Smiley Anders for Jan. 23, 2012
Thoughts for dismal winter days
Even worse than the dog days of summer are the long, dismal days between New Year’s Day and Mardi Gras.
They just drag on as we hedonists prepare for our big day.
Football season is running down, so there aren’t that many games to anticipate
And the weather is usually on the cold and rainy side.
Maybe the season is the reason I’ve been getting stories about growing old and dying.
For instance:
• MawMaw Betty, of French Settlement, says when she took granddaughter Taylor ice-skating at Leo’s Iceland, Taylor asked her to skate with her:
“I explained that growing up in the country we never learned to skate, and besides, I am 59 years old now and would probably fall and break my neck and die.”
The little lady pondered this for a moment, then asked, “Seriously, do you even have a bucket list?”
• David Earle says, “This Christmas my wife wanted a new coffee table, and she picked out a nice one in the shape of a box with storage drawers.
“I immediately joked that we could ‘… bury Aunt Sarah in it.’
“My wife’s gift to me was a pair of arthritic gloves.
“I overheard the grandchildren talking: ‘Yeah, Grandma gave Poppy arthritic gloves for Christmas — and he bought her a CASKET!’ ”
What a birdbrain!
Jack Tourres, of St. Gabriel, gives us our first “bird attacking a mirror” story of the year:
“For the past couple of weeks, I’ve watched from our kitchen window as a cardinal attacked our two vehicles’ mirrors.”
Jack says the bird flies into the carport to peck at the mirror on his truck, then moves to his wife’s car to continue the assault.
This happens every year around our house — there’s a second-story back bedroom window the birds find especially disturbing, and they attack it regularly.
I’ve been told it’s because the cardinal, not the swiftest thinker in the bird kingdom, sees the reflection and thinks it’s another cardinal moving into its territory.
Covering your vehicle mirrors should work. (We taped a piece of cardboard to our window. It looked awful, but kept the attackers away.)
Street food
Our Florida Boulevard nostalgia kick has yielded the names of some gone but not forgotten eateries and drinkeries:
Aline Cangelosi recalls night life and style shows at the Tropicana, and Alessi’s drive-in, “Where Marion Alessi helped me with my homework.”
She also remembers Sam’s Seafood and Spinosa’s restaurant, “where we had our club dances.”
Phil “Binky” Glindmeyer remembers Harry Cloud’s (“a rental hall and night club, I believe”) The Fountain Rouge Lounge and The Supper Club, (“a little further out, which had the best steak I’ve eaten in Baton Rouge.”)
How’s your gumbo?
A gumbo cook-off is being held Saturday at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church by Knights of Columbus Council 969. Two-person teams are invited to cook in the event, which raises money for youth activities.
Cooking will start at 6 a.m. and gumbo must be ready for judging by 11:30 a.m. Judges are Mayor-President Kip Holden, Chef Don Bergeron and Father Vick Messina.
For registration forms, call Louis Prejean at (225) 933-3855 or (225) 926-1242, or the church office at (225) 926-1883.
Looking for people
The Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response Center, formerly the Rape Crisis Center, needs volunteers “to staff the 24-hour crisis hotline and assist survivors at the hospital.”
Training classes start Feb. 28. Call (225) 389-3456.
Band aid
Tairone Joseph says the Greater Baton Rouge Drum Corps and Dancettes have a fundraiser Jan. 30 at Buffalo Wild Wings on Highland Road at the LSU campus gates. The event will help fund the annual trip to Shreveport on Feb. 10-12.
He says, “If you would like to help us reach our goal of $3,000, you can go to any Hancock Bank, or mail donations to 634 Marcellious Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70802.”
Special People Dept.
C. Marie Cook, a longtime teacher in East Feliciana Parish, celebrates her 99th birthday Monday.
Where’s the beef?
Proud grandma Terri Lively Reynolds, of Plaquemine, says grandson Tysen, a middle school student, not only won the Outstanding Overall award at the Iberville District Science Fair, he also celebrated his 13th birthday:
“When I told him, ‘Today’s the day for birthday cake,’ his answer was, ‘Naw, Grandma, I’m much more interested in birthday STEAK!’ ”
Joyful Noise Dept.
This story from Shirley Fleniken is dedicated to Benny Fruge, my favorite piano man:
The doorbell rang and the lady of the house discovered a workman, complete with tool chest, on the front porch.
“Madam,” he announced, “I’m the piano tuner.”
The lady exclaimed, “Why, I didn’t send for a piano tuner.”
The man replied, “I know you didn’t — but your neighbors did.”
Write Smiley at Smiley@theadvocate.com. He can also be reached by fax at (225) 388-0351 or mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821.