Flattery is like chewing gum. Enjoy it but don't swallow it.

I know some people think it’s gross or it’s a bad habit, but I love chewing gum.  Yup, I admit it . . . I’m a chicle chomper.  Although, these days you’d be hard pressed to find a commercially manufactured chewing gum in the United States made out of this natural latex.  Nowadays, like many things, it’s cheaper to manufacture chewing gum out of a synthetic.

I love to blow bubbles and, as annoying as it is to other people, I really love to snap my gum.    My favorite bubble gum is Bubble Yum but I’ll settle for Bubblicious in a pinch.  But, I don’t normally get bubble gum, only because its so loaded with sugar.  I always keep some form of chewing gum at my disposal if for no other reasons than for a quick breath fresher upper or as a stop gap until I can get some food in my tummy.

I learned very early on not to swallow my gum.  most of us were told when we were kids that swallowed gum stay in our stomachs for up to seven years, since it’s not digestible. This is actually not true . . . gum will pass through your digestive system along food and make its exit with little or no fanfare at the end . . . or your end.


My younger years were greatly influenced by gum chewers.

Violet Beauregarde from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory fame was an avid gum chewer.  Unfortunately, it was her love of the confection that was also her downfall.   Violet is the third child to find a Golden Ticket and the second to be ejected from the tour. Her demise came when she swipes and then chews an experimental three-course meal gum. When it gets to the dessert, blueberry pie, she turns blue and begins to fill with juice, inflating into a human blueberry.

Another was feisty, gum-popping red-head named Florence Jean Castleberry from Cowtown, Texas.  Better known as Flo from the television series Alice.  Flo was a waitress at Mel's Diner in Phoenix, Arizona.  She was a seasoned waitress who was vivacious and flirty with the male customers.  I loved Flo’s feisty attitude and her famous catch phrases . . . "Kiss mah grits!!!", "When donkeys fly!!!" and "You bet your sweet patoot!"

Last, but certainly not least, was MacGyver.  MacGyver rocked!  He was as cute as the day is long and just as smart.  Give him a Swiss Army Knife, a roll of duct tape, a stick of chewing gum, a paper clip and just about anything else you can think of and this guy can get you outta trouble !! He could make a bomb and once repaired a blown fuse using the aluminum wrapper of a stick of chewing gum to bridge the blown fuse.  Did I mention he was cute?

What’s super cool is the world record for the largest bubble ever blown.  In 1994 Susan Montgomery Williams of Fresno, California stuck a bunch of gum in her mouth and blew a bubble. She blew and blew and blew until it became the largest bubblegum bubble in the world . . . a whopping 23 inches in diameter.

You know what I hate though?  Is when people stick their gum under tables and seat in public places.  Come on, people!  That’s just gross!

Roast Beef, Mushrooms and Onions


This is a great recipe to use for leftover roast beef.  Yummly!


1/2 Lb Sliced Mushrooms
1 Medium Onions, Sliced
2 Tablespoons Butter
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Cooking Sherry
Roast Beef, Sliced Thin
1/2 Cup Shredded Fresh Parmesan Cheese


Melt the butter and olive oil together in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and season with Tony Chachere (or other seasoned salt); let them cook until they start to get soft.  Then add the mushrooms until they start to get a little brown and the onions are nice and soft, about 15 minutes.


Add the roast, sherry and salt.


Cook until most of the moisture has evaporated.


Mix in cheese and serve.