Flashback Friday - one day late!

When Daughter #2 (Alyssa) began Flashback Fridays on her blog a week ago, I loved the idea so much that I am totally swiping it for my blog! The premise of Flashback Fridays is that most of life happened 'B.B.' (before blogging), so Flashback Fridays exist to recount a life event out of the past. Since my foggy brain neglected to remind me that yesterday was, indeed Friday, and therefore a perfect Flashback Friday opportunity, I'm going to "pretend" that it's still Friday...and hey! Maybe it still is - somewhere - although I sorta doubt it :)

So here is my flashback of the week...I found this very old newspaper ad while doing research for my next column. The department store, Roos/Atkins went out of business in the 80s, but in their hay day they had some pretty upscale outfits and I LOVED buying my work clothes there (well, some of them). Not that I could necessarily afford them on my paltry secretary's salary, but still. I stumbled upon the ad because I had a senior moment in recalling the unique spelling of the store's name. I knew that "Roos" didn't have an "e" at the end. But when I typed Roos Atkins - it didn't look right. Thus the Internet search and - Voila. Roos/Atkins had that intriguing little "slash" right through the center of its name. The ad is from an August 1966 issue of the Oakland Tribune. I'd been a California resident a year when the ad ran - I was a mere lass of 19 at the time :)

Note the sweaters were retailing for $50 - pretty pricey for a 1966 salary...another interesting point is the sizing: Sizes available were 8 to 16, or 10 to 16. Not a Size "1" or worse "0" in sight! To see the detail of the ad, click on the photo. Or go see it here:

http://bigmallrat.blogspot.com/2007/11/vintage-advertisement-roosatkins.html It's a little walk down memory lane!

Doo,Doo,Doo, Lookin' out my backdoor!

Above, the view from our house of the Never Summer Mountains, part of the Rocky Mountain Chain on the western slope in Grand Lake, Colorado. And, below, the view, a little closer up thanks to my big, fat telephoto lens...

OK, so technically this is not the view from my BACK door exactly...but this is what we see from the front deck of our home here in Grand Lake - altitude 8500 feet, give or take...The view brought to mind one of my favorite songs by Creedence Clearwater Revival... "Just got home from Illinois, (California?) Lock the front door, oh boy! Got to sit down, take a rest on the porch. Imagination sets in, pretty soon I'm singin, Doo, doo, doo, lookin out my back door." Yes, it's a little chilly to be sitting on the deck but with a view like this (even from the living room windows), ya gotta be happy, right?

Column: Put on your Big Girl Panties

Awhile ago I received a nice letter from Linda, a super fun new friend. We had met years before when she and her hubby, John, owned a printing company in town but we were both busy girls and never had the opportunity to get acquainted. Well. I regret that we lost a few years there, but when Linda sent me an e-mail last year saying she had been enjoying my column, we began an electronic connection. At the time Linda and John were preparing to retire and I was living in Long Beach watching Miss Gracie grow!

After several back-and-forth e-mails, we both came to the mutual conclusion that we desired to lose a couple of pounds (and, honestly, what girl doesn't these days?!) - so Linda challenged me to a little weight loss contest with the loser to buy the winner coffee. Except in this case I guess the loser would be the winner. Or something. Whatever!

With the hilarious heading supplied by Linda, I couldn't let the opportunity to write a column about this Biggest Loser challenge slip by. Check it out right here: http://www.mushroom-city-memoirs-the-column.blogspot.com/. And let the battle of the bulge begin! Or, ummm...continue...or something...

Gracie Goose - 3rd Time's the Charm

Gracie and a bright, sunny day in L.A. Well, technically Long Beach :)

Mr. Potato Head won the "Toy of the Day" prize. But it was hard keeping all his "parts" together.

"I'm just going to chew on this arm for awhile."

" Maybe need a little help from Grampy."

Pretty spring day. Well, almost spring. Technically winter - for a few more days.

Mr. Head (or is it Mrs.?) - still missing a few parts

There are always soooooooooo many interesting things to look at on the ground!

See? Right here!! ANOTHER pretty green blade of grass....

A secret smile...wonder what she's thinkin' about....

Hangin' out over by Daddy's 'Q :)
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On Wednesday (March 4), Ralph and I drove from our home to Long Beach. It seemed like time to give Miss Gracie Goose some great big hugs - and because Gracie's daycare provider was going to be on vacation. So Grampy and "Mimi" (my new name...I was going by "Grammy" but Gracie had other ideas - hence Mimi it is) watched Gracie Thursday and Friday (today). This is too fun to be work. The weather here is beautiful - after mucho rainy days in the Bay Area - this southern California sun feels sooooooooooooo good!

The trip south down "The" 101 ("the" for southern Californians!) was a gorgeous drive...a little fog, a little misty rain, and finally the sun hitting the big Pacific Ocean with the bright lights. The hills were as green as fields of Irish shamrocks; the prolific winter rains have been kind to our hills, turning their grassy surfaces to velvet. The vineyards were just popping their new leaves - every trip south (and there have been a lot of them) I swear more vines have been planted. I love the seasons of the grapes and we're heading into one of the prettiest times.

We'll have one more day to hang out with the Strombergs here in Long Beach before starting on the Big Kahuna - as our trip continues onward to Grand Lake, Colorado.

Gracie Goose, part deux

Future business woman...CEO? Secretary of State? President????

SO much to do! SO little time..."I have my glasses, now where is that phone?"

"OK, here's the phone.......what was that phone number again????????"

One ringy-dingy...two ringy-dingy...answer the phone, dad-gummit!!

Gracie Goose!

Gracie - found "Mimi's glasses and put them on - upside down! It's her new look.
Gracie Goose - 20 months old!

Girls just want to have fun...Gracie's "fave" activity is rooting through a purse!

Beans and Brownies?

When Alyssa brought over some of her homemade brownies made with black beans and brownie mix, you might say I was a little, ummmm...skeptical. This is a Weight Watcher recipe and the bonus here is that each brownie costs just 2 points, which is a BIG DEAL if you're a points counter.

I had to admit they looked delicious and smelled, well...just fine. After he bit into one, Alyssa asked her father for his comments. "Good!" was the response. Then she asked if he could guess what one of the major ingredients was. Ok, this was funny. This was like asking me to explain the theory of quantum physics. Assuming there is one. A theory that is. Ralph would no more be able to detail the ingredients in a recipe than he could fly.

He was a bit astonished, though, when she revealed that her yummy brownies were made with black beans and they were - gosh! - healthy!

The next day was cold and rainy with lots of fog - a good baking day, so I broke out the black beans and brownie mix that I'd picked up at the store. I was willing to give them a go, but even though I bought the exact same mix as Alyssa's I still couldn't believe this was going to work. Kind of like when I think the laws of gravity are suddenly going to come to their senses and say - "Hey! No way is this big 'motha' able to stay airborne," shortly before the major airliner I am encased in goes hurtling earthbound.

But I digress. So I made the brownies. Alyssa said even the BATTER tasted good - and she should know because the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Or the brownie from the baking pan. Or something. Now she did admit that their friend Paul said the batter smelled "bean-y" - not that I know what that means, but trust me, it doesn't sound like a good thing. So I took a whiff - but kind of tentatively as if I'd just been hypnotized into believing that the smell from a skunk "emission" is nice - you know, that kind of sniff. Well. No "bean-y" fragrance that I could detect.

So the bean-filled brownies are a hit. I even threw a couple of walnuts in for the heart healthiness benefits. I should probably go have a couple. Right now. Since they are so fibrous and heart-healthy and all.