ODDS AND BODS ALONG WITH A FEW THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS

 

1.

And here’s the whimsy.

This delightful equine is threatening to turn up for my next birthday.

2.

Now, see here, don’t take this personally horsey but keep that foot firmly on the ground, and then you can, “Hi-Yo Silver away!” Move those feet in the direction of ‘tham thar hills and ride off into the sunset’.

Maybe some of you are too young to remember Silver. My dear other half and I used to watch his rider’s show on opposite sides of the Atlantic when we were kids, me with my dad and he with his brother, 3,000 miles apart. Little did we know!

You can see what I mean below but if the video doesn’t open up, which it just might not do as it has with others if you view in a couple of years or so, you can copy and paste 

https://youtu.be/hxIuIxqo2So?si=4Sh4wEjHc63gn7-q

They don’t make them like that anymore, do they?

How I used to love watching our brave hero and his equally brave companion. “Who was that masked man?” I don’t know but he saved the day many, many times. He was one of the good guys!

3.

4.

My coffee shop chain took the brownies off their menu a few months ago. They brought them back later. I don’t really know the true story, but I am assuming sales took a nose-dive and many miffed people like me wrote a lot of letters to corporate headquarters. No, I didn’t really write any letters, telepathically maybe, and talked to the baristas and asked, “What the blue blazes did they do that for?" No, I didn't say that either, they have no control and don't need any more of the grumpies directed their way. Not long afterward, maybe a month(?), the brownie was back. I write my own scenarios. “Don’t get between me and my brownies”, they were told. I think I heard that somewhere.

…so it’s brownies and then it’s laughter. 

“Knock, knock!”

“Who’s there?”

“Bake!”

“Bake who?”

“Bake no mistake, those brownies are mine.”

Groan if you must - eye rolling allowed too.

Be “Twix” you and me, I could do with some chocolate right now, but how about a recipe instead? 

And as far as their claim is below, you will have to be the judge and let me know please. 

5.

Okay, so when you sit down with your coffee - and your brownie - you should also remember…

6.

And 

7.

Me? Did I say we had cake?

8.

But that’s okay, it’s going to be a wonderful ride. 

9.

Here are a couple of cake recipes. I have never made any of the odds and bods recipes, so you will have to let me know what you think please, if you decide to make them. 

10.

How about a new word?

11.

Or two.

12.

Or three.

13.

Is this another way of saying ‘If life gives you lemons, make lemonade?’

All that being said, a word to the wise and…

14.

I have first-hand experience on this. An old photo somewhere, of me having cut my own bangs. I must have been very moody that day, but I usually had my dog Skipper to tell all my woes to. I was about 6 or 7 and still remember the look of shock from my mother - and no doubt - my dog - after the deed was done and hair was found all over the floor, still with scissors in hand. It didn’t help that I was getting my school photo taken the next day - a true story. 

15.

I found the mini advertisement recently. It shows a mini which was the make of the first car I owned. I have mentioned this before somewhere on this blog. I saved up a few years for my old car, paid about £300 for it, and then not in full. It took me two years to pay the rest. It wasn’t as smart looking as the one in the old advertisement, a dull battleship grey, second hand, with a dash of rust sprinkled here and there. I didn’t care, it got me from A to B and that’s all that interested me. It carried me many miles until I sold it to my good friend Jane. From what I heard, it carried her many miles too. In 1970, this new mini shown in the picture cost £641 (British Pounds) and was roughly $1,600 to $1,700 USD. This takes me back. I lived in a very small country village, and tootled around those lanes just like the one below. 

Another memory is of my dear mother who never learned to drive. At times I took her shopping, or I shopped for her on my way back from work. She was very proud of me for learning how to drive but she was always a nervous passenger. Her white knuckles as she gripped what she could on the passenger door attested to the fact. I didn’t take it personally as she was the same way with dad. 

Dad tried to teach her how to drive but after she wouldn’t let go of the starter on the dashboard, several times, and kept flooding the engine, dad got a bit cross and she refused to get behind the wheel after that. 

He tried to teach me too, but it became evident that I would be better off with professional driving lessons, he said, which he paid for. I think he had had enough trying to teach mum and...

the writing was on the wall when he told me to turn right from the main road (what we knew as the ring-road) into one of those country lanes, and I didn't break until I was right on top of the lane. We skidded around on two wheels, almost side-ways as I channeled Jackie Stewart racing in the Indianapolis 500. 

To give dad credit, after asking me to stop in the farmer's gate so that we could both calm ourselves, he gave me an explanation about slowing down well in advance of any right or left-hand turns, which he had probably already told me about during three weeks of practicing on an empty parking lot. He never lost his cool, even though his face had drained of color and his knuckles were the same shade as my mother’s.

My sister bought herself a Lambretta, and “No way I am going to get on the back of that thing”, Mum's words, and "I think you can go get training lessons from a professional on the parking lot first." Dad's words.

16.

Talking about which, it’s time for me to go to the store. 

17.

I am home now,

changed into my comfies and made myself a cup of tea. My aching joints were in need of oiling. At this stage of my life I tell myself…

18.

Or a healthy, human equivalent. I prefer taking cod liver oil capsules. WD-40 is a product that among many uses like taking annoying, sticky labels off items such as cups and saucers after purchase, also protects against rust and corrosion."

No photo today but (Thursday, January 8th, 2025) as my dear other half was taking the trash bins down to the curb, a fox ran out between our houses, crossed the road and disappeared between other neighbors houses only feet away from him. It was so light on its feet, he didn’t hear a sound. A week later we saw two running across the front of a house, disappearing into the wooded area at the back. We have several in our area. 

19.

I guess that is more than enough for today, 

and I hope you have a great one. 

Thanks for popping in.

For our international friends who use my translation widget on the sidebar, I have numbered all the images. Hopefully I have everything lined up properly.

Image 1:

“Good morning, wishing you a day full of whimsy and joy.”

Image 2:

“For your birthday Silver the horse will count out your age by pawing the ground.”

Image 3:

Short video of The Lone Ranger.

Image 4:

“They say laughter is the best medicine…They lie, it’s brownies.”

Image 5:

The Best Brownies in the World

Ingredients:

1 cup melted butter - 1 cup sugar - 1/2 cup brown sugar - 2 eggs - 1 teaspoon vanilla - 3/4 cup of cocoa powder - 1/2 cup flour

Mix butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in cocoa and flour. Pour into a pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Centigrade) for 25 minutes.

Image 6:

“What’s the best part of aging?  Realizing that pajamas are perfectly acceptable at 4.00 p.m."

Image 7:

"We heard there was cake!"

Image 8:

"I have reached the age when my train of thought often leaves the station without me."

Image 9 and 10:

1950's Americana Vintage Vanilla Cake and Tea Cake. If anyone is interested, leave a comment and an email, and I will send it to you as it is written on the recipe cards.

Image 11:

"Forwallowed - overwhelmed, exhausted or worn out, often due to excessive effort or difficulty."

Image 12:

"Seatherny - the serenity one feels when listening to the chirping of birds."

Image 13:

"Lemonading - a way of approaching problems or challenges in life that involves remaining positive and optimistic and seeing them as opportunities for growth or improvement."

Image 14:

"I don't know who needs to hear this, but if you are going through a bad time, don't cut your bangs."

Image 15:

"Skipper after I shared all my problems."

Image 16:

It is a bit tiny and even I had trouble reading the writing so I haven't given any more information.

Image 17:

"Welcome to your senior years, where you get mad when they rearrange the grocery store."

Image 18:

"I'm not old, I'm vintage...and apparently I need WD-40."

Image 19:

No explanations as this one has no words. 

My thanks to Pinterest for today’s inspiration.