Holy Guacamole! What I Learned About U.S. Presidents?

Could you imagine President Abraham Lincoln serving up a slow comfortable screw, sex on the beach or a Bloody Mary at a local Illinois saloon?

Did you know President Warren Harding repeatedly made love to a young girl in a White House closet? 

And, curiously, President Herbert Hoover gave strict orders to his servants to hide whenever he passed by.

You Had Me At Chocolate!

NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CAKE DAY!

Of course, there's a National Day for chocolate cake and it's today - January 27th.

Image Credit: Skeeze - pixabay.com

Below is a little history lesson as quoted from www.nationaldaycalendar.com

In America, chocolate was consumed primarily as a beverage until the 1830s or 40s. Chocolate cakes, as we think of them today, mostly did not exist then. According to the Dover Post, chocolate cake was born in 1765 when a doctor and a chocolate maker teamed up in an old mill.  They ground up cocoa beans between huge millstones to make thick syrup.  The liquid was poured into molds shaped like cakes, which were meant to be transformed into a beverage.  

A popular Philadelphia cookbook author, Eliza Leslie, published the earliest chocolate cake recipe in 1847 in The Lady’s Receipt Book.  Unlike chocolate cakes we know today, this recipe used chopped chocolate.  Other cooks of the time such as Sarah Tyson Rorer and Maria Parloa all made contributions to the development of the chocolate cake and were prolific authors of cookbooks.

The first boxed cake mix was created by a company called O. Duff and Sons in the late 1920s.  Betty Crocker released their first dry cake mixes in 1947.

Use #chocolatecakeday on social media

Today you can have your cake and eat it too!

Put your smile on and unwrap

   A Square of Chocolate,

Laurie O

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Get On Your Feet - What I Learned From My Daughter

Singer, Gloria Estefan and The Miami Sound Machine, had a significant stamp on music back in the 80's. They had a signature Latin pop sound that was hugely popular. Gloria, a fantastic singer, dancer and entertainer, is now having her story told in a Broadway musical production, "On Your Feet." 

Beyond her music, she has proved to have tremendous strength and determination after breaking her back in a serious bus accident in 1991. 

The prognosis was that she possibly would never walk again. She proved everyone wrong and with excruciating physical therapy and rehab, she did get on her feet again. 

Her story is what has inspired me to tell mine. 

The only connection I have to this type of physical determination is with my daughter, who at the height of her high school soccer career had to deal with an injury that could’ve broken her spirit.

She had been playing soccer since kindergarten attending many practices, games and tournaments over the years. She was now a junior in high school and with all her efforts, it enforced her desire to play on the Varsity Team her senior year. 

We had watched her grow and improve into a skilled player. She had terrific discipline and determination for a young lady.  Her drive to do well along with having the best "hang in there" attitude was inspiring. 

This attitude and determination would be challenged on the last game of her JV season. A collision on the field caused her to come down hard and twist her knee, which is every athlete’s worst fear. It was a torn ACL and meniscus. This type of injury usually means a season ending injury.  The only silver lining was that it was the last game of the season. 

Would there be time to recover from this injury in time for varsity tryouts?  Her soccer future looked pretty grim. Many amateur athletes don’t come back after an ACL injury. 

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

Do you remember as a child if you were asked what you wanted to be when you grew up?  Did you want to be a doctor, fireman, teacher or maybe a veterinarian? 

Did you follow through with those young hearted dreams?

I was asked this superfluous question "what do you want to be when you grow up" when I was around 6 or 7 years old. My response at the time....a Go-Go Dancer!

It was pretty apparent that the elderly woman that asked this question was expecting a career choice a little more conservative, traditional or conventional than the exotic one I beamed about.  

After her initial shock from my response, my mom was probably tongue-tied with embarrassment or, who knows, maybe she was proud of that answer. After all, it was at the cusp of the 70’s – with women’s lib, free spirit and independence.  You know...during Bra Burning times.

Honestly, I think I got the Go-Go dancer notion from the show "Laugh In."  My folks watched this show and I remember Goldie Hawn dancing brazenly in her teeny-weeny itsy-bitsy bikini during the show's party comedy bits. 

Also, I liked the boots the ladies wore from that era. Go-Go boots from the 60's and early 70's were all the rage. In fact, even now, my Karaoke “go to” song is “These Boots Are Made For Walkin” by Nancy Sinatra.

It’s no wonder I’m still confused with what I want to be when I grow up.

If I Won the Lottery Would I Ditch This Old Sweatshirt?

As the big lottery drawing approaches, depending on when you read this story, I'm either waiting with slim hope of winning or I’ve actually won the 1.3 billion lottery. Most likely, NOT and some other lucky sap did!

It's funny how people go bat shit crazy when the lottery jackpot reaches an enormous amount.  This jackpot is actually a record breaking amount and has everyone lining up for a chance to win. 

I rarely gamble or buy pull tabs, scratch offs and lottery tickets. The song "If I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all," is my gambling theme song.  I can count on one hand, the number of times I've won when gambling. I learned a long time ago it's not worth doling out my budgeted amount of cash when I know I won't be rewarded.

However, I have to say, the buzz over this big billion dollar lottery is enticing me to, at least, buy one ticket. Secretly, I’m thinking I just might be that person. 

You know the one; the one that rarely or never buys lottery tickets and then goes to buy a gallon of milk and says "oh what the hell just throw in a lottery ticket too."  Then luck strikes and that's the ONE that wins!!

Many of us dream about what we'd do if we won the BIG jackpot.  Buy a new house, travel the world, pay off bills, take care of our loved ones and make charitable donations (I would anyway). 

As I sit here this Sunday morning drinking coffee in my 25 year-old sweatshirt and wearing no bra, I have to wonder how would that much money change me; change my easy-going Sunday mornings going forward? 

January's Picture The Possibilities

Iceland Glacier Ice by Darcy Sime Photography - https://www.flickr.com/photos/djsime
Reflection Quote - http://www.asquareofchocolate.com/

I'm starting the year with this monthly series called "Picture the Possibilities."  I'm teaming with my cousin, Darcy Sime, who is a talented photographer that often brings inspiration, beauty and wonder through her amazing photos. 

Simple Gift of Goodies For Any Occasion

Another Christmas has passed, but maybe you still have some belated gifts on your list. I thought this was a cute idea created by my daughter and wanted to share the love.

This idea is certainly not limited to just a Christmas gift idea.  It can be created for birthday's, Valentine's Day, house warming or a simple gift for any occasion.

You can purchase from the Dollar Store a wine glass, pretty mug or mason jar and simply stuff it with goodies like lotion, candy, socks, cocoa packet, nail polish, jewelry etc.  Then decorate with ribbon, bows and gems.