BETTER THAN THE GOOD OLD DAYS

I recently read that the French company MDI – Motor Development International - is developing a small car that will run air – compressed air. I do hope they are successful. It would be a step in the right direction for car owners, and for the health of our world.

We’ve a lot of people working to improve our world – everything from reducing the methane cows produce in abundance, to improving our health and life spans.

I really don’t know if I’ll be around when these improvements come into fruition, but I’d surely like to be. I live in a world so very much better than that of my parents, and I’d love to be around to see the world inherited by my grandchildren.

SUNSHINE

Oh, I feel like such a grump, such a contrarian. Tongue in Cheek is one of my favorite blogs. Corey Amaro is the only one left on my “must read” list who posts every single day, rain or shine, sickness and health, even the day of her daughter’s wedding. She’s an American married to a Frenchman – that in itself is a story sometimes hilarious, sometime sentimental, always interesting, always loving. This recent post was a thoughtful one:

   The sun sends forth the last rays of light, as it pours through my kitchen window spreading across the kitchen table, the gift of light: The sun gives whether there are clouds, rain, or things in the way, then repeats the same gift the next day. Steadfast. Light for everyone and thing regardless who or where or what they are.

And, having had plenty of sunshine pour through my kitchen window, I thought to myself, ­“The sun sends forth the last rays of light, as it pours through my kitchen window… …and I wince and groan as I see the fingerprints and smears on the cabinet fronts.”  An alternate thought was about the dust in the corner, but …

I love a sunshiny day – who doesn’t?  I hate a sunshiny day, especially at this time of year when the sun is just at that precise angle to call attention to my less than white-glove housekeeping. Then I remember the plaque my sister had hanging in her kitchen. It said “My house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy.”  This is a happy household.

POTUS AND MILD SENILE DEMENTIA

I sincerely believe that our president is suffering from mild senile dementia. I say this because his habit of making statements based on an incomplete base of knowledge is similar to that of my husband’s.

These days, my husband is prone to making wild statements similar to this: “Jenny’s going to the store to buy bread.” He says that when he sees her pulling out of her garage. He’ll see a repair truck in someone’s driveway, and he knows what they’re there to fix. Not “I wonder what they’re here for,” but “They’re here to fix the dish washer.” His thought processes have short-circuited. You know he has no way of knowing what’s going on, but he’s sure of his conclusion.

My husband’s mild senile dementia is the result of two mild "watershed” strokes. As with our president, he doesn’t show the usual physical symptoms of senility, but they do share some of the mental symptoms. The website of the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation lists them as “impaired judgement, loss of memory, and sometimes childish behavior.” 

Think about some of the recent statements made by the president in speeches, press conferences, or in tweets, and you’ll realize that he’s suffering from all three symptoms.

SNICKERDOODLES

I've made some wonderful friends through my blog, and some of my wonderful friends have become my blog readers too. One special gal in our community is Paula Giles. Among her other wonderful qualities, she is so very thoughtful.

At a community meeting this morning, she handed me a little paper bag. In it were some marvelous snickerdoodles and her recipe for them. She baked them for me because she'd read in a recent posting of mine that I'd never tasted a snickerdoodle. Now I have, and they are delicious! (and they are all gone - one for a friend, one for my husband, the rest for me as lunch. The recipe will become part of my cookie repertoire. I'm still not sure I want my ice cream to taste like chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles - there's nothing like the real thing - I've got to have that crunch.

Thank you Paula. Like the turquoise you love, you are a gem!

McLaren

I was so rapt by the sight that I didn’t even pull all the way into the parking slot. Dear heavens it’s a beautiful car. Black, all black, with a black interior. Low, sleek, eye candy.

With not a trace of chrome to mar its beauty.

It isn’t too often that a car aficionado like me gets to set her eyes on a truly magnificent car in an everyday setting, but yesterday afternoon I was treated to parking next to a fabulous McLaren 650S coupe – at the liquor store. I know the man wasn’t in there buying a gallon of Thunderbird. (Do they still make Thunderbird?) No, you know how everyone passing would have a comment about the car, and one guy leaving the store said the owner was inside in the wine room. Figures.

The McLaren brakes look like they'd stop a speeding train on a dime.

The car just whispers “speed.” One neat thing about this car was that it didn’t have the regular, rectangular McLaren plate on the hood. No, it had the McLaren “flip” speedmark logo there. Nice.

Having only the photo capability of my staid flip phone, I didn’t take any pictures, but I found one or two on the internet. I’m still appreciating the sight.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Ah! You read that title, and thought I was going to do a post about baking Christmas cookies. Wrong again! The old Curmudgeon is back with another episode of “Whywouldya?”  Blue Bell Ice Cream has announced that their “Christmas Cookie” flavor is now back in the stores. It is a combination of, and I quote, “chocolate chip, snickerdoodle and sugar – in a tasty sugar cookie ice cream with red sprinkles and a green icing swirl throughout.”  Just the description set my teeth on edge. I like sweet things, but that is sugar overload.

I know there were, and maybe still are, chefs who could taste a dish and tell you exactly the spices, herbs, and other ingredients in it. With all that sweetness, could you really distinguish the chocolate chip from the snickerdoodle? I wouldn’t know – to my knowledge I’ve never had a snickerdoodle.

And, on another Christmassy/Whywouldya note, there are now available clam-flavoured candy canes. Excuse me, it's “Clamdy Canes.” They say “Clams and Christmas together at last. Your whole family will clamor for them.”  Not mine.