★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
August, 25, 2014

 ★~ Today’s Quote:  “Morning is wonderful. Its only drawback is that it comes at such an inconvenient time of day.”  ― Glen Cook, Sweet Silver Blues

★~ Banana Split Day:

Today is one of the happiest days of the year for children and adults alike. Why? It’s Banana Split Day of course. Perhaps as American as apple pie, the banana split dates back to 1904 and originally cost 10 cents.

There’s a banana split for everyone (well, everyone who likes ice cream and bananas.)

Let’s break it down:

Ice Cream: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry – but nobody will fault you from going the path of coffee, mint chocolate chip myriad other choices!

Sauces: Hot Fudge, Pineapple, Caramel, Marshmallow, Butterscotch, Dulche, Strawberry Perserves

Garnish: Peanuts, Pistachios, Whipped Cream, Cherries, Crushed Graham Crackers, Pecans, Grated Chocolate, Chocolate Chips

The Banana: Yes, even the banana presents us with options. Grilled, caramelized, sliced lengthwise, diced

…and finally the presentation. In a cone, in a dish, in a boat as a pie.

Salute Banana Split day with an ice cream social in your mouth (and a wee bit of brain freeze).

★~ Kiss and Make Up Day:

Kiss and Make Up Day is a great way to end a spat. We all have fights with our nearest and dearest now and again; today it’s time to see if a big ol’ smooch doesn’t stop the argument from reaching epic proportions. A kiss shows you care, that you won’t stay mad, and most importantly, it shuts you both up for a second.

★~ Whiskey Sour Day:

A sour is not so much a drink as it is a concept. Lemon or lime juice, almost any liquor, and sugar—in proper proportion—form a Sour. Don’t even think about using a packaged mix for this cocktail. A simple but magical blend, the Sour was first made with brandy in the middle of the 19th century. Bartenders have flirted with and still have their occasional flings with numerous other base alcohols, but whiskey was the liquor of choice by the end of the 19th century, with rye on equal footing with bourbon. Bourbon is still favored by many, but blended whiskeys and Scotch have jockeyed for position. Add a dash of grenadine to a Whiskey Sour, and you have the sophisticated Ward Eight.

Here is a foolproof rule of thumb for making a perfect Sour every time: Mix 2 ounces of your chosen spirit with 1 teaspoon sugar and 3/4 ounce lemon or lime juice (the “sour” flavor), and shake with cracked ice. Substitute lime juice for lemon in a Scotch Sour. Shake a Sour well for a truly frothy drink, and serve it straight up in a cocktail glass, over the rocks in a hefty Old Fashioned glass, or in a Sour glass. Garnish with any assortment of seasonally fresh fruit.

Grilled Peach and Cinnamon Whiskey Sour

★~ Today in History:

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♥~ 1940 – Arno Rudolphi and Ann Hayward were suspended in parachutes — while married at the World’s Fair in New York City. The minister, best man, maid of honor and four musicians were also in parachutes!

♥~ 1964 – The Beatles received a gold record for their hit single A Hard Day’s Night. It was their third gold record; they would collect 18 more through 1970.

♥~ 1970 – Elton John made his first live American appearance in Los Angeles, opening for singer David Ackles.

♥~ 1979 – “Ooh, my little pretty one, my pretty one; When you gonna give me some time, Sharona.”  My Sharona, by The Knack, hit #1 on the Hot 100. It was a solid #1 for six straight weeks.

♥~1984 – The Cabbage Patch Kids and Trivial Pursuit were replaced by the latest fad toys: robotic action figures that fought galactic battles.

♥~ 2001 – Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon, a single mother and former waitress, married Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon in Oslo. The couple lives in Oslo with Mette-Marit’s son Marius. They were called Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby.

★~Born Today:

♥~ 1819 – Allan Pinkerton first private detective;  Allan created the first private detective agency in 1850; making him the first private eye. Abraham Lincoln hired him as the first Secret Service officer. He foiled the first attempt on Abraham Lincoln’s life. Mr. Pinkerton hired others to help him in his detective agency. They were called Pinkertons, known for spying for the Union during the Civil War. Later, they were employed as scabs (where they were called Pinks — possibly the origin of the slang word, fink) during labor strikes and were active in suppressing labor disputes.

♥~ 1918 – Leonard Bernstein conductor: New York Philharmonic Orchestra; composer: West Side Story, On the Town, My Sister Eileen, On the Waterfront , Jeremiah, The Age of Anxiety, Kaddish, Chichester Psalms, Mass, Songfest; died Oct 14, 1990

♥~ 1930 – Sir Sean Connery Academy Award-winning actor: The Untouchables [1987]; The Rock, First Knight, The Hunt for Red October, Highlander, Rising Sun, Outland, The Longest Day, Dragonheart,Entrapment; “Bond. James Bond.”: Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds are Forever

♥~ 1933 – Tom Skerritt Emmy Award-winning actor: Picket Fences [1992-93]; Steel Magnolias, A River Runs Through It, M*A*S*H, The Turning Point, Top Gun, Alien

♥~ 1955 – Elvis Costello, (Declan McManus), singer, songwriter,

♥~ 1961 – Billy Ray Cyrus singer: Achy Breaky Heart

♥~ 1968- Rachael Ray TV chef/host: 30 Minute Meals, Inside Dish with Rachael Ray, $40 a Day, Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels

★~ Today  Gallimaufry:

According to a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, middle-income couples who had a child last year will have to spend an average of nearly $250,000 to raise that child to the age of 18. Housing and transportation costs account for over $100,000 of that amount with child care, education, food, clothing, and health care making up the remainder.

What else could you buy for the average cost of raising a child? I’m glad you asked.

A plane ticket—wait for it—to outer space.

A Chipotle burrito every day for 97 years or two every day for 48 years.

Eleven pregnant female alpacas who will then give birth to the cutest babies in the animal kingdom. And unlike human babies, alpacas don’t need to go to school, they only eat grass, and they literally grow money in the form of wool.

A single bottle of diamond-infused nail polish.

Dinner in the sky every day for a year.

Nine months alone in an underwater hotel room. 

A morning stroll on the top of Toronto’s CN Tower every single day for nearly four years.

Sixty of the most expensive box of LEGOs in the world, the coveted “Cloud City” Star Wars set.

Your face on a billboard in Albuquerque, New Mexico, displayed continuously for sixteen years. I would write HI MOM and DAD!

Seven years worth of admission to Disneyland.

#

If I had know about Alpacas before I became a mom, I could had raised adorable Alpaca’s instead of rearing a boy, and not only would I have saved money, and had beautiful sweaters, I would never have found out about Talenti gelato which, my expensive non-wool producing, child shared with me was a must have for our freezer compartment. And after one bite I regretfully agreed. The good news is gelato has a few less calories than ice cream. How few less. Why would you even ask that question?

I love the salt carmel, the butter pecan, and the strawberry, of-course! Try some and share your favorite flavor. It will add a new dimension to our friendship!   It’s available at your local Target and the ice cream section of your favorite grocery store. Unless your favorite grocery store is Walmart (no, I am not on Talenti payroll, just sharing a good thing but if they send me coupons I’ll share ). It might even replace ice cream in a banana split!

Oh well, at least now when I become frustrated with my teen I can say, I could have had an Alpaca. . .

Wishing everyone  a very Merry Monday!

Odd Loves Company!

♥~