CHOCOLATE

It is a delicious irony that our word for chocolate most likely comes from an Aztec word that meant ‘bitter drink’.  These ancient people esteemed the cacao tree, and it has been cultivated in South America for three millennia.  The peoples of Mesoamerica enjoyed a legend that they had once lived in harmony with the Gods in a garden paradise -- until mankind was banished for attempting to become God’s equal.

Life in the outside world was harsh, and so a soft hearted God called Quetzalcoatl brought a theobroma cacao tree from the garden.  The name means ‘Cacao, food of the Gods’.  Quetzalcoatl taught Mankind the magical qualities of the tree, including its ability to fight fatigue and aid romance.   Of the latter, present day research states that each bite of good chocolate should be savoured for approximately one minute to gain the most benefit from increased brain activity and raised heart rate.  Make sure that your gift is not gobbled up too quickly!

The most valuable of the cacao beans to the Aztecs was that from a tree that is very difficult to grow, requires the most exacting conditions and only grows at a certain latitude. The beans are not bitter but very smooth. They are criollo beans  -- still rare, still the most valuable.

Puns plus -

No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering. 

MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC

Friday at Avenidas, in the one o’clock hour, our activities director had a new entertainment group.  That’s ‘group’ as in two young sisters.  One played a marimba type instrument, and the other played banjo, flute, and sang.  Rather a good voice.  One thing that was different was the different types of music they played -- calypso, Irish,  Italian, Hawaiian, and one or two others that don’t come immediately to mind.  But there was one other thing that happened really astounded me.  One of the participants there is an older, (we’re all older) heavy set woman who has sat next to me a couple of times.  Frankly, I don’t think she is ‘all there’ but many participants (including me?) are in that state.  Anyway, when the sisters started doing Hawaiian music, this lady got up and was doing the hula.  And I don’t mean that she was simply shaking her hips; she was doing all the hand motions that went with the song, and she was most graceful about it!  At the end the singer gave her a big hug, and she received a big round of applause from the rest of us.  All in all, an amazing performance!

***

Dental Update --

The other day I had a call from the dentist’s office filling me in (unintended pun) on What Happens Next.  Which happens to be a visit with my dentist, where he will give me all the specific details of extractions, follow-ups, and the like.  In addition they will take more impressions for the stay plate (I thought they’d already done that).  That gadget with teeth is what I will wear (in my mouth; not on my head) while my mouth heals.  Additionally, he will fill a couple of teeth -- not the ones coming out.

Then -- Oh Joy! -- an appointment will be made for me with the dental surgeon.  Finally, a follow-up visit with my dentist to see how things are going.  I thought they’d already be gone.  More as things progress.

How about a bit of fun --

WILDLIFE

Enjoy!

Fun -

Feline instructions:
Now hear this!  You may live in this dwelling with me, but keep in mind your sole purpose for existing is to care for me.  I pray God keeps you able to do so.

Feed me well and promptly, so that I may then find a quiet place to lie down and stare at you.  If that place happens to be the top of the television set, do not keep trying to dislodge me even though my tail is hanging in the middle of the picture.

I expect full run of the premises, including the kitchen table.  I sniff your food only to see if I would prefer it to mine. Brush me twice a week.  Pet me as often as you wish, but I can do without those idiotic statements you utter as you do so.

When I bump my against your leg or cheek, its means I accept you as part of my environment.  Keep in mind that if I thought the lady next door would feed me better, I’d be out of here in a minute.  If you’re looking for loyalty, get a dog.

THANKS, DIANA

I’ve known for some while that comments made on Alison’s blog (Hi there, Alison) also made it to her computer email.  But I didn’t give it much thought until I happened to glance back at some of my previous postings, and saw that I had missed several comments from Diana (Hi there, Diana).  And so I sent Diana an email saying It's a good thing that I occasionally look back for comments on my blog, or I would not have seen several of yours.  I must remember to check more often.  She emailed me back to say that she routes her comments to her email, and that got me to thinking,”I wonder if I can do that?”  I do indeed enjoy receiving comments, of any length.  So I went to ‘Help!”, not really expecting to find what I wanted, but there it was!  Instructions I could follow!  I tried it on the posting called TESTING and waited to see what would happen.  And waited.  And waited!  My counter was telling me that I had a number of hits, but none of the emails hitting my inbox were blog comments.

So I went into that posting.  Sure enough, quite a few hits, but zero (as in not any) comments.  What’s going on here?  Are the comments being routed to outer space?  Finally, just before I put up VIEW FROM ABOVE, there was a ping! in my mailbox.  Took a look, and sure enough -- there was a comment from LynnM (Hi there, Lynn), forwarded just like it was supposed to be.  So please be assured that any comments you choose to make will be read by me because I always check my email.  And if you want to say something, but have trouble with the comment box, just send it as an email to chippep at earthlink.net.  Thanks.

The following bit of humor is from my niece Brenda.  It is one of the funniest I’ve seen in a while.
 
NO, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOUR LIPSTICK!

Why would you even ask me that?
I am so insulted!
Every time something goes missing around here,
everybody looks at me!





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VIEW FROM ABOVE

NASA astronaut Douglas Wheelock who is currently aboard the International Space Station shares pictures of the Earth he snaps with the world through Twitter.  Known to his nearly 68,000 Twitter followers as Astro_Wheels, Wheelock has been posting impressive photos of the Earth and some of his thoughts ever since he moved into the space station in June, five months after it got Internet access.




Greek islands on a clear night during our flight over Europe. Athens shine brightly along the Mediterranean Sea.

' Mystery Island '...located in the Indian Ocean close to Madagascar. Interesting features on the island and the unusual shape should be enough to help you discover this beautiful place.

Northern lights in the distance in one of the finest nights over Europe. The photo clearly shows the Strait of Dover. Paris is dazzling with the city lights. A little fog over the western part of England , particularly over London.

The moon is breathtaking.

Of all the places of our beautiful planet few can rival the beauty and richness of colors in the Bahamas. In this photo, our ship is seen against the backdrop of the Bahamas .

Every time I look out the window and see our beautiful planet, my soul sings! I see blue skies, white clouds and bright blessed day.

Beautiful atoll in the Pacific Ocean , photographed using 400mm lens. Approximately 1930 km south of Honolulu .

Perfect reflection of sunlight in the eastern Mediterranean .

Above the center of the Atlantic Ocean, before another stunning sunset. Downstairs in the setting sun visible spiral Hurricane Earl.

Morning over the Andes in South America. I do not know for sure the title of this peak, but was simply amazed by her magic, stretching to the sun and wind tops.

Over the Sahara desert, approaching the ancient lands and thousand-year history. River Nile flows through Egypt by the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo. Further, the Red Sea, Sinai Peninsula, Dead Sea, Jordan River, as well as the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea and Greece on the horizon.

Night view of the River Nile, stretching like a snake through Egypt to the Mediterranean, and Cairo , located in the Delta. Far away in this picture, one can see the Mediterranean Sea.

Module Union 23C Olympus docked with the ISS . When our work ends here, we go back home to Earth. We fly over the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus. The rising sun is reflected from the Caspian Sea .

The flash of color, movement and life on the canvas of our amazing world. This is part of the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia , photographed through the lens of 1200 mm.

At the southern end of South America lies the pearl of Patagonia. The amazing beauty of rugged mountains, massive glaciers, fjords and seas combined in perfect harmony.

 Astronaut Douglas Wheelock

Fun -

My secretary likes to yammer on the phone with friends.  One day I was about to interrupt her chat when she looked up at the clock and put an end to the conversation.  “Sorry,I have to hang up now,” she said, “It’s time for my break.”

***
Working on a computer all day has definetely messed up my girlfriend’s view of reality.  We had just placed our lunch order, and as our waitress walked away, she slipped on a wet spot on the floor.  “How about that?” said my girlfriend, “Our server is down.”

TESTING, 1, 2, 3, TESTING

My cardiologist wanted me to take some kind of test over at the hospital, and it was scheduled for last Thursday.  This involved scheduling me, the doctor, and the hospital.  Then they gave me the time schedule.  It was a fasting test that would run from 12:30 p.m. until nearly 7:30 in the evening.  And I had to be there an hour earlier in order to register.  I objected, and told them to cancel the test.  Please let me know when they could get it scheduled in the morning.

Then Wednesday evening I received a phone call from the hospital “reminding me of my appointment.”  “Weren’t you told it was cancelled?” I asked.  No, they were not.  So I explained the circumstances, to which I was given a most interesting response.  “Oh, we don’t do it that way any more.  We can have you out in two hours -- two and a half at most.”  In addition I was told that I could pre-register by phone if I so chose.  That would take care of another hour at the front end.

Now all that’s needed is for someone to let the doctor’s office know that their printed instructions are wrong.  I’m sure glad I canceled the first one.


Cartoons, courtesy of Sandy --

 

SIGN POSTS

Believe it or not, these are for real.  Or so I have been told.

You think the circus will take 'em?

Well, that would never do!

Oh No!  Not that!

Not what I had in mind.

But I've already had my shots!

Not without my track shoes.

Can I turn on my flashlight?

We get the picture.

Gee, what a deal!

Your right or my right?

A bit of humor --

"Traffic news now, and a lorry of purple paint has collided with a lorry of red paint. The drivers are said to be marooned"
~
Sign in a restaurant window:  "Don't stand there and be hungry; come on in and get fed up"