Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Friday, January 20, 2023

Hair Lost

See? Cute. But hairless . . .
I don't want to say that our second son didn't have any hair when he was born, but . . .
Okay. He didn't have any hair.
There is a story behind that . . . 
And it all has to do with tomatoes.
Tomatoes?!
When I was expecting him, I craved tomatoes.
CRAVED.
I couldn't get enough tomatoes.
Or anything remotely 'tomato'.
We ate tacos a lot.
Four or five times a week.
Fortunately, my Husby liked tacos.
Have I mentioned that my Husby is a patient lad?
Well, he is.
Moving on . . .
Our tacos were very heavy in the tomato department.
Fresh, diced.
Mixed into the meat as tomato sauce from a can. 
Spooned on as salsa (pico de gallo).
I think we could quite literally have called them 'tomato tacos'.
Oh, and I added Tabasco sauce.
A lot of Tabasco sauce.
Because, along with my out-of-control craving for tomatoes, was my even-more-out-of-control craving for things spicy.
So my usual routine was: 
  1. Taco shell. 
  2. Smear with Salsa. The hottest that could be found.
  3. Spoon in meat, complete with lots of tomato. 
  4. Add another giant spoon of Salsa
  5. Cover with fresh, diced tomatoes. 
  6. Add fresh, diced onions and shredded cheese. 
  7. Add another spoonful of salsa. 
  8. Just because. 
  9. Add seven drops of Tabasco. Seven. Not one drop more or less.
  10. Eat.
  11. Repeat.
  12. Several times
  13. Mmmmm.
When my baby boy was born, he had no hair on his little round head.
My Husby maintains that I burned it off.
But what do Husby's know . . .?
An interesting side note:
The day I brought my baby home from the hospital, I again made tacos.
I had been days without them and was definitely needing my fix.
I put a taco together in the same fashion that had become routine in the preceding months . . .
And couldn't eat it.
It was so hot, I couldn't get it anywhere near my face, let alone inside my mouth.
Weird.
Another side note:
My Dad, from the day that Erik was born until he was two and actually began to grow hair, called my son 'Cueball'.
Really.
He even painted an 'eight' on top of his head.
True story.
Yep.
All due to tomatoes.
Who knew?

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Little Toots

I don’t often write about bodily humour.
Okay, you’re right. This makes twice in one week.
It was just so cute . . .
Momma and Little Girl (hereinafter known as LG) were having a ‘sleepover’.
They had enjoyed a fun evening of movies.
Popcorn.
Treats.
Pillow fights.
And staying up way too late.
Morning had arrived, as morning often does.
Early.
Both were lying in bed. Momma, trying to get the energy to roll out of said bed.
LG watching Momma.
Someone tooted.
Momma looked over at LG. “Was that you?”
LG giggled.
“You just tooted in my bed!”
More giggles.
“You’re not supposed to toot in my bed!”
LG looked coy. “That’s okay, Momma,” she said. “I’m on Daddy’s side of the bed!”

There is a lot of 'stuff' going on in the world.
You won't find any of it here.
I want this blog to be a little oasis of peace and good humour.
Thank you for visiting!

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Sneaking on the Prairie

I was at my first Prairie Party with my friend/roommate/almost-sister, Debbie (she of the laughing eyes and sparkly personality), and my new boyfriend.
It was . . . rather exciting.
Even though the weather had been uncharacteristically iffy.
And was continuing in the same vein throughout the evening.
There was a crowd of farm/ranch kids all talking and laughing around a huge campfire, periodically opening umbrellas when the heavy overhead clouds shook out a few drops or hustling into the nearby camp kitchen if the rain increased.
Many remained sitting in the shelter, pouring drinks, eating chips, popcorn, nuts and the inevitable and still popular, gumdrops.
Which, as the liquor flowed and sanity decreased, seemed to be used mostly for target practice.
My new boyfriend and I, both non-drinkers, were sitting in his truck, one of several parked in a semi-circle around the kitchen providing light on the obviously moonless night. 
Talking.
No, really. We were talking.
He was showing me his new knife and my mind was a confused whirl of blade belly, AUS 8 Steel, bevel, edge, tang, bolster and anodization.
I was discovering that he was a lot of fun and very clever.
He was discovering that I laughed a lot.
Suddenly, his head snapped around toward the kitchen. “Look,” he said, nodding.
I turned.
A shadow was making its way toward us.
Sliding between cars and generally giving the impression of cautious-ness.
It slid quickly through a beam of light and dove once more into the shadows.
But that quick flash of light disclosed just who was sneaking.
Debbie.
The two of us watched as she continued in our direction.
Finally, she left the shelter of the car just to our left and, crouching, made her way directly in front of the truck we were sitting in.
My boyfriend waited for just a moment . . .
Then, grinning widely, honked the horn.

Monday, January 16, 2023

BBB's and Poetry Monday

Today's post is a Double Header! My Best of Boomer Blogs AND Poetry Monday!
First, this week's BBBs!


Most people think about what they want in the new year, but this week over at Carol Cassara's blog, she writes about things she wishes would go away in the newyear. 



Laurie Stone

Laurie’s
 son Patrick came into the kitchen, his face worried. “I caught a mouse in the basement.” She looked at him and shrugged. Mice came into her house all the time, part of life in the Connecticut woods. “Put it out,” she said. He looked at her like she’d just spoken Swahili. “How do I do that?” Laurie sighed. Time to teach her oldest the ways of humane animal relocation. 


Jennifer Koshak

Do you have any memorable vacations? How about any memorable vacations that people outside of your friends and family might be talking about?  That's what happened to Jennifer, of Unfold and Begin, when she and her family were vacationing in Maine. In What's One of Your Memorable Vacations, she shares the hilarious results.


January is when many of us start thinking about improving our fitness after gorging during the holidays. However, as we age, why should exercising be tortuous? Rebecca Olkowski, with BabyBoomster.com writes about why fitness over 50 should be fun instead.





Watch out for scam emails, texts, and phone calls that say your Social Security number will be suspended, warns Rita R. Robison, consumer and personal finance journalist. Robison received an email saying her number was going to be terminated within 48 hours. You’ll never guess who “signed” the email. 


There's a lot of suffering in the world - physical pain and emotional pain. While making sure that people get access to experts, Corinne explores how we can  reach out and create comfort for people in our lives who are suffering from pain





And now me!
The shirt was worn out. It had to go. 
But those buttons still had life and could definitely be re-purposed.
But while Diane was about to fetch the snips and do a proper job, Husby took matters into his own hands.
With spectacular results.


And that's a wrap!
I hope you enjoyed these wonderful bloggers as much as I do!


And now Poetry Monday: Un-Lost

Some years have passed since this took place,
But still, this story has a space,
It was the first time Husby showed,
This knack he has when on the road.
 
We’d flown to Boston, rented there
 A car to take us everywhere,
To Boston Common we would go,
And see the things it had to show.
 
I had the map, seemed apropos,
While Husby manned the ‘stop-and-go’,
I studied closely--no mistake,
The ramp we two must shortly take.
 
It came and went, to my dismay,
I scratched my head, said, “That’s okay.
There is another route will do…
Turn there on number 42!”
 
Again I watched it pass us by,
I gave my man the evil eye,
And struggled to find other ways
To reach our target place this day.
 
Instruction Husby did ignore,
(It made his wife a little sore!)
And though this town he did not know,
Found on his own the place to go.
 
Disgusted, I just tossed the map,
Refrained from giving him a slap,
And made a very solemn vow
To never navigate. No how!
 
In England, he proved once again,
Without a map, he had the ‘ken’,
That even overseas, his skills,
Would work just fine o’er moor and hill.
 
We’ve traveled lots, we’re still alive,
I simply sit and let him drive,
It’s peaceful merely knowing that
Getting lost ain’t on the map! 

Cause Mondays do get knocked a lot,
With poetry, we all besought
To try to make the week begin
With gentle thoughts,
Perhaps a grin?
So KarenCharlotteMimi, me
Have crafted poems for you to see.
And now you’ve read what we have wrought…
Did we help?
Or did we not?

Next week, please join us here again...
We'll be discussing clocks 'bout then!

Thinking of joining us for Poetry Monday?
We'd love to welcome you!
Topics for the next few weeks 
(with a huge thank-you to Mimi, who comes up with so many of them!)...
Get lost (January 16) Today!
Clocks (January 23)
Time (January 30)
Frozen Yogurt (February 6)
Random Acts of Kindness (February 13)
Be Humble (February 20)
Pineapple (February 27)
Cookies (March 6)
Butterflies (March 13)
Buzzards (March 20)
Celebrating Earth Day(March 27)


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Translate

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Read it! You know you want to!

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Looking for a Great Read?

E-Books by Diane Stringam Tolley
Available from Smashwords.com

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I've been given an award!!!

The Liebster Award

The Liebster Award
My good friend and Amazing Blogger, Marcia of Menopausal Mother awarded me . . .

Irresistibly Sweet Award

Irresistibly Sweet Award
Delores, my good friend from The Feathered Nest, has nominated me!

Sunshine Award!!!

Sunshine Award!!!
My good friend Red from Oz has nominated me!!!

My very own Humorous Blogger Award From Delores at The Feathered Nest!

Be Courageous!


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