The Letter Z

Z is for Zombies



It seems the world has been taken over by the bodies of a dead people giving the semblance of life, but mute and will-less, by a supernatural force, usually for some evil purpose. I’m not really into all the Zombie mayhem but there are many who are. Don’t get me wrong, I do love horror movies and flicks, but the Zombie is one character I cannot take seriously. Even when the Zombies participated in Michael Jackson’s video Thriller I had to laugh a bit. I love the song, but a bunch of Zombies dancing to a song just strikes me as funny.

 

It seems like these dead/undead things are invading the world as we know it with TV shows, movies and even commercials. We have the television series The Walking Dead, The Awakening and some show called Zombies vs. Vampires, not to mention the countless movies that somehow slip Zombies into the plots, I even caught a glimpse of a commercial where 3 zombie men were attacking a pizza that had been dropped on the road. I haven’t seen it since, but that one time was enough for me.

 

So we have come to the last letter of the alphabet drawing the A-Z Blogging challenge to a close. I have had a wonderful time and to end it off just right...................   

 Zippity doo dah, Zippity aye,

 My oh my what a wonderful 26 days

 Plenty of sunshine came my way,

 

 Zippity doo dah, Zippity aye.

 

The Letter Y

My Back Yard

With the warm weather on its way, I’m so looking forward to spending time out in the back yard. It’s more or less my oasis. It gets me out of the house, into some fresh air and away from housework. Last year I spent well over 7 weeks building up one corner of the yard and putting in a small pond with running water. I made the pond close enough to the deck so I could sit outdoors and read or write. Most times I just curled up on the little outdoor couch and listened to the relaxing sound of the water giving the illusion of being out in the woods by a small creek. I even went to the river and gathered buckets of river rock as well as snagging a Lilly pad just off the shore. I was very pleased with the end result although Bentley had decided that the pond was a huge water dish and I made it even worse when I purchased 5 rather large gold fish for the pond. I enjoyed my pond well into mid-summer and then began to have trouble with the pump and a family of racoons. It seemed every other day the pump would stop working allowing the racoons to do some night time fishing, let’s just say I went through more than a few gold fish before the summer was over.

 

I’ve been contemplating on whether or not I’ll keep the pond. It was a lot of work putting it in, but it was also very frustrating keeping up with the maintenance. I’m thinking about revamping that area by taking out the pond, restructuring the landscape and instead of the pond maybe drag the fountain over to stand in its place. It’ll be a lot of work, but I think in the end it’ll be better. There is nothing better than being in the outdoors, hearing the sound of trickling water, closing your eyes and letting your mind just wander.

The Letter X

X is for XOXO
X is for X's and O's
X is for X Marks The Spot

Ok, this letter was a hard one, for me anyway. Yes I found many words starting with the letter X and aside from the usual X words such as X-ray and xylophone most of them I could not pronounce let alone know what they mean and being able to blog about it. So here go my choices for the letter X.

I’ll start off with the abbreviated kisses and hugs as in XOXO. I do have a habit signing every card I give (to family and close friends) with the xoxo letters.  The custom of placing X's on cards and the bottom of letters to mean kisses can be dated back to the Middle Ages. A Christian cross was drawn on documents or letters to mean sincerity, faith, and honesty. The signer would then kiss the cross as a display of their sworn oath. Since the majority of the common people could not read or write, an 'X' was placed on documents, and a kiss placed upon it as a show of their sincerity. The 'O' is of North American descent; no one really seems to know how it was started. Perhaps now it is used as the 'O' being rounded represents arms encircling another, as in an embrace.

Next is the game X’s and O’s or Tic Tack Toe. I think we have all played this as kids and I’ll be honest during spurts of boredom I’ll still play the odd game when asked. The good thing about this game is that it can be played anywhere and anytime. I remember playing it as a kid in the dirt with just a stick. I did the same thing as an adult with my children when we took camping trips. It kept the kids busy for a little while at least. I’ve even played it during my work hours with another employee when it hasn’t been busy. X’s and O’s or Tic Tack Toe is a pencil-and-paper or stick and dirt game for two players. One player claims the X as their marker and the other person has the O. They take turns marking the spaces either with an X or an O in a 3×3 grid. The player who succeeds in placing three respective marks in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row wins the game. Players soon discover that best play from both parties leads to a draw (often referred to as cat or cat's game). Hence, Tic-tac-toe is most often played by young children.

 

And lastly, X marks the spot. As far back as I can remember I have always been intrigued with mysteries, either solving them or hunting for a mysterious buried surprise. I’m starting to think that I was born to be more like a Nancy Drew type person (and yes I read the complete series of Nancy Drew as well as the Hardy Boys). I used to beg my older sister and promise her I would take her turn doing the dishes all by myself IF she would make a map for me with different clues leading to a secret place with an X marking the spot. I would spend all day (no matter how easy she made it) having fun figuring out the clues and finally leading me to that X. I have even incorporated an X marks the spot game into a few of our family reunions with the clues eventually leading to the X. The prize……..usually a bottle of wine or a bottle of Tequila.

 

The Letter W

W is for Wrinkles


The dictionary defines a wrinkle as a small furrow or crease in the skin, especially of the face, as from aging or frowning. I don’t care what the definition is, I just hate having them. Yes I’m at that age where Mother Nature and Father Time get together and have a few laughs at my expense, but I think they could ease up just a wee little bit!

Take for instance the creases/wrinkles that have now adorned my forehead. There are 2 types of wrinkles that “decorate” ones forehead as they age. The first is called forehead rows, or those wrinkles that run straight across the forehead. The second is called frown lines, which are deep vertical wrinkles between your eyebrows that appear every time you frown. It really doesn’t matter what type of forehead wrinkles you have, these forehead “decorations” tend to make you look older or even angrier than you really are!

Then there are those wonderful lines that have decided to enhance my eyes. I did not ask for any enhancement but those little suckers decided to invite themselves and have made permanent residency at the corners of both my eyes. When I was a teen and decided it was not cool to wear glasses, my mother would always harp at me saying that squinting would give me wrinkles. Of course I rolled my eyes at her not believing a word she said, but now I’m not so sure. Could my squinting not only be the reason my eyesight got worse, but also invited those little suckers to appear sooner?

And last but not least. Who decided to call those deep crevices at the sides of my mouth laugh lines! There is nothing laughable about them. Now I for one think my lips are just fine and I really and truly feel that I do not need these parenthesis lines to draw attention to them.

Yes I know there are all sorts’ lotions, potions and creams that supposedly take care of these gifts of aging, but I have not found one that works. I even went so far as to listen to my older sister a few summers ago. She was blessed with being the dark haired one with skin that tanned, and even though she is a few years older than I am her wrinkles didn’t show as much. I’m the total opposite, I’m red-haired and very fair skinned and every crack, crease and crevice shows up even more on me. We had a huge family wedding that was going to be taking place and she suggested that since I was so self-conscious about my wrinkles that I should try the self-tanning cream to make my wrinkles less noticeable. My makeup just seemed to “fall between the cracks” so to speak so like a ninny I took her suggestion. I did purchase a can of the Spray on Tan and was amazed that there was enough to do not only my face, shoulders and arms, but I was able to do my legs as well! That was a huge mistake since I ended up with a nice “orange” tan on all exposed skin. I swear, if I had green hair I really would have been a human walking carrot and it certainly did NOT hide the wrinkles! I’m glad I did it a month before the wedding giving my “fake tan” a chance to go away.

I guess I’ll have to be like everyone else and live with the humour Mother Nature and Father Time has so graciously bestowed on me, besides I’ve figured out……….  

     

The Letter V

V is for Vintage

Most authorities consider the actual definition of the term 'antique' to mean an age of at least 100 years.  If an item is not definitively datable to 100 or more years in age, it should not be directly referred to as an antique. Vintage is a term applicable to a wider variety of objects, including items that may or may not be 'antique.'  An item described as 'vintage' should speak of the era in which it was produced.  Vintage can mean an item is of a certain period of time, as in "vintage 1950's" but it can also mean (and probably always should) that the item exhibits the best of a certain quality, or qualities, associated with or belonging to that specific era. In other words, for the term vintage to accurately apply to it, an item should be somewhat representational and recognizable as belonging to the era in which it was made.

As a general rule, 'vintage' should not be used in reference to objects less than 20 years old.  Like new wine, the present era has yet to develop individual characteristics that posterity can attribute to it. While an antique may usually also be considered vintage, the opposite is not always true.  A 'pop-art' item from the 1960's, for instance, could be described as vintage, but it would not yet be antique. (Ruby Lane)

I’m a huge fan of Vintage posters. One day I hope to have a room dedicated to my favourite Vintage Poster. Antiques are wonderful, but I’m more for the vintage things.

 

 

The Letter U

U is for Uppity

Dictionary 

1. Affecting an attitude of inflated self-esteem; haughty; snobbish.
2. Rebelliously self-assertive; not inclined to be tractable or deferential.

American Heritage Dictionary

Taking liberties or assuming airs beyond one's station; presumptuous

WordNet 

Presumptuously arrogant

 

 

3 meanings all giving pretty much the same definition and I’m sure everyone has met or has some uppity people in their lives. My last job certainly had a few uppity people that made themselves the center of the entire universe. One person even went so far as to tell me during some heated words that if it wasn’t for her every one including myself would be out the door. She had a very uppity air about her and made it seem like others were beneath her. Most people just tolerated her while others, like myself found it damn near impossible to work with her. There were a few who decided to jump on the uppity band wagon and when push came to shove they didn’t want to make waves so bowed to her every word in front of her but behind her back it was a different story. I can be very “self-assertive” when the need arises but in all honesty I had realized that I had outgrown my position at this place and found it more beneficial for me to move on, so yes I quit!! It was either that or smack the uppity one upside the head more than a few times! Leaving that place was the best decision I have made thus far.

 

 

Another form of being uppity (at least for me) are the people who flaunt their wealth and possessions making others feel beneath them or worse yet inadequate. These people feel the need to talk non-stop about exotic trips, new vehicles, how many homes they have, all the important people they know, always buying things for friends needing the feeling of others thinking they are pretty awesome. I guess that’s where some people feel they have to “keep up with the Jones’s”.  I’m just a plain person that enjoys life as best as I can, and to be honest, Mr. Visa keeps me in check so I don’t try and keep up with the Jone’s!  J

 

 

The Letter T

T is for Tim Hortons and Timbits

You know you are Canadian when you tell someone you are going to Timmies and they don’t ask “Timmie who?”

Tim Hortons is a coffee house best known for its coffee and doughnuts. It is also Canada's largest fast food service with over 3,000 stores nationwide. It was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, by Canadian hockey player Tim Horton and Jim Charade, after an initial venture in hamburger restaurants. In 1967 Horton partnered with investor Ron Joyce, who assumed control over operations after Tim Horton died in 1974, and expanded the chain into a multi-million dollar franchise. Tim Hortons franchises spread rapidly and eventually overtook McDonald's as Canada's largest food service operator. The company opened twice as many Canadian outlets as McDonald's. As of July 1st 2012, Tim Hortons has 4,071 restaurants, including 3,355 in Canada, 745 in the United States, 20 in United Arab Countries and 3 in Oman in the Middle East.

 



Stands up and looks around, clears my throat and says….Hi, my name is Dawn Marie and I’m a coffee addict, especially when it comes to Tim Hortons. It’s been rumoured that Tim Hortons adds an addictive ingredient into their coffee, and although I’m 99.999% positive they don’t, one never knows now-a-days.  Maybe it’s all in my mind but there is something inside me that screams out stop whenever I pass by a Tim Hortons Coffee Shop. I used to get a large coffee with 2 milk, but since they changed the size of their cups I now get a medium with 2 milk. Another rumor that was going around was that it was the creamer they add into the coffee that makes it addictive. Well, I put that rumor to bed so to speak when I changed from creamer to milk and found that I was still addicted! I have come to the realization that Tim Hortons must have a secret ingredient (much like Colonel Sanders had with his Kentucky Fried Chicken) that goes into each pot of coffee that is served at the counters of Tim Hortons. I figured out that even though I bought the Tim Hortons coffee it’s self it just does not have that same taste as it does when you order a coffee from a Timmies.

 

 

 

Now for the Timbits from Tim Hortons. I can say nothing bad about them except they are not big enough. Yet on the flip side of that if you wanted big you order a donut. Timbits are the brand name of doughnut holes sold at the Canadian Tim Hortons. Timbits were introduced in April 1976 and are now available in various flavours that differ from store to store. Flavours include chocolate, jelly-filled, dutchie, honey dip, sour cream glazed, old fashion plain, old fashion glazed, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, lemon and apple fritter. The "bit" in the word Timbit is an acronym for Big In Taste, which was half of the slogan for the original 1976 ad campaign "Big In Taste, Small In Size". It is also a play on the word "tidbit" (a delicate bit or morsel of food). Other doughnut chains in Canada and the United States sell virtually identical products, often called "doughnut holes". I don’t have a favourite flavour for Timbits since you can buy them in boxes of 10, 20 or 40 and have them all one flavour or an assortment of flavours. Since I can never choose just ONE flavour, I always go with a box of 10 assorted. I have to admit that those Timbits are very delicious and when I stop to get a coffee, if I don’t feel like having a donut or Timbits, I still purchase 4 single plain Timbits for Bentley too. Yes, I have addicted my dog to the taste of Timbits!

Bentley waiting to devour his Timbit!

 

The Letter S

S is for The Stanley Cup Playoffs

Well here we are in a shortened season of NHL Hockey and the Stanley Cup race for a playoff spot is well under way. I’m pretty happy that my chosen team The Montreal Canadians have secured a spot in the playoffs although I’m not what you call a hockey fanatic. When my father was alive there was always a bet between his team and mine. He was a Toronto Maple Leaf diehard fan and him and I would always have our own little hockey pool. Of course he would insist that the Leafs would win so therefor I’d have to buy him dinner. It didn’t matter that the last Stanley Cup the Toronto Maple Leafs won was in 1969, my dad would predict his team would be the team to beat. There would always be a friendly debate between us and I would frequently irritate him by calling his team “The Toronto Make Me Laughs”.  1993 was the last time that the Montreal Canadians won the Stanley Cup and as of 2012; the Canadians are the last Canadian team to have won the Cup. Dad’s been gone almost 4 years now and this year since Toronto has claimed a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs, I’m keeping a close watch on both teams.

 

The Letter R

R is for Roller Skates

 

Just the thought of these wonderful boots with 4 wheels and the rubber stopper on the toes brings back so many wonderful memories. Most times I would use the street in front of my house as my private roller rink, that is until we moved and the house we moved to was smack dab in the middle of a very steep hill. That’s when I had to start saving my allowance in order to be able to afford to go to the Civic Centre and join the countless others doing lap after lap around the rink to the sounds of rock music filling the Center.

I used to watch the Men’s Roller Derby competition and was more than excited when the Women started getting involved in this sport. I used to wonder what it would be like to be crashing, pushing and bull dozing my way around the track as others tried to do the same to me. I even made up my own scary name (Skyblade…I know it sounds like a really tough name!) to be known by when I transformed myself into a rough tough Roller Girl. That really didn’t last long though as I watched countless women getting body checked, tripped, and elbowed to the point that most surely would leave major marks on their body. I then began to concentrate more on my personal roller skating then wanting to be a Roller Derby girl.



 I spent a lot of time at the roller rink because let’s face it, I was a teenager and it was a good place to check out the guys, besides hanging out at the mall wasn’t really the thing to do back in the “olden days”.  Oh to be young and carefree on my roller skates again!

 

The Letter Q

Q is for Quirks

Quirks....

A peculiarity of behavior; an idiosyncrasy: "Every man had his own quirks and twists" (Harriet Beecher Stowe).

10 Quirks that I have.

I when walking to the corner store I always count each step. I know exactly how many steps it takes, but each time I go it’s like I have to make sure I counted right the last time.

I have to wear my watch on my left wrist.

I get very annoyed when someone makes me a coffee and puts the milk in first. I have to have my coffee poured into my mug and then add the milk.

My desk always has to be neat.

I cannot work at my desk unless the radio is playing.

I twirl a small amount of hair at the side of my face around my finger when I am nervous.

When putting a new roll of toilet paper on the holder I have to have the paper going over the roll. If I am at someone’s house I will change the toilet paper roll so it hangs over…not under.

When I folding things, they have to lay absolutely flat, like the ends of a t-shirt can't be bent under it’s the same with towels

When I use salt in my cooking I throw a small bit over my left shoulder.

I have to sleep on my stomach with 2 pillows and on the right side of the bed.



The Letter P

P is for Pedicure



I’m the type of person who if you touch my feet you run the risk of bodily harm. I really really hate my feet being touched so when I my daughter gave me a gift certificate for mother and daughter to have a full spa pedicure I was very apprehensive. I just could not get over the thought of someone else’s hands rubbing my feet, clipping my toenails, buffing my heels and then massaging my toes. That was just ewwwww to me. The certificate had as 4 month expiry date so I figured I had a bit of time to talk myself into it. It took a bit of time, but sandal weather was on its way so I figured why not. Wow, I have no idea why I hadn’t done this a very long time ago!

I was still apprehensive about someone touching my feet, but when I walked into the Spa it was like I walked into Shangri-La! The atmosphere was wonderful as the scent of incense greeted us when we walked through the door. There was soft instrumental music playing in the background and the décor just made you feel immediately relaxed. I was led into a room with a very inviting chaise lounge with a  large picture of a waterfall that had the soothing sound of water filling the room. My anxiety was slowly ebbing away.

I had the full treatment; the foot soak, scrub, massage, clipping, buffing, warm foot wax treatment, another buffing, than my toenails painted. By the time I was done and walked out of the spa, my feet didn’t feel like my own! I’ll be honest, it felt wonderful and now I go as often as I can.

The Letter O

O is for Optical Illusions

What you see isn’t always what you get!

Since ancient times, humans have known that immediate perception is not a reading of physical reality. Vision is the most creative act that a human being is capable of. Seeing is depicting the world on the living canvas of our mind. As we depict well only what we really know, our mind is both the canvas and the artist. In this creative process, the eyes represent nothing other than a medium with which our mind interprets and reconstructs our near environment. Some illusions teach us to doubt and to question the many appearances of the reality - they are a kind of school of life!

The Letter N

N is for Nylons

Nylons have to be my worst nemesis when it comes to putting them on. When buying nylons/pantyhose I go by the chart on the back, but hells bells, it ends up being a wrestling match with me and my nylons to get them on! It doesn’t matter how many times I open a package and take out those nylons looking at the size, and then looking at myself, I try to ponder how those things are going to fit on my body. I stopped buying the ones with the toe seams because by the time I manage to put them on my feet, roll them up my legs and over my behind the toe seams are NEVER where my toes are. Many times I have gripped the very thin and delicate material too hard as I’m yanking, shimmying and jumping up and down in order to force my lower part of myself into them and end up poking my fingers through the nylon causing them to either tear or run. Now I know that once a run starts the only way to prevent it from sprinting all the way down is to not move. That’s when I glance over to the dresser spying the clear nail polish and then figure I can do the baby step shuffle in order to reach it. The baby step shuffle is the only thing I CAN do since somehow I have wrung the thin delicate nylon in a very awkward way around my legs. It’s rather strange that it is sooooooooooooo easy to put a hole or run in those damn things, but have them twisted even slightly and it’s like you have restricted every bit of both legs in a tight tourniquet. Don’t even get me started about the seams that are put in the damn things starting from the front waist and going down under and back up to the waistband on the back. Lord only knows how to get the seams of the nylons to match up with the seams of my, well the seams God gave me. I am so glad that the warm weather is coming so I can stay away from the nylons and just let my legs go o’natural (as white as they may be).

 

The Letter M

M is for Memories

Well here we are in the Middle of the A-Z Blogger Challenge. For Me it's been a Merry Mission and one that is giving Me Mountains of Marvellous blogs to read.

                       

 

Memories

 

I have a place I keep my thoughts to precious to forget

A storage room within my head and the key locked in my heart

A street, a house, a neighbor, a friend, and even my childhood pet

Are all inside this storage room and I shall never part

My memories are the golden door of a past that is left behind

A time when I was not afraid to let my spirit wander

As time slips on and years go by, and friends they come to mind

My storage room is always there for me to look and ponder

I will slip away and reminisce behind that golden door

Sometimes I’ll smile, sometimes I’ll laugh, and sometimes I’ll even cry

I’ll look upon those memories, and know what I’ve been living for

A kiss, a hug, a smile, a laugh, is all that made me fly

And when I am old and turning grey, my glasses I’ll not need

I will open that door and go inside and look around with pride

For all my memories will be sitting there, pages I will not read

My life I’ll watch as the years turn back…. Like the rolling oceans tide.

The Letter L

L is for Loonie

I know of 3 meanings to the word Loonie

1…. Loonie as in crazy……She’s as loonie as they come!

2…. Looney Toons. ……Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck…etc….

3….The Canadian Loonie….. The Canadian dollar coin

Of course since I am Canadian I’m talking about the Canadian dollar coin.

On June 30, 1987 as a cost-saving measure by the Government of Canada the Loonie one dollar coin was introduced and was instantly dubbed the "Loonie because of the Loon bird that adorned the back of the coin. Of course the Loonie was not immediately accepted. We bitched about the size of it and there were those who saw the loonie as a plot to ruin pant pockets and enrich the tailoring industry and the move to rename piggy banks as loonie bins never really caught on. It was eventually accepted as part of us Canadians and we think nothing of it now.

Fun Facts about the Canadian one dollar;

In 2008 a Canadian survey ranked the loonie higher in Canadian symbolism than maple syrup. The maple leaf was number 1.

In 1987 a Penticton boy thought it looked good enough to eat…the result….stomach surgery 4 days later….to cash out.

Eh, it's just another one of those Canadian things.

 

The Letter K

K is for Kaleidoscope

 

 



 

The kaleidoscope was invented by David Brewster in 1816 while looking at things at the end of 2 mirrors. Brewster noticed patterns and colours were recreated into beautiful and colourful designs. He named this new invention after the Greek words meaning beautiful form watcher. Kalos, the Greek word for beautiful, eodos, the Greek word = shape scopeo, the Greek word = to look at. Brewster thought it might be a useful scientific tool for the study of polarized light, patenting it in 1817. 

Unfortunately for Brewster, the patent was worded poorly and others quickly replicated the kaleidoscope, realizing its worth as a toy. Brewster lost out on the enormous profits made by its success.

 

I remember being given a kaleidoscope as a gift and I would spend hours looking into the small hole while turning the one end slowly and watching all the wonderful shapes and colours turn into funky patterns. For some reason it was relaxing, almost hypnotizing me as each turn of the cylinder top made more and more patterns. For me, it was like I was losing myself in every pattern that appeared. I was being transformed into a weird but oddly wonderful array of light, colours and patterns.

 

 

Being a teen in the 70’s I never really forgot the succession of symmetrical designs from the kaleidoscope and donned the wonderful psychedelic ways of tye dye clothing.

 

 The kaleidoscope has been one of my childhood toys that brings back all that nostalgic fun.

 

 

 

 

The Letter J

J is for the Joys of Spring

Even though autumn is my favourite season of the year I have to say that I am filled with joy that spring has finally come to my little corner of the world. Maybe it’s my age, but winter seems to get longer and longer each year. It always fills me with joy when my usual spring time visitors begin to rebuild their home in the corner of the porch roof.  It’s not really a joy on the rainy days (although it gives me an excuse to be lazy), but with the rain, comes the joy of spring flowers. The spring flowers and the tiny buds on the trees bring a renewed sense of joy to the upcoming warm sunny days ahead!

 

 

I think it’s safe to say we can park the snow blower back in the shed and leave all but one shovel out. I do live in Canada, so one never knows if Old Man Winter will try and blow back in for one final jab at us and cover the sprouting flowers with a blanket of the cold white stuff. Maybe I am taunting him, but I did wash up all the winter coats, hats, mittens and scarfs and hung them up in the winter storage bag downstairs. I took the winter leather coats into the drycleaners and now I can actually see the coat hooks in the mudroom. The winter boots are all put neatly away in the basement and up came the rain boots. The back yard is already a squishy sloppy mess so the rain boots are definitely needed. 

Oh the Joys of Spring!!!

The Letter I

I is for Individuality

All greatness of character is dependent on individuality. The person who has no other existence than that, which he partakes in common with all around him, will never have any other than an existence of mediocrity. (Quote by - James F. Cooper)

 

I must admit that there for a while I misplaced my own individuality in order to be accepted by a few. It’s a lesson in life that I think we all learn and the final lessons can be very hurtful. I became someone I really didn’t like and all for the sake of feeling as though I belonged. The hurt I had to feel opened my eyes to the fact that all that were in this so call “select” group lacked their own character and individuality since they all spoke as one when in a group yet cussed and complained in private because they did not like what was said or done. But enough of that I am now back to being me. I say what I feel and I keep company with those who are not afraid to be themselves and who also accept others for having their own individuality.

The Letter H

H is for Hamburgers

 

 





Harvey’s makes a hamburger a beautiful thing…Harvey’s

Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions – all on a sesame seed bun….McDonalds

Where’s the beef? A square hamburger patty? ….Wendy’s

Have it your way…. Burger King

Where the burgers are as good as the root beer … A&W

I’m thinking different; I’m thinking Arby’s ….Arby’s

 

 

HAMBURGER WORD HISTORY:

 Because the world has eaten countless hamburgers, the origins of the name may be of interest to many. By the middle of the 19th century people in the port city of Hamburg, Germany enjoyed a form of pounded beef called Hamburg steak. The large numbers of Germans who migrated to North America during this time probably brought the dish and its name along with them. The entrée may have appeared on an American menu as early as 1836, although the first recorded use of Hamburg steak is not found until 1884. The variant form hamburger steak, using the German adjective Hamburger meaning "from Hamburg," first appears in a Walla Walla, Washington, newspaper in 1889. By 1902 we find the first description of a Hamburg steak close to our conception of the hamburger, namely a recipe calling for ground beef mixed with onion and pepper. By then the hamburger was on its way, to be followed much later by the shortened form burger, used in forming cheeseburger and the names of other variations on the basic burger, as well as on its own.

I’d have to say my all-time favorite hamburger from a fast food place would have to be a Harvey’s hamburger. I can stand at the counter and pick what I want to top the patties. Usually I get double the amount of pickles since I am really a pickle fanatic. If they are putting too much lettuce on I can tell them to take some off. There is nothing like biting into a hamburger that was just grilled and made specifically to MY likes!

 

 

 

 



The Letter G

G is for Generation Gap

Generation: the average span of time between the birth of parents and that of their offspring.

Generation Gap: A difference in values and attitudes between one generation and another, especially between young people and their parents.

 



 

Up until the year I turned 15 I never really paid too much attention to how smart my parents were. They were mom and dad and they knew everything. They always knew what was good for me and what I should be doing. It was after I turned 15 that things kind of changed. My parents were not that smart and they certainly didn’t know what was best for me. I was way smarter than they were and they had NO clue what was best for ME. They didn’t understand anything since they were so old. They never had to deal with growing up because they were already grown up. I can remember mumbling under my breath when mom and I were in a heated argument and how ridiculous mom sounded when she told me that she was young once too. That was just soooo not the truth because she had always been my mother. She was never young! She even tried to put a voodoo hex on me by telling me that she hopes one day I would have children that turn out just like me. I laughed because there was NOTHING wrong with me.

When I became an adult and had kids of my own and they turned that magical age where the parent vs. child arguments became a daily occurrence I could honestly understand what my mother meant. Then it hit me…..OMG my mother’s voodoo hex! It really did work…even after all these years!!!!  I can still see my daughter’s eyes rolling back in her head as she was forced to listen AND witness the transformation of me becoming my mother.  When I tried to do as my mother did and remind her that I was young once too and that I wasn’t born her mother that I was a teenager once upon a time, she spit back the words “ya right” in a snarky yet oddly familiar way. My mothers voice was heard even though it was MY lips moving as I sputtered out “I hope one day you have kids that turn out just like you!”