White Trash Party

What’s not to like about a White Trash Party. If you have ever attended one, you will get this list:

·         Free Food

·         Free Booze

·         Beer Pong – more beer

·         Dress comfortably

·         Anything goes

·         Lipstick on your teeth – that’s perfectly acceptable

·         Ripped Jeans

·         Pajamas

·         No need to match your clothes

·         Gold teeth – no teeth

·         Boots, slippers, whatever

·         Yep, anything goes

KSU Memories

It isn’t until we grow older or softer that memories impact us more so than when we were younger. Maybe it’s because those old times, in the past, were really the best of times. While we were going through them we were too busy to enjoy them. At that time our lives were possibly immersed in building a career or business, having and raising children, or just surviving it all to get to the place where we are right now. Now is when the memories seem to begin; memories that are triggered by a photo, a song or even a smell.

 

While on Facebook, one of my feeders is my undergraduate college, Kent State University. Usually Fridays are called Flashback Fridays, where a picture and a memory appears from the past. On one of those Fridays, a navy blue beanie with the KSU logo popped up. The navy blue felt cap had a gold brim and gold K on the front. The caption was how many of you remember this?

 

This was a ‘Dink Hat’ worn by freshmen. The tradition began in the 50’s and continued until 1970. This was a tradition where all freshmen were expected to wear these blue and gold beanies.

 

I attended KSU in the 60s and had one of those beanies. Freshmen were expected to wear their beanies on the campus at all ties. It was supposed to be a great ice breaker or a good way for an upper classman guy or girl to hit on a cute freshman. Usually the person would say “Dink, Frosh.” The wearer would tip the beanie and give out her/his name with the name of their dorm.

 

I hated wearing my cap in public. I already felt like an awkward person in a strange place without wearing that beanie. The beanie made me feel like a total dork, sitting on top of my dumb curly and unmanageable hair. I would go outside of my dorm and across the campus with my dink in hand, only to quickly put it on my head when a group of students would be walking my way.

 

Unfortunately, I did not get many “Dink, Frosh,” addressed to me. My roommate did because she was cute, blond and shapely. It was hard to challenge that.

 

Gratefully, after the first trimester, I retired my beanie and put it on the head of my big stuffed dog’s head, where it remained for years. A hat lost and a memory grown old and only now came back on Flashback Friday.

 

Now so many years later, I kind of wished I had kept the ‘Dink’ beanie. But that too is fleeting. All in all it was kind of an interesting ice breaker. It was also interesting to read about the memories that others had posted.

Cafe Raymond - in The Strip

When you go to The Strip, breakfast seems on top of your list of things to do. People go early, line up outside restaurants like Pamela’s, De Lucca’s, and Kelly O’s. They give their name or wait their turn. They stand in the heat or the cold, waiting for an open table and to be seated for one of the restaurants hardy meals. To be honest the food is good but they serve their patrons’ way too much food but no one seems to care.

 

My daughter and I decided to try a different restaurant in The Strip…Café Raymond. It’s a small restaurant with tables inside and outside. But, the breakfast was delicious and just the right amount. I have seen their omelets and quiches and they both look delicious. But both times that I have eaten there, I ordered their French toast. It is the lightest, most delicious French toast, sprinkled with powdered sugar, fresh puree strawberries, whole blue berries and generous amount of real whipped cream. The first time that I had this breakfast, I tasted it in my mind for a week and couldn’t wait until I went back to the café. The second time that I ordered it…I was still amazed at how light, fresh, and delicious it was. I was also amazed that I ate everything and didn’t feel stuffed.

 

When you enter the café, a guest needs to claim their table and then go up to the counter and place their order and pay. The food, when ready, is brought out to you by a server. All you have to do is enjoy your meal.

 

I have come to love Café Raymond. After I eat there, I walk away satisfied and comfortable. Unlike when I eat at the other restaurants, I walk away from those places overstuffed and totally uncomfortable. Long after I have eaten at Café Raymond…I still remember the delicious breakfast that I have eaten, and long to return for another enjoyable Sunday morning breakfast.

 

If you have never been to Café Raymond’s, take a look at their website: (www.caferaymond.com).

A Magician and a Parrot

 I watched the movie, Calendar Girls for the umpteenth time. As usual – it made me laugh. It really is one of those low key but funny movies. It’s a Chick Flick for older women. It’s funny but when I’m down and feeling a bit out of sorts; something unexpectedly comes along and boosts my drooping spirits, and watching this movie is one of them.

 

Sunday seemed to be my lucky day. I went to mass. I needed to go and quietly dialogue with God about my feelings. Or rather I was trying to figure out why I was out of sorts. Usually, I can talk myself back into a good mood. If that doesn’t help, I journal. Let’s say, I have an awful lot of journals, stacked and shelved pretty much everywhere in my bedroom, closet, bookcases and just about everywhere else.

 

After mass, when I got home, I read the Sunday church bulletin. Two little items made me laugh out loud. The first was about our church, St. Stanislaus, foregoing an indoor swimming pool. At first I was surprised at that fact. Then I thought that this has to be a joke. As I read the rest of the paragraph, it was about Sunday attire, and dressing appropriately for mass.

 

The second item was about a parrot and a magician on a cruise ship, and how the parrot always gives away the magicians secrets. The boat sinks; the magician straps himself on a floating board. The parrot flies by, and lands on the board. After a few days of silence, the parrot finally says, “I give, where did you hide the board?”

 

Yes, the two stories might sound not quite as funny to you in the translation. But for me, I think they were my Sunday gift…a gift of laughter. Now my mood was lightened. Thank you, God, for that much needed gift.

My Granddaughter's Fedora

Like the main character, Bartholomew, in Dr. Seuss’s book, The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, whenever he took a cap off his head – another appeared. My granddaughter, Mika, reminds me of that character and book. She wears a hat but there always seems to be another one close by.

 

Right now I am sitting in a car with her; we are headed for the beach. My granddaughter is wearing her black fedora hat with gray pin stripes on it and a square metal on the gray shiny ribbon around the band. It is interesting that she has two other identical hats like this one and has brought both of them to the beach with her. One is brown with pinstripes and a thin shiny ribbon; the other is gray with white pinstripes, and a thin shiny gray ribbon along the band. Both have that shiny metal opened square on them.

 

When Mika was little her parents used to put hair bands, and big bows on her head; the bows were almost as big her head. In every picture they gave me, Mika had a hat, hairband, bandanas like do rags, and of course hats with large brims and more.

 

Eventually, my granddaughter became her own hat person, wearing caps like the blue and red Super Mario Brothers hat, or fedoras, or funky brimmed hats of all styles, and of course there are the scarves.

 

I definitely have to say – Mika is her own person and has a story for each hat.

The Amazing, Disgusting Shipwreck

Most ‘Shipwrecks’ occur in water. This ‘Shipwreck’ occurred at The Buccaneers Ice Cream Parlor in Avalon, New Jersey. This particular Shipwreck was the famous 12 scoops (your choice of flavor) ice cream with your choice of 15 toppings. The cost for this treat was $29.00. The ultimate prize was consuming all the Shipwreck and getting your photo taken and posted on the famous wall of the shop with the other photos of every patron, who consumed it.

 

My grandchildren had planned this adventure and those included were Bayleigh, 13; Mika, 12; Tyler, 9; Michael, 8; Bella, 6; Anna 5; and Chloe 3. Their parents and I sat around watching them.

 

When we first walked into the ice cream parlor, the ordered was placed. The kids already agreed on chocolate and vanilla ice cream and then chose their ice cream toppings which covered crunchy ones like Oreo cookies, miniature M & Ms to gummi worms and bears, and more. Then whipped cream and chocolate syrup was added. When the masterpiece was completed, the soda jerk brought it to the table, where another worker had placed a brown piece of paper on the top of the table. The Shipwreck was in a large sized bowl, and placed in the center of the table. A picture was taken of the ice cream and the kids. A ship’s bell rang and the kids went to town consuming their treat.

 

In the beginning the bowl looked great, and the table and kids looked clean. When it was over, the table and the ice cream looked like a shipwreck, with the kids as the lone survivors.

 

The kids finished their challenge. The grown-ups were grossed out, but proud. But in the end, amazingly, no one barfed, which in itself was a fantastic feat.