J-E-L-L-O

If you read the title letter by letter, then I'm sure you already have the jingle stuck in your head. Sorry about that! I was watching an episode of Unwrapped the other night. Big surprise, I know, all I ever watch anymore is FOOD network, sometimes HGTV and frequently You've Got Mail. I think I'm happier for it...my dreams are nicer anyway. But I digress. I was watching Marc Summers (of Double Dare fame - shut-up you know you watched it too.) narrate a journey through how some old school snacks and treats are made. Among them Funyuns, Macaroons and Marshmallow Fluff...if you haven't had a pb&f sandwich, you should - it's yummy! Did you know that Fluff has been around for over 90 years and there was a whole festival to celebrate? What the Fluff? That's the slogan on the posters and t-shirts. But, I digress again. The thing in this episode that really pushed my nostalgia button was the segment on JELL-O. Now, I've consumed a lot of this jiggly treat in my lifetime, but most of it was before I became a teenager.

There was a slight re-kindling in college (I'm sure you know how I liked JELL-O then).

Now, I can admit that I still enjoy this treat from time to time (black cherry is my favorite flavor) but usually it's when I want a "comfort food" and I prefer it have some fruit in it. When I was younger though, I enjoyed all things JELL-O. In fact, the fun started when my grandmother pulled out the shallow milk glass bowl she always made the stuff in. I was allowed to help which meant I could put in the cold water after she put in the hot. Incidently, after the cold water goes in, it's just the right temp for drinking. I could take my small coffee cup {side note: Yes, I was allowed to drink coffee and I grew up just fine despite all warnings that it would "stunt my growth". Besides, if you know me at all, then you know it was really sweetened milk flavored with coffee.} Sheesh, I really can't stay on track today, what was I saying? Oh right, I could take my cup and dip it once into the bowl and drink the liquid confection. Liquid gelatin has an interesting texture. Smooth and sort of velvety. Once Mamaw discovered I was going to insist on having some of the JELL-O before it made it to the fridge, she started making double batches. Now, a little JELL-O history lesson. It got it's start in 1845, but didn't really become the JELL-O we know and love until it was sold to Orator Woodward in 1899 for $450. Come with me if you will...Behind the Wiggle! And just in case I don't bore you to tears and you want to know more, click here: http://brands.kraftfoods.com/jello/explore/history/ There were originally four flavors: strawberry, rasberry, lemon and orange...hmm, no cherry. The first ad was placed in Ladies Home Journal in 1902 and it boasted that JELL-O was "America's Most Famous Dessert". In 1904 the JELL-O girl first appeared and in 1908 came the Kewpie doll ads. There were some really great print ads through the years by some pretty famous artists including Norman Rockwell.



Did you know that JELL-O was served to immigrants entering Ellis Island in NYC as a "Welcome to America"? JELL-O has enjoyed a wealth of success with new products over the years. There have been many flavors, some more successful than others. Cola, for example was short-lived, but strawberry has pretty much been always been America's favorite flavor. And of course, there's pudding...and here my nostalgia button gets tweaked again. Bill Cosby. Pudding Pops. Picture Pages. I mean, come on, who could resist frozen pudding on a stick!? Ah, those were the days. Wow, makes me want to buy some...you can still get them, but they're not flat like you remember. They're sold under the Popsicle label and they're round and not quite the same, but they taste like 1983 to me! If you're really into retro authentic, and if you love pudding pops and being in the kitchen the way I do, you could just make some! http://culinarilyobsessed.blogspot.com/2006/07/j-e-l-l-o.html

P.S. Apparently there isn't much you can't do with JELL-O as evidenced by the ingenuity of one Liz Hickok. Click here, really! http://www.lizhickok.com/portfolio_jello.html

Hmm...is it bad that I'm always waxing nostalgic over food?

DO NOT call me Auntie Rae Rae...

Just Aunt Rachel will do. It's official! My brave and unquestionably crazy sister is having a baby! All those diapers and bottles, whew! Congratulations Jenn! Don't forget that you told me I could name the baby...well ok, maybe I dreamed that (or begged relentlessly) - but I still think it's a good idea! I can't believe you're starting over, but I know you'll do great and I expect that mom will nag you enough for both of us (sorry mom!) so I'm going ahead and assuming the role of "fun Aunt Rachel" I'm fun, right Jake? And I'm cool too, don't you think so Nikki? Betcha baby Wray will think I'm awesome! Jenn is journaling her pregnancy on a blog, so if you want to see what's up, click here:

http://babywray.blogspot.com/

Greetings from Kansas City...

Well, Overland Park anyway.

So I know it’s been a while but in my defense things have been C-R-A-Z-Y in a hectic sort of way. In the last few weeks, I’ve been working on finishing up some craft projects. Still have a couple that aren’t done…oh well, I’ve already been forgiven. I’ve visited my grandmother and B. I packed and moved my office to swing space due to renovations at Student Services. (I have a door now! Maybe they’ll let me stay?) The big stuff has happened at home though. With a lot of help and hard work it’s actually feeling like a home. The dining room furniture got moved in and loaded (mostly). It’s all antiques from home. I bought a couch. And a chair. Yes, that’s right I did. And now I can mark off #6! It looks great and I just love it. I organized my scrap room and purged all the things I didn’t think I’d be using in the next 3 months (#66). That was my yardstick for what to get rid of. Don’t worry, it’s all gone to the stash of one soon to be very awesome scrapper! More household improvements are yet to come. Soon there will be bookshelves full of books and knick knacks. And because I have the most awesome BFF in the world, there will be window coverings! Coming home after this trip will be a joy. I’ve never liked coming home to a mess and for the first time in a long while, I won’t be. As soon as I get home, I’ll post the before and after pics as promised.

This past weekend was wonderful and relaxing. B and Dee Dee came for a visit and we had a grand time. We had dinner at mine and B’s favorite T-town restaurant with some other friends and then went to the gym meet (#33). Roll Tide! We took a driving tour of campus and had good sushi on Saturday. Sunday we tried out Kobe for the first time (#59). Then Dee Dee and I got a puzzle at Barnes and Noble. Boy, that’s a lot of eating out…we really ARE all about the food! I really enjoyed the visit and can’t wait for more fun!

I’m spending this week in Kansas for Ad Astra training. That’s right folks, I got on a plane in BHM, flew to ATL and then on to Kansas City International. We all know how much I love to fly…ugh, so unnatural. But, I’m here and today the weather as just beautiful! After training, I went to Town Center Plaza for a little shopping. Tomorrow, I’ll be headed downtown for some Blues and BBQ! People here are really friendly and helpful…I haven’t opened a door myself yet. Hmmm, they’re just as friendly as Southerners, they just don’t have twangy accents. We drove past a Walmart today on the way from the hotel to Ad Astra and I noticed that it looked a little different…less like a mega store and more like a shop. Then I noticed that the underneath WALMART on the side of the building, it said Neighborhood Market. I almost wanted to go inside to see what else might be different. I know I’ve never thought of Walmart as a neighborhood market.

For those of you who are wondering, Astra Schedule is the software UA uses to schedule academic and event spaces. I work with it on a daily basis which makes this training very valuable to me. I’ve learned a lot already and I fully expect to be an expert by the end of the week! If you’re like me, you might also be curious about why the company is called Ad Astra. And even if you aren’t, I’m about to tell you. This is a Kansas based company and the name is taken from the state motto which is “Ad Astra per Aspera” which means “to the stars through difficulties”. Other fun facts about Kansas: it’s the Sunflower State, that’s the state flower of course. The western meadowlark is the state bird (SG, think you could spot that bird on a wire at 100 yards?) and the buffalo is the state animal. No surprises there, but did you know that they also have a state reptile (the barred tiger salamander) and a state insect (the honeybee)?

Hope you all have a good week and until Friday, I’ll be:

Home, home on the range,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,

And the skies are not cloudy all day.