The Company I Keep

Our Red Cross chapter meeting is held on the fourth Monday of every month.  It's at 6pm, and since September, Chunk has been attending a K9 Life Skills class (aka Good Manners for Bad Dogs) each Monday at 7:30 at the kennel club.  

Because I had to go directly to class afterwards, I received permission to bring him to last two meetings with me.  Other than crawling up in the lap of the youngest and prettiest volunteer to lick her face whenever she lets him (there's a reason we call him the Kissing Bandit at home), he's been quite well-behaved.

Class is over until January (he passed. Really) so I went to the meeting alone tonight.  The cry was unanimous -

"Where's Chunk?"

Vintage Advertising - Campbell's Soup

From The American magazine, January 1934.

And Then She Added The Tuna

Hawaiian Tuna Puffs was a winner that year (1961) in the Main Dish category. Note the ubiquitous General Mills product placement.

"Melt 1/2 cup Land O'Lakes butter or other shorting in 1 cup boiling water in saucepan.

Add 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Chrystal Slat and 1 cup sifted Pillsbury's Best All Purpose Flour all at once.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture leaves sides of pan and is smooth and compact, about 2 minutes.

Blend in 4 unbeaten eggs, one at a time, beating vigorously after each until mixture is smooth and glossy.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Do not underbake. Turn off oven. Prick with sharp knife for escape stem; leave in oven 10 minutes to dry out.  Cool; split and fill."

(So far, so good.  Unfortunately, the inventor couldn't be happy with anything so mundane as creamed chicken or shrimp.  No, she had to go ahead and come up with --)

"TUNA-PINEAPPLE FILLING

Saute 1/2 cup chopped onion and 1/2 cup chopped green pepper in 2 tablespoons Land O'Lakes butter.  Add 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 1/4 cup Pet Evaporated Milk and 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Chrystal Salt.  Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add two 7-oz cans tuna, 1 cup drained crushed pineapple and 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese.  Reheat or served chilled."

This may be even worse than Silver Salad.

Caturday!

Quote Of The Day

image from Pinterest

And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; and sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. ~ Psalm 107

It's Good To Know Who Your Friends Are

Christmas Crafts - A Pointsettia Lapel Pin From 1952

The last project from the December, 1952 issue of Workbasket magazine, a felt lapel pin.  One page of instructions can be found on my Flickr account.

And You Thought Making A Bed Around Kittens Was Tough

Edited to add: Then he sends for reinforcements.
Edited to add further: I caught Reserve Cat playing with Minnie today.  Not for very long and he ran away when he saw me but still?

Cooks and Cookbooks

Ladies Lunching from the January, 1919 Delineator

I have recently acquired another lot of vintage 50s/60s/70's cookbooks, all of them published by/for a major food company or magazine publisher.  Many of the recipes aren't bad (especially for cakes and cookies) but there are some lulus. I was trying to find the one for Hawaiian Tuna Puffs (chief ingredients pineapple, tuna and cheddar cheese) but I guess that will have to wait for another Sunday.  In the meantime, here's a ladies' luncheon favorite from Better Homes and Gardens Jiffy Cooking circa 1973.

"CURRIED TUNA AND PEAS. Blend 1/2 cup milk,into one 10 1/2 ounce can condensed cream of mushroomsoup. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon curry powder and heat to boiling  Carefully stir in one 6 1/2 to 7 ounce can tuna, drained, nd 1 cup frozen peas.  Cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Serve over hot cooked rice.  Makes 4 servings."

There Are Probably More Useful Occupations

...in this world than watching a kitten stalk a ladybug.

(but few that are as much fun).

Caturday!

RHIP

Messages You Don't Get In The City

"Dave B* will be by sometime today with a dead deer's head, I said he could put it in my freezer."

Quote Of The Day

When life gives you lemons, you probably deserved them. ~ Sgt Tim Cotton

Grrrrsday

Children's Crafts - Junior Workbasket Projects from 1952

From the December, 1952 Workbasket, a few simple gifts for children to make.  One page of instructions can be found on my Flickr account.

Vintage Predictions

From Popular magazine, August 1930. Left-click to enlarge.

Caturday!

The 11th Day

I believe...that if our country ever comes to trial again, young men will spring up equal to the occasion, and if one fails, there will be another to take his place. ~ Ulysses S. Grant.

November 10th, 1775

Happy birthday, Marines.

The Morning After

The country's survived 240 years, I daresay it will survive another four.  In the meantime, I'm reading Anna Buchan; I find her very soothing.

Crochet - Earmuffs from 1952

From the December, 1952 issue of Workbasket magazine, a quick crochet project - earmuffs. One page of instructions may be downloaded from my Flickr account.

Vintage Advertising - Armstrong Linoleum

Lovely colors in these old ads. This one's from a 1922 Woman's Home Companion, available from Google Books as a free download.

Identity Crisis

Before the New Kids arrived, we were concerned about keeping them away from Reserve Cat's food, and vice versa. As it turns out, a combination of strategic food dish location and hyper-vigilance prevented this. Nothing daunted, they have started eating the dogs' food, with consequent impact on their bowels.  

(Just to see what would happen I put a dish of kitten chow next to a dish of kibble.  They went straight for the kibble. They think they're very small German Shepherds, maybe?)

We feed Batdog and Chunk in the morning and the evening. They are both snackers and nibble at their food throughout the day. Hiding their dishes from the kittens isn't going to work.

Help?

Caturday!

Grrrrsday

Collateral Damage

I won't say that SOMEBODY is a big Cubs fan, but 4/5ths of the livestock have taken refuge in the spare bedroom.

(It could be worse.  I found out this morning that a guy I used to know -- the director of the state commission on volunteerism and community service -- became the father of twins last week and named them Clark and Addison).

Who knew cats liked baseball?

Crochet - A Man's Tie from 1952

From the December, 1952 issue of Workbasket, a crochet tie.  Two pages of instructions on my Flickr account.