Smiley Anders for June 25, 2012
Linda Germany says son-in-law Mario Deoliveira “received a unique Father’s Day card from his four children.”
They glued candy bars and boxes and gum packs to a poster to honor Dad.
Some editing was required — for instance, only part of the Whoppers name was used.
Here’s how it read:
“Daddy, we were going to give you a WHOPP(ing) 100GRAND for Father’s Day, but the money slipped through our BUTTERFINGER(s). We didn’t have any EXTRA WHATCHAMACALIT to sell and it wasn’t PAYDAY.
“We didn’t think a pet KITKAT, or a trip to the MILKY WAY would be appropriate.
“We love you to (REESE’S) PIECES and it’s UP2U how you want to eat this card.
“We promise not to SNICKER(s) if you ROLO(ver) and get sick.
“Love, your favorite
AIRHEADS.” (Four Airheads candy packs were attached.)
Loves darning
After Sarah Stravinska speculated that darning socks and other mending chores are pretty much lost arts, I heard from Jennie Corbin, of Bunkie:
“I still mend and patch, and love it. At my age it’s something to do — keeps fingers nimble and mind going.
“By the way, does anyone have a darning egg? I use a small plastic jar, too light, and sometimes an old china door knob, too small.”
Jennie’s address is 311 Cedar St., Bunkie, LA 71322.
Hates darning
A reader says, “I was reading that article about using an egg to darn socks. I have a much better and quicker method.
“I was handed a pair of socks by my husband and asked if I knew how to darn them.
“I said, ‘Sure,’ and took them over to the garbage can, carefully and gently dropped them in, and said ‘Darn.’
“My husband told me to never touch his old, comfortable socks again.”
You say to-MAH-to…
My recent ode to home-grown tomatoes led to the suggestion by Bill Sierichs that I “look up the history of the tomato.”
A website called “Tomatoes Are Evil” says they were cultivated by Aztecs and Incas as early as 700 A.D.
And because tomatoes are related to the nightshade, people in England and America thought it was poisonous.
The website shows that Col. Robert Gibbon Johnson should be honored by tomato-lovers.
On Sept. 26, 1830, so the story goes, the colonel “stood on the steps of the courthouse in Salem, Mass., with a basket of potentially toxic fruit.
“Despite warnings that its poison would turn his blood to acid, he told several hundred cheering spectators that he planned to eat the entire basket — and survive.”
He ate the tomatoes, and lived to tell about it.
So think of him when you dig into a BLT — or, better yet, toast him with a Bloody Mary …
Take a bow, folks
Peggy Polk says readers of this column are a generous lot:
She says that after Project Purr BR told column readers of its need for funds to help Daphne, a tiny injured kitten, some $3,000 in donations came in.
“That should cover Daphne’s medical bills, as well as help many other kittens get rescued from the euthanasia list at our community shelter.”
She adds, “Daphne got adopted into a wonderful home.”
You go, girls!
“Honoring Girls Scouts 100th Anniversary” is the theme of the 40th annual Kenilworth Independence Day Parade July 3 at 6:30 p.m.
The parade begins and ends at the Kenilworth Science & Technology School on Boone Drive just east of Kenilworth Parkway.
“Residents of the Year” Ed and Kathy Bosworth will be honored.
For information and a map go to http://www.kenilworthneighborhood.com/JULY4KCA.htm.
Worthy causes
Tonya G. Robertson says the Young Leaders Academy needs help:
“We’re trying to take our boys (young African American males in grades 3-8) to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee for our annual ‘summer experience’ trip.
“We’re almost $7,000 short, and need to raise the money by Thursday.
The address is YLA, 419 North 19th St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Call (225) 346-1583 or visit http://www.youngleaders.org/.
Special People Dept.
Luther and Myrtle East Sobers, of Ethel, celebrate their 62nd anniversary Monday.
A matter of priorities
Fritz McCameron dedicates this to “My(?) cat:”
“Miss Lucy came and said to me,
“This ‘yardwork’ stuff I just can’t see.
“You’ve done the same for years and years,
“So why not stop — and scratch my ears?”
And in science news…
Joe Guilbeau, of Plaquemine, tells us of the discovery of a church which existed around 5000 B.C.:
“Scientists were able to ascertain the age of this building by running radioactive carbon dating tests on the gum stuck under the pews.”
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.