The falling leaves drift by the window... Nat King Cole

Fall has always been my favorite season of the year - Halloween, Thanksgiving, flannel pj’s and falling leaves. Growing up, a common Fall ritual was dumping bundles of fallen leaves into garbage cans and setting them on fire. The scent of smokey leaves is still one of my favorite scents. Yes, I knew it was a fire hazard, but I had no idea it was also a health and environmental hazard.

It seems that when galvanized steel heats up, it releases zinc-oxide which can cause a disease called Metal Fume Fever. This condition can result from exposure to the toxic fumes produced during the heating process. Symptoms resemble those of the flu, and typically include muscle aches, chills, nausea and fever.

Eventually burning leaves in garbage cans was banned, but no one can ban my memory.

 

To die would be an awfully big adventure – Peter Pan

Tony and I have a list of important things we need to do before we pass. It’s called "The Death List" and last week we checked off a very important thing – our cremations. We signed up with the Neptune Society and afterwards we celebrated with wine and toasted to our good health. It is a bit weird preparing for our death when we are in good health, but death is a part of life.

 

Change

My high school was approximately a half mile from the most popular store in Elizabeth, NJ - F. W. Woolworths. Also known as the original five and dime store, they carried a wide variety of items guaranteed to fulfill the wish list of every man, woman and child. 

I loved their pizza – freshly made – and after school we gals would sit at the lunch counter for gossip and malted milk shakes. All that changed in 1960. The South was still segregated and that included Woolworth’s lunch counters. In Greensboro NC, four heroic black students said enough was enough. In just five months their small protest grew to 55 cities in 13 states. And on Monday, July 25, 1960, Woolworth’s lunch counter was finally integrated.

I still shopped at Woolworths, but I never again sat at the counter. A small section of the actual lunch counter with 4 bar stools is on display at the Smithsonian’s African American Museum. Let's hope the orange turd doesn't remove it.

 

Requiem for the Tooth Fairy

I was about 7 when the tooth fairy died. It was a very traumatic experience for me, and even now, almost 73 years later, I remember the moment it happened.

It began when I lost a tooth and placed it under my pillow. The following morning, I excitedly looked under my pillow…and the tooth was still there. Heartbroken, I ran downstairs and in tears told my mother that the tooth fairy never came. She tried to assure me that I must be mistaken, so together we went upstairs to search for the missing money.

I saw my mother slip a quarter between the sheets. And then she triumphantly held it up and said that it must have slipped down when I was looking. Not believing her, I asked why the tooth fairy hadn't taken my tooth? She innocently replied that the tooth fairies' purse must have been full.

But I knew.

 

My Glass Slippers

I discovered Naot shoes about 25 years ago. The first time I tried on a pair I felt like Cinderella. Perfect fit but alas, not in my budget. I was working at the time and as an Event Coordinator I needed to dress well, so I splurged and bought my first pair. Over the next 5 years I continued to buy more Naot shoes. Not because they wore out, on the contrary, they still looked practically brand new. I bought more because I liked feeling like a Disney princess. When I retired, I owned 3 pairs of sandals (each a different color) and that original pair of navy-blue Mary Jane’s.

Fast forward another 10 years and I am now down to one pair of sandals and the original Mary Jane’s. The sandals that survived were teal and tan, which didn’t go with any retirement outfit I owned. So, before I broke the bank for a new pair of black sandals at now almost $200.00, I decided to try dying them black.

How’d I do?

Oldie but Goodie

I didn’t know what to write about today, so I asked AI, “What are the current most popular blog topics?” According to Mr/Ms AI, one of the hottest blog topics today is home decor. Home decor refers to the art and practice of designing and beautifying living spaces to reflect personal style and taste.

Because I strive to be popular and up to date, I’d like to share with you how we beautified the most important room in our house - the kitchen. The centerpiece is our 1950’s O’Keefe and Merritt stove. And yes, it does reflect our personal style. Like the two of us it may be old, but it still works!

 Arf! Arf!

I know, I know...I have blogged at least 5 times about my favorite fruit the Humble Lemon, so let me apologize in advance because I have another lemon product to share. But trust me, this one is a winner!

A few weeks ago, during our awful hot spell, I was craving something tart with a bit of spirit. I was at T. J’s, walking down the wine aisle when I stumbled upon Renegade Lemonade. Lemon Wine? Wine Not? It was only $10 so I decided to give it a try. One sip and I was addicted!  

Curiosity got the best of me, and I did a little digging. It all began in 2020 when 2 people with a passion for wine and a lot of time on their hands decided to turn lemons into lemonade and then into wine. Best of all, the wine is named after their beloved dog Renegade. Great story and great summer wine.