Food Police: New worshippers of Ba'al

I certainly hope you are prepared to battle the evil food police, whose latest handiwork is seen above in a letter to a parent from the child's school. (double click for easy reading) The food involved was a perfectly healthy lunch from home replaced by inferior cafeteria food. (I don't think replacing lunch meat with chicken nuggets improves anything.)  Did this seriously happen in North Carolina? The answer is yes. Has this country lost its mind? Possibly. Just this week, the TV nightly news featured Michelle Obama surprising tourists at the White House with an appearance, advising them to "eat your vegetables." Sort of makes you nostalgic for "Have a nice day!" or "Hope you are enjoying your tour."

One commenter has decided that Liberalism (which is now making healthy eating one of its political goals) is directly descended from the Biblically prohibited worship of Ba'al, and I am beginning to think there is some truth to that. Before you write me off as a total nutter, do see what they have to say.

Here's Hoping Your Valentine's Day is Great!

I've been celebrating Valentine's Day ever since Sunday, when we enjoyed our family Valentine's Day Party. This year, rather than going out to eat, I decided I would get  a very nice take-out pizza with a salad. Delicious and easy! Then one of our younger family members said that pizza was a dietary problem, so I had to cook. I made chicken and potatoes and stir-fry vegetables, an arugula salad and biscuits, and cheesecake for desert. While I think I would have preferred pizza, dinner was very tasty! One of our younger family members sick with a cold and had to skip dinner, but we had  a  good time anyway. I am sure the champagne helped, but even our teetotaling family members were perfectly happy!

Today I will be taking some candy for work. I wonder if anyone else will bring treats?  I hope so!

Some people think Valentine's Day is just for sweethearts, then fall into a total funk if they don't have one, How silly is that? I remember how fun Valentine's Day was as a child. We gave valentines and had treats both  at school and at home. We didn't get flowers or jewelry and certainly didn't miss it.  So, even if you have dinner plans with your Valentine, don't forget to take something to work to share with your friends (and non-friends) as the case may be. Some may be in a terrible mood due to their love life, and cheering them up will make everybody's day a happier one!

Happy Groundhog Day - Predictions and Pancakes

Don't put away your sweaters yet! The most famous ground- hog of all, Punx- sutawney Phil, has seen his shadow and would have us believe that we can look forward to six more weeks of winter. Phil is so famous he has his own website, which is currently struggling a bit under strong demand for the wealth of groundhog information posted there, including free ecards.

Up in Canada, Ontario's Wiarton Willie and Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam are disagreeing with Phil, as is Staten Island Chuck, who hobnobbed with Mayor Bloomberg earlier this morning. Illinois' own Woodstock Willie would have you know Phil's weather prediction is just plain wrong, and Atlanta's General Beauregard Lee (who announced his prediction via Twitter and live stream at 8:03) is also sure winter is over.

What I think is most interesting about Groundhog Day (which I think used to be known as Groundhog's Day), is that it a secular overlay on the pre-Reformation Christian holiday of Candlemas, which most people only know in the context of obscure Christmas carols. It also marks the halfway point between the winter and spring equinox.

Groundhog Day itself was first brought to the USA in Pennsylvania (where Punxsutawny Phil lives) by German settlers, who, as many Europeans,  had observed the behavior of  the hedgehog in their native country for a prediction about spring. It's said that the French celebrate Candlemas by cooking crepes and pancakes, which seems a good excuse for a dinner tonight that's both tasty and easy!