and her left 12.79 inches, typically a women’s size 18 or men’s size 16-17. “I never got on social media to be an object of attention or anything like that or to go into foot fetish world,” she told Guinness. “Five percent of men that do follow me are the ones who send strange and interesting comments into my inbox asking if I would sell them pictures of my feet.” Hmmm. Foot Fetish.

Good news. Teller the Wonder Dog is now doing so well with his new trick of picking out his can of dog food every morning. I call it paw-yum-yum which is different than just paw, which means shake. Sometimes it takes a while to get past hard-headedness, his and mine, but he is doing great. It only took about 6 months of trying. ☹ He’s so cute, and always picks the most expensive can. We wish you the best Thanksgiving with friends and family. Remember the secret to having it all… is knowing you already do.

LISA

Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com

What I Heard This Week 02-24-2022

What I Heard This Week February 23, 2022

My kids will tell you that I can fall asleep just sitting at the kitchen table with them watching a show. I guess I am warm, have a tummy full of dinner, am sitting still for a change, and then I’m gone. So, last week I headed off to bed, fluffed up my pillows, turned on the TV but didn’t even put it on a show – just turned it on, bag-balmed my dry hands, and the next thing I know it’s 3:58 am and I’m realizing I fell asleep sitting up in bed with my glasses on. I returned my pillows to the flat-sleep position, deciding quickly that I probably wouldn’t go back to sleep easily, so I put the TV on news, and turned the volume down really low for just white noise. The next thing I knew it was 7:30 and I could hear the news reporter talking about how much sugar there is in a glass of wine. Immediately, I was wide awake and listening intently. Yes, that super bad boy… sugar. A standard bottle of wine could contain as much as 59 grams of sugar per bottle.  This means that a single large glass of wine could contain say, 20 grams of that sugar, and that is almost twice the sugar content of a GLAZED DONUT. I have always worried about my once every 6 months Dr. Pepper, but I just never given much thought to wine. Such a hard decision… wine or donuts. This could change my life. Sigh. I’ve been drinking ice water from my wine glass the last few evenings, just in case a donut comes along.

Thirteen people died after falling into a well during a wedding ceremony in India. Ten others, all women, and children, were also injured and hospitalized. They were all singing and dancing on a metal slab, also described as an iron grill covering a well, when it collapsed under the weight of the people.

It has been widely believed that members of the Christian Scientist religion do not take medicine or consult doctors. My Boston son had an appointment to change the battery on his Apple computer and had just been notified that his appointment was rescheduled for a few hours later, so he had hours to burn. When public transportation is your vehicle, you have to stay put sometimes. Boston has so many attractions and Gage had been wanting to see the Christian Science Center and Museum, so he went to check it out. He said it was ironic that they required proof of vaccination to enter the building, but it’s understood that you can’t enter any building in Boston without a vaccine card and mask. What he wanted to see is the Mapparium, which is a world-famous, three-story, stained-glass, immersive globe with the countries of the world as they were known in 1935. As you walk inside the globe, you are looking at the countries from inside out, an interesting perspective since where else would you have the opportunity to look out from the center of the world?! But the acoustics are what Gage, my sound guy, was there for. You can whisper from different sides of the room, and it sounds like you are standing next to the person having a conversation. Every day, I learn something new from my kids.

You are going to love this. Cockroaches can live up to a few weeks without their head. They are able to do so because they do not have blood pressure or one central nervous system like humans (or even other animals for that matter) they have a series of ganglia (or nerves) spread throughout their body, enabling the body to function without the head or brain. That explains quite a bit.

An opal called the Americus Australis, weighing more than 11,800 carats, just sold for $143,750. It was purchased from an Australian opal dealer that found it in the 1950’s, it was exhibited at gem shows until the early 1980’s, but mostly just tucked away in a linen closet until recently.

Thousands of Audis, Porsches, Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Volkswagens, and electric cars (about 4000) were likely destroyed on an abandoned cargo ship that caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean last week, with 22 crew members having to be evacuated. It is believed that batteries of several electric vehicles caught fire aboard the ship, while it made its way from Germany to Rhode Island. The cost from the loss of the vehicles could be over $155 million. Total value aboard the ship is listed at $438 million. Wow.

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Actor Patricia Richardson of Home Improvement is 71. Actor Barry Bostwick is 77. News correspondent Paula Zahn is 66. Country singer Sammy Kershaw is 64.  Actor Karen Grassle of Little House on the Prairie is 80. Caroline Ingalls. Talk show host Sally Jessy Raphael is 80. Actors James & Oliver Phelps of Harry Potter are 36. Actor Marta Kristen of Lost in Space is 77. Judy Robinson. Singer Mitch Ryder is 77. Devil with a Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly. Keyboardist Jonathan Cain of Journey is 72. Actor Molly Ringwald is 54. Singer Michael Bolton is 69.

Actor Joanne Woodward is 92. Singer Sam the Sham is 85. Actor-director-dancer Tommy Tune is 83. Actor Bernadette Peters is 74. Singer Cindy Wilson of the B-52′s is 65. Author Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) is 52. A Series of Unfortunate Events. Actor Robert Clary of Hogan’s Heroes is 96. Corporal Louis LeBeau. Singer-actor Harry Belafonte is 95. Singer Mike D’Abo of Manfred Mann is 78. Singer Roger Daltrey of The Who is 78. Actor Dirk Benedict is 77. Battlestar Galactica. Actor-director Ron Howard is 68. Country singer Janis Oliver of Sweethearts of the Rodeo is 68. Actor Catherine Bach of The Dukes of Hazzard is 67. Daisy Duke. TV host Donovan Patton of Blue’s Clues is 44.

After 25 years on the air, the final episode of Arthur, shows Arthur (everyone’s favorite aardvark) as a grown-up, twenty years in the future, alongside his old school friends. Arthur is a budding graphic novelist with his first book which happens to have the same name and is based on the first ever episode of the show. According to the head writer, “The idea occurred to me that this whole series has been something Arthur has created. So, the suggestion is this has all been his memoir.” If you were raised on Arthur and need to be reminded of some important real-life lessons or want to catch the series finale, check out PBS Kids. Voice actor Michael Yarmush, who originated the character back in 1996, reprised the role one last time as a 28-year-old Arthur. Awwww.

The Brazoria County Library System Foundation is presenting their 11th Annual “Evening with the Author.” This year, Matthew Wendel, a Danbury boy with no culinary training, will explain how he ended up cooking in the Bush White House, all while you enjoy a meal made from his recipes and cookbook. Along with the dinner there will be a silent auction, author presentation, cookbooks for purchase and a book signing. Whoo! Sounds like a super-fun evening. Grab a friend for March 29th. $45 per person. For more info call Mary Meyers 979-299-7785. Sponsorships still available. Call soon.

Teller the Wonder Dog played ball with me this morning, then preceded to run down to the creek and roll his entire body in something stinky… again. This, of course, was on our way out the door to the office. About three weeks ago, he did the same thing, so I wasn’t totally unprepared, but it is still so gross. Dogs are nasty. This morning I cleaned him up as well as I could with wet bath towels (ears, nose, neck and back because they want that smell EVERYWHERE) without putting him in the bathtub, then sprayed him with Febreze Air HEAVY DUTY with up to 2 times the odor eliminating power… ha-ha. Then he ran straight into my bedroom and wiped it all over my good rug. I guess it smells like Chanel No 5 to dogs, so they want everyone to experience it. KoKo Chewnel. He was not free to roam the office today and had to stay put on my side of the building. If he wasn’t so dang cute…

Bernie Madoff was known for his Ponzi scheme that wiped out many people’s fortunes, retirements, and ruined whole charities. He was sentenced to 150 years in prison after pleading guilty in 2009 to fraud and other charges, dying while incarcerated last year at age 82. Recently his sister and her husband were found dead inside their residence with gunshot wounds, in what was an apparent murder-suicide in Florida.

According to Whiskey Raiders, a Japanese man returned home after a yearlong trip abroad and found 170 bottles of his precious liquor had been stolen. Mostly whisky. Almost $67,000 worth. Some expensive drams had been replaced with bottles of carbonated water. One bottle of high-end whisky was worth $3,700. A home-renovator was arrested. Obviously, fine Japanese whisky is a hot commodity.

Andrew, Andrew, Andrew. “Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others.” Ka-ching!

Two Vermont parents left their child in the backseat of their car while they went skiing… multiple times. Both parents were charged with cruelty to a child, and one is charged with driving under the influence. If convicted, both parents could face up to 2 years in prison and a $500 fine on the cruelty to a child charge. There is no excuse for not taking care of our children, elderly, and animals that are defenseless.

The problem with winter sports is that — follow me closely here — they generally take place in winter. Dave Barry

Justin Bieber and Queen Elisabeth have both tested positive for covid. Her risk is roughly 340 times greater than his. But she isn’t dead, and neither is Paul McCartney. An Arkansas sheriff has assigned himself desk duty after a video of him serving papers to a man went viral, because the video shows an open beer can in the front door of the truck. As they opened the casket in the middle of the funeral of their beloved grandmother, a California family discovered that the funeral home had placed the wrong body in the casket. They are now suing the funeral home because they experienced emotional trauma.

Virgin Galactic is charging $450,000  for a 90-minute rocket ride that will rise about 50 miles and offer four minutes of free fall, plus a view of Earth. The company is resuming sales of tickets and requires a $150,000 deposit per seat. They already have about 600 reservations from the first round of ticket sales. I remember back in the old days when the Log Ride at Six Flags Over Texas was wild and crazy.

Did you know? Kids whose parents read to them five books a day enter kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words than kids who were never read to.

This is probably NOT worth repeating but I’m going to anyway because I need to fill this space. TV personality Nick Cannon just keeps on having babies. Twins Moroccan and Monroe (10), with Mariah Carey. Then Golden Sagon (5) and Powerful Queen (1) with Brittany Bell. Twins, Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir (1) with Abby De La Rosa and about a week later, Alyssa Scott delivered Zen, who passed away ☹ at 6 months. His fifth baby mama is expecting one in a few months. Yes, there may have been some overlapping of relationships going on. Busy man. He stated that every single one of those babies were intentional. To those of us that are aware of how babies get here, please describe intentional. On Valentine’s Day he released a song, Alone, which some people believe is him reflecting on his former relationship with Mariah Carey and how much he misses her. That’s a guy that needs some attention.

A Massachusetts college student ate rice, chicken and lo Mein leftovers from a restaurant. Soon after, he felt abdominal pain and his skin turned purple. He was admitted to the hospital where his condition worsened as he developed necrosis, with doctors having to amputate his legs and fingers. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours after cooking, then eat it within 3-4 days, or freeze. Use clean containers. One article said that if you licked it clean before you used it, it’s not clean. You are not a cat. If you wait to clean up the kitchen until you finish the next episode of The Crown, then it may be too late. Oh, his friend that took him to the E.R. had also eaten the leftovers and had vomited, but that’s all. Hmmm. Thank you for reading us and don’t forget to do something kind today. Sell something! LISA

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What I Heard This Week! 10-07-2021

What I Heard This Week October 6, 2021

This column might be a little shorter this week. In the past, I told you that the dog ate my column, but Teller the Wonder Dog would never consume something like that unless it had small (or large) food remnants attached to it and was stuffed in the trash can. This week it was black sesame seeds from a broccoli dish I made. Black sesame seeds everywhere. I thought I had bugs of some kind for just a little bit. You can take the free-roaming, dumpster diving stray dog out of downtown, but you cannot take the downtown, stray attitude out of the dog. He just loves anything and everything that I put in the trash. The truth is, this is my income tax time, and I didn’t want my wonderful female accounting team to divorce me this year, so I took all my income tax containers home, spread it out on the kitchen table and put aluminum foil on top of all my piles when I left so the cats wouldn’t bother it (cats are not supposed to like aluminum foil.) News alert. It does not work. They napped on the foil and looked at me, as if to say, thanks for the new blanket. I turned in everything to the accountant the night before you get to read this column. I mentioned to my neighbor that the column would be shorter this week, and she rejoiced, suggesting that we can just make it look bigger by changing the size of the text so it will be easier to read. So, when I got to the office, Connie & Tina also suggested that it would be easier to read. So, here it is. A little less information but bigger. Don’t get used to it. On a normal day, I have much to say.

My favorite uncle shared this with me. Perhaps you have seen it before, but I am going to share it with you. Many of you may relate. For those that do not, you should be able to do so in just a few years, but only if you are lucky…
     I am a Sen-ager aka a Senior Teenager. I have everything that I wanted as a teenager, only 60 years later. I don’t have to go to school or work. I am paid an allowance every month. I have my own pad. I don’t have a curfew. I have a driver’s license and my own car. The people I hang around with are not scared of getting pregnant and I don’t have acne. Life is great. But there have been some big changes.
     Gone are the days when girls used to cook like their mothers. Now they drink like their fathers. I changed my car horn to gunshot sounds. People get out of the way much faster now. I didn’t make it to the gym today. That makes five years in a row. I decided to stop calling the bathroom the John and renamed it the Jim. I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning.
     Old age is coming at a really bad time. When I was a child, I thought nap time was a punishment. Now it feels like a small vacation. The biggest lie I tell myself is, I don’t need to write that down, I’ll remember it. Hah. I don’t have grey hair… I have wisdom highlights! I’m just very wise. If God wanted me to touch my toes, He would have put them on my knees. Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven’t met yet. Of course, I talk to myself. Sometimes I need expert advice. At my age getting lucky means walking into a room and remembering why I went in there. I have more friends I should send this to, but right now I can’t remember their names.
     Now I’m wondering: did I give this to you, or did you give it to me? Love, Mac

The auto industry is not doing so well. Carmakers worldwide are so frustrated by the microchip shortage. The shortage of these parts will lead automakers to build 7.7 million fewer vehicles globally than planned. In May, they thought the shortage would be 3.9 million vehicles. Quite a difference. Chips are just one disruption we face. There is resin, steel, and labor shortages. Guess I will be keeping my car. OK. What about the other shortages? Truckers are getting big pay hikes, but there’s still a shortage of drivers. It is a great time to be a truck driver. Again, Costco is limiting how much toilet paper you can buy. Other possible shortages include canned goods, turkeys for Thanksgiving, chicken, pet food, Lunchables, and bottled water. Labor shortages, supply-chain issues…simply not enough people to make the goods, move the goods, and sell the goods. If buyers don’t panic and continue to buy just what they need instead of panic-buying, we will be ok. But we all know that will not happen.

Why the brightly colored balls along power lines? I had actually never thought about it. They weigh about 17 pounds each, come in yellow, orange, white or red, and are sometimes required by the Federal Aviation Administration, especially near airports. So, those balls are there for the safety of flying aircraft and to protect the electrical infrastructure. I remember seeing so many around the Grand Canyon area.

Time spent with cats is never wasted. Sigmund Freud

Forty-one cats were found packed, along with furniture and boxes, into the back of a U-Haul as the owners moved from Florida to Idaho. The truck did not have ventilation of any kind. Washington Prime Group, a major mall owner of more than 100 locations across the United States, filed for bankruptcy, citing pandemic-related shutdowns. The volcanic eruption on the Spanish island of La Palma has intensified. A U.S. passenger on a flight from Colombia used an emergency exit and walked out onto the wing of the plane at the Miami International Airport just after the plane landed, claiming he was in danger. Hmmm. Yes, I would say at this point, he is in danger. United Airlines says that only 232 employees face termination after its Sept. 27th Covid vaccine deadline mandate for all 67,000 workers. In an Ecuadorian prison riot, at least 116 people were killed and 80 were injured, including (yikes) dismemberment and five beheadings. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has a stupid idea for the U.S. Postal Service to cut costs. Slower delivery standards. So, when your bill payments don’t arrive on time, please do not blame your local mail carriers or the nice people at the post office. They are doing the absolute best they can do. Bring them cookies. #FireDeJoy

A dad, somewhere, got his undies in a wad about something, and paid his FINAL child support payment with 80,000 pennies, dumping them from a trailer in the street in front of his child’s mailbox. Hmmm. What dads do not understand is that they can be mad at the mother of their child, but do not involve the child. Wrong. The mom and daughter donated the $800 to a domestic abuse shelter.

Have a small piece of candy before bed – a jellybean, tic tac, or something like that. But put a LABEL on your candy jar that says sleeping pills. A study found that the simple act of taking a pill, even if it is a fake one, prompts your brain to relax. On average, you should fall asleep 16 minutes faster, and stay asleep 79 minutes longer. It is the placebo effect, where if you think a pill will make you sleep better, it will, even if it’s a tic tac in disguise. I am not sure who did this study, and I am sure not saying that it doesn’t work, BUT…

So, the newsfeed said something about Your Side Part Makes You Look Old. I didn’t read it, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit that the little thought worm entered my brain a few times when I combed my hair in the mornings. Google, my sweet friend. The article started out, “If the phrase “the Lawrence Brothers” moves you in some type of way, chances are you part your hair to one side and have an extensive collection of skinny jeans in various shades of indigo and black. These are just facts!” Well, I didn’t have a clue who the Lawrence Brothers were (but I do now), and I have never owned skinny jeans. But I do part my hair on the side, so more information was needed. Upon reading, this information was directed entirely towards people born in the 80’s, not lived in the 80’s. Whew. I haven’t worn my hair parted in the middle since the 70’s. Remember there are so many advantages to being older, if you just look for them.

Thanks for reading us this week and do not forget to schedule your mammogram, or just encourage someone you love to do the same.

LISA

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What I Heard This Week! 08-12-2021

What I Heard This Week August 11, 2021

The end of an era. Kitty’s Purple Cow was torn down last week in Surfside…to the ground. As many times as the building had been hit by winds and rains of hurricanes, it hurt pretty bad to see it as a rubble pile.  Kitty, in her day, had always been able to bring it back to life, but now there was just a pile of wood with a water heater, and so many layers of different shades of purple walls, with a Sysco truck in the background. A sign of the times. I bet if I had searched hard enough, I could have found the picture of the half-naked guy that hung on the wall in the women’s bathroom, with the little white door that ever-so-barely covered up the area between his thighs and abdomen. The extra loud buzzer would go off throughout the entire restaurant if you were new, your curiosity getting the best of you, lifting up that little door to see what was under it. I will never forget my first, and only time, of buzzing the buzzer. After that hard-learned lesson, I remember seeing newbies going into the bathroom, and the buzzer yelling at us a few minutes later. It was so hard not to giggle and make eye contact as they walked out in embarrassment. Those were the good old days…hot waffles on Sunday mornings, fabulous cheeseburgers, patty-melts with grilled onions, fries, and Dr. Peppers. Plus, a bunch of super nice people. Oh, and a jukebox. All I had to do is supply my kids with enough quarters to have Elvis sing to us throughout the meal. RIP

An around-the-world cruise scheduled to begin in January 2024, sold out within hours of being made available for bookings. Minimum cost of a ticket per person for a suite on the 132-nights trip, starts at $73,499. That is about $556 per day. If I had $73,499 just laying around, along with five months of free time to go, I would do it.

Masks are back ‘IN’ again…and really cool. Let’s do it for the kids.

For his thesis project, a recent graduate of the College of Creative Studies in Detroit, designed an electric car that would be flat-packed and put together by the purchaser, like a piece of Ikea furniture or a Lego kit. The Hoga car would be delivered in 374 pieces to be attached to a skateboard like chassis. Since there is no engine, it gives much more cabin room. A car for our future… our very near future.

After missing for four decades, a gingham pinafore believed to have been worn by Judy Garland in 1939 while filming The Wizard of Oz, was recently found in a shoebox inside a trash bag at the Catholic University of America Drama Dept. in Washington, DC. It had been gifted to the head of drama by actress Mercedes McCambridge, a friend of Garland’s, then lost a year later. Good story.

I told my sister that she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked at me surprised.

When we were younger, my favorite uncle would take all three of us sisters and keep us for a week in the summer. He lived in Albuquerque, was sweet and funny, a very handsome single man, brave to point of naivety, especially to have us all at once. Maybe it was because we entertained each other, or maybe he just got it out of the way, so he did not have to do three individual weeks. Ha-ha.  All I know is that we had the time of our lives. No mom. Watermelons with candles for birthdays.  It was the best of times, except being violently appalled when we found out that he did not wash his chicken before he cooked it. We let him know that mom would never put up with that. Well, today I was reading the news and saw the headline… Should You Wash Raw Chicken? Here’s What Experts Say. Public health officials agree that you should not wash raw chicken. In fact, doing this causes more harm than good. Washing raw chicken can spread harmful bacteria such as salmonella or campylobacter around the kitchen, which can potentially cause foodborne illness. I told Mac. He says he was just ahead of his time. I agree. Every kid should have an Uncle Mac when they’re growing up.

The Foo Fighters played to a fully-vaccinated crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden, while Kiss star Gene Simmons said their “End of the Road” concertgoers must have had the jab, telling them: “I don’t care if you think the Earth is flat.”  In April, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, released his lockdown track Eazy Sleazy, which poked fun at vaccine misinformation. The Eagles have added an additional Seattle date to their rescheduled Hotel California tour, and attendees will have to provide proof of vaccination upon entering. 12 and under, proof of vaccine or negative Covid test. These guys are doing their best to help sway the non-believers with their great music.

Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor accused of sexually abusing hundreds of girls and women, has only paid about $8.33 towards his criminal monetary penalties per month, despite receiving deposits into his account over this period totaling $12,825.00. According to Justice.gov., The Monetary Penalties Unit is responsible for the prosecution of criminal and civil forfeiture cases and for collecting debts owed to the United States, including restitution for victims of crime, criminal fines, and debts to federal government agencies. Hmmm. There were 265 known sexual abuse victims, 160 that testified he had molested them…some as young as nine. $8.33 a month, doesn’t seem very just, but then again money can’t replace what he took away from those little girls.

Some of the beds at the Tokyo Olympics were made out of cardboard. It was rumored that they were designed to prevent athletes from having sex, but a Japanese bedding company, Airweave, said, “Cardboard beds are actually stronger than (ones) made of wood or steel.”

15 million boxes of Girl Scout cookies did not sell in 2021, because of the pandemic not allowing in-person sales. A typical new car contains more than a thousand chips. Not good during a chip shortage. A patient with the rare, but highly infectious Marburg virus disease has died in Guinea, It’s the first case of the Ebola-like virus in West Africa. The virus causes hemorrhagic fever, where multiple organ systems in the body are affected. This comes less than two months after Guinea declared an end to its most recent Ebola outbreak. Defrocked ex-cardinal and former archbishop Theodore McCarrick has been criminally charged with sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy during a wedding reception at Wellesley College in Massachusetts in 1974.

School is almost in session so remember to drive carefully and pay attention to what’s going on around you. Slowdown in school zones. Flashing red lights on a school bus mean it is stopping. You must also stop…no passing the bus! Watch for students at crosswalks, obey crossing guards, and traffic control devices. PUT AWAY YOUR PHONE, your beverage, your mascara, and your food. I’m not your momma, but I’m always amazed at what I see in traffic. Especially so much texting while driving.

Queso = Spanish for cheese. K, so = Southern for here’s the plan and y’all probably not gonna like it.

The Gulf Coast Bird Observatory needs your help On August 26th and 28th, there will be nursery work and some freeze clean-up to get ready for XHX (Extreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza), weeding, moving plants around and potting of seedlings.  Come on. You don’t need any special experience. Come for an hour or come for four hours. Your help is always appreciated. 299 Hwy 332 West, LJ, 979-480-0999. Bird banding is open to the public on August 21, 8 – noon. For the hummers.

A yet untitled Martha Stewart documentary on Netflix, will tell the story of the New Jersey native’s rise from model and stockbroker to the greatest teacher, hostess, and lifestyle expert. Includes her jail stay. Timothee Chalamet will play Willy Wonka in a new musical version of the Roald Dahl story that Gene Wilder did so well. Urban Decay will produce an eye shadow palette, several shades of purple, inspired by Prince. Hmmm. I wonder what he would think about this. Not happy thoughts, I believe.

My apologies to our readers when the font is a little smaller on this column. Sometimes I just have plenty to say, and Tina accommodates me by squishing it all into my allotted space. Thank you, R.J. Charlie for the kind words. I’ll try to purge my unnecessary words better. Thank you to Debby for my gift box of chrysalises. Nothing better than taking a cup of coffee out on the back porch in my jammies, to watch a recently emerged butterfly dry their wings and fly off and land on their first zinnia. It happened three different mornings. The T-shirt says, Home is where the Dog is…and the Cats and the Kids. Thank you, Connie. My dedicated reader Mark, let me know Sista White’s Café and BBQ is opening again in LJ for lunch 10:30 to 3. Closed Sat./Sun. Right behind Denny’s on This Way. It’s supposed to be really good.

Teller Update: Thanks to Gabriella at Chip’s Restaurant in downtown LJ, for feeding Teller cheeseburgers when he was roaming the streets. I will tell you that almost every week I find someone else that helped take care of Teller until he could be convinced to be saved. Teller and I had walked over to Chips to pick up fish tacos for lunch, and Gabriella recognized him.… well, I told her his name and she said, “That’s Teller?!?” You could tell that he remembered her. It feels so good to be picking up the poop of a celebrity each and every day. 😊 A lady saw us walking last week, slowed down, rolled down her car window, and yelled, “Hey, Teller!” That happens often. Sometimes I know the people and sometimes I do not. Save the Date: SPCA Fur Ball October 14th, 2021

A funny note to make you smile… Last month my daughter celebrated her 22nd birthday, so I took her and two of her friends to Grape Taste, so they could experience a drink with their dinner if they wanted. I was the designated driver and holder of the credit card only. They ate, then called to be taken to Bodega, which was closed, so they decided on Lola’s coffee shop. Soon, they were calling my office, requesting another pick-up. I take my DD status very seriously, but it had rained/poured during their coffee time and Parking Way is a river for about thirty minutes after a big rain. Plus, Wine Review was packed, so no parking available in front of my office. In fact, not a single parking spot on my whole street, so I had made my own illegal spot on the curve. Teller and I left the office, umbrella in one hand, heavy purse on my shoulder, leash in the other hand, and started struggling down the muddy, water-filled, unlit, broken sidewalk, towards my car…
    At the end of the street is a handicap ramp, so I decided my best bet was to cross there, because of less water. As I started to jump from the ramp over the puddle to the street, my shoe slid, and Teller pulled hard on the leash at the same time. As I spun and fell, I imagined I looked like a Cirque Du Soleil performer whirling through the air in slow motion. That’s because I have a very vivid imagination. I stood up, looked around. Nope. I was safe. No one had seen me unless they were standing behind the safety of a window, now laughing their bee-hinds off. I had bloodied my arm from wrist to elbow, along with my favorite silk blouse, bloodied and grass-stained the knee on my best white jeans, and scabbed up my “only worn three times” shoes. Are you smiling yet? And somehow, I got mud on my face. I was pretty grubby looking when I picked up the kids. AE asked if I was ok, and I said no, probably not. Then we went to HEB for them to pick-up a lemon-pop melon and golden kiwi…delicious!  I sat in the car and wiped my wounds with several individually wrapped soft-quilted lens wipes, the only thing I could find in my car or purse. Then on to Target for games, then they came back to my office and played games while I worked. The whole time I am thinking…these have to be the world’s nicest kids! So, what’s an occasional bloodied arm or leg in the whole scheme of things. Everything was washable, healable, and happy. Have a great week and thank you for reading us, shopping with us, and allowing us to be a part of your day. It is appreciated.

LISA

 

 

  • What I Heard This Week 10-26-2023

    by on October 25, 2023 - 0 Comments

    Former US astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, recently remarried for the fourth time, which also happened to be on the occasion of his 93rd birthday. This time it was to Dr. Anca Faur, his 63-year-old, long-time companion (who looks like she wants to be 27), has a PhD in chemical engineering, and is now the executive vice president of Aldrin’s company, Buzz Aldrin Ventures.  He was first married to Joan Ann Archer in 1954 until divorcing in 1974. The next year he married Beverly Van Zile; they divorced after three years. His third marriage was to Lois Driggs Cannon in 1988 on Valentine's Day, divorcing 23 years later. Looks like he hasn’t given up on ‘love’ quite yet. He has sued two of his children and his former business manager claiming they stole money from him and are slandering his legacy, and that they also undermined his "personal romantic relationships" by forbidding him from getting married. His children say he is also spending money at an alarming rate. Sounds like those children are out of luck. There is a new sheriff in town and her name is MRS. Aldrin. ☹ Notes: Aldrin is also a strong advocate for human exploration of Mars. In 2002, he escaped assault charges after punching a man who demanded he swear on a Bible that the Moon landing was not staged. Good for him. He also said, “Tang sucks. “

  • What I Heard This Week 11-30-2023

    by on November 29, 2023 - 0 Comments

    Former US astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, recently remarried for the fourth time, which also happened to be on the occasion of his 93rd birthday. This time it was to Dr. Anca Faur, his 63-year-old, long-time companion (who looks like she wants to be 27), has a PhD in chemical engineering, and is now the executive vice president of Aldrin’s company, Buzz Aldrin Ventures.  He was first married to Joan Ann Archer in 1954 until divorcing in 1974. The next year he married Beverly Van Zile; they divorced after three years. His third marriage was to Lois Driggs Cannon in 1988 on Valentine's Day, divorcing 23 years later. Looks like he hasn’t given up on ‘love’ quite yet. He has sued two of his children and his former business manager claiming they stole money from him and are slandering his legacy, and that they also undermined his "personal romantic relationships" by forbidding him from getting married. His children say he is also spending money at an alarming rate. Sounds like those children are out of luck. There is a new sheriff in town and her name is MRS. Aldrin. ☹ Notes: Aldrin is also a strong advocate for human exploration of Mars. In 2002, he escaped assault charges after punching a man who demanded he swear on a Bible that the Moon landing was not staged. Good for him. He also said, “Tang sucks. “

  • Much Ado About Nothing - Texan in Winter

    by on December 6, 2018 - 0 Comments

    The power went out at my house last night for four hours. While this may not seem like a major catastrophe as it was the middle of the night and […]

  • Much Ado About Nothing - “Human Bait”

    by on January 16, 2020 - 0 Comments

    My dad always told me to have a backup plan in case my current job doesn’t work out. I wasn’t sure what that’d be until I saw this ad: “HUMAN […]

  • What I Heard This Week! December 20, 2018

    by on December 20, 2018 - 0 Comments

    The AK-47 is a type of assault rifle originally manufactured in the Soviet Union in 1949. A 17-year-old Humble High School student accidently shot herself recently with an AK-47 that […]

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