Good day, sir ... I said good day

You know what I can’t stand?  No, I guess you don’t so I will tell you.

Store greeters.  I don’t dislike them on a personal level.  I’m sure that they are quite lovely and pleasant people.  I just have an aversion to what they do.  You see, I don’t particularly like talking to people . . . especially strangers.  Perhaps it was my upbringing . . . stranger danger!  stranger danger!   I don’t know but . . . with the exception of my beloved hubby and my angsty teenager . . . on any given day I would be happy not to have to talk to anyone . . . at all. 

So, when I walk into a store and am practically forced to speak to someone . . . someone I don’t know . . .  it goads me somewhat.  Since . . . again because of how I was raised  . . . I can’t bring myself to be rude and ignore them.  I feel compelled . . . nay . . . obligated to respond in kind . . . and kindly.   That makes irks me.

I just want to go about my business, collect my items to purchase, pay for them and leave . . . without having to say a word to anyone.  Is that too much to ask?

What’s worse is that I can’t avoid them.  They’re right there . . . standing there . . . waiting to welcome me (or any other person who strolls through the door).    And when I leave . . . they’re right there . . . standing there . . . waiting to wish me (or any other person who is departing the store) a pleasant day.  

And that’s they’re job.  They get paid to do this.

That is all I have to say about that.

And don't even get me started on the people hanging around malls and store trying to ask people survey questions . . . 

Sausage Stuffing Casserole Recipe

1 Pound Pork Sausage

1/2 Cup Onion, Chopped

2 Stalks Celery, Chopped

2 Tablespoons Melted Butter Or Margarine

3 Cups Herb Seasoned Stuffing Mix

2 Cans (15 Ounce Size) Cream Style Corn

   or one recipe Creamed Corn

1 Teaspoon Parsley Flakes

Cut sausage into 1 inch pieces. 

In a skillet, cook sausage, onion and celery till vegetables are tender and meat no longer is pink. Drain off excess fat.

Stir melted butter or margarine into 1 cup of the stuffing mix; set aside to use as a topper.

In a bowl, combine the cream-style corn with sausage, onion, celery and parsley. Stir in remaining stuffing mix.

Spoon into a 2-quart casserole. Spoon the 1 cup reserved stuffing mix over top.

Bake the casserole, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for about 35 minutes or till bubbly and browned.

What cod fish?

We all know how sensitive men are about the size of the manliest of their manly man parts.  Their choice of vehicle or pet is often an outward projection of their self image . . . over compensation is often in evidence.  It takes a real man to be seen driving a Honda Fit with a Chihuahua perched on his lap.

Men are quite touchy when the question of their virility or manhood are at stake. This has been a vulnerability of men since time without end. 

I think one of the best examples of this is during the Renaissance when it was not he who rode the largest steed who was the  . . . uhm . . . bigger man but he who sported the bulkiest codpiece . . . a pouch attached to a man's breeches to cover his . . . er . . . manliest of the manly man parts.

So what’s in a name?  No, the cod in codpiece was not in reference to the fish.  Cod is actually an old English term meaning bag.  So the cod in the piece alludes to . . . uh . . . dangly doodads.

The codpiece was, in fact, functional before it became  . . . hmm . . . enhanced.  It was simply designed as a covering to fill up the gap between the hose in the front of a man’s breeches.  But over the 200 years it was fashionable it became more and more enhanced.

It wasn’t enough to have a simple fabric covering . . . oh no . . . the fashion designers of the day had to elaborate to excess . . . elaborating on the padding, decorating, and shaping.   They made codpieces bigger, more eye catching . . . actually making them suggest the shape of a man’s . . . uh . . . package . . . only much larger.

As the Black Death raged . . . the church declared the plague as a divine punishment for the sinful style.  This did nothing to diminish the popularity of the pouch . . .  however, towards the end of the 16^th century the codpiece not only diminished in size but in popularity.  Men were once again strapped with the need to find new ways to exhibit their masculine . . . er . . . prominence. 

   

My god, men are weird.

Creamed Corn

Canned cream corn has NOTHING on this simple recipe


1/4 Cup Butter Or Margarine
4 Cups Fresh Corn Kernels (About 8 Ears)
2 Cups Half-n-Half
2 Tablespoons Cornmeal
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt


Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; stir in corn kernels and half-n-half. Sprinkle with cornmeal, sugar, pepper and salt; stir well.


Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes.


Serve immediately.