Today Krishna and I went for a little bargain hunting. We didn’t find a single thing at any of the yard, barn or garage sales. This is quite unusual. Maybe we are becoming too picky.
One of the garage sales was at Bunty Station Road about five miles from our home. I pass it fairly often but today for some reason it brought back a memory of the weekly children’s comic book BUNTY that we British girls were very fond of.
The stories in BUNTY were either very sweet or very funny. At the back of each edition was a paper doll and some paper clothes that we would cut out and hook onto the doll.
These comic books brought great joy. Everyone raced to get the next edition as soon as it came out each week.
Boys had their own comics the names of which escape me now and then there were other comics like the BEANO that both boys and girls would read.
I don’t know if these comics still exist today but they sure did encourage kids to develop a regular reading habit!
One thing that always perplexed me though was I never once met someone called BUNTY!!!!
You certainly have experienced children who are very attached to one special item. They take it everywhere with them and it is often a challenge to get it from them to wash.
For some this is a soft toy, for our Aaron it was a little blanket that we called Panda Duvet and that eventually totally disintegrated.
Maybe you have also experienced such a helpful go to pacifier with your pet.
Those of you who know our Dibley will know how important Big Ball is to him.
Big Ball was purchased for Aaron when he started baseball in spring of 2011. Shortly thereafter it was taken over by Dibley.
Being a spoiled pooch he has many toys but he took to Big Ball like no other. He plays with it, he sleeps with it but most importantly he seeks it out when he smells a storm in the air.
About thirty minutes before the lightening strikes Dibley will get Big Ball in his mouth and start pacing. He will hold on to it till the storm completely subsides.
You can imagine that this must get a little uncomfortable especially when storms are lengthy as they have been in the past weeks.
Thankfully when the storm has past Dibley seems to have no problem quickly transforming Big Ball right back into a play thing.
Yesterday was beautiful, sunny but not too hot. It was an ideal day to get started on a restoration project.
Over the past months many little pieces of furniture have been picked up at yard and church sales for next to nothing. These sad little lovelies, that have been accumulating in our garage, may not know it yet but they are destined for transformation.
Yesterday the first was tackled in the sun. A little white painted jewelry cabinet that was purchased for two dollars was going to get glammed up!
Not being a patient person the cabinet got but a quick wash and sand down before it was slapped with some paint. This was to give it a bit of a rustic feel. You can tell that too much HGTV has been watched here!!!!
During this process disaster struck. First the paint got into the pink lining of the little cabinet so the lining had to be painted too and then the entire side of the cabinet fell off.
Not to worry out came the super glue. Of course once this was to hand more things had to be stuck. Out came the glass beads and finally the spray gold paint.
Cinderella is now happily at the bathroom ball and filled with costume bling.
My men folk are not overly impressed, they don’t get the glam rustic look.
Friends and family within driving distance look out the next transformation may find its way to your house at the holidays.
Our Dibley looks like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth but this thirty pound fur ball thinks he owns the neighborhood.
When he is out for his walk, be it the morning or evening one he has to pee on every mail box. He has a squirting technique that has to be seen to be believed.
If his walk takes him in one direction in the morning he will choose a different route in the evening. I am guessing this is to make sure that the dogs in all directions will smell his sent.
During his walks he generally ignores most people and if he decides to acknowledge them it is in a friendly way.
He also generally ignores dogs that are behind their electric fence in their own yard.
BUT and it is a BIG BUT if he sees another dog walking towards him he goes berserk.
He was attacked as a puppy by a dog on the loose so this behavior may have something to do with this bad experience. Or it may simple be my inability to discipline the rascal.
Based on advice from a friend, who is good with dogs, when I see another dog approaching I pull Dibley aside and rub his ears which he loves in order to distract him.
This works if I can keep him from looking at the other dog as they pass by.
On a walk last week we had a disaster. Our neighbor was out with her two big yellow labs who fortunately are very well trained and well behaved and obedient.
As I was pulling him aside to let the labs go past I didn’t realize that Dibleys leash was loose and I pulled it right off him.
So of course he now sees the labs and takes off across the road barking at them. My poor neighbor had to hold onto her big guys while I got hold of this pint sized scoundrel.
I was totally mortified, profusely apologetic and feeling like a useless case but all my neighbor had to say was “well I got a better workout than I thought I’d have”
Even though the fur ball is ten and a half I am determined he must be taught the new trick of obedience because I have had it with him this time!!!
Do you have any products or services that you recommend to friends?
I’ve shared some with you in earlier BOOMs.
Another one of them is Moroccan Argan hair oil.
As I was opening a new bottle today it came to mind that we really should acknowledge more the products that do what they say they will do.
This is the easiest thing in the world to use and man does it deliver on its promise.
You rub it into your hair while it is still wet and the comb just flies through it. No need for conditioning with this and literally a few drops will do the trick.
Best of all it gives your hair a lovely smell, a bit of bounce and my impression is your hair dries quicker too.
It is a steal at under five dollars for a bottle that lasts half a year. So get out their and get some.
If you like it let us all know and please also share your secret little favorites.
There are so very many things to be said in praise of the bounteous banana. Don’t you just love everything about them. Their smell, their color and their big umbrella leaves.
The fruits are botanically classified as berries and grow in clusters up to 100 lbs in weight. You would need a rare appetite to munch through that bunch.
Bananas come in many sizes and different colors too. While native to South Esst Asia they are now grown in tropical climes all around the world.
Can’t remember the first time I had a banana. Most probably it was smashed up as a weaning food since they are known to be gentle even on the tiniest tummy.
What does come to mind is that banana sandwiches and bananas on toast were a quick staple meal in my childhood home.
My Mum told me stories about how, during World War II, it was impossible to find a banana. So people would improvise by mashing up parsnips and adding banana essence to them and then spreading this concoction onto bread instead of the real thing.
When I first went to work in Switzerland I once made a banana sandwich for lunch. The people working with me had had a deprived childhood and had never seen such a thing! They thought it was hilarious and for the longest time I had the nickname “LaBANANE”
More fond memories of the wondrous fruit include my first trip to India with Krishna. There, of course, bananas were growing in abundance including the tiny sweet baby ones that I got to taste for the first time. We bought them in the traditional market in downtown Mysore and took a big bunch with us when going to visit Krishna’s sister Kamala.
When you think of a snack size bite size treat the baby banana is nature’s original best.
Also on this first trip to India we had plenty of the very tasty salty banana chips. They are made from underripe plantains that are deep fried in coconut oil. YUMMY!
If you haven’t tried these yet then hunt some out at your local Asian supermarket. They are so moreish so very crispy and perfectly sized for dipping. If you like spice you will certainly find some hot ones.
What is so wonderful about the banana plant is that it grows so easily and self propagates. We eat them but so do many other species too. They are an excellent rapidly digested energy source and pack a powerful punch of minerals and antioxidants too.
Best of all not a single piece of the plant goes to waste. Herbivores like buffalo and cattle will happily munch through the skin. The leaves can be used as disposable plates and the fibrous stalks can be transformed into construction materials. The possibilities are endless and they clean up the air for us too.
What would our world do without the glory of the big yellow berry bunch!!!
Our Dibley looks like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth but this thirty pound fur ball thinks he owns the neighborhood.
Booming Banter 