Good Morning All & Happy Memorial Day to you and your loved ones!
Here’s to all of our loved ones who have gone before us and to all those who have given their lives in the cause of freedom and in defending our beloved country!
Happy Birthday wishes go to one of the “good guys” in this world, long-time friend and fellow Kiwanis Club member, Bob, who celebrates his birthday today! Here’s to you, Bob! Have fun on your special day of celebration!
Speaking of birthdays, Happy Birthday to country singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall, who is 84 today; to actor and portrayer of “Gandolf The Great” in the “Lord Of The Rings” movie series, who turns 81 today; to actress & singer Leslie Uggams, who is 77 today; to “The Muppets” movie director and Muppeteer Frank Oz, who turns 76 today; to actress Karen Valentine, who is 73 today; and to actor-comedian Mike Myers of “Austin Powers” movie fame, who turns 57 today! Here’s to all of you!
Two people passed away recently that that I thought had remarkable lives…one was Ken Osmond, who played “Eddie Haskell” on the “Leave It To Beaver” T.V. show in the late 1950s and 1960s, who died at age 76. As a kid, I always enjoyed watching that show and enjoying the adventures of the two-faced teenage scoundrel “Eddie Haskell”…I always loved to hate him! Ken Osmond did a great job playing that character…he did it so well. So much so, that it was hard for him to get other acting jobs due to him being typecast as the perfect “Eddie Haskell.” Ken went on to have a meaningful career as a police officer. Jerry Mathers, who played “The Beaver” on the show, said of Ken Osmond: I have always said that he was the best actor on our show because in real life his personality was so opposite of the character that he so brilliantly portrayed.” Here’s to Ken Osmond and “Eddie Haskell” and all of the caste of “Leave It To Beaver”! Another person who died recently who led a remarkable life was Ellen Robey of Spokane, who died at age 81. Her passion, vision and dedication made it possible for the glorious Davenport Hotel to be saved from the wrecking ball and, through the courageous risk-taking of Walt & Karen Worthy, see it restored to its previous grandeur. It is an iconic landmark of Spokane. Ellen, and fellow members of “The Friends Of The Davenport,” Steve Franks…Linda Yeomans…and others…saved the Hotel for future generations to enjoy. It is a marvelous place and the source of many happy memories for locals and visitors alike. Ellen epitomized the selfless private citizen volunteer who made a difference for others…no doubt Spokane is a much better place because of Ellen and her efforts. We have all benefited from her work. Here’s to you, Ellen Robey and thanks for all you did for Spokane!
My wife, Judy, and I had the pleasure of taking “The Blue Bird Hike” at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge just outside of Cheney WA yesterday. It was a great day for a hike and we were treated to all kinds of different wildflowers and birds of every variety. There was even the occasional spectacular grove of aspen trees interspersed among the lodgepole and ponderosa pines….and lots and lots of marshes and ponds all along the trail. We covered about six miles and did some 13,000 steps on this hike. We using a book called “Day Hike!: Spokane, Coeur d’ Alene & Sandpoint—75 Trails You Can Hike In A Day” by Seabury Blair, Jr….a great little book full of great hikes to take all around the Inland Northwest. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon over the Memorial Day weekend. There were a number of people who had the same idea! It’s a rather popular place for folks to get out into nature, it seems!
Here’s the recipe for the day, thanks to my wife, Judy, who prepared a “killer”…and I mean “KILLER” dish called “Thai Style Slow Cooker Beef Roast.” It was to die for, for sure. I don’t usually share recipes, but I’m going to this time because you will want to try it out for yourselves. Here’s the recipe and enjoy!:
1 pound beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup low sodium beef broth
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1/2 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
Place cubed beef in a lightly-oiled slow cooker.
In a small bowl, combine next 12 ingredients (coconut milk through pepper); pour mixture over roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or until beef is fork-tender and falling apart (this is really important!)
Add mushrooms then raise slow cooker heat setting to HIGH. cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or just until mushrooms are tender. Serve immediately and enjoy! (and enjoy you will!).
Serving suggestion: serve over brown rice or cauli-rice.
Source of recipe: Judy Newbold and “Saving Dinner” at www.SavingDinner.com
I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did…you’ll never get enough…trust me…
Here is the fact for the day:
On this day in 1977, the very first “Star Wars” movie opened…”May the Force be with you!”
Here are a couple of funny thoughts for the day:
This one is from our local paper, The Spokesman-Review, entitled “Car crashes into Fox Theater”:
“A car narrowly missed a pedestrian before crashing into the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox on Tuesday morning, according to Spokane police.
Witnesses told officers a car driven by 32-year-old Jesse H. Johnson had been traveling at speeds of 60 to 70 mph while running multipl red lights through downtown before the crash, according to Spokane police. The car also crashed into a $7,000 solar-powered garbage can! (How can a garbage can cost $7,000???).
This one is from a recent “Dilbert” cartoon:
“Dilbert’s boss (the guy with the pointy hair): “To avoid spreading viruses, there will be no shaking hands in the workplace.” “That custom has been replaced by uncomfortable body language and awkward banter about not shaking hands.”
Dilbert: “Are high fives still okay?”
Dilbert’s boss: “Yes, we don’t care if those people live or die.”
Here’s to a great Memorial Day weekend and lots of love & good wishes to you and your loved ones!
Press on,
Papa ‘a (Dad, Uncle Mark, Mark, etc.)