I don’t watch many horror movies but came across this one that appears to have been made outside of Hollywood and in the South. A beautiful girl was telling a scary story and at the end she said something like, “Boo” and everyone jumped and then laughed and this reminded me of something I did many, many years ago.
I had a couple of younger friends, Tracy and Jane, who were best friends. There must have been a concert in Charlotte, North Carolina and someone loaned me their station wagon so that we could all go. I was driving. This car had power windows and I had never had a car that had power windows.
We went and had a good time and then came the long drive back to Jacksonville, North Carolina from Charlotte. The drive took place at night. We made it back to Elizabethtown and then got on the road to Burgaw. This was ages ago and there were long stretches of that road that had no houses on it.
It did for many years have a very tall TV antenna. I think I read that this was used by a Wilmington TV (WECT 6 Raycom) station. And, I do recall seeing an online video several years ago when they demolished the tower. This was a tower so tall that if you were near it’s base, you would hurt your neck bending it back to look all the way up to the top. But on this night the tall TV tower wasn’t the main event.
We started telling scary stories in the car. All the windows were up and as I said there were no houses, no lights along a long stretch of road. I’m not good at telling scary stories, and I was having to make one up on the fly but I had an idea for a surprise ending.
I told a story about a creature that lived along this stretch of road and it would abduct people driving along the road, snatching them from their vehicles never to be heard from again. So, I set this story up. Seems like there were 3 other people in the car. Tracy, Jane and I don’t recall the third girl.
Well, I get to the end of the story and it was dark in the car, but I had quietly moved my left hand over onto the 4 power window buttons, and at the finish of the story I pressed all four buttons and the windows came down and the air rushed into the car, and everyone let out a scream, and then laughed. What fun!
I’m looking at the credits for the horror movie, “Death Screams,” I was watching and it was a 1981 movie made in Shelby, North Carolina. That’s funny.
Susan Kiger (Playboy Playmate 1977) who did “hard core” porn before she became a playmate.
Andria Savio was married to Tony Curtis for several years.
2023
I just replayed the ending of this movie and I still don’t know who the killer was. I just didn’t pay enough attention to the movie other than making a comment to myself that there were a bunch of good looking women in it. I think I made a comment about Kiger having “Hallmark Channel Movie” beauty. And she did, but now that I know how rough she had been prior to making this film, I wouldn’t expect her to have ever done anything great in acting. *She stepped away from acting right after “Death Screams” and has been living in California ever since. She is just a couple of months older than me, and is a very attractive woman still.
NOT SO DEEP FAKES
A few days ago I came upon a YouTube video about how the actor, Denzel Washington, had argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court and impressed the court with his legal acumen. I listened to the end of the video and found it extremely inspiring. I was just re-watching the demolition video embedded above and for some reason was reminded of the Denzel Washington video and I thought to google to see if the video was actually real… and it wasn’t. The story was almost completely made up. Washington hadn’t earned a law degree from Howard University and he never argued any case before the Supreme Court. How disappointing that some mook, and I use the term “mook” in the least favorable way,… some mook wasted my time vie,wing his creation of fiction. I can only hope that he or she will at some point in the future have their time wasted in a similar fashion. But the video, if it had been true would have been extremely inspiring.
*Just a few days ago and weeks after I had viewed the above video, I came across a story, online about a young woman police officer who disappeared in the 1970s. They were showing a picture of an attractive woman officer in uniform, and beside that pic was a picture of a rusted hull of an automobile, at the rocky sea shore. The word “POLICE” prominently displayed on it’s passenger side door. I began to read the story but as I did “little things” began to register. Notably, they mentioned the make and model of the patrol car the woman officer had been driving the night she disappeared, and when I looked at the rusted hull, I didn’t think that matched the named type of vehicle. And then it came to me to look for the key phrase at the start of this article… and yep, there it was, something to the effect that “the following content is fiction.” Okay, it doesn’t say that explicitly, but that is what the phrase means. Believe me, the little fictional stories made up to pique people’s interest, and waste their time following the stories as if the fiction was real has gotten to be a slick delivery tool.
A good graphic artist brings together a mix of technical skill, creativity, and personal qualities that allow them to turn ideas into compelling visuals. Here are some key qualities:
🎨 Creative Vision
Strong imagination and the ability to think outside the box.
Can visualize concepts and communicate abstract ideas visually.
Knows how to evoke emotion or tell a story through design.
👁️ Attention to Detail
Notices alignment, spacing, color balance, and other small but important elements.
Precision matters—a clean, polished design makes a big difference.
🛠️ Technical Skills
Proficiency in design software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, or Figma.
Affordable, Christian-based school with a flexible schedule.
Focuses on technical and conceptual design skills.
Arizona State University (ASU Online)
Degree offered: Bachelor of Science in Graphic Information Technology.
Combines design with development and UX/UI concepts.
Good choice if you’re interested in both design and digital publishing/web.
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)
Degree offered: BA in Graphic Design (with or without a concentration in Web Design).
Very accessible and affordable, especially for working adults.
SEE IF YOU CAN DETERMINE THE REQUIRED COURSES FOR A GRAPHIC ARTS DEGREE AND THEN LOOK THROUGH THE SYLLABI (the roadmap for a course, the books, resources and course requirements). This can give you a clearer idea of what kind of skills and info you need to learn while earning the degree and will give you a “jump start” of acquiring those skills ahead of others.
If you can’t find a current syllabus for a course, then search the web for a “syllabus for COURSEID at INSTITUTIONNAME” and put the course ID where the word “COURSEID” is located. Someone who has already taken the course may post the syllabus they used online and this can give you a better idea of what is required in the course.
Magazine Graphic Artist
A Magazine Graphic Artist creates the visual layouts and designs for a magazine’s content, including articles, advertisements, and overall branding. These designers use software or hand-drawn methods to develop visual concepts and layouts. To become a magazine designer, a bachelor’s degree in graphic design, marketing, journalism, or a related field is often required, and experience through internships can be beneficial.
Education: A bachelor’s degree in graphic design, communications, or a related field is often a requirement, or employers may consider applicants with several years of relevant experience in graphic design or layout design.
Gain Experience: Internships, entry-level positions as an art assistant or junior designer, and freelance work are valuable for building experience and refining your skills.
Develop Design Skills: Familiarize yourself with core design principles, including color theory, typography, layout, and image editing.
Master Design Software: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) is essential for creating magazine layouts.
Build a Portfolio: A well-curated portfolio is your strongest asset when applying for jobs. Showcase your best work, demonstrating your design skills and ability to create visually appealing and effective layouts.
Network and Connect: Attend industry events, connect with other designers online, and build relationships with professionals in the field.
Stay Updated: Graphic design is constantly evolving, so stay informed about the latest trends and technologies in the industry.
Apply for Jobs: Search for magazine designer positions online and tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant skills and experience.
Consider Further Education: A master’s degree can enhance your career prospects and potentially lead to higher earning potential.
Freelance Opportunities: Consider freelancing to build your portfolio and gain experience before seeking a full-time position.
A Cartoonist
If you have the talent, a cartoonist is a great way to speak truth to your audience. The above cartoon gives the reason why North Carolina is losing a lot of teachers. If out of 50 States, you are 43rd in paying your teachers, why shouldn’t they go somewhere else to teach?
Book Illustrator / Book Cover Creator
ASK ABOUT “STUDENT PRICING” ON ALL APPS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO BUY! OFTEN YOU MAY ONLY PAY 1/3 OF THE NORMAL PRICE BECAUSE YOU ARE A STUDENT. ALSO, SEE IF YOU CAN BUY THE “SUITE” OF APPLICATIONS, NOT JUST ONE AT A TIME.
A physical place to get ideas for a graphic artist. Colors, cloth design, related characters and ways to express themes.
Check out “Space Mug” for an idea of how an artist can change their focus, or if they marry a fellow artist, can be influenced by their spouse in their creative endeavors. I bought my mug about the time that the artist was changing her artistic focus, and now 8 years later, she recalls little about when she was making artistic mugs.
To make a living as a graphic artist, focused on a specific (niche) form of art, you probably will have to perform a more “mundane” daily work as a graphic artist. You do the boring stuff in order to be able to feed yourself, clothe yourself and house yourself, all the while honing the art that you really enjoy doing.
Something like a performance artist (TV or movie star) you work 15 years serving tables as a waiter or waitress to be “suddenly discovered” and become a star.
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice squeezed from remaining orange after segmenting
1 tablespoon sesame oil (Toasted Sesame)
1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup (Cary’s Sugar Free, maple flavored syrup)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
I just tried this and it is pleasant. I did not add any of the Spicy Chili Crisp.
I was in the Harris Teeter in Cary yesterday, looking for Brown Rice Vinegar, when I happened to see a small, good looking head of Napa Cabbage. All of these that I had seen at other groceries in the Fayetteville area had large heads, and that was something that I knew I couldn’t eat all of, before it went bad.
Years ago, I came across a recipe that was so simple, and so flavorful, but also so fattening, and so detrimental to keeping Blood Sugar and Sodium (salt) under check that it was dangerous. As I recall, the basic items in that recipe were: Napa cabbage, green onions, soy sauce, toasted almonds, crumbled (uncooked) Ramen noodles and the flavor packet from the Oriental flavored Ramen noodles. *Here is a current version of a Ramen Noodle Salad.
And AI’s 2¢: “No, regular ramen noodles are not considered good for diabetics due to their high carbohydrate content, particularly refined carbohydrates, which can cause significant blood sugar spikes…” and, “Instant ramen noodles are very high in sodium, with one package containing 1,760 mg of sodium, or 88% of the 2-gram recommendation suggested by the WHO. Consuming just one package of ramen noodles per day would make it very difficult to keep sodium intake close to the current dietary recommendations.“
And let me recount a story that I will have with me until I die, or go crazy, or get Alzheimers. This story hopefully will emphasize that keeping Blood Sugar under control IS extremely important.
Many years ago, a favorite cousin of mine and I were visiting a distant relative who was in a nursing home. We hadn’t seen this person (man) in a long time. At least, I hadn’t seen him in a long time. It was afternoon and as we walked into his room, we were aghast. He was laying in his bed and, he had no hands or feet. It may be that most of his arms and legs were gone. They had been amputated because he was a Diabetic and sugar had devastated his body. So much so, that it was necessary to remove these diseased limbs & appendages in order to save “the rest of him.”
He was helpless, laying there, unable to feed himself, or get up to go to the bathroom. Yeah, his arms and legs were gone. He had the look of a helpless animal, and his eyes were pleading, begging us to help him. And that was the problem. Neither of us could help him. We were as helpless as he was, in our way.
*This was only a brief event, but it has remained with me to this day. Years later, but vivid in my memory.
So, don’t “write me off” when I tell you, you need to keep your Blood Sugar under check. Watch what you eat, and find those foods and meals that are delicious, but also healthy. Oh, yeah, and don’t put gas in your radiator, or water in you gas tank. You wouldn’t think I’m exaggerating by those suggestions, would you?
On the way up to Raleigh yesterday, I stopped at the library in Lillington and bought two large books. $2 each. One was about WWII and the other was about Abraham Lincoln.
So, why was I looking for Brown Rice Vinegar in the Harris Teeter? Well, this is perhaps the finest Harris Teeter I’ve ever been in, and this wasn’t the first time I had been in THIS Harris Teeter. Years ago I had bought some very fine looking mushrooms there, something like a Snow White. I also recall they had “Tiger Sauce” on a long shelf with a bunch of other hot sauces. It was then that I realized that this was how the other half lived. Their Harris Teeter’s had more, much more, of everything. Yeah, it was all, already on their long, very long, extremely long shelves and down their many grocery isles.
But no, they didn’t have the Sempio Brown Rice Vinegar for which I was looking. But then, neither did the other two, very nice Asian Groceries I had already visited.
The Grand Asia Market
Great price on Hinnant Farms Muscadine & Scuppernong Grape Juices (not wine) $5.99@ , and on the Spicy Chili Crisp was only $3.49@ (so I bought 3). This is the largest, most complete Asian Market I’ve visited. This was my second visit. I think they had Sempio Soy Sauce, but no other Sempio products that I saw. *I bought one bag of Green Szechuan and one bag of Red Szechuan seeds. I also bought a bag of Dried Millet, but have since seen a warning label on the bag that says it may contain cancer causing ingredients.
Oh yeah, one of the first things I saw as I entered this market was several non-electric woks, like the one I had bought recently. These were not the exact same brand, VinChef, but there were two slightly different versions and I think they were $59@ which is what I paid for mine (I hope.). Both had the stylized flame border around the inside rim, but one had a knob on the glass lid, and the other had that awful handle for the lid that is also a hot spoon rest. *Aroma was the brand of electric wok, that I bought through Amazon.
So, after visiting the Grand Asia Market, I pulled up the other Google Map directions to the K-Town Market, on my phone and headed across town.
As I neared the K-Town Market, I saw that there were several construction workers near the street. I think they were probably working on a new sidewalk because as I was leaving, there was a cement mixer that was backing up near me. This store although on Duraleigh Road, is just about a half block from Highway 70 and only about 2.5 miles from Crabtree Valley Mall, which is on Hwy. 70.
K-Town Foods & Market
As I entered K-Town, I saw a clerk and pulled out my phone to show her the image of the Sempio Brown Rice Vinegar label. This was the new label, and not the one from several years ago when I tried their vinegar. I had bought that vinegar at a Korean Market in Fayetteville, which is no longer in business.
As I showed the clerk the image and asked if they had this brand of brown rice vinegar, she immediately said, “Yes,” and started walking back toward the back of the store. Oh, “Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy,” I was elated. She turned the corner of the isle and located there were several brands of brown rice vinegar, but pretty quickly I realized that there was no Sempio brand. *I ended up buying a different brand, with the hope that it would be as good as Sempio.
Another tangent. At the Grand Asia Market, I had bought several items. One item was a small jar of dried olives. The words “Dried Olives” were pretty much the only part of the labelling that was written in English, the rest being small, and in Japanese (I think.). When I opened the jar, and sampled one of these, I was “unpleasantly surprised.” Instead of being savory, they were sweet, sickeningly sweet, and a fake sweetness, that reminded me of what a 1980s aqua & peach colored beach house might taste like if you were able to generate that flavor in some high tech laboratory. I ate several of the olives.
At K-Town I bought three items: the “Snow White” Brand of Brown Rice Vinegar, a tall jar of Korean BBQ Sauce, and a bottle of Burdock Root Tea.
The tea was nicely packaged, and labelled, but I didn’t read the fine print until later. The later being after I had tried the unsweetened tea, and then decided to add some Splenda sweetener. Two packages of sweetener and “nope” not any better. In fact it was immediately obvious to me that the flavor of Burdock Root needed to be appreciated as “savory” and then I looked a little closer at the labeling on the bottle, and sure enough, it was readable… “savory drink.” I don’t think I would actually like the flavor of Burdock Root in any form, savory and definitely not sweet. I drank a little more while sitting in front of the Cary’ Harris Teeter. I poured the rest out in the parking lot of the Fuquay-Varina Smithfield’s Restaurant. Some exotic flavor that I like, like the preserving juice in a can of olives, might be added to the Burdock flavor, but not just by itself, and nothing readily comes to mind as the solution. Yuk!
No Sempio Brown Rice Vinegar at the Cary’ Harris Teeter but I did buy a small head of Napa Cabbage and a bunch of green onions. As I was doing the self-check out, a young man came up to me and asked if I wanted the Senior Discount. He had a card in his hand. I said, “Yes,” and he scanned the card on my kiosk, and then told me that Harris Teeter offers a Senior Discount on each Thursday. I told him that Publix offers their SDs on Wednesdays. He was aware of that. I had marked my bathroom calendar for the Wednesdays Publix offer, but now do I need to add HT for Thursdays, or come up with another way to remember these discount days?
Later at home, I tried the “Korean BBQ Sauce.” Not bad. In fact, of all the items I bought and tried yesterday, this was light years toward being pleasing. Not perfect, but very passable, and I still want to try it on maybe, a pork shop. Yeah, I can visualize the thick cut pork chop that is currently frozen in my freezer, in my Aroma wok, in the oven and then covered with this BBQ sauce.
I’ve got to remember NOT to eat at Smithfield’s again. But, this time it was after I had enjoyed the Chicken “Dark” Platter, with coleslaw, potato salad and 3 hushpuppies. At home, as I was entering the items I had eaten at Smithfield’s, that I realized how many calories I had eaten in that one meal. Well over a 1,000, in fact about 1,400 calories in that one meal. That’s about twice of what I normally eat in one meal at home, and I might feel a little guilt at being around 700 calories in a single meal. NOT WORTH IT!
I just weighed myself and definitely not worth it. I am at exactly 250 lbs. this morning after being in the 240s for the previous week. Hopefully because yesterday was not normal, and I did eat out, my weight will head back down in the next few days.
And the “Not Sempio” Brand of Brown Rice Vinegar was not what I was looking for. It has too strong a flavor.
CJ CheilJedang Co., Ltd.
This is a Chinese company.
Snow White
I find it unusual that I can’t find the exact bottle of Brown Rice Vinegar that I took a picture of above. Also, I am not sure if the company is Snow White, a subsidiary of Cj CheilJedang Co., Ltd. Or, if one company is Chinese and the other a Korean company.
I think my age, and my nearing the end of my life on Earth, has started to give me a strong desire to “pass along” whatever wisdom I have gleaned from years of experience.
I realize I am no fount of blessing when it comes to wisdom, and the wisdom I am talking about does not begin with “Fear God.” That’s Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
No, the wisdom I am talking about are all the “little things” that make life easier, and help things flow better. Things like, “spread the shower curtain out after your shower, so it doesn’t mildew.” Or, “the gas gauge on your car’s dashboard has a little symbol letting you know on which side of your car the gas cap is located.”
Now that I think about that, where does it put that symbol if your gas cap is in the middle, above your license plate.” Why would you even need to know? Well, if you are driving up to a convenience store to buy gas, it would be handy to know which way to pull into the pump so that the pump is on the same side as your gas cap. Yes, you can always get out of your car, find your gas cap, and then get back in your car and drive on the appropriate side. But knowing this little trick will save you these simple “time wasting” steps.
So why did I mention Cheyenne Bodie and Roger Moore, “The Saint?” And, you might even ask, “Who is Cheyenne Bodie.” “Cheyenne” was a long running TV Western show that appeared in the 1950s. The actor who played Cheyenne Bodie was the handsome, tall, muscularly built man, Clint Walker. Now Roger Moore, was also a tall, handsome actor. I think one hook for “the Saint,” was that the character, at points, would turn to the camera to explain “just to me” about something he was about to do, or how he personally felt. This personal comment by the actor, drew me into the story. I was his good buddy, “along for the ride.”
But, here was something that I noticed about both of these characters (not necessarily the actors). The characters seemed to know how to do almost everything, and they knew a bunch of people, no matter where they were, or even if this was the first time in town. And, they were welcomed by these people as if they were old, best friends. But the characters weren’t actually old enough to have learned all the stuff they knew, or met and earned the trust and friendship, over time, of all the people that welcomed them warmly. No, their knowledge of how to do a bunch of stuff, and all the “long time” friends they had accrued required a “suspension of belief” on our parts. These characters were “MacGyvers,” long before there was actually a MacGyver on TV. And MacGyver was a stretch because he was creative/inventive in how he accomplished things, not so much as knowing the standard way of doing things.
So Cheyenne could take an unruly horse, a Stallion, a Bronc and calm the animal, put a blanket and saddle on him, cinch it up, and then gently get on the horse and ride around the corral. And this taming of the animal was something that all the others had failed at. Neither of these characters were old enough to have been able to learn “the tricks” they somehow knew, or become close friends with all the people they seemed to know, by the age they currently were.
Recently I started to read a biography of Colin Powell, the late General and Public servant. The bio is entitled, “It Worked for Me,” and as far as I’ve read Gen. Powell offers examples of “things” and “ways of doing things” that worked for him.
Now, I’m not going to try to teach you how to become close friends with everyone you meet, or even suggest that I know the best ways to do a lot of things, but I do want to “throw out” some suggested items and things that have worked well for me. Take what you want, and ignore or leave the rest, and enjoy!
A “John Wayne.”
I have a “John Wayne” that I have carried with me, on my key chain, for over 50 years, and I’ve probably used it two or three times each of those years.
A “John Wayne” is a small metal can opener that was a military issue for troops in the field, called a P-38 Field Can Opener to be used on the metal C-Rations cans. Supposedly named for “John Wayne” because the actor made the training video for the troops on how to use this can opener successfully. *That’s my first bit of wisdom: Get one of these can openers, and put it on your key chain. It will serve you well, when a regular can opener fails.
Box Cutters
I’ve bought these colorful box cutters from Amazon a few times. Once for myself and then for intended Christmas presents. I have come to give small Christmas presents with items that have made my life easier or more enjoyable in the past year. Why a “handy” box cutter?
How many times do you have an Amazon package to get into, and having one of these would make the process simple, quick? Or you’ve bought batteries that are encased in a clear plastic bubble? Or, you have a piece of thread, or a string that is tying something together, and you can’t break it with your firm grip?
These box cutters have an excellent design, that only requires one hand to unlock the blade, slide it into position, and then easily relock the blade… use it, unlock it, slide it back down into it’s completely sheaved protected position and relock it.
So, get more than one, and put one beside your easy chair, in a kitchen drawer, and in your car, and be careful, don’t cut yourself.
Buy a set of good quality kitchen knives, and keep them sharp. Make sure you like the way they feel in your hand. “The right tool for the job makes things so much easier.” This statement is never truer than when you need the right knife for a kitchen task. You don’t have to buy all the knives at once, but here are a few that I think you will need over time:
(1) A Chef’s Knife, either a classic pointed tip design, or one of the flat, wide bladed Japanese designs. The Japanese design is useful when you are chopping, and scooping what you have just chopped to put into a pot or bowl. What happens when you need to slice a good sized watermelon in half? You want a knife that has a long enough blade to at least go through half of the melon, and then slice all the way around until the halves split apart.
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(2) A Tomato Knife. This usually has a serrated blade for slicing through tomatoes, and a simple forked end for skewering a slice of tomato. But I have found that I can use this knife for many other purposes, not just slicing tomatoes.
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(3) A Paring Knife. This has a short blade usually with a pointy tip. It is useful for getting in close to veggies and cleaning them up. Remove the pithy part of a Jalapeno or Bell Pepper. Cut out the stem end of a tomato.
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(4) A good set of Steak Knives. A style of knife that fits well in the hand and makes it easy to cut through a steak or pork chop easily.
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(5) A sharp Boning Knife is useful if you are cutting up meat be it beef, chicken or pork.
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Well, this is something I didn’t see coming but it has been such a pleasant experience recently that I’ve got to add it to this list. I bought an Instant Pot Mini (modern pressure cooker) about a month and a half ago, and it almost jumped out of the box. My first trial & success was a pot of black eyed peas with some seasoning meat. Turned out great. I’ve found I can cook hard boiled eggs, and a black & wild rice combo in it to perfection consistently. I have a Teriyaki Chicken dish that I’ve already made about four times and each time a little different, but just as tasty. Chicken tenders, bell pepper, onion, carrot. zucchini and frozen garden peas with Spicy Chili Crisp, and Teriyaki sauce. Oh, and I cooked a rutabaga and that too cooked quickly and was a delicious side dish for both some steamed mussels and a pork tenderloin. The mussels I did on the stovetop. Oh, and I’ve started thinning out the frozen foods in my freezer because I don’t have to thaw them first.
If you like stir-fry, get an electric wok.
My first electric wok was a gift from a cousin. I used it to make stir-fry meals, and then I would stop for a while. Not sure why I would stop because there are few meals that are so easy to prepare, quick & easy to cook, delicious to eat, and quick & easy to clean up.
Maybe I would stop making stir-fry meals because the basic ingredients didn’t vary enough. I have three meats that I like: chicken, pork and shrimp. I have three veggies I like in most meals: onions, carrots, and sweet bell peppers. I like to vary other veggies choosing some, but not all such as: broccoli, green beans, sugar snap or snow peas . And I add some “Stir Fry Vegetables,” that come in a can including: bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, baby corn and water chestnuts. I actually like pineapple chunks in almost all of my stir-fry meals. And for seasoning/spices: Spicy Chili Crisp, Toasted Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, sesame seeds & some ginger powder. Oh, you do need a heat resistant spatula to stir things about, without hurting your wok’s surface.
Multi-Purpose Kitchen Tool
This is a Braun MultiQuick multi-purpose kitchen tool. The power wand has three main attachments: chopper bowl, a whisk attachment, and a stick blender attachment.
I originally bought a Braun MultiQuick tool because I wanted the immersion blender, and then it made sense to me to get the other attachments. The unit I bought had a smaller chopper bowl, and it was less powerful. So several years later I finally bought a bigger bowled, more powerful power wand and things became so much simpler. I could grind a whole can of Garbanzo beans, and the motor didn’t bog down.
The immersion blender attachment allowed me to blend various soups while they were still in the pot, and the soup still hot. No need to pour the soup from the pot into a blender. There were two soups that I loved making using this attachment: Curried Apple Soup and Tarragon/Leek/Split Pea Soup. Both of these were good either hot or cold.
I found that I couldn’t blend a whole can of Garbanzo Beans in order to make hummus at home. And if I put too many beans in the bowl, the motor slowed down. I found that I could make homemade salsa starting with one 15 oz. can of Diced Roasted Tomatoes all year long, and add various spices, peppers & roasted veggies (onion, jalapeno/bell/Poblano peppers) as desired.
Lately I’ve been eating a lot of Plain Greek Yogurt, but I don’t leave it plain. I use my chopper to puree fresh blackberries, blueberries , raspberries, or even ripe persimmons. I store them in small canning jars is the fridge. They go great with the yogurt. And I don’t use the whisk attachment very often, but you can buy some Heavy Whipping Cream and make your own whipped cream, really fast, and you might even want to add some flavorings to the whipped cream as you make it.
I recently bought a Jar Sealer. It attaches to either a regular or wide mouth Ball/Mason jar and sucks the air out in order to preserve the contents, such as beans, nuts, dried fruit or various veggies. The one thing I haven’t tried yet is putting in half of an avocado and seeing if it really doesn’t turn brown by the next day in the fridge. *I found that I can’t suck the air out of my plastic storage containers. They look like the glass Ball jars with black metal lids, but they collapse if the air is sucked out.
If you cook at home, a lot, as I do, and like various steamed veggies: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, or need to tenderize green beans before adding them to your stir-fry, then you should buy a steamer insert that fits your 3 Quart pan/pot, and it needs a tight fitting lid, and I like a glass pot lid so I can look at the steaming veggies.
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I’ll throw the following out to you, while on the subject of food.
Let’s dice up some chunks of chicken tenderloin, onion, carrot & sweet bell pepper. Now, from these four ingredients I can take my meal in three completely different directions as a Chinese Stir-Fry, a Mexican Meal, or an Indian “India” Meal, just based upon the following seasonings I choose.
Chinese Stir-Fry
The basic flavorings for turning this toward Asian/Chinese include: Toasted Sesame Oil, Spicy Chili Crisp, Soy Sauce, ginger & garlic powder, and white sesame seeds. Maybe even some Jalapenos. Serve the finished entre on white rice.
Mexican Meal
To direct this South of the Border, add some diced tomatoes along with “Salsa Ranchera” from Herdez. Maybe add some red pepper flakes, various hot peppers in season, and add a baked sweet potato, with butter, sour cream, cinnamon and a little sweetener. If you don’t want the sweet potato, this would also go well with white rice.
India “Indian” Meal
I like diced tomatoes in this also. But the Indian flavor comes from Patak’s Hot Curry Paste, with a little sweetener added. I love the hot curry flavor, but I will also add various hot peppers in season, and the more colorful the better (reds, oranges & yellows). This meal goes well with white rice or a baked sweet potato as prepared above for my Mexican meal.
*When I mention “sweetener” that is because I don’t cook anything with sugar any longer. I was diagnosed as a Type 2 Diabetic in January of 2012, and I stopped using sugar in my house “cold turkey.” In fact, I had about a third of a 5 pound bag of Dixie Crystals white sugar, and I didn’t throw it out, but I didn’t use it either. The result was after several years the white crystal sugar had hardened into a hard ball of sugar, which I eventually threw out. I think I’ve added one small packet of white sugar to my coffee, one morning at a restaurant and that was because I absentmindedly opened the packet and poured it into my hot coffee (maybe it was hot tea) before I thought about not using sugar. That’s one packet in 13 years. Now, I may have had sugar when I ate meals at restaurants or at friends’ or relatives’ homes, but when I have control of using white sugar or not, I don’t.
When you first stop using white sugar after years of eating copious amounts of it, your body responds like coming down off of hard drugs. You have a headache, and you feel horrible for several days, but eventually that bad feeling goes away.
Preparing ingredients in advance, and choosing last minute which direction you want to go. The chicken or pork are diced up into bite-sized chunks and I can freeze 3 or 4 oz. packages of these for future use. Freeze the chunks in a flattened bag. Freezing these flat makes them thaw out quicker. I also freeze my pineapple chunks flat and in the portion size for my stir-fry meals. Or, the previous day, I can cut up my basic veggies and store them in the fridge for later that day, or the next day, all in one container: onion, carrot, sweet bell pepper. A last minute dump, and the stir-fry goes even quicker.
I don’t have a rice cooker because rice is high in starch and converts quickly to sugar once consumed. It “throws my Blood Sugar level off” so as much as I love the flavor and texture of rice (white, brown, black, etc.) I’ve had to leave rice off my regular diet. But, if I could eat rice regularly I would probably have it with my stir-fries, my Mexican and my Indian meals, and I might buy a rice cooker to make the process more refined. Fix enough rice for several meals, and then store it in the fridge and heat up just enough for each meal in my microwave.
Years ago I bought my first Microwave Onion Cooker at an AGRI Supply Store. After years of use, the plastic began to disintegrate so I bought another one. And at least one Christmas, I gave these out as simple Christmas presents. *Make sure you buy the onion “cooker” and not the onion “saver.” The saver will melt in your microwave, the cooker won’t.
What’s so special about this tool? Well, you can put a whole onion in it and put it in the microwave for about five minutes. At the end, the onion will be sweet, soft and delicious. But an onion isn’t the only thing that you can cook with this. You can put a whole potato in it and in about five minutes you have a baked potato. Smush the soft potato, add butter, S&P and some sour cream and you’ve got a good side to go with a steak, or a pork chop. You could also bake a whole apple in this. Once baked add some butter, sour cream and cinnamon. Or bake a sweet potato and add a little sweetener to the other ingredients listed for the apple. *And just recently because ChatGPT told me it would be better to cook my broccoli in the microwave, I took out my onion cooker, added a little water (to form steam) and put a bunch of broccoli florets in it and in about 1 minute had steamed broccoli. Just the right amount for one serving.
Egg McBill
Now, for something that surprised me at first, but I have cooked many scrambled eggs in my onion cooker. Beat an egg, add some S&P, a little olive oil to keep the egg from sticking to the cooker, garlic powder, and maybe even some finely diced onion. Put the lid on the cooker and go for a minute. if the egg is still runny in the middle, cook for another 30 seconds. At the end, you have a beautifully round flat scrambled egg, and this shape fits perfectly on a toasted English Muffin with melted cheese. You melt the cheese on the muffin, in your toaster oven or stove. And add a slice of fresh pre-sliced ham. Viola, a “Me McMuffin.” *I’ve never thought of the following before, but I wonder if you could bake something like a holeless doughnut, or some type of biscuit? It wouldn’t brown, but I still might try that.
There are two other things I prefer to cook in my microwave and many other people would disagree with me on one, or the other, or both.
First, I prefer to cook bacon in my microwave. It turns out perfect the majority of times and only takes about 5 or 6 minutes total time. I put several slices of raw bacon on a dinner plate. Then I put the plate in the microwave, and use a plastic cover over the plate & bacon to prevent splatters. I don’t like limp bacon, nor do I like super crispy bacon. The microwave gives me almost perfect control. *I do drain off the bacon fat as I cook the bacon, stopping to check about every couple of minutes. I think it was Emeril Lagasse who said, “Pork fat rules,” and he was so right. Bacon grease can flavor many veggies and beans.
*If you like blackeyed peas, then if you can cook them one day, and then refrigerate them overnight… the next day the flavors will have had time to meld, and the beans will be so much more flavorful. If you don’t want to use bacon fat in your steamed cabbage, you might need to determine exactly how much sweetener to put on them. Too much sweet on a cabbage is sickening, but just the right amount and people will think you have seasoned them perfectly.
The other item I prefer to cook in the microwave is corn on the cob. I prefer to leave the husk on the corn, and cut the stalk end off, just so I can see the ends of the first rows of kernels. Leave the silks end just as it is. I learned the following trick about two years ago. Cook the corn for about 4 or 5 minutes, and then take it out. Have something to protect your hand while holding the steamy hot ear of corn. Then begin to squeeze the silks end and this will begin to force the corn out of the stalk end. And the trick that usually works. The corn on the cob will come out of the husk, AND the silks will remain in the husk without you having to pull each of them off the ear. *If you like to put your corn on the cob on the grill, that’s an entirely different animal and I suggest, “Go for it!” *And now I have to offer the possibility that I may start cooking corn on the cob in my Instant Pot Mini, or at least I’m going to try it and see. I don’t think I can beat the 5 minutes cooking time in the microwave, but it might be like hard boiled eggs. They come out perfect every time.
If you can’t get corn on the cob in the husk, here is another trick I use. I take a paper towel and wet it and then wrap the wet paper towel around the “huskless” corn on the cob. I then heat the corn in the microwave for 4 or 5 minutes. What I am doing is providing enough moisture to cook the corn with steam. The wet paper towel holds the steam inside just like the husk would.
What I am suggesting is that I prefer to steam most of my veggies, rather than put them in a pot of boiling water to cook. I think the nutrients stay in the veggies better, than leaching out into a pot of water.
An Emergency Multipurpose Tool
There are so many things that this item can perform. It is a high powered flashlight, and has a separate reading lamp. It has a weather radio, and AM & FM radio bands. It has multiple power sources: batteries, solar powered, hand crank charger and/or a USB connector to charge from the wall. It has a USB cable so that you can charge your smartphone from this device, via the hand crank. It doesn’t charge quickly with the hand crank, but it does charge enough so that you could make an emergency call, if you have the reception.
It has an emergency horn to draw attention.
Before Hurricane Helene passed through Western North Carolina, I would have never thought about this type of purchase, but afterwards, when I heard repeated stories of families being cut off from their neighbors, this type of device would be welcomed in the hours immediately after a devastating event. Even if the power is out, this little device would keep you informed regarding the outside world, would make life easier in the dark, or allow you to read to either inform yourself, or keep yourself entertained until morning. The emergency horn could draw others to your location, and being able to recharge by the sun or the hand crank, oh boy, yes!
Not too long ago my electricity went out at night and I then realized that it didn’t have a lighted digital display and none of the buttons were illuminated so you needed an external light source (maybe your phone or a candle) to turn it on and adjust the knobs. It does have a a bright lamp and a bright led display on top of the unit, but neither of these illuminate the radio display or control buttons. So, I bought a Mudder USB gooseneck light for Laptop and it works perfectly, drawing it’s power from the emergency tool and illuminating the radio display and all the control buttons.
I just realized that I would like to be able to put a recipe card somewhere in my kitchen to be able to easily reference it when I am cooking. I forget the ingredients or the order in which they need to be added so a simple note card would be helpful. It could be on the side of my refrigerator, or on the front of my microwave. These were perfect, although I’ve only added one to the side of my fridge, and I may rotate them sideways for certain cards. Slip one card out, slip another in with one of the items you’re preparing for the meal and have multiple cards next to each other, one for the entree, and any for the side dishes. *I don’t fix pizza sauce often, and there aren’t many ingredients, but still having a card to reference would be helpful.
Ball Quilted Crystal 8 oz Mason Jars
I’m adding this size of canning jar to this list because I am planning on buying a dozen at Walmart. They are currently listed at a little less than a dollar a piece. I’ve found there are several items, like fruit puree and other homemade sauces that I make or have and this size jar seems to be the right size. *I can buy a package of raspberries or blueberries and blend them in my food chopper and store them in one of these jars. I’ve been eating more Greek Yogurt lately and this fruit puree seems to be the perfect pairing.
THE LIST
Get a “John Wayne” can opener and keep it on your key chain.
Get several box cutters and put them in easily accessible places: by your easy chair, in a kitchen drawer, in your car.
Buy a few good quality kitchen knives, and keep them sharp.
If you like stir-fry, get an electric wok.
Purchase a “multi-purpose kitchen tool” that chops, whisks & has an immersion blender attachment.
Buy a steamer insert for your 3 Quart pan/pot.
Microwave Onion Cooker
Cook bacon & corn on the cob in your microwave.
Emergency Multi-Purpose Tool for radio, flashlight, and device recharging.
Index Card Pockets w/ Self-Adhesive
I saw this hack online and I wish I hadn’t thrown away all those file clips. Before retiring, I had come to the point at work to not need this type of clip or paperclips. We just didn’t save many paper copies of items any longer. Most things were either saved to disk or pushed to the Cloud.
I was walking along one of the isles at Golden Hex in Cary yesterday and happened to see a jar of some type of jelly. You’ve got to understand that Golden Hex is a European Market specializing in various foods from Europe. They have a deli meat & cheese section where I bought some Head Cheese and some Kabanosy Podsuszane (dry sausage – links).
Head Cheese
I had originally found Golden Hex online, a couple of years ago, because I was looking for a store that sold Blutwurst or Head Cheese. I couldn’t find anyone who did sell these, and even got a weird look from a deli worker in a restaurant near UNC-G when I asked if they sold Blutwurst. I think I first tried Blutwurst and/or Head Cheese when I was living and working down in Myrtle Beach shortly after I had graduated from UNC-W in 1976. There was a deli located next to the tennis shop I was managing, “Tennis With Love,” and I tried several of their “exotic” meats sandwiches.
*I don’t recall whether I viewed a YouTube video, or if I found a web site regarding the following: There was a young, inexperienced, sausage maker (butcher?) who was going through a book about how to make various sausages. One of the types of sausage he made was “Kabanosy Podsuszane.” It must have been a video I was watching because I recall that his finished product looked “too fat” to be like the Kabanosy Podsuszane I had tried earlier from Golden Hex, and there must have been a comment section because some other viewer made the comment that the result wasn’t a true Kabanosy Podsuszane because it appeared to have too much moisture (not dry enough) as this commenter had experienced growing up (in Poland, I think). The commenter suggested that you can’t learn everything from a book, but you need to find an experienced sausage maker, who can teach you how to make the various sausages. I thought this was a very wise suggestion, although I read and interpret well, I know that words and their interpretation have limits, and just because someone explains in great detail “how to do something” doesn’t mean anyone can pick up a recipe, read it, follow the “step by step” instructions and come out with a successful finished product. It can happen, and sometimes, it can’t.
I like that Golden Hex has labeled their products along their shelves including a colorful national flag of where the item comes from. I would think that they might create a special monthly display where they congregate all of a country’s items, in one location. One month a special display of all items they sell from “Germany,” next, “Poland,” “the Ukraine,” “Israel,” etc., one each month.
The one item that I had on my list to buy at Golden Hex was an item they currently had out of stock. I talked with one of the owners and he said he knew the “Zip” (company name) product and would re-order it. I did buy a different brand of seaweed to see if that would work as well.
Dried Golden Berries
I saw from the label on the shelf that this was Sea Buckthorn Jelly (from the Ukraine), and I had never heard of Sea Buckthorn. My thought was that it might taste a little like Golden Berries which are slightly tart in flavor.
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At home later, I tried the Sea Buckthorn Jelly and liked the flavor. I tried it by itself from the jar, and then on a Black Sesame Rice Cracker, and a slice of Sourdough Bread, with a little grass fed butter. Oh yeah, and with a little peanut butter and with some Greek Gods “Plain” Yogurt.
Late in the afternoon, about 4 pm, I drove over to Publix to pick up the Seeded Rye Bread that I had ordered last Monday. I only wanted half a loaf, and it sliced. I made the initial order on Monday, but later that day I heard on TV that there was a winter storm coming and Thursday, the day after the storm, I probably wouldn’t be able to drive over to Publix, so the next day, I went back in to Publix, with my pink order form and asked that they change the pick-up day to Saturday, the 22nd. A woman took my pink sheet, went around the corner, out of sight, and after a short while came back to me, handed me the pick slip, and said that the pick-up date had been changed to Saturday.
— Sounds good, until I show up on Saturday about 4 pm and find that they have no bread for me. They look at my pink slip that shows the original pick-up date of 02/20/25. But I tell the man that I had come back in and the date was supposed to be changed. *I do see the number “22” but it’s in the price section, and the original date isn’t crossed out. But, I’m thinking that the woman entered the new date in “the computer.” The only logic I can think of is that the baker, instead of looking to the computer for the scheduled orders, may have looked at the original order form and thought that date had already passed for pickup.
It’s not my job, but my curiosity will try to make sense of why my order was dropped even after I physically came back to the store and supposedly had the date changes.
I’m glad that they didn’t have my Seeded Rye Bread because I bought some Head Cheese at Golden Hex and want to finish that off before I make my Pastrami Reuben. I haven’t opened my Hillshire Farms Pastrami yet, so hopefully it won’t go bad before I use it next week, or whosever Seeded Rye Bread I buy.
As I walked back to my car I was thinking about going over to the new Sheetz store that has just been opened in the last day or so. Coming into Publix, I had seen that gas was listed on the sign for $2.35 a gallon. $2.35 a gallon is a great price currently since I’ve been paying around $2.79 a gallon.
I did go over and get “cheap” gas. *But oddly, next day, this morning I passed two different convenience stores that were showing gas for $2.59 a gallon, so the price of gas must be starting on a downward trend.
[NOTE 03/19/25]: I finished off the Sea Buckthorn Preserves this afternoon. I added some of them to Plain Greek Yogurt. It has a citrusy flavor, that is unique. Probably you could say that peach preserves have a distinctive flavor, or orange marmalade.
Hopefully the Ukraine won’t be “sold out” and their democracy will flourish, instead of being incorporated back into Russia. Oh, yeah, in case you didn’t make note of it, these preserves were from the Ukraine. [end NOTE]
I started smoking these “Original” RamRod Cigars many years ago. I came upon them first at a smoke shop just across the river from New Bern, beside Hwy. 70 heading toward Havelock, North Carolina. Eventually this smoke shop stopped selling these cigars. The owners of this shop appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent. I did find the RamRod “Deputy” cigar, but this was a little cleaner looking and about half the length of the original. The original was long and sort of gnarly (not a straight roll of the cigar) that was Bourbon flavored. I have driven past this location within the last three months and the smoke shop is no longer there, but it was there for many years.
I like the aroma and flavor of these Avanti Cigars. It is Cafe Mocha. I think I first tried these at JR’s off of I 95 at Smithfield, North Carolina, because they had stopped selling the RamRod Cigar. I rarely smoke, but do it maybe one in a three to six months period. I’ve said, and this was the original reason, that I smoke a cigar to “get in character” when reading something like “1984” or a “seedy” detective novel.
JR’s is now just a large smoke shop, but for many years JR’s was a large, sprawling department type store, with a large book section. I’ve bought many cookbooks there, for myself and as presents for Mary Ann and others. JR’s sold clothing, dishes, cologne & perfumes, and assorted “stuff.” This was one JR’s location, but I think the other that I knew of, and visited at least once, was located at Statesville, North Carolina.
I bought a pack of cheap cigars, GAME Expresso Martini. They were a pleasant smoke. I may have bought Swisher Sweets BLK Cocoa flavored. If so it smoked fast, but had a pleasant flavor. The plastic tips begin to melt when the cigar burns near it.
I guess this posting will morph into a story about things that were, and are no more. “If you live long enough… and even if you don’t.”
I’ve mentioned elsewhere that there was a LIDL in Havelock that I shopped at when passing through the area. This was just off Hwy 70 that passes through Havelock as you are going between Morehead City and New Bern. I’ve also mentioned that I now see the blatant evidence that they are working on a bypass for Havelock. But one time, I bought a gallon of milk and a jar of dill pickles and was surprised that the pickles cost a little more than the gallon of milk. *Maybe that’s why LIDL didn’t last at this location. But, I took a picture, with the jar of pickles, the gallon of milk and even the register receipt (that’s readable, if you zoom in far enough).
I think there’s another LIDL location, in Rockingham, North Carolina that I shopped at a couple of times before they closed. I think that location has been repurposed, but I don’t recall to what purpose.
But recently, I’ve started shopping at LIDL in Fayetteville more than in the past. I’ve found that they sell the “Hatfield” Brand of hams. I first bought a pre-sliced Hatfield Ham at Harris Teeter, and then couldn’t get another. And then was recently surprised by seeing the LIDL sells the Hatfield Brand, and I bought one there. *But, they also had good looking carrots, so I bought some of these also. Pre-Covid, I could get a small bag of carrots at Food Lion, near me. After Covid, they and other groceries began to sell larger bags of carrots, and not the small sized bags. LIDL also sells the Hillshire Farms Brand of “Beef Polska Kielbasa.” Both LIDL and Walmart have good prices on the Hillshire Farms products.
One of the meals @ FATZ in Cheraw, SC
If you travel to Cheraw, South Carolina you could drive by the former location of FATZ Restaurant. I enjoyed eating at the restaurant chain several times. They were sort of a Yuppy environment, and I had some delicious “Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts” there. They were so good that when I came back home I tried to make these at home and was successful. There was/is a FATZ in Rockingham also, but I’m not sure if it is still open for business.
I’ve been to Rockingham quite a few times. I fell in love with the fried chicken (and other buffet items) at the Seaboard Station Restaurant in Hamlet, North Carolina. Hamlet is a short distance from Rockingham, and I will normally also visit the library in Hamlet and then go to the library in Rockingham. I’ve bought books at both locations several times. I’ve also bought books at the library in Laurenburg, North Carolina. They usually have a large selection. Most of the books I buy are not for me to read but as books to leave in various “Little Lending Libraries” at various locations, in assorted cities & towns, or to give as gifts to family & friends.
But in mentioning libraries, the main library in Asheboro, North Carolina is vibrant. They keep a large selection of book on counters for perusing. The library in Laurenburg has also done some remodeling inside and “looks good.”
Normally I do not drive on Hwy. 70 directly between New Bern to Havelock and then on to Morehead City. I have recently, but that is the exception.
The new New Bern bridge crossing the Neuse River.
I normally will drive across the bridges at New Bern and over to the Bridgeton side of the river.
Growing up, I would cross the old New Bern bridge, between New Bern and Bridgeton, riding on a Trailways Bus heading from Jacksonville, North Carolina to Portsmouth, Virginia. This was a low bridge, near the water that headed directly across the river. This bridge was torn down years ago.
Leo on one of his boats.
*A note, I had a good friend, Leo Taylor, who hired me to work in the IT department at Fayetteville State University. Leo’s parents (“Silver” was his mom.) ran the Trailways Bus Terminal in Washington, North Carolina. I call Washington, NC, “Little Washington” as most of us did. So, no telling if I ever saw a young Leo as I was passing through on the bus (either heading to or from Portsmouth).
My mom worked at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth for several years and I continued to live with my Aunt Sis (mom’s sister) in Hubert, North Carolina until I graduated High School in 1972. I then went on to college, and when I returned to the area, lived with my mom at our house in Jacksonville, North Carolina (204 Johnson Blvd.).
The house at 204 Johnson Blvd. was torn down several years ago and the lot remains empty, but the property is owned by my cousin, Raymond Sharpe.
Then on to the Minnesott Beach Ferry and taking the 20 minutes ride across the river, and from the Cherry Branch side, I will normally head back to Havelock and then find the route to head back to Swansboro. But when I have much more time, I might “take a left” and head away from Havelock and find my way, the “back way,” to Beaufort, North Carolina. I then try to drive down the waterfront. For many years there was “Down East Gallery,” the art gallery of Allen Cheek, but that has been gone for quite a few years now.
LaVaughn’s on the Beaufort waterfront.
There was also a gift shop, “LaVaughn’s” from which I bought several Mangum ceramic mugs. That shop too has been gone quite a few years. *But, I have gone to the Mangum store in Weaverville, North Carolina. Weaverville is about 9 miles north of Asheville, North Carolina. I visited this gallery the last time I was in Asheville, which was about 5 weeks before Hurricane Helene came through the area. *I happened to find a picture of LaVaughn’s storefront on my old Flickr site, otherwise I would have never recalled what the name was. *I found the owner’s obituary online: LaVaughn J. Hendricks
These were the Mangum mugs I bought at LaVaughn’s over the years. I also bought a large serving platter in this pattern, and a creamer. Seems like I also had a sugar bowl too, but I think I’ve gotten rid of the platter, creamer & sugar bowl. I use the largest Mangum mug regularly, usually for coffee.
I don’t shop at LIDL very often, but I was in today to buy Smoked Oysters. They have a good price on cans of these. But today as I was looking down several isles, I came across other items that I purchased: Hatfield Pre-Sliced Ham, NIXE Smoked Oysters, raw carrots, fresh raspberries and fresh blackberries. *Actually, I now shop at LIDL and Aldi’s quite often.
As I was standing at the register to check out, a manager was working on something at the register, the clerk that would wait on me was standing back watching what was going on.
There was a woman standing behind me and at some point she struck up a conversation, asking me if the smoked oysters were for my Valentine. I told her I didn’t have a Valentine and that they were for me.
I noted that she had a couple of large Avocados (not an innuendo about her breast, but the big green ones, not Haas), and a couple of other items. I asked her if she liked hummus, and she responded, “yes.” I told her that I like the smoked oysters with my hummus. She thought about going back to get some smoked oysters for herself, but then thought otherwise because of the line of other customers behind her.
Before I went shopping, I had been writing about wanting to buy the Hatfield Ham again to see if the flavor made a difference in my “Bill McMuffin.” But, I wasn’t even thinking about looking to see if LIDL sold this brand of ham. The only grocery chain that I knew did sell Hatfield, was Harris Teeter. And, I also still had some unfrozen ham in my fridge and the remainder of that ham in my freezer, so it wasn’t actually time to buy more ham. Still, I am at an age where if “it” doesn’t please me, I had better make a change quickly, to something that does.
[NOTE]: Well, I tried another “Bill McMuffin” with the Hatfield Ham I bought yesterday. I did like the ham better than what I’ve been using, but this time I think I should only microwave 1 egg, and not 2 and use only one slice of cheese, split between the two halves of muffin.[end NOTE]
I saw some fresh raspberries and nearby fresh blackberries, both at what seemed to be a good price. I’ve been pureeing these fruits to eat with my Greek Gods Plain Yogurt. I was also thinking that I would have to go somewhere else to buy carrots, but then I saw a bag of large carrots (2 lbs.). The carrots were large, not the bag.
Just before I went to the register, I picked up a couple of cans of the NIXE Smoked Oysters.
Soft Apricots – Alesto
These were the softest dried apricots I’ve ever eaten. I bought a second bag, but haven’t been eating them very often.
Camembert Cheese
Carrots (good price on 2 lbs. package & good looking carrots.
Fruit (fresh Blackberries/Raspberries)
Earlier in the season they had very good prices on blackberries & raspberries.
Green Beans
Hatfield Pre-Sliced Ham
I enjoyed this fresh ham. It made delicious Bill McMuffins, but I seem to recall looking at the calories/fat/sodium and haven’t bought any since. *I originally bought this on sale at HT, but then couldn’t get it again there and then saw it at LIDL.
Hillshire Farms Beef Polska Kielbasa (Walmart also)
Milk 2% (cheap)
They had fantastic milk prices earlier in the year, but have gone up, but still a good price.
Smoked Oysters
Both LIDL and Aldi’s have good prices on smoked oysters, but I’ve sort of not been wanting them lately.
This is now the LIDL in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
You know what still worries me? I looked pretty intently at the woman’s items she had placed on the conveyor belt behind me. I can visualize the two large green avocados, and there was something above those, and there was something below them, but I can’t visualize anything but those two avocados, which I think I almost touched, or at least reached out in pointing to them during our short conversation.
The above, “forgetting something” just reminded me of a time long ago, when I was attending college at UNC-Chapel Hill. One Saturday, during the fall, there was a football game at Kenan Stadium. I think we were playing Duke. In fact, it was my Freshman Year (1972), because I went to the game with a small group of people that included my roommate (Keith Smith) and his fiance, and I think her brother and seems like there may have been one more person, ah, maybe “Stick” Mann who was our next door dorm mate, and maybe even Stick’s date. Yes, if it wasn’t Stick Mann, then there was an incident later, after the game where I met Stick Mann’s father in the hall way, and was introduced. As I recall, from my drunken stupor, Mr. Mann had short (military style) white hair. Seems like I was so drunk that as Stick and his dad were down near his room door, and me & someone else were about mid hall, where there was a drinking fountain, I actually said something about his dad looking like an “onion head.” I didn’t mean anything derogatory, but I was extremely drunk and was just relating my first impression.
At the game, someone had brought a bottle of Tanqueray Gin, and it was being passed around. I was so drunk by the time it got to me that I poured a small Dixie cup full of straight gin, and then because we had no more mixer, I asked for a Peppermint Lifesaver and dropped it in the cup, suggesting that now I wasn’t going to have to drink it straight.
There were also some people seated behind us and there was a woman that reminded me of Marlo Thomas, which, as drunk as I was, I had to tell her this at some point.
Eventually, before the game was over, the “brother-in-law-to-be” had to walk me back to my dorm from the stadium. At some point, I woke up on my dorm bed, with a small bit of “puke” on my pillow and a “dog chewed” Frisbee in my hand. I was still very, very, very drunk and I had no idea from where I had gotten the wrecked Frisbee. And, even though this was only late afternoon, and I would drink nothing else the rest of the day, when I did finally go to bed, much later at night, I was still really, really drunk.
So the next morning, I have this severely chewed plastic Frisbee and I don’t know where it came from. Not a clue. There are dog teeth marks on every part of this toy. Now, I didn’t recall how I got back from the football game to my dorm room. Someone may have told me that the “brother in law to be” had walked me back, but I had no remembrance of the journey. That is until several years later, and suddenly I had an image of the courtyard in front of “Connor” dorm, which was about three dorms down the street from my dorm, “Aycock.” *I shared a dorm room with Keith Smith, Room 318, I think. Third floor, second from the end, toward the street. This dorm was later (many years later) renamed, since “Charles B. Aycock,” former Governor of the Great State of North Carolina was a racist. I guess if someone could convince President Trump, he could find another person with the last name of “Aycock” that the dorm name could be changed back to, like Fort Bragg – Fort Liberty – Fort Bragg, but not the same Bragg. How stupid!
I then recalled that there were bunches of people spread across the courtyard and that there were several dogs all chasing and playing with “the” Frisbee. That is where all of those teeth marks came from, and I must have wrestled the Frisbee from one of the dogs and brought it back to my dorm room. So, the incident was a complete blank for at least a couple of years, but eventually I did recall enough to know where the Frisbee came from, and how it had become so damaged.
Courtyard in front of Connor Dorm. During my time at Carolina, there were fewer trees along the street.
I’m re-watching the movie, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” and there was just a moment in the cave where one of the characters explains to the other about the phone he is carrying in his pocket. She is from a time where there were no cell phones, and probably few “land lines” either. Still, their interchange made me reach over and take my cell phone. I want to write about the several changes from when I was a boy until now. Things like telephones, televisions, computers, etc. I will be leaving a much different world than the one I entered a little more than 71 years ago.
Personal Computer
THEN –
Smith-Corona Portable Typewriter
When I started college at UNC-Chapel Hill (“Carolina”) in 1972 there were no “personal” computers. I had a portable typewriter. I think it was a Smith-Corona, in a carrying case, with a handle. I would type up my papers on this typewriter. I think I used correction tape for mistakes.
I knew how to type because my mother who had been a “Clerk Typist” with the Civil Service, mostly aboard the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base (and some at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia), made sure that I took typing, both in high school (at Swansboro) and at least one summer at a local business school in Portsmouth, where she was working at the time. I got up close to 60 words per minute without mistakes. I don’t recall if I was the only boy taking typing in high school, but there were fewer of us (males) in the class. And years later, when I poked my head in my old classroom, it was amazing how small the room seemed, to have probably had about 30 typewriters and that many students, with a teacher. **Later knowing how to type would be a useful skill when personal computers started to become part of our society.
Texas Instruments Calculator
The other piece of technology that I had was a brand new Texas Instruments “hand held” calculator. I do recall that it cost $99 and it was the beige color, as shown here. It would do the four basic functions, but I don’t recall if it even had the (%) percent capability. I don’t think it did. You could spell things by typing numbers and then turning the calculator upside down. I think “77345” spelled “SHELL.” You’ve got to understand that the numbers were shown in a simplified format, of horizontals & verticals, not like those shown above in a stylized format.
Bowmar Calculator
I had this calculator stolen by some slick Chapel Hill operators. They wanted to “party” back at our dorm room, and offered to buy the case of beer for me & my roommate. I didn’t go back to the room with them, but the next day, the only thing I had left was the charging cord for the calculator. LGN was the mullato that took it. Rather than admit my stupidity to my mother, as she would have to “foot the bill” for another one, I combined the order of a cheaper Bowmar calculator, in with Christmas presents, and got the money from her. I told her about it later.
NOW –
I am typing this blog posting on my Samsung Chromebook, and it just automatically corrected my mis-typed word “tpying.” I’m using the Chromebook because about a week ago I accidentally spilled some liquid into my Windows Laptop. The laptop was beside my easy chair, and the liquid just splashed out, and over into the computer. A freak occurrence, but it killed it immediately. I had bought the Chromebook as a backup Web connection so that if something did ever happen to my Windows machine, I would be able to order a new one on Amazon. I haven’t done that yet, but I’m still able to do almost all the things on the Chromebook that were being done from my Windows laptop.
[ADDENDUM 03/01/25]: I actually did not think I would ever be doing this again. I am editing this posting on my HP Windows Laptop. The one that died about five weeks ago, when I accidentally spilled my drink into it. Recall that the laptop didn’t work immediately after the spill. And, I tried it the next morning, and I think I even waited a few days, and it still did not work. That is when I “wrote that machine off,” never expecting it to live again. I didn’t throw it away, and I didn’t buy a new Windows system, but kept working from my Chromebook. I had left the HP laptop unplugged all this time. So, today I took the dead laptop and plugged it back into it’s power supply, and momentarily I realized that the opening Windows background (I believe it is the covered bridge across the river in Firenza.) was showing flawlessly on the screen. Sure enough I was able to enter my login pin and the Windows laptop was working once again. I’ve since updated the McAfee virus software and even played a game or two on it.
I guess the spill was still liquid when I first tried turning on the HP laptop and was shorting out the system so that it wouldn’t start. By giving it some time to thoroughly dry out, it was able to restart successfully. [end]
THEN –
The personal computer has grown by leaps & bounds, since it first started being used by the public in the early 1980s. The early computer monitors were monochrome (one color), not color, and either green or yellow letters/numbers were shown on a dark background. I recall using a computer in 1984 that had a 10 MB Winchester hard drive. The hard drive was separate from the computer and was about the same size. Now you can get a “thumb drive” that is more than 1 TB.
Below are two screen captures from one of my YouTube videos that I took in 1984 when I was working & living at S.I.F.A.T. between Lineville & Wedowee, Alabama. The videos were originally recorded with a VHS camera and years later I converted the VHS tape to digital and then uploaded the digital files to YouTube. First of my YouTube S.I.F.A.T. videos.
Momochrome Green Monitor
In 1975/6 I took my first computer course, and learned how to program in “Basic” and in “Fortran 4.” Fortran has since gone through many iterations, but still exists. IF, THEN and FOR, NEXT statements were at the heart of Basic programming. IF this happens, THEN do this. Do this function FOR however long, and repeat the function when each NEXT appears. ECHO sent the results to the teletype or the computer monitor.
One time, I played a joke on a fellow student, who was from Columbia, South America. I think he was from a wealthy family, his dad being a diplomat or some such. The student missed an early class where we had learned the basic skill of ECHOing a statement out to the printer. So, I created a very simple program and all it did was ECHO the following statement: “Hello Patricio!” His name was Patricio. Well when he came to me to see what he had missed in class, I led him to the teletype and said put in the program name. When he pressed the Enter Key, the program ran and typed “Hello Patricio!” That was all it did, but you should have seen the look of wonder that came across his face when he thought that the computer actually knew his name. I couldn’t help from laughing, and then had to reveal my prank to him.
NOW –
Unless you have need of a more powerful, quicker system, such as for gaming or creating graphics or videos, a laptop is fine for most people. I am a PC person and although I’ve used Apple computers & Ipads in the past, it never “caught on” for me.
Cell Phone
THEN –
A rotary telephone.
I just realized that we didn’t have a telephone in our home when I lived in the “old home place” on the corner of Hwy. 24 and Queens Creek Road. There was a telephone booth across the street at the far corner of the country store. This would change when my mother and I moved up to Hubert to live with her sister, Carrie Kellum, whom we called “Sis” or “Aunt Sis.” The move would have occurred when I was in either 7th or 8th Grade.
Aunt Sis had a telephone, and it was a “party” or shared land line. I’m not sure how it worked specifically, but more than one household shared the same phone line. This meant that only one “party” could use their phone at a time, and it was possible to pick up your phone and hear another household having a conversation. *I do recall doing this at least once.
When mom and I lived together in Jacksonville, North Carolina (at 204 Johnson Blvd.) we had one phone, and it was on the wall in our kitchen. Mom died in December of 1980.
When I hurt my leg, playing tennis, I still only had the phone on the kitchen wall, so I had to hop from the bathroom, after showering, to call my friend.
NOW –
Samsung Galaxy S23+ in carrying case.
I didn’t get a cellphone when they first came out, and they were pretty well established before I got my first, which I don’t recall what it was. But now I have a nice Samsung Galaxy S23+ from which I constantly monitor my world and make informed plans because the Internet is available except in extremely isolated parts of the world. At least my world. I was able to pull up a streaming webcam view of me when I was down on the Washington, North Carolina waterfront a few days ago. There was about a 30 seconds delay in the video, but it was live. Before going down to Washington, I checked to see if the Library Book Sale was still a go, and I checked if Down on Main Street Restaurant would be open.
Step-Stool-Carrying Case
Several months ago I was walking out of Publix and saw a woman carrying a green step stool, made of heavy duty plastic, with a handle. I stopped and asked her about it. It was both a step stool, and a carrying case for her tools. “Step stool” meant you could both use it as a step, or stand on it to reach items above you, or you could sit on it to do work while sitting. But as a carrying case you could put cleaning supplies & cloths, or carpentry tools like screwdrivers and wrenches in it. She told me how much she had paid for it and that it had lasted about 10 years and she was completely happy with it. She provided me with an intimate product endorsement, on the spot. I thanked her and walked to my car.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, I pulled up a step-stool-carrying case like the one she had, on the Amazon web site, and ordered it. I think it was about $56. I ordered this item, almost immediately, while sitting in my car, from the Internet on my phone. I didn’t have to drive home first. I didn’t have to get a Sears catalog and order it and have it delivered to my home a week to 10 days later. I probably had the step stool within three days. And, it is a wonderful unit. I’ve put things, like tools, in it. I’ve sat on it while cleaning the floor boards, and I’ve stood on it while changing a light bulb.
I created a simple Google Spreadsheet to use when I go shopping for groceries. This exists “in the Cloud,” so anywhere I have Internet access, I’ve got access to this spreadsheet. I’ve created broad categories such as: BREAD, MEAT, SPICES, VEGETABLES, & KITCHEN and then can place items like “Asparagus,” “Broccoli,” “Cabbage,” “Onion,” etc. beneath the correct category. I check the items I need to buy either on my Windows Laptop, or Chromebook or even from from Android phone, and then un-check them as I buy them at the various groceries I visit each day. Grocery shopping when I was growing up was either every two weeks, or maybe once a week on Saturdays. Now, I might visit 2 or 3 groceries a day buying those special items from each chain: Wegman’s White American Cheese, Publix Sourdough English Muffins, and/or Greek Gods Yogurt from Harris Teeter.
Cable TV
THEN –
I’ve told the story about how I would get up early (6am) on Saturday mornings to watch “Sunrise Theater” on WRAL TV5. Sunrise Theater included two horror/sci-fi movies, back to back, each Saturday morning. You’ve got to recall that there was no “all on – 24/7” TV. All channels would go off at 12 midnight, and only show a “test pattern” with a high pitched tone until 6 am the next morning.
We had four TV stations, but could not get a good signal from WNCT TV9 (CBS) out of Greenville, NC. There was WWAY TV3 (ABC) and WECT TV6 (NBC) in Wilmington, WNBE (later changed to WCTI TV12 – ABC) in New Bern, and WITN TV7 (NBC) out of Washington, North Carolina.
The last TV show I might watch on Friday night was “Championship Wrestling from Florida” with Gordon Solie, the host. As his sign off he would say, “This is Gordon Solie saying ‘So long from the Sunshine State.'” I recall “Argentine Apollo” who was a wrestler, dressed in tight white shorts and who did various acrobatic flips, even from the top of the ring ropes down onto his opponents.
Because we couldn’t get the CBS station, I missed out on shows like “Gunsmoke” and “The Howdy Doody Show.,” after school. But, there were plenty of other ABC & NBC television shows, and cartoons on Saturday mornings “Jonny Quest,” and weekdays “Yogi Bear,” “The Jetsons,” “The Flintstones,” and “Huckleberry Hound.” Was “Captain Kangaroo” on weekday mornings? I didn’t grow up on “Sesame Street,” but was aware of it later. Sports shows on Saturdays like ABC’s “Wide World of Sports,” “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom,” and on Sunday nights, “The Wonderful World of Disney” movie. I saw all of these TV shows in Black & White. It may have been as late as 1970 before I got a color TV. I do recall the Zenith portable TV (b&w) that had a carrying handle on top, but was still a heavy unit. I liked the Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (which I may not have seen as a boy) but also liked “Get Smart” and “Combat.” As a teen I would have watched “American Bandstand” with Dick Clark, and also “Soul Train” with Don Cornelius. All were adding to the mix.
NOW –
“Hello Patricio!” I think that a few years ago I actually recalled his name, Patricio Morillo, and found that he had gone into banking. And just now, I see his face online and a “Happy Retirement” sign next to it. Patricio’s LinkedIn Page.
I now talk to my TV via my Fire Stick and say, “Alexa, what time is it” or “Alexa, turn on the TV” and she responds (it’s a female voice I hear) with the current time, or “Okay,” and turns the TV on, or pauses the program or various other commands. And sometimes, but not every time, she will actually thank me, for my courteous “Thank you,” with a “You’re welcome, Bill, have a nice day.” Yeah, I could see becoming attached to an interactive computer interface. AI responses are becoming much more organic, and to have a computer generated human-like face on my personal “AI” would be great. I could see spending hours in deep conversations with my AI exploring the World and my environment with his/her assistance.
I knew Guy Fieri had ties to North Carolina, and that he was a “good guy,” but I didn’t expect to feel this good about him until this morning. I happened to start watching his 2nd Family Reunion which occurred at Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, but I haven’t checked to see how long ago. And not too far into this show, he became “family.” Not related by blood, but related by the love and memories of a special place.
It didn’t take long before he was reminiscing about his trips to Morehead City and how excited it made him feel when he saw the name “Morehead City” on a sign. I might not get that excited about seeing the name “Morehead City,” but I know those warm, homey feelings that I get when I think of all the good times my mother & I had down that way.
We would visit the old Civil War fort, “Fort Macon,” and I would be allowed to roam those grounds by myself. This was before certain areas of the Fort were restricted to the public, because they were dangerous. Pitch black rooms and corners, and uneven broken & worn floor bricks. No electric lights in those dank, dark rooms. Looking through the small gun port holes across the muddy moat. This was long before several rooms were renovated with wooden plank floors, the windows encased in plastic, and air conditioning added. But still long after the Civil War ended.
The reunion group visited Guy’s grandparent’s old house. Someone else owns it now, but Guy had a picture from years ago, and I know where the house is located because you go near or past it, if you are either going over the bridge to Atlantic Beach from the Morehead City side, or heading on to the business district of Morehead City and on over the bridge, and the new bridge to Beaufort. “Bow”fort is North Carolina, and “Bew”fert is South Carolina.
I love ice cream. How about visiting “El’s” Drive-In for a banana split? So many years ago, it seems like it was a Sunday afternoon and mom and I might have just come from Fort Macon. We stopped at “El’s” and I ordered a Banana Split, but it seems by the time I started to eat the split, I must have had a hamburger or hotdog because I was already full.
I see that the first reunion was in 2012 so the second must have been in 2022, a couple of years ago now. Morgan is buried in California.
I went down to Jacksonville/Hubert on Saturday, January 18, 2025 to celebrate Mary Ann’s & my birthday. I was born on her 16th birthday, so she is now 87 years old and I am 71. Amazing!
After breakfast at Helen’s Kitchen and a quick stop by the Onslow County Library on Doris Avenue, I headed up to New Bern with the intention of going on to Minnesott Beach and taking the ferry across to Cherry Branch. I have done this numerous times and it is a short (maybe 20 minutes total, one way) trip. But this time, as I approached New Bern, I decided instead of making the ferry trip, I would head down to Morehead City and drive by Guy Fieri’s grandparent’s home, near the Atlantic Beach bridge.
As I drove through Havelock, I looked over at the abandoned Lidl Grocery building. It’s claim to fame is that I once bought a gallon of milk more cheaply than the jar of dill pickles I purchased at the same time. I think the pickles cost $1.37.
I think eventually they will complete a Havelock By-Pass for US Hwy. 70.That might cut from 15 to 20 minutes off the trip between New Bern and Morehead City. *I just checked Google Maps and sure enough the new by-pass is under construction. I am not sure how long ago the aerial view was made, but many of the overpass bridges were already built, just very little pavement laid.
As I neared the off ramp to the Atlantic Beach bridge, I knew the street I wanted to turn on was probably the last street before the ramp, and it was. The possibility was always that I might pass the right street and have to do a U-Turn, but I didn’t. There it was, just to my left as I turned and slowed down. There was a bunch of “stuff” around the house. Sure enough the street next to the Waterway was a dead end as it neared the bridge on ramp.
Last Thanksgiving I was visiting my favorite cousin, Mary Ann in Hubert. Her daughter was also visiting, with her husband, and she had brought several things to eat. One of those items was “Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies” from Aldi’s.
I’m a Type 2 Diabetic, so I shouldn’t be trying a sweet cookie, like this, but I did. And, “boy oh boy,” the cookie was delicious. I love a soft cookie, usually not chocolate or pecan, and this cookie was just about perfect. I like the flavor of cranberries and I knew I liked the flavor of an oatmeal cookie.
So, after Thanksgiving I am back in Fayetteville and I decide to go to the nearest Aldi’s to see about buying a “Stolen” Cake to give as a gift to a good friend for Christmas. The friend had introduced me to this German “fruit cake” several years ago, and she had bought hers at Aldi’s. The two flavors that are common are almond and cherry flavored fruit fillings. *Stollen is mostly a cake, in the shape of a baguette, and sprinkled profusely with powdered sugar, and down the center of this cake is a pureed fruit or nut filling. Only one flavor of either a fruit or a nut.
*When you mention a “fruit cake,” I always think of the Claxton Fruit Cakes that we always had at Christmas time when I was growing up. A Claxton (Claxton Bakery, Inc., Claxton, Georgia) fruit cake is a densely packed dried fruit & nut cake, with not much cake between the various fruits & nuts: California raisins, pineapple, papaya, pecans, cherries, walnuts, almonds, and lemon and orange peel.
Several years ago I made a pilgrimage through Georgia just below Interstate 16, on State Road 280. The two towns that I was interested in visiting were Claxton and Vidalia. Claxton for their fruitcake fame and Vidalia for their “sweet onion” fame. I did buy Claxton Fruit Cake in the Claxton Bakery, in Claxton, Georgia. And later, I also bought Vidalia onions in a grocery in Vidalia, Georgia. The heads up: I found when I returned to Fayetteville, that I could buy a bag of Vidalia Onions for the same price in my local WalMart as I had in downtown Vidalia. And a couple of years ago, Harris Teeter had a special on Claxton Fruit Cakes for about $2.99 each. I recognized that price as being noteworthy, and bought several and gave them away as Christmas presents. *I think the Claxton Fruitcake this past Christmas season was selling for $4.99 each.
[03/26/25]: On Monday I drove to Hamlet, North Carolina to have lunch at Seaboard Station Restaurant. They have consistently great fried chicken, and their thin cut pork chops are pretty good too. After lunch I drove past the regional airport and a short distance away was a small, IGA, local grocery.
A glass door freezer, without the Hershey’s advertising all over it.
I’ve visited there once before, and stopped in to see if they had the Hershey’s Roadrunner Raspberry ice cream I like. No, but I bought a small container of their Black Cherry, and the checkout clerk, wrote down the name of the ice cream so she could ask the Hershey’s delivery guy if they could get it. Her wedding buffet was supplied by Seaboard Station. *Beside the Hershey’s “Glass Door Ice Cream Freezer” were Claxton Fruit Cakes on special. They were listed as 2 for $4. So, I bought 4 of them and I’ve already given away two, before I made it back home. [end]
I haven’t done it in a while, but I like to freeze my Claxton Fruit Cakes and slice off a chunk and have it with either cold milk, or hot tea or coffee. **And, when talking about freezing cakes, I also liked to freeze the pound cakes that Bill Korver’s wife, Marcia, made quite a few years ago.
As I was driving along State Highway 280 in Georgia, it must have been harvest season for those Vidalia onions because I passed a large, long field that had been plowed and had several rows, side by side. But, the unusual thing for me was that there were large bags of Vidalia onions (possibly 50 lbs. each) stacked beside each other along each row, and as if each was propping up the next. A string of bags of onions like falling dominos.
… I always thought he was German.
As I mentioned the bags of onions lined up like falling dominoes, I realized that this was one of those rare events that a person can only experience “by being there.” And, I recalled the android character in “Blade Runner” (the original movie, and played by the Dutch actor, Rutger Hauer) as he is dying and waxing philosophical about the things he had seen in faraway galaxies. I too have seen things that only I or a select few have seen.
So, I was in Aldi’s looking for Stollen, but they didn’t have any. I went looking for the Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies and found them. I bought a package and when I got them home and tried one, the cookie was just as delicious as the one I had back at Thanksgiving. I would definitely recommend these Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies from Aldi’s! A soft, sweet, oatmeal cookie and I like cold milk with mine.
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A Heads Up: After a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas, there are certain items at your local grocer that may be temporarily “out of stock.” I’ll mention only a few: milk, eggs, bread, and orange juice. I usually forget about these shortages until, just after the holiday when I am in the store and come to the milk section, and there is a gaping hole where the half gallon of regular milk should be. My first thoughts are, “Why can’t the store plan better? They know that there is going to be a ‘run’ on these items. It’s not like this doesn’t happen every year.” And then the other awareness comes, “Why can’t I plan better? You know there is going to be a ‘run’ on some of these items. It’s not like it doesn’t happen every year.” From me to me, “Just plan better Bill.“
And a further note for next year: “If you want to buy Stolen at Aldi’s next year, you should buy it early and not wait until it is completely out at two different Aldi’s locations in Fayetteville.” Does that sound like I am speaking from experience? Recent experience? “Yes I am!” *Now, I did get a ‘heads up’ from someone that “World Market,” which I had not visited in Fayetteville until a short time ago, also sold Stolen, and they might still have some. *I did go to World Market, and found the rack on which they had their Stolen for sale. But, I was disappointed on two levels: The size of their Stolen cake seemed much smaller than what I had purchased a couple of years ago at Aldi’s. And, the price for this extremely small looking cake seemed a little too expensive. They did have a much smaller Stolen cake, but it was priced at about what I thought the “full sized” Stolen cake should have been priced. But recall, that I don’t currently want to pay $7.49 for a single Country Ham Biscuit for breakfast, either.
[01/05/25]: I was talking with someone in Fresh Market yesterday and they gave me a “heads up” for next Christmas. Check in a day or so before Christmas and you should be able to get a good deal on those Christmas items, like Egg Nog.
I bought some of this Homestead Creamery egg nog at Fresh Market a year ago, and I kept the bottle & cap after I was through. Not too long ago, I poured my Half-n-Half into this container and put it in the fridge. I like the feel of the cold glass on my hand when I get it out of the refrigerator and pour it into my hot coffee or tea.
I didn’t have any egg nog this year, and then just yesterday (01/04/25) I got the urge to have some egg nog. It may be that I’ve been writing about the Christmas presents I received as a child & boy over the years. I knew that most grocery stores don’t have any egg nog as soon as Christmas is over, but I went searching anyway. That was one reason I stopped by the HT across town, but they had none. And, later last night I stopped in the Fresh Market hoping they might still have some of the Homestead Creamery egg nog I had seen in the store earlier in the season. But no, there was none there. The clerk said they usually put egg nog on special just before Christmas so that there will be none to return to the milk supplier. [end].
[ADDENDUM 03/01/25]: I just wanted to add a few photos from the LIDL (near the Mall) in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I have found several items worth buying. I’ve highlighted green beans, bagged carrots, Camembert cheese and half gallons of 2% Milk (@$1.29 a half gallon/limit 6), but recall that they have a good price on Hillshire Farms Beef Polska Kielbasa and Smoked Oysters.
Bill Gibson, II 