Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 66

Sounds Like Mew-tiny!

Photo by Sergey Semin

A year ago, I focused on talking like a pirate, but this year I choose to recognize National Mew Like a Pirate Day…. Since pirates are rarely seen without a cat.

And here’s the cat’s meow… Why don’t pirates shower before they walk the plank? Because they’ll just wash up later on shore. Awww… you must be kitten me.

 

Oh, and do you know what color the pirate’s cat likes to wear? Purrrple, of course. Okay, I admit it… I once was a pirate, but they kicked meowt.

Hmmm… as in Politics

“When two elephants fight it is the grass that gets trampled.” 

— African proverb

Patriotism

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and the government when it deserves it.”

— Mark Twain (1835-1910)
(pen name for Samuel Langhorne Clemens)
19th Century American author and humorist

Working Parents Day

Photo by Daniela Dimitrova

This must be some sort of oxymoron. Anyone who has ever parented knows that whether or not you have an extra job outside of the home, you are always working. The days are long gone when most moms stayed at home. Now parents work… at home and elsewhere. The parenting job is full-time. It’s called responsibility. So today we salute all working parents… as if there was some other kind. Try to be focused on being good to yourself in whatever moments of calmness come your way. You do need to recharge your own batteries, too.

“The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day.”

— O.A. Battista (1917 – 1995)
Canadian chemist & author

National Cheese Toast Day

Not to be confused with a grilled cheese sandwich, cheese toast is a single slice of bread… topped with cheese and then baked or broiled to unleash the cheese’s melty mahhhhhvelousness.  Mom introduced me to this back in the 1950’s. Her favorite method is still mine today.

Cheese Toast
Bread slice
¼“ thick slices of muenster cheese (or some other melty delight)

Arrange cheese on the bread slice in single layer. Place in oven preheated to broil, 5-6” from the heat source for 1-2 minutes till melty and bubbly. Serve immediately.

KISS Tips: Yes, you can add all sorts of wonderful goodies under or over the cheese. Try thinly sliced bell peppers and/or tomatoes, for example. Or tomatoes. Or ham. Or chicken. Or a favorite, funky sauce. Or a sprinkle of herbs. Or… simply enjoy it au natural. Serve on its own, or as a side with soup or salad.

National Cream Filled Donut Day

Ahhhhh… donuts. Sweet decadence and zero health value. We know. We know. Now let’s fill that flash fried wonder with a cream or creamy custard.

 

Take it plain or frosted. My fave is the good ole’ Boston Crème Donut. Yummmmmmm.

 

 

 

#donut

#cremefilleddonut

 

Positive Thinking Day

I believe we choose to be that “glass half empty” or “glass half full” sort of person. Even someone who seems to live in the midst of a whirling dervish of woes gets to be in charge of their attitude, approach to live, and expressions. We can choose to bitch and moan… or we can choose not to do so. Even if we’ve had one rather hideously negative moment, hour, day, week, or year, each day delivers a new opportunity to express better. Let’s go ahead and turn the page. Focus on what we can personally do more positively and avoid criticizing others’ behavior or getting sucked into someone else’s pity party. Say a little prayer (or a big prayer), tie a knot, and hang on tight! I am totally positive that we can do this!

“In order to carry a positive action, we must develop a positive vision.”

— Sonam Gyatso (1543 – 1586)
3rd Dalai Lama, Tibetan spiritual leader

Follow the Path

“There is no path to happiness. Happiness is the path.”

— Siddhartha Gautama aka Buddha (480-400 BC)

Founder of Buddhism

Always Remember…

 

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”

— Confucius (551 – 479 BC)
Chinese philosopher

Celebrate National Hot Dog Day!

Make them all real or no deal. For me, that means no substitute or fat-free fillers, and they’ve gotta be natural casing franks for this chick. My all-time faves are Schonland’s (now owned & packaged by Kayem).

 

 

 

 

As a child, I’d slice hotdogs on pizza, or load them into macaroni and cheese or adorn almost any soup. Heck, I’d even eat them raw. It was no wonder that my parents dubbed me The Hotdog Kid.

 

 

 

Grill it, roast it, boil it, steam it; make it any which way you like. Land your dog in a bun and serve it au natural or adorn it with mustard, relish, onions, cheese, chili, or whatever else floats your boat. Since serving a summer college internship in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1974, I have been hooked on a topping combo of Dijon or country-style mustard and plenty of crispy, dry-fried onions. Ooooh-la-lah!!!