Cooler than Cool

Something is missing from this swell Thermos cooler I scored from my friend's mother-in-law for $3 at her garage sale. You know her as the Highlights lady. I can't even imagine what else she's holding onto from back in the day...It definitely needs some soda-pop, a few Hamm's for daddy and some smartly wrapped sandwiches. Looks like we have a picnic to pack!
Hope you're having a sunny Sunday!

WTF?!? Friday: Table Top

WTF?!? did mom put on the table for lunch?
Beans, franks and something pretty f-ed up!

The Highlight of My Week!

My friend's mother-in-law has hung onto her sons' issues of Highlights for years. 37 years, to be exact. So when I saw them in a hasty pile at her garage sale for 10cents per mag, I had to get my hands all over them. Man, has that magazine changed over the years. But this October 1973 issue is just the way I like it, just the way I remember looking it over at the doctor's office on nervous sick days in the 70s.
Here's a Highlights to-do for you: can you match the kids' costumes with their shoes? No peeking at the answers!How about that for a Halloween kickoff? Here's to having fun [with a purpose]!

Butternut Squash [heavy on the butter]

I did it. I got the kids to nosh on squash. It was as easy as 1 + 1: 1 part butter; 1 part brown sugar. And here's how sweet it looked.I think we all got a tiny cavity from just having it on our plates. Here's what I did to achieve the veggie-meets-candy consistency:

Scoop and slice 1 medium butternut squash. Melt 1 stick of butter and 3 T brown sugar over low heat. Toss pierced squash in pan and slide all ingredients into a baking dish. Place on center rack of a 500 degree oven [that would be "fast" or "hot" by retro standards]. Roast for 8 minutes, turn squash and roast 10 minutes more.

Write it off as a serving of vitamin A. And write a check to your dentist for the fillings.

They should serve this on a stick at the county fair, I swear.

How do you take your squash?

Tipsy Tuesday: Brandy [she's a fine girl]

[wouldn't you just dig fetching your bottle of brandy from this bar?]

There's still a nip in the air in the midwest. So a nip of brandy is a must for an after hours warm up.

Brandy Cider
1 1/2oz Brandy
Hot Cider

Using a coffee mug, add ingredients and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

This is a drink you don't have to mull over...

Kitschy. Klassy. Kindred. Avon!

Ding-dong! Avon calling!

Honey, it's me. Following in the footsteps of Peg [Dianne Wiest's kitschy character in Edward Scissorshands], with a tube of Pink Flush in hand, I'm launching my own virtual door-to-door biz online.

So I'm encouraging you to go back to your retro roots [I was raised on Avon, I mean, how else could a teen start their freshman year without "Cool Confidence" in their armpits?] and shop around HERE *!

You might even kick-start a fresh round of kitsch for your dressing table, you never know what goody you buy that might end up a cool family collectible that your grandkids are going to covet, like this...
I hope you answer the door when I come knocking. If I see you draw the curtains, I'm gonna loiter!

Thanks for listening. Now, I'll just let myself out...

*[click on the image on the left to go directly to my e-page. orders of $30 or more receive FREE shipping. EVERY time]

Appetite for Grammar

Just a little 50's feast for the eyes before you start your school week...