Happy May Day

I remember as a tot in elementary school there was an assembly on May Day. There would be a May pole on the stage and a few lucky students would walk around the May pole wrapping ribbons around the thing. Later I found that the holiday was associated with Communism.

I also remember when I worked in Denver the staff would be dragged to a local park for a May Day celebration, and someone remarked "Where are the Communist flags?" We ate cold chicken then went back to work. We didn't have a may pole. 

May Day has a double meaning in the United States. It is a minor spring celebration and is also tied in with left of center politics. The Occupy Wall Street people want to make a big to do for today. I wonder if children are still forced to dance around May poles? Apparently so, at least in Portland Oregon.

Pippa Middleton

Looks like the George Zimmerman case is going to be pushed off the front pages. As will gas prices, North Korea and the upcoming presidential election. For the rest of this year, we are going to obsess over the Pippa Middleton affair. American's love their royals, and their royal scandals even more.  A lurid trial in Paris. Pippa Middleton in shackles on her way to a French prison. Perhaps they'll allow her boyfriend to join the French Foreign Legion. He seems to know his way around firearms. It was only a year ago American was introduced to the Middletons. And now it's come to this. 

Editor's note: I was wrong. Someone put the kibosh on this story. Just shenanigans among fun loving young people. 

Bottle baby boogie

In Seattle women will now be allowed to breastfeed in public. Makes me think of Bob Wills.

In 1950 my mother was feeding my older brother with a bottle in a park in the Bronx. A man came up to her and said, "You know, you feed them milk from humans they act like humans, you feed them from animals they act like animals."

Trader Joe's

People of a certain socioeconomic class and background eventually become exposed to Trader Joe's. After yoga class they hear about it. At their daughters dance recital party it comes up in the conversation. "You must try Trader Joe's" we are told again and again. Finally, I gave in yesterday and went to this most discussed grocery chain. I do say the prices are fairly low. And there are lots of prepared foods, which surprised me. Some of them are a little weird I'll admit, like the Quinoa Duo instant cereal. The Trader Joe's cranberry juice is sour and should be diluted with water and mixed with something sweet. The breads look good and are cheap. I did like the "Trader Giotto's bruschetta". They have beer and wine too. Methinks they make a lot of their profits from liquor sales.

At any rate, it's a fun place to shop. The checkout man didn't like the way I packed my bag so he repacked it for me. They never did that at Shop-Rite.

Editor's note: This morning I was asked to join a recipe club. Here is the recipe I submitted  To think that yesterday I didn't know what bruschetta was and now I'm tossing it around like an expert:

Bruschetta Spanish style chilli

Ingredients:

A smidgen of salad oil

For a more Mediterranean flavor you can substitute olive oil

1 garlic clove    sliced

¼ cup onions   sliced

2 sliced cayenne peppers

Enough chilli powder and cumin to coat meat

¾ lb. ground turkey

½ a bottle Trader Giotto’s Bruschetta (bought at Trader Joe’s)

A smidgen of ground pepper

½ a cup dried garbanzo beans aka chick peas

Salt to taste (actually the bruschetta has a lot of salt)

Wash beans and place in water. Microwave until soft.

Pour oil into iron skillet. Heat. Add onions and garlic and stir a minute or two.

Add ground turkey. You can strain after a couple of minutes. I don’t.

Dump and stir in cayenne, cumin, chilli peppers. Sear meat.

After a couple of minutes you can stir in the bruschetta.

Add ground pepper.

Strain beans and add (a little bit of bean water can be added too).

Reduce temperature.

Stir occasionally. Make sure meat is cooked before eating. 

What keeps you awake at night

Today at work I was checking my email. I got a questionnaire from a professional organization. It asked what vendors I use and what kind of training I would like to be offered. The last question was "What keeps you awake at night?" 

I didn't know what to say. My first response was "hemorrhoids". I would love to read what other people said. Sometimes being cute can be an invitation to mischief. 

Dick Van Dyke marries

Chim chim cheree! You gotta watch those old Dutch guys 

St. Patrick's Day, Revisited

Were it not for St. Patrick, Ireland today could be a center for Zoroastrianism instead of a place with lots of Catholics. And so I reprint my classic blog on St. Patrick's Day. I sound grumpy. Hope you all enjoy your corned beef and cabbage. Thankfully, the days of green dyed beer seem to be behind us.