I Hate Brussels Sprouts

February 15, 2013 By 20 Comments

I hate Brussels sprouts.  My aversion to “The Sprouts” goes back to elementary school days when my parents and grandparents insisted I follow the Clean Plate Club and eat every bite of food placed in front of me and that included Brussels sprouts. As a kid, I wasn’t considered a picky eater.  I choked down chicken liver with onions, Vienna sausages, overcooked vegetables, tuna noodle casserole, fried bologna, and canned ham.  I ate it all.  But disgusting tiny, green, soggy, lettuce balls?  Barf! Even the name alone irked me, “Brussels sprouts. “  What’s with the capital B and the extra ‘s’ at the end?  No other vegetable gets the right to have a capital.  It’s so uppity. For … [Read more...]

Grandparents Return Gifts, Even Plants

February 7, 2013 By 5 Comments

My grandparents return gifts, even plants.  Their excuses for returning our gifts ranged from too large, too tight, wrong color, useless, costly, confusing or purchased under the wrong zodiac sign. All our presents had been returned for 40 years. It was good etiquette to accept a gift graciously but my grandparents were the exception.  “Return it, dear.  We don’t need it,” Grandmother said in her girlish voice.  “Save your money.  You keep it,” growled Grandpa, tugging up his baggy trousers. Each year, my mother continued to be disappointed and surprised by their insensitivity.  “Mom, they do this every time,” I said.  “They hate everything we give them.  Stop buying them stuff.  Give gift … [Read more...]

Waste Not, Want Not

January 21, 2013 By 6 Comments

Growing up during the Great Depression, my late grandparents were the original recyclers and frugal beyond measure.  They believed absolutely everything deserved a second chance at a new life, from a piece of string to an old pair of shoes. Perhaps it’s time to learn from an old saying, “waste not, want not.”  Our grandparent’s penny-pinching philosophy may be worth another look in today’s throwaway society. Below is a list of “How To” tips from a booklet I found among my grandmother’s possessions, Household Hints, dated 1950.  Some of the suggestions are worthy of a second look even in 2013.  Others are a funny glimpse into the past.  You decide. How to Be a Wise Housewife Fluff … [Read more...]