HAPPY MOTHERS DAY ALL AND TO MY MOM AND ROE

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE TIME TO WISH ALL THE MOTHERS OUT THERE A VERY “HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY.”  TO MY MOM UP IN HEAVEN HAVE A GREAT DAY AND THANKS FOR BEING A WONDERFUL MOM TO ME.  TO MY WIFE ROE, OUR SONS COULD NOT HAVE HAD A BETTER MOM IN THE WORLD.  THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DID FOR THEM, THE LOVE, THE LESSONS IN LIFE, YOUR KINDNESS REFLECTS IN THEM AS THE FINE YOUNG MEN THEY ARE TODAY.  I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.

I WANT IT ALL

ITS FRIDAY SPEAKIES:

I’m stopping by to wish you all a great day and a wonderful weekend ahead to enjoy. Now on Sunday don’t forget Mom it is her day make it a special one for her but most of all don’t forget to tell her how much you love her.

Today is “EAT WHAT YOU WANT DAY” this is what Joey Z wants to munch on today. A DeLorenzo’s or Papa’s tomato pie, cheese steak and fries from Nino’s you can also throw in a Sicilian pizza. I wish the little old Italian lady was still making fish and chips at Top Road Tavern and La Gondola was still open for their Mussels Marinara and Shrimp Scampi. I think I could take a trip to Seaside Height’s Boardwalk to that Italian sausage place in the middle and have one of their famous sausage peppers and onion sandwiches plus some of those salty fries in that cone cup. Just keep on dreaming Joey happy dreams of fries jumping into cone cups, tomato pies calling your name and mussels opening in harmony.

On Saturday we honor the “COUGH DROP.” Do you remember your favorite cough drop? I had a few favorites in my time Smith Brothers Red Cherry flavored and the Black licorice, Pine Brothers chewy cough drops and last but not least Luden’s cough drops. Well that is it for today Speakies, have a great Friday and a fab weekend once again.

MAKE MINE A SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Happy Thursday Guys and Dolls:


I’m dedicating this holiday to my son Joe and to others like him out there. It is “THIRD SHIFT WORKERS DAY” and I guess getting used to working third shift is probably no fun for those who originally worked days. Joey Z says “HATS OFF TO YOU GUYS AND DOLLS.”

Get this holiday “ROOT CANAL APPRECIATION DAY.” The only ones who appreciate root canals are the dentists that perform and get paid for doing them. I guess we have to appreciate it for the relief we receive from the pain associated with the tooth.

Here we go Foodie Speakies, it is “NATIONAL SHRIMP DAY” and by now you should all know how much I love seafood. What are shrimps you ask? They are swimming, decapod crustaceans found in fresh and salt water. They are filter feeding animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. They are an important food source for other fish including whales and Joey Z. I love shrimp boiled, fried, roasted on the Barbie let’s face it I love shrimp any way you serve them. I know I mentioned this before but the old La Gondola in the Burg made the best shrimp scampi ever.

Have to say goodbye for now, have a great day and a wonderful evening Guys and Dolls.

HAIL CAESAR

Happy Hump Day Guys and Dolls:


Here is a holiday that you can do something and officially not get arrested. Today is “TEAR THE TAGS OFF THE MATTRESS DAY” so get busy and start ripping those babies off. How did this tag removal stuff come about you ask? Back in the early 1900’s mattresses often contained a host of vermin and disease carrying materials. To protect buyers the government required dealers to post tags on their mattresses listing the contents of the material.

For you salad lovers out there, May is “Salad Month.” I have to get in the mood for a salad by itself as a meal. My favorite salad of course would have to be a Caesar’s Salad made at the table. In my younger dating days there was a restaurant called Villa Sorrento located in Morrisville, PA whose Caesar Salad is still the best I’ve eaten. The restaurant is now named Michael’s and is still located at the same address (check out their website on the net). It was made table side with crushed fresh garlic, a raw egg, the Romaine lettuce and all those other wonderful ingredients and of course it was made for two to share. You could not get better than that salad, a nice drink, candle light and a lovely Doll to make a fine evening. Another salad I enjoyed was a chopped Cobb Salad at the Brown Derby Restaurant at Disney’s Studios Theme Park and I highly recommend it. So salad lovers this is your month to eat as many different salads as you like. Roe’s Aunt Angie worked at Crecco’s in Trenton and made their special house salad which was out of this world and Joey Z has the recipe.

We celebrate “NATIONAL PET WEEK” in this second week of May. As a reminder take care of those animals you call pets, provide them the proper medical care when required, food and water and most of all that thing called love because they can sense it and they deserve it.

Have a great day Guys and Dolls and remember as always be careful out there.

HEY TEACH LOOK NO SOCKS

HAPPY TUESDAY SPEAKIES:


Hoping you all had a pleasant and relaxing Monday evening and your day has started off on the right foot. I pay honor today to a group of people who hope their days start off right and that is teachers for it is “National Teacher’s Day.” Teaching can be a very rewarding and satisfying position if the respect is given and the teacher worthy of such honor. When I was growing up I was taught by nuns and one did not mess around or you felt the sting of the wooden ruler across the knuckles. I think along the years respect has been lost to some degree whether it is due to the personalities of both teachers and students, their attitudes of teaching and learning or just the time itself. Every day on the news there are stories of students threatening teachers or teachers sexually abusing students. All Joey Z can say is get back to the old days, make teaching and learning what it should be knowledge mixed with fun.

Today is also “No Sock Day.” I guess you can say this holiday goes back to the beginning of time itself on Earth. Nobody wore socks in fact shoes for that matter. Back as a teen I wore penny loafers with no socks and shorts in the summer and the same if happening today whether its loafers, sneaks or boat shoes so for today go sockless.

Do you like Coke; today is your day it is “Drink a Coke Day.” I like them both Coke and Pepsi. So for all of you Coke fans have one today if not Pepsi no Coke.

We observe the Empanada today which is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried consisting of meat, cheeses, veggies or other stuff. To me they are like an Italian calzone or a stromboli. Have a great day Guys and Dolls but be careful out there.

OH THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT

GOOD MONDAY MORNING SPEAKIES:


I observed a holiday without knowing it early this morning. I got on the scale and checked my weight, which I am happy to report is holding steady. I checked my holidays for today and its “SCALE DAY.” I presume its meaning is weighing but it could also refer to scaling fish we can do both on this observance without fear of offending anyone.

On a serious note wear a green ribbon if you have one today. Child Depression Awareness Day is well celebrated is the wrong word to use let’s say it’s a day to ponder the seriousness of this medical issue. Personally I feel no child should be or feel depressed but it’s a medical situation far beyond my knowledge. As parents I can only suggest to read material on this subject and watch for the signs in your children and maybe one day we can worry no more.

“TOURISM DAY” – I live in the middle of tourism and at times it’s not funny. There were times of peace, less traffic and one could shop without the maddening crowds as I recall but times have changed. I guess tourism is a great boost for our local economy and I should not complain, but I remember the days of orange groves and now only strip malls are growing.

So much for today Speakies, have a great day.

AND THEY ARE OFF AND RUNNING

WEEKEND WISHES SPEAKIES:


Joey Z coming to you on this first Friday of May and as always wishing you a great Friday and a splendid weekend ahead. Let’s take a peek at some of the weekend observances we can raise our mugs to and give a cheer.

SPACE DAY – That’s what I took up in school space.

DAY OF REASON – This is a good holiday, if people used their noodle more and reasoned out situations and problems this world would be a better place to live in. Too many hot heads roaming the streets and roadways, this calls for Joey Z’s Anger Management Training Course bring them to me and we’ll club in some sense.

RESPECT THE CHICKEN DAY – I promise I won’t eat any chicken today or this weekend.

CINCO DE MAYO – No this is not a holiday honoring mayonnaise. This holiday is celebrated more in the US than in Mexico, except for the state of Puebla, Mexico. It is actually an observance to commemorate the Mexican army’s victory over the French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

THE KENTUCKY DERBY – This great horse race will be run on Saturday at Churchill Downs at approx. 5:00 p.m. At that time everyone grab a Mint Julep and start singing “My Old Kentucky Home.”

NURSES DAY – We had some great ones when Roe and I were hospitalized over the years. It’s a hard job with long hours and not enough pay and at times I imagine a lack of respect.

That is it for today Guys and Dolls have a great day and as always a GREAT WEEKEND.

MAKE MINE WITH A SLICE OF TOMATO AND SWEET ONIONS

Happy Thursday Speakies:


This should be a great holiday for Roe today, yes dear it is “NATIONAL SCRAPBOOK DAY” your favorite hobby. I have to admit she is very talented with her work on memories and card making. Check out her site which is located on the front of my blog page and behold the work. To me she is great and talented. Happy Scrapbook Day to all my Dolls out there whose hobby it is and if some of my Guys do it same goes to you.

There is a somber observance today “HOLOCAUST REMEMBERANCE DAY.” Let’s not forget the many Jewish, Poles and other ethnic people put to death in the concentration camps during World War II. Remember them but most of all never allow that kind of hatred grow on the face of the Earth again. In some parts of the world I fear it has started once again.

On a happier note do you know what May is? Yes, Yes, Yes it is “NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH.” The hamburger along with the hot dog perhaps are the two most favorite sandwiches in the US, that’s according to me Joey Z. I’ve tried many burgers down here and they all seem the same from all those chain restaurants. Five Guys burgers are really good and I had a good burger at J. Alexander’s in the Dr. Philips area of Orlando. I have to admit Rossi’s and Ernie’s Taverns in Trenton made the best I’ve tasted so far. Roe has created her own burger made with 100% chuck with her secret seasoning and salsa served on a hard roll or Chicago Italian bread. I’ll take her burger over anyone’s.

THE BURGER YOU SEE IS FROM ROSSI’S BAR AND GRILL IN TRENTON. PICTURE IS THE COURTESY OF MACKS TRUCK OF WISDOM’S BLOG. THANKS FOR THE USE MACK AND TO ALL MY READERS CHECK OUT MACK’S BLOG PLENTY OF PICTURES AND INFO.

For you musicians out there it is also “TUBA DAY” and I don’t know how you can carry that thing around a football field during a half-time show. OMPAH to you. Time to call it a day have a great one Speakies.

KIDS WHAT CAN I SAY?

Happy First Hump Day in May:

There is a very nice observance today "BROTHER AND SISTER DAY.” I’m an only child so I never had the experience of having a brother or sister to share my life with. I’m very happy that Roe and I had 2 boys who grew up close and still though living away from each other are still sharing that closeness. Do yourself a favor today, call your brother or sister if only to say hello and maybe have lunch or dinner today.

Now here comes babies, “NATIONAL BABY DAY” no problem with that Joey Z loves the little ones just as much as the rest of you Guys and Dolls after all we were all babies once. Give those babies tons of love and attention I know they sense the love of good parents. You read of so much abuse of little ones it makes you sick to know there is trash out there calling themselves parents. After reading about all the child abuse we should have a test for those considering parenthood. The rule would be simple, you fail you’re neutered Amen.

It is also take a “BABY TO LUNCH” good idea, bad idea I’m not the one to say, hell yes I can say what I want to. To me not a good idea unless the baby sleeps throughout lunch crying in a restaurant is in fact disturbing to other patrons who want to enjoy a good meal and fine conversation. If you get angry about my statement you have right just as I have my personal opinion. Do you know what worst “Screaming Kids?” Those unruly little brats whose parents think it’s cute for them to disrupt someone’s lunch or dinner by screaming and carrying on. Last year we were having dinner with my son and his wife and our best friends who came to visit at a local steakhouse. All was fine and good until a party of 8 kids showed up for a birthday dinner. The mommies placed all those tykes in the two booths behind us and the chaos began with “I don’t want vegetables, I want candy”, I know Roe felt like going over and squeezing their juice boxes right up their noses. My advice go to Chucky Cheese and have your party.

So much for kids for today, after all I have to take a day to complain once in a while. Have a great day.

WELCOME TO MAY GUYS AND DOLLS

WELCOME TO MAY GUYS AND DOLLS:

To me May has always been the official start of spring. Going back to my childhood days the weather was turning warmer, we started playing more baseball at the Food Fair parking lot after supper and school days were coming to a close. My father started his garden for his tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and mom started her Polish style spring cleaning binge. May is a happy month for me 34 years ago Roe and I were married and blessed with two fine sons. You start writing and your mind slips back to the past and you recall things you did years ago. I remember as an altar boy attending May devotions services in our church, my dad and I making plans to see the Phillies play at old Connie Mack Stadium. One of my best memories is going fishing with him many times after supper at the Marine Terminal on the Delaware River. I guess each of the months brings back memories of things special to us all and us wanting to share them with others.

Some other interesting May facts the flower for May is the Lily of the Valley, the birthstone is the Emerald which means love and success and the Zodiac sign is me the Gemini. I can tell you Roe calls me the true Gemini for having dual personalities which I cannot deny.

Some of the observances we honor on this first day of May are:

May Day – I just remember watching the Russians march their armies and weapons on the national news.

Cheerios made the scene as cereal in 1939; they are still one of my favorite cereals to eat.

Hawaiian Lei Day – those beautiful flowers they put around your neck with that great greeting of Aloha when you visit the Hawaiian Islands. There is an old belief when you leave throw the lei in the water if it floats back to the islands you will return one day if not you never will. Aloha Guys and Dolls.