Today Is ...

from husband Bill, April 2, 2026

I like peanut butter (extra crunchy now; smooth when I was a kid) and grape jelly sandwiches on white bread. I sometimes prefer using apricot jam or orange marmalade. (At the time of this post, I am eating crunchy peanut butter and orange marmalade on 12-grain bread.)

from husband Bill, April 2, 2026

I sort of like burritos (bean at Taco Bell), but my typical choices at Mexican restaurants are chicken chimichangas and chicken mole (spicy chocolate sauce).

from husband Bill, April 2, 2026

Pasta Shells With Ricotta

from husband Bill, April 1, 2026

This evening, my wonderful wife made pasta shells filled with ricotta cheese, with the tomato sauce that we recently made together, topped with a five-cheese Italian blend (Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano), and then baked.

psychedelia

from husband Bill, April 1, 2026

I created (using AI) and uploaded this short video (54 seconds) titled:

psychedelia (april 1, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/9zkMqLnLuCg?si=ue7JLyM3Y7SZGZvh

Pranks

from husband Bill, April 1, 2026

With today being All Fools' Day (April Fools' Day), I am reminded of a wonderful practical joke my father (1934-1997) organized many years ago and the subsequent retaliatory joke. Neither joke had anything to do with April 1; it was just what my dad and his group of friends did to torment each other on Long Island, New York, in the 1980s and the 1990s.

My dad, my stepmother, and my dad's secretary, along with their friend who was a landscaper, conspired to play a joke on the secretary's husband. They put sod on every inch of his driveway; placed a round picnic table with a big umbrella and several chairs surrounding the table on his front lawn; and inserted pink plastic flamingos all around his lawn. They grabbed a few beverages and sat down around the table, waiting for the secretary's husband to come home from work. When the secretary's husband drove his car down the street where he lived and around the curve in the road by his house, he just kept driving because his driveway was gone. I was fortunate to have been there to witness the fun.

The secretary's husband decided to get even with my dad, so he contacted another mutual friend who was a funeral director. I was living at home at the time, so I was the one who discovered this prank. I remember arriving home from work one early evening before my dad got home and discovering exactly FORTY (40) large funeral flower arrangements on wire tripods placed in every room of our house, upstairs and downstairs. I counted all of them, twice. Two of them with banners reading "Rest In Peace" were placed upstairs on top of the bed in the master bedroom. The huge stuffed (plush) pig seated on the bench at our white baby-grand piano in our living room was turned upside down with his legs in the air as if he were dead. I think my stepmother was involved in this joke because how else would the funeral director (and probably his helpers) be able to get into our house?

That was the last of the practical jokes for this particular group of friends. They all got together one evening to take an oath to stop the pranks because everyone was getting too paranoid, waiting for the next prank to be played on them. We all were a bit sad that the pranks ended. It was truly an end of an era. However, I am glad I was there to witness both of these pranks, which are surely large-scale classics.

***

With today (April 1, 2026) being All Fools' Day (April Fools' Day), I am reminded of a wonderful practical joke my father (1934-1997) organized many years ago and the subsequent retaliatory joke. Neither joke had anything to do with April 1; it was just what my dad and his group of friends did to torment each other on Long Island, New York, in the 1980s and the 1990s.

My dad, my stepmother, and my dad's secretary, along with their friend who was a landscaper, conspired to play a joke on the secretary's husband. They put sod on every inch of his driveway; placed a round picnic table with a big umbrella and several chairs surrounding the table on his front lawn; and inserted pink plastic flamingos all around his lawn. They grabbed a few beverages and sat down around the table, waiting for the secretary's husband to come home from work. When the secretary's husband drove his car down the street where he lived and around the curve in the road by his house, he just kept driving because his driveway was gone. I was fortunate to have been there to witness the fun.

The secretary's husband decided to get even with my dad, so he contacted another mutual friend who was a funeral director. I was living at home at the time, so I was the one who discovered this prank. I remember arriving home from work one early evening before my dad got home and discovering exactly FORTY (40) large funeral flower arrangements on wire tripods placed in every room of our house, upstairs and downstairs. I counted all of them, twice. Two of them with banners reading "Rest In Peace" were placed upstairs on top of the bed in the master bedroom. The huge stuffed (plush) pig seated on the bench at our white baby-grand piano in our living room was turned upside down with his legs in the air as if he were dead. I think my stepmother was involved in this joke because how else would the funeral director (and probably his helpers) be able to get into our house?

That was the last of the practical jokes for this particular group of friends. They all got together one evening to take an oath to stop the pranks because everyone was getting too paranoid, waiting for the next prank to be played on them.

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, April 1, 2026

I like sourdough bread with butter.

from husband Bill, April 1, 2026

I haven't been able to walk for several years due to eight surgeries between March 2022 and November 2025 (heart, 2 chest, 2 spine, right ankle, both legs, and left foot). I use a transport chair (lightweight wheelchair) powered by my wonderful wife and sometimes a wheeled walker. During recent years, I have engaged in physical therapy (and occupational therapy), but I am currently on my own. I still have hope that I will be able to walk despite continued numbness in both of my thighs due to my spine surgeries and also fairly long-term neuropathy (numbness and pain) in both of my feet. I haven't been able to drive a car in many years.

from husband Bill, April 1, 2026

The first Wednesday in April is the day to promote the fight to end child abuse and neglect.

from husband Bill, April 1, 2026

Today, we celebrate with harmless pranks, silly tricks, shenanigans, and, of course, tomfoolery. April 1 is also the birthday of Tom Foolery, a character developed by Kalahari Resorts, home to America’s largest indoor waterparks.

from husband Bill, April 1, 2026

Production of one-cent coins ended on November 12, 2025.

from husband Bill, April 1, 2026

Yanick Étienne: 4 years

from husband Bill, March 31, 2026

It is difficult for me to comprehend that singer Yanick Étienne has been gone for four years (and a day) already (c. 1957 - March 30, 2022).

Here is my original Facebook post on her passing. I included a link of her singing in my original post.

I am deeply saddened by the passing of singer Yanick Étienne from Haiti. She is best known as the background vocalist on the song "Avalon" from the 1982 Roxy Music album "Avalon." She also sang on three Bryan Ferry solo albums; Ferry is the lead singer, (a) keyboardist, and primary songwriter for Roxy Music.

I am honored to have seen and heard Étienne sing "Avalon" live TWICE when I attended two Bryan Ferry solo concerts in 1988: Philadelphia and New York City.

"Avalon" has been my all-time favorite album since its release (in 1982), but I didn't like it the first two times I listened to it. The third time hit me hard.

Below is a link to the official video of the song "Avalon." It still amazes me how long she can hold a note, as indicative in this song.

https://youtu.be/bpA_5a0miWk

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, March 31, 2026

Yes, I have used Bunsen Burners during my formal education in chemistry courses in high school and at university. When I was a kid, I had a chemistry set, but I used a candle during that time. When I was young, I considered "bench chemist" as my future profession.

By the way, from 1992 to 1996, I was a reporter, writer, editor, and researcher for a weekly international magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry based in New York City. This is my favorite job among my many jobs during my journalistic career, more accurately series of gigs, from September 1982 to April 2017.

from husband Bill, March 31, 2026

I prefer mashed potatoes, especially mixed with Gorgonzola cheese.

from husband Bill, March 31, 2026

My favorite Crayola crayon color when I was a kid in the 1960s was "Cornflower." What was/is your favorite crayon color? (See the cornflower color in the comment section below.)

from husband Bill, March 31, 2026

When I was a teenager living in West Islip, Long Island, New York, in the 1970s, I used to dig for Littleneck and Cherrystone clams with my feet in the Great South Bay. I occasionally ate them, but only minced and baked with breadcrumbs. I also occasionally ate steamer clams, but I didn't much like them. We called them piss clams.

from husband Bill, March 31, 2026

Airport Named After Trump

from husband Bill, March 31, 2026

"Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill to rename Palm Beach International Airport after President Donald Trump."

This is good news here in Florida. I hope Trump then changes the name of Kennedy Airport in New York City back to Idlewild. 😁 ... I'm joking about that last part, but it does sound like something he would do. Even changing the name of the Kennedy Space Center would be good. Hey, Trump could change it to the Elon Musk Space Center. 👍😁

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/desantis-signs-bill-renaming-palm-beach-airport-after-trump

Space Travel

I created (with AI) and uploaded onto my YouTube channel this short video in regard to space travel. (length: 50 seconds)

Sojourn in Space: AI (March 30, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/WJkPQvpi2c8?si=oz5KYCvZCvaOFFnU

March 30, 2026

Trump Still President

March 30, 2026

Bear or Man: Real Answer

from husband Bill, March 30, 2026

I created (with AI) and uploaded onto my YouTube channel a (new) short video in regard to the universal question asked of women: "Would you rather encounter a bear or a man in the forest?" (length: 46 seconds) ... Watch this video for the answer. (By the way, 99 percent of women asked responded with a resounding "BEAR!")

Man or Bear: The Real Answer (March 30, 2026)

https://youtu.be/olZeptO8hBc?si=qFurtpciRYTGxbiv

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, March 30, 2026

Many thanks go to my many doctors who have helped me to stay alive, especially during my medically challenging past several years. From March 2022 to November 2025, I endured eight surgeries (heart; 2 chest; 2 spine; right ankle; both legs; and left foot). While I am still weak, I am getting stronger. I am now finally feeling better than I have felt in many years, but I still have much healing ahead of me. Patience and your support have helped me and will continue to help me regain my strength. It certainly has been one hell of a medical journey for me and also for my loved ones, especially my wife and my mother. While this journey continues, I am blessed to finally be heading in the proper direction. Thank you, doctors and all, and be well.

from husband Bill, March 30, 2026

I don't think that I have ever eaten turkey neck soup, although it looks familiar.

from husband Bill, March 30, 2026