We have talent at Trader Joe's (Wordless Wednesday) and Vacation (Words for Wednesday)

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Linking up with Wordless Wednesday and Sandee at Comedy Plus.     

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Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and has become a moveable feast of word or picture or music prompts that encourages us to write stories, poems, or whatever strikes our fancy.    

This month, the prompts are being provided by Margaret Adamson and her friend Sue Fulcher, with some pictures by her friend Danny McCaughan, and are posted by Elephant's Child.                    

Here are this week's prompts.

1. Choleric

2. Investment

3. Curlers

4. Agenda

5. Lolloping

6. Anosmia

And/or

7. Pawnbrokers

8. Ackee

9.  Hen

10. Articulate

11. Speeding

12. Ruler

"One big point of touring new places," he said to her as she wrinkled her nose, "is to try new foods you'd never get to try at home."

He was tucking into his plate of ACKEE and saltfish, the national dish of Jamaica, with gusto.

"You said the same thing about trying durian fruit when we were in Malaysia," she retorted, "and never before or since have I wished I had ANOSMIA!"

"Durian tastes much better than it smells, but this smells delightful and I do wish you would try it."

"Fish isn't my thing, this stewed HEN chicken is much more my speed."

"Suit yourself, more for me," he said, shrugging.

They sat and people-watched while eating, noted the many forms of transport people used for SPEEDING down the roads, smiled at the youngsters LOLLOPING alongside parents, and tried not to laugh at the CHOLERIC man yelling at another, so angry he could hardly ARTICULATE his wrath and ire in a coherent sentence.

It was winter, so they'd decided to be snow-birds and take a tropical vacation, looking upon it as an INVESTMENT in their health and sanity.  The cold had been getting to her more than usual this year, and as he said, "My AGENDA is to keep you around as long as possible, if not longer!"

The TV on the wall inside the small restaurant was tuned to the Winter Olympics, the CURLERS on the ice with their brooms and stones looking as out of place in this sunny and warm climate as a PAWNBROKERS' shop would look on Rodeo Drive.

This was their second meal in this little out of the way restaurant.  The place had impressed them the first time, especially the owner.  She stalked around behind the counter with a RULER in her hand, smacking it against the side of an old dinner bell whenever an order was ready.  It was clear she ran a tight ship, and her obvious grin of delight when they came back made them feel welcome.

They knew that before they went home, they'd come back at least one more time. 

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Today is:

Basketball Day -- birth anniversary of James Naismith

Birth of Tiamat -- Ancient Babylonian Calendar (mother of gods, goddess of primeval chaos; date approximate)

Constitution Day -- Dominican Republic; Tajikistan; Tatarstan, Russian Federation

Electric Razor Day -- Jacob Schick patented the first electric razor on this day in 1937

Finnish Swedish Heritage Day -- Finland

Fish Returning Days begin -- Fairy Calendar (the fairies borrow centuries old fish in sealed crystal boxes from each other, and why they prefer each others or what they do with them, they will not tell)

Green March Day -- Morocco; Western Sahara

Gustavus Adolphus Day -- Sweden

Halfway Point of Autumn

International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict -- UN

International End Gossip Day -- the founder of this didn't want to be gossiped about, and left no trace

Marching Band Day -- birth anniversary of John Philip Sousa

Mariachi Night -- Brawley, CA, US (sponsored by the Imperial Valley Joint Chambers of Commerce, a free night of celebrating the heritage of Mariachi music)

Marooned Without A Compass Day -- internet generated; how's your sense of direction?

National Nachos Day / I Love Nachos Day

Saxophone Day -- Adolphe Sax birth anniversary

St. Illtyd's Day (Abbot, reputed cousin of King Arthur)

St. Leonard's Day (Patron of barrel makers/coopers, blacksmiths, captives, childbirth, coal miners, coppersmiths, greengrocers, horses, imprisoned people, locksmiths, miners, porters, P.O.W.'s, prisoners; Castelmauro, Italy; Conegliano, Italy; Kirkop, Malta; against burglaries, robberies/robbers)

Birthdays Today:

Ethan Hawke, 1970

Pat Tillman, 1976

Rebecca Romijn, 1972

Thandie Newton, 1972

Ethan Hawke, 1970

Kelly Rutherford, 1968

Lance Kerwin, 1960

Maria Shriver, 1955

Nigel Havers, 1949

Glenn Frey, 1948

Sally Field, 1946

Mike Nichols, 1931

Walter Perry Johnson, 1887

James Naismith, 1861

Ignace Paderewski, 1860

John Philip Sousa, 1854

Cesare Lombroso, 1835

Adolphe Sax, 1814

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Good Morning America"(TV), 1975

"The Phil Donahue Show"(TV), 1967

"Meet The Press"(TV), 1947

Today in History:

Shipwrecked Spanish conquistador Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca becomes the first known European to set foot in Texas, 1528

Spain grants independence to the Dominican Republic, 1844

Scenes of Clerical Life, the first work of fiction by the author later known as George Eliot, is submitted for publication, 1856

Canada celebrates its first official, national Thanksgiving Day, 1879

Mohandas Gandhi is arrested while leading a march of Indian miners in South Africa, 1913

Colonel Jacob Schick patents the first electric razor, 1928

Edwin Armstrong presents his paper "A Method of Reducing Disturbances in Radio Signaling by a System of Frequency Modulation" to the New York section of the Institute of Radio Engineers (hello, FM radio!), 1935

Parker Brothers acquires the forerunner patents for MONOPOLY from Elizabeth Magie, 1935

Plutonium is first produced at the Hanford Atomic Facility, 1944

The United Nations General Assembly passes a resolution condemning South Africa's racist apartheid policies and calls for all UN member states to cease military and economic relations with the nation, 1962

Cuba and the United States formally agree to begin an airlift for Cubans who want to go to the United States, 1965

Green March begins: 300,000 unarmed Moroccans converge on the southern city of Tarfaya and wait for a signal from King Hassan II of Morocco to cross into Western Sahara, 1975

Australians vote to keep the Head of the Commonwealth as their head of state in the Australian republic referendum, 1999

Sweibodzin, Poland announced the world's largest statue of Jesus, called Christ the King, has been completed, 2010

Tammy Duckworth becomes the first disabled woman and first person born in Thailand to be elected to US Congress, 2012

Officials crack down on foreigners working illegally in Saudi Arabia and over 16,000 are arrested, 2013

Wouldn't Trade You

Five years ago, when Farmer Pickles invited us to Albuquerque for the very first S-fest, i had the pleasure of actually visiting a Trader Joe's store.

Ever since, i've been itching to get back to one, or to have one near enough here that i could go once in a while.

While i was in there, i mentioned to the nice lady who was checking us out that it was my first visit to one of their stores, and that i wished they had one near here.  She whispered, "Shh, don't say anything, but it's in the 5 year plan to have our first store in Louisiana by then!"

When, last year, the rumors began to fly that this was indeed true, i was thrilled, as were many others.  The newspaper confirmed it was coming, and when i would go to that area, i would note the decrepit buildings from the past 20-30 years of failed businesses being torn down and the area revitalized with the new stores, of which TJs would be the anchor.

Then, they set the opening -- for October 31.  Almost, almost, my plans to be there when they opened were derailed -- by Sweetie's car needing to go into the shop that day for a new battery.  But i was determined, and dropped Little Girl at school, met him at the mechanics, where we left the car and dropped the key through the slot (they know the car and what it needs -- as much as i love our extremely honest mechanic, i'm almost sorry he knows us this well), took Sweetie to work, and got there with 15 minutes to spare.

It was a carnival atmosphere, with live music, employees handing out leis, and lots of smiles.  A few people had small children with them, and the children were in various costumes, including a very cute little elephant and a pumpkin.  There were a couple of speeches, including from the mayor, and a lei cutting instead of a ribbon cutting.

Isn't it exciting? i said to once nice lady standing near me.  "Yes!" she answered.  "It's like we're going to be a real city now!"

Well, i'm not sure about that, i thought to myself -- we still don't have Aldi, Costco, Pottery Barn or IKEA here in the swamps, but at least we are a step closer.

The employees inside had formed a tunnel for shoppers to walk through as they cheered and high fived and cut up.  We were all smiles, and even the fact that the place was so crowded it was hard to get around didn't dampen our spirits.  At one point, i even got a chance to say hello to the mayor, who was standing near the coffee (you know i am going to have coffee, no matter what).

Despite the crowd, checkout was speedy and efficient, and every single employee was smiling and cheerful and ready to help.  One had even pointed out to me the wine that they only sell at grand openings.  Since it was a dry red, and that's Sweetie's favorite, i got him a bottle.

On Saturday i went back with Sweetie to show him the long-awaited treasure, and he was duly impressed, especially that the Two Buck Chuck, as some of their wine is nicknamed, has a shiraz.  He also liked the live band outside, as the grand opening party was still going strong over two days later.

As much as i love living in the swamps, there are drawbacks, but now, with a Trader Joe's within driving distance, i wouldn't trade you for the world.




Today is:

Apaturia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (a three day meeting of the clans and welcoming newcomers and children into the community; date approximate)

Betcha Festival -- Onomichi, Japan (men in costume "beat" children with bamboo whisks to prevent them getting ill in the coming year)

Bunka no hi -- Japan (Culture Day)

Cliche Day -- get them all out of your system today; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays

Cuenca Day -- Cuenca, Ecuador

Daylight Saving Time ends -- Bermuda; Canada (most areas); Cuba; Greenland (some areas); Haiti; Mexico (Baja area); Saint Pierre and Miquelon; The Bahamas; Turks and Caicos Islands; US (most areas)

Deepavali -- Hindu; Jain; Sikh
     Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja -- Day of Cows and Laxmi (goddess of wealth; day three of the festival)

Hijra -- Islam (Islamic New Year Begins at the viewing of the new moon crescent, so exact time/date varies by location)

Housewives' Day -- birth anniversary of Roseanne Barr

Independence Day -- Dominica(1978); Federated States of Micronesia(1986); Panama (also called Separation Day, separating from Colombia in 1903)

Jain New Year

Let Someone Have the Last Word Day -- internet generated, probably so you will quit with the cliches

London to Brighton Veteran Car Run -- England (a race composed of only pre-1905 vehicles)

National Sleep-In Day -- begun by those who want you to spend the extra hour gained catching up on your ZZZZ's

New York City Marathon -- NY, NY, US

Parsley Scattering Season ends -- Fairy Calendar

Sandwich Day -- birth anniversary of John Montague, Fourth Earl of Sandwich and reputed inventor of the food item which bears his name; make yourself a really good one in his memory

Solar Eclipse -- a hybrid solar eclipse will be visible in the Eastern Americas, Southern Europe, and Central Africa

SOS Day -- on this date in 1906 the Second International Radio Telegraphic Conference at Berlin, Germany, proposed it as the new wireless distress signal to replace CQD (Come Quick, Danger)

St. Hubert's Day (Patron of archers, dogs, forest workers, furriers, hunters and hunting, machinists, mathemematicians, metal workers, opticians, precision instrument makers, smelters, trappers; Liege, Belgium; Saint-Hubert, Belgium; against dog bites, hydrophobia/rabies)

St. Martin de Porres' Day (Patron of African-Americans, bargers/hair stylists, inter-racial justice, hotel-keepers/innkeepers, paupers, persons of mixed race, poor people, public education, public health, public schools, race relations/racial harmony, social justice, state schools, television; Biloxi, MI, US; Peru)

St. Pirminius' Day (Patron of Monsheim, Germany; against poisoning, snake bite)

St. Winifred's Day (Patron of incest victims, martyrs; Gwytherin, Wales; Holywell, Wales; Shrewsbury, England)

Tori No Ichi -- Japan (a "rooster day" in which to wish good luck and prosperity at temple and shrine ceremonies around the country)

Tunnel Day -- NY, NY, US (anniversary of the start of the first subway tunnel in 1900)

Victory Day -- Maldives

Zero Tasking Day -- spend the extra hour gained when turning the clocks back doing nothing, just practice being


Birthdays Today:

Gemma Ward, 1987
Evgeny Plushenko, 1982
Dolph Lundgren, 1959
Adam Ant, 1954
Kate Capshaw, 1953
Dennis Miller, 1953
Roseanne, 1952
Ken Berry, 1933
Michael Dukakis, 1933
Charles Bronson, 1921
William Cullen Bryant, 1794
Thomas Kyd, 1558


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Diff'rent Strokes(TV), 1978
Good Morning America(TV), 1973



Today in History:

Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina, 644
Christopher Columbus first sights the island of Dominica in the Caribbean Sea, 1493
The English parliament accepts the Act of Supremacy, declaring Henry VIII to be the leader of the Church of England, 1534
Great Patent is granted to Plymouth Colony, 1620
A great panic occurs in Europe over the close approach of a comet, 1679
Spain acquires Louisiana, 1762
The Bank of Montreal, Canada's oldest chartered bank, opens in Montreal, Quebec, 1817
The Times of India, the world's most widely circulated English language daily broadsheet newspaper, is founded as The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce, 1838
"Black Bart the Poet", stagecoach robber, commits his last robbery, leaving behind a clue that leads to his capture, 1883
J.H. Hunter patents a portable weighing scale, 1896
Chevrolet officially enters the automobile market, 1911
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2. On board is the first animal to enter orbit, a dog named Laika, 1957
NASA launches Mariner 10 toward Mercury; it would later become the first probe to reach that planet, 1973
Pervez Musharraf declares emergency rule across Pakistan, suspending the Constitution, 2007