Monday, September 29, 2014

POWER LUNCHES

POWER LUNCHES
A spiced ham and American cheese hero [lettuce, tomato, and mayo] with a bag of WISE® plain potato chips, a NEHI® grape soda. This is what was for lunch once per week in the 1970’s.
This was our “Power Lunch”. We ran and played hard. We ran errands for our parents. Living in the inner city sometimes we had to go to the Laundromat to wash the blankets because they were too large for our washing machines.

Those hot summer days when I had to walk to the train station to save a fare, we used to budget out for our snacks. My parents gave me just enough money for carfare and a bag of “chips”. So we would walk half of the way going and back from the train station.  We lived in The Bronx. “Soundview” station on the #6 Pelham Bay line. Getting off the “el” [elevated subway]; one would have to wait for the BX 27 bus. This is what is called a two fare zone. We did well saving that second fare by walking.

Summer school lunches were made by us who had summer jobs [$1.65hr] nasty bologna sandwiches, fruit, hot milk. No one ate the lunch. Anyone was welcomed to the lunch, there was no judgment. If you wanted it, you got it. We knew of children that were hungrier than we were. They were poorer but as a child I did not understand this concept. Some days we all ate The Nasty Lunch.


Once per year I find myself strolling past the deli section staring at the “spiced ham” with fond memories of my childhood Power Lunch. Even though I introduced this to my children, they never appreciated the history of…”spiced ham-n-cheese hero”, WISE® plain potatoes chips and a NEHI® grape soda.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!1.2

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!1.2
I bought balloons, cake, franks [I’m from the Bronx} buns for the birthday celebration of my first born. The same look on his face as always when I show up with the Helium filled balloons and a cake with his name written on it is priceless.
I personally love franks even though the sodium content is high. The sugar in the cake is unhealthy. A few times per year I eat birthday cake. [Don’t judge me] I love cake like the next foody!
Today there are a variety of sweeteners that can substitute for sugars. “Stevia”, “Agave”. One can use bee vomit [honey] as sweeteners. I will take sugar in my cake any day.
  Back to his day. I decided to fix franks and buns for the menu. I believe his guests would enjoy this.
His guest consists of three little boys who think the world of him. They believe he is a super hero and try to be like him every day in every way.
They are his sons. My baby is a father of 5, 2 girls and three boys. The boys are here for his birthday today. The girls are out of town this weekend. Daddy is everything.
I am proud of my son. I still bring him balloons, and cake for his birthday. He never sees it coming!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY! 1.2
SHOPPING LISTS
Lately I make every effort to create a shopping list to take to the grocery store for the household essentials. My attempt is to save money, use coupons and to be as frugal as humanly possible.
This task is never completed. I either leave the list home or the coupons. If I somehow remember to bring the coupons, they have expired. Not to mention the coupons nowadays are mostly dog food and for very fair skinned cosmetics.
I try to go on Wednesdays. This is the day they have “Double Coupons”. Whatever that is! There are coupons given at the checkout by the cashiers to use upon your return. I, of course never bring them.

I digress; my shopping list proves useless every time I return home without the much need groceries I left out of the house for.