sugar and spice and everything groovy

Archive for April, 2007

Coconut-covered haikus

by Donna on April 30th, 2007

Discovered the most delicious item at HMart on Saturday. It’s called Coconut Jam. It reminds me of the creamed Chestnut spread my parents brought back from Italy: Hero Fruttissima Crema di Marroni alla Vanillina. Another comparison could be Dulce de Leche. Oh my gosh it is so yummy and for breakast today I spread it over my toasted and buttered bagel and somehow my butt fit through the train door as I boarded this morning.

Suddenly I am reminded of a haiku Audra and I wrote for the Rosemont Literary magazine, The Thorn, back in 1995.

I love mayonnaise
Oh so white, soft and creamy
Spread it on my bread

I hate to admit this but our haiku was rejected, as were these others that we wrote:

The clowns are coming
Coming to take me away
In their little car

Night life in Berlin
Erotik Kino, 5 marks
We want student rates!

I wish to be frank,
Charlie, Peter or Bobby
Penis Envy, YEAH!

We were told the poems were too sexual. I think they were the ones with the dirty minds.

Runaway Ponies keep me awake at night

by Donna on April 29th, 2007

Yesterday, Robert took me to the racetrack and we bet on the ponies! My very first race netted me 2.50! Not bad! It was fun except for the large amount of smoke permeating the building. I would definitely go back but only if the weather is warmer and we can stay outside. Since that was a first experience for me, I took Robert to Hmart for a first experience for him. He was pretty impressed with the crazy food stuff. We bought a load of food for dinner. On our way back to the Donnavilla, we stopped at Styer’s. When Robert was a little boy, his mother would take him to Styer’s after church, provided he was a good boy, and buy him a cherry turnover. Because he was so well behaved at the race track and HMart, I said we could go to Styers and get cherry turnovers. We ate them this morning for breakfast and they were very good. The dinner we made with the HMart food was very yummy. Grilled salmon and steamed dumplings and rice and oriental eggplant. After dinner I FINALLY watched the entire movie, The Thin Man. Oh my gosh, what a terrific movie! If anyone intends to watch it, may I make a suggestion? Watch it with the subtitles turned on. The dialog just whizzes by that you’ll miss most of it unless you have the subtitles on. I wonder if life ever really was like that? Evening gowns at noon, drinks throughout the day, elaborate dinner parties to expose the murderer. Not a bad way to live. This afternoon Rob and I went to the park and walked our butts off. We came back and immediately fell asleep. He eventually woke up and went back to the farm. I am only 1/2 awake, trying to get my wash done and my bedroom cleaned. It feels earlier than what the clock is reading. Almost 8:00. Probably due to my nap. I have so much to do– why can’t I extract myself from the boob tube to do any of it?

Holy Cow!

by Donna on April 24th, 2007

Ricky Nelson covered Smokie’s Lay Back in the Arms of Someone!

This might be sacrilegious to say, but I prefer Chris Norman’s version. I also found versions by Juice Newton and Savoy Brown. Oddly enough, according to Wikipedia, the lead singer of Savoy Brown also sports a slightly longer Emo page boy like Chris Norman sported, uh, before his perm. :-)

Mr. Cocoa

by Donna on April 24th, 2007

Now that spring is here and the ground is thawing, my father installed Cocoa’s grave stone. Doesn’t it look nice?
Cocoa's Grave

What you don’t see is that on either side is Little Lily’s stone and Kiwi’s stone (Kiwi died before I started blogging so no link to her).

2400 Byberry Rd. Bensalem, PA 19020

by Donna on April 24th, 2007

The Commerce Bank Amphitheater posted its summer event schedule. Here are the ones that look interesting to me:

  • Tequila Sunrise (Tribute to The Eagles) - Wednesday, 06/20/2007 - Free
  • Bad Medicine (Bon Jovi Tribute) - Wednesday, 06/27/2007 - Free
  • Fabulous Greaseband - Wednesday, 07/11/2007 - Free
  • Still Surfin’ (Beach Boys Tribute) - Wednesday, 07/18/2007 - Free
  • Draw The Line (Aerosmith Tribute) - Wednesday, 08/01/2007 - Free
  • Boris Garcia with appearance by Paul Green School of Rock-Bucks County - Wednesday, 08/29/2007 - Free
  • Australian Bee Gee’s Show - Monday, 09/10/2007 - Free

My one question is why aren’t The Rivers performing?

Lay Back in the Arms of Someone you Love

by Donna on April 23rd, 2007

I guess I am just in a Chris Norman mood this evening…

And some others: Living Next Door to Alice, If you think you know how to love me, For a Few Dollars More, I’ll Meet you at Midnight

Why were these guys not popular in the US?

PEEPER!

by Donna on April 23rd, 2007

If I find out who keeps recording me in my house and posting it to YouTube - I will break your legs.

(just teasing! I couldn’t help but post this, those kids are just so cute!)

Birds Twirping

by Donna on April 23rd, 2007

I am sitting outside on my uneven, grass-riddled patio and feeling quite wonderful. It’s about time the weather got nice. As much as I am enjoying this, I am also very aware that soon the bugs will be out en masse and the weather will get too warm and muggy. Everything is ephemeral.

Shopping List

by Donna on April 22nd, 2007

1. Bath soap (liquid and bar)
2. Razors
3. Deodorant
4. Ant traps
5. Weed spray*
OR I have another idea. Tell me what you think. My back patio is in pretty bad shape. The bricks have spread apart and the area is not in any way level. Grass and weeds grow between the bricks and each year I pull as many up as I can and then do the weed spray to keep them away. I know I really should just hire someone to come in and make it nice and pretty but I just hate spending money especially because I would prefer to do the hardwood floors first than sink money into the outside. So, at any rate, I was thinking, rather than fighting the plant growth, how about instead I plant pretty stuff into the cracks? Like this article and this article recommend. I guess my fear is it will look worse and what a bitch of a time I will have getting the plants out.

To do

by Donna on April 22nd, 2007

C’mon, Donna. You can do it. Put in load of laundry– it’s only going to benefit you! Instead of having to wear those darn thong underwear that are in the bottom of your underwear drawer, you can wear the kind you like… if you just get them washed! And if you don’t put the garbage out now it means one of two things, waking up early and doing it tomorrow or missing the pickup entirely and having the kitchen smell funky. Now whadaya say? Do it! It’s easy! Max Raabe will be here when you get back.