A Trio of Ironies

A longtime pal called the other day. K complained about the overly chatty guy at her hair salon. Funny enough, I could not get a word in edgewise. But she needed to vent and I try to be a compassionate listener.

It's no chore. And I cannot complain. K's parents, who always treated me like another child, continue declining health-wise.

My friend also shared an anecdote. Her youngest daughter S is working toward a hairstyling license yet fears cutting peoples' hair. This fundamental service seems to me as way simpler than the science of hair dyes.

~shrugs~

While it seems unrelated, I have seen this aspiring young hairstylist's childhood bedroom strewn with discarded candy wrappers and dirty snack plates. Her unrepentant sloppy nature is legendary among family and friends.

Therein lies another paradox as S complained to her mother about assistants leaving messy countertops. Even with it being a place of business, the incongruous statement left her mother speechless.

Hearing this and K reiterating her taciturn responsive "Huh", I laughed until tears squirted. Poor young S has probably been told my reaction.

Do you know the rather morbid story behind the iconic barber's pole? Isn't it amazing that veterinarians historically treated humans, and would you agree it's likely a great option in dire circumstances?

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Giant Rubber Chicken Makes a Donkey's Day - Credits to ViralHog

This makes me smile every time I watch. And the jokes kind of write themselves. Heh...

Have you ever seen a happier donkey? Do you think the honking toy makes this social mammal feel less alone?

A Walk About Town

My husband and I have lived in this house since 1994 (!) yet failed to fully explore Franklin’s history. Today I walked the riverside bike path, my unusual starting point coinciding with major downtown roadwork. That introduced me to unknown facts, such as the bed and breakfast where we married in 1997 having been originally commissioned by a sea captain.

Is this not a grand home?

Also, an Irish immigrant designed this intriguing old house locals dubbed the Alamo. It does seem to exhibit that influence. I would very much like to see inside.

I cannot imagine its current purpose....

There is a planned riverfront renovation which I consider long overdue. Surrounding towns have interesting amenities such as open air amphitheaters, independently owned (not chain) restaurants, niche stores, and the like.

This shows the massive infrastructural work...

I have seen but never read this plaque before...

A cool piece of history...

Grand houses across the Great Miami River...

A surprising find; this antique vehicle near a very old train bridge...

Why is there a deflated bike tire in the tree?

Besides the sad residence pictured above I saw many decrepit houses. One place appeared quite lovely; a mat on the sidewalk read ‘welcome to our porch’. Then I noticed a sign promising violence to trespassers. My instincts kicked in and I didn’t pause for a photo.

Do you live in a vibrant community? What improvement(s) would benefit your neighborhood?

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My Year?

My dentist prognosticating 2024 as “my year” leaves me in doubt as to specifics. February hasn’t started off so great.

Dandelion decided to jump onto my side around midnight, January 31st. Slipping, she dug her claws into my right forearm. While painful, it didn’t give me much thought until later. I could have sworn she left a shed claw in my flesh.

After consulting my primary care physician via phone I visited a local urgent care facility. The nurse practitioner who treated my topical foot infection last spring retained his dry humor.

“Now, the fun begins,” he quipped upon entering the examination room. His magnified close inspection revealed no foreign object, much to my relief. I’m simply on a seven day antibiotic course.

As in May of 2023 he again said to avoid folk remedies like warm compresses followed by squeezing the wound site. I replied in agreement and how I declined my husband’s suggested ointment and bandage.

Acting impressed, he immediately asked if I had a medical background. Far from it, mere bad luck and being a klutz have taught me a lot over the years.

Did you know that antibiotics help push intruding objects out? Isn’t a good sense of humor important in most any upbeat workplace?

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The Importance of Mindset

Some friends have tried convincing me that speaking affirmations help guarantee success. I’ve always preferred action such as the saying, Fake it Till You Make it. A unique source may change my mind.

This morning I drove my husband to our concurrent dental appointments. To our happy surprise both checkups went extremely well. Before leaving, the pleased dentist said, “2024 is going to be the year for you.”

Her Asian heritage could lead to a joke about fortune cookies. However, she and her awesome staff gave off such fantastic vibes I plan to recite Dr. Bui’s well wishes daily.

Do you have an opinion about positive thinking? What is your greatest upcoming wish?

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Banana Muffin Win

I made up the batter for my husband’s favorite muffins. Altering the normal instructions in a minor way left them grossly undercooked. But via the title, you can tell they turned out fine with extra oven time.

Do you think refrigerating the batter overnight changed the baking time? Is this single deviation that important?

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Fog on the River

I saw many cool scenes like this;
photographing them is not
in my skill set...

 

Numerous Flights & My Latest Kitchen Failure

Hearing a raucous sound outside my house, I knew this couldn’t be children on a playground despite the instant comparison. We live a mile or so from the nearest school and temperatures ranged far, far below freezing that day. The volume increased more and more. At last the individual honks could be heard.

The previous day I saw large Canada geese flocks heading south. This has to have been the biggest yet. Those birds no longer migrate from Ohio so they must have had enough of the cold. I don’t blame them.

My latest failure happened in the kitchen. A YouTuber we respect shares store-bought food breakdowns and recipes he deems either budget friendly or healthy. We were excited to try his version of egg foo young. Well, I didn’t detect anything but bland eggs, mushy vegetables, and salt. And the mess… well, you can see for yourself.

The gravy would not thicken with my cornstarch slurry,

then boiled over; other surfaces and pans were equally a mess. Ugh...

I think frozen peas would have been fine but not the cubed carrots. And I should have used a cast iron pan for consistent heat plus more oil for the desired fluffy texture. Some turned out undercooked, others rather burnt, and the mixture lacked enough eggs. Oh, well. Today my husband ate some crappy leftovers, declaring it fine. I’d rather stick to the easily ordered oily restaurant kind. It’s not like we eat this more than a few times per year.

Did you know these Chinese style omelets were created by 1900’s era Cantonese immigrants for American palettes? Are you a fan of any ethnic foods tailored to your regional tastes or do you prefer more authentic cuisine?

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