Gonna Buy Me A Present...Get What I Want

A drawer full of unwanted gift gizmos??

I like to get gifts and especially something I really like but no one ever seems to ask me exactly what I want.  Instead I get items which I already have 15 just like the new gift or it's really ugly and only purchased because it was on sale!!  Does that sound familiar?  Of course it probably does, because the world seems to operate  on the premise of buy something familiar (and cheap).

Now ... I'm not really complaining (cough cough) because as I see it, I can always try to return it, or re-gift the new gift or just shut up and say thank you and put the gift in the drawer along with the other three of the same thing as well as the other 28 gifts which are identical to the ones I already have and are in use.  Oh well, at least I have a spare when the one in use goes bad.

I do want to address some times where I was greatly disappointed when I opened my "big" gift.  One time I needed a new coat, so I loaded the unnamed person who was going to buy me a "big" present into the car and took this person to the store and tried on coats and picked out a couple which would suit me perfectly.  I was so excited when I finally saw the big garment type box slipped under the tree.  Oh goody....my new coat.  I even went out and bought a new scarf and gloves to match the ones I picked out since both coats were in the same color, just different styles.

Christmas morning arrived and we had company staying at our house so we were all enjoying the morning and the opening of presents.  I waited to open mine so I could see what the others were getting and I wanted to wait so I could showcase my wonderful gift.  Finally all others had opened their presents so I began the careful opening....wanting to delay the anticipation of my new coat.  The wrapping paper was finally off the box and yes the name of the original store where I had picked out my choice of coats appeared on the top of the box.

 I slowly lift the box lid and pulled apart the tissue paper.  Lo and behold, there in the box was the ugliest coat I had ever laid eyes on.  My choices had been stylish and a neutral dark charcoal color.  This "thing" in the box was an ugly brown thing with a fake fur collar.  OH MY God what was I going to do?  I wanted to push the box under the sofa and forget I'd ever even seen the coat.  But being the nice person I am, I slowly pulled the coat out of the box.  I held it up and my relatives eyes got as big as saucers....she was seeing the coat which a hundred year old woman would wear.  I stood up and unbuttoned the coat and decide to slip it on.....it was a size 16 and I only wore a size 10.  It bagged down to my ankles and me and three monkeys and 6 elephants could have fit in that coat.....Thank God for small favors!!  I didn't say a thing other than thank you dear but .... "dang it, it's too big and I hope you still have the sales receipt as I will need to return it."  YAY YAY YAY under my breath of course!!!  Years later it is still a subject of laughter at gift giving time.

I also recall the "eau de toilette" gifts I've received.  First of all eau de toilette simply means "Toilet Water".  Now why on earth does someone want to give me toilet water when I could have real perfume or at least cologne.  The idea of putting toilet water on my pulse points makes me cringe and wish the bottle would drop and bust so I wouldn't have to look at it any longer.

Now here I go complaining about all those really nice (??!!$%^#&;) gifts I've received over the years which I can't live without....and which remain under lock and key in my drawer because they are so valuable.  I just told a little fib, didn't I.  Well... today it's time to go check the drawer and see what I can dig out for re-gifting....you better hope you aren't on my Christmas buying list.....it's unbelievable the nice gifts I give from my stash.

World War I Veterans
A long time ago I received information about the Greenview residents who long ago participated in World War I.  I used this information when I put together a veteran's book for the sesquicentennial.   I thought I would start posting copies of the pages which contain Greenview and some Middletown residents....as some of the veterans on these pages had Middletown addresses but were considered Menard County residents.  These pages will contain several men's biographies but this is how my copies are and I have no way to separate these.  I will post a few at a time and will again post more in a future post.  I couldn't increase the size either so you may have to save the picture then use your picture service to enlarge the type to read it.  Sorry.  Try clicking on the picture in the post to see if it enlarges.

Please note:  If you feel these pictures cannot be reviewed due to the size, please let me know in comments and I will discontinue the posting of this series of pictures.  I just don't have a way to increase the size...I have tried.


Recipe
I really like Pesto but never made it until a few years ago.  Thought you might like this recipe.

Basil Pesto
3 cloves garlic -- peeled
2 cups fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons pine nuts  (Or Walnuts if pine nuts are unavailable or too expensive)
1 dash salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated or dried if you want

Start by peeling your garlic, toss it in a food processor or blender along with the basil leaves, nuts, and salt & pepper. Pulse in food processor a few times then turn food processor on low and drizzle in olive oil, stopping every now and then to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. When done add the cheese and pulse till mixed well.  Use the same procedure for a blender.
Freeze in small containers or freezer bags.

Thought For The Day

To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle.

-- George Orwell

Whose pictures are on our paper money?  Do you know these ..... I sure thought I did, but I missed a couple.  Dang!

** One Dollar - George Washington

** Two Dollar - Thomas Jefferson

** Five Dollar - Abraham Lincoln

** Ten Dollar - Alexander Hamilton (not a president)

** Twenty Dollar - Andrew Jackson

** Fifty Dollar - U. S. Grant

** Hundred Dollar - Ben Franklin

** Five Hundred Dollar - William McKinley (Never seen one of these....think they stopped printing in 1920's)

** $1,000 Dollar - Grover Cleaveland  (never seen one of these....think they stopped printing in 1920's)

** $5,000 Dollar -  James Madison (never even heard of one of these)

** $10,000 Dollar - Salmon P. chase - not a president.  (Wow didn't know about these)

** $100,000 Dollar - Woodrow Wilson ( never heard of these but could everyone send me all of their stash of these please)

In order to get a picture on paper money, it takes an Act of Congress, Secretary of Treasury on the advice of the Engraving Office.  After the design is chosen then its reviewed by the Fine Arts Commission.

High denomination bills were no longer printed after 1945....some denominations were before that.  the Federal Reserve began taking them out of circulation in 1969.  I don't have a stash of them like Billy Binion of Binions Horseshoe Casino had.  Dang.

What you could buy with $1.00 fifty years ago now takes $8.00.  Just trivia!  And they want to go back to a coin to replace the dollar bills because it costs too much to print replacement paper money.       Guess I will have to start wearing a back pack to carry all of my dollar coins I'm sure I will need when I shop.  Geeze!

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