Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... Dick

 

Betsey Jobs: Are you the president's dog trainer?

John Dean: I am, Chief White House Council.

Betsey Jobs: Oh. That's too bad.

~Dick 

Who was the mysterious, Deep Throat? Well, now we all know it was, Mark Felt, former, Deputy Associate Director of the FBI, but in 1973, things were a little bit more, well, mysterious! We didn't even know when this funny, what-if, movie came out, who, Deep Throat, was. We didn't learn his identity until much later, when Felt revealed himself to be the source of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's Washington Post articles exposing the crimes of the Nixon White administration. Watergate was quite the smear on American politics, Nixon betrayed the trust of American's who supported him. It took a long time for some to recover from it. Fast forward and here were are! The Nixon era makes current American politics seem... quaint. But perhaps one day we will all laugh about the times we are currently living in. Time does heal all wounds, and it also wounds all heels, so there's that. I hope so, and watching comedies that bring what was possible, into what could be, works for me! I love funny movies about politics, but this movie is more than funny, it's got heart, and you'll feel patriotic just watching it! Well, that might be a bit of an overstatement, but you'll cheer for Betsey and Arlean, and doesn't that feel good?

This movie comes with a pretty delicious recipe for, Hello Dolly bars, also known as, 7 Layer bars or Magic Cookie bars. Here is the recipe, minus the little extra "magic" provided by Betsey's brother, Larry. Although I like Larry's variation too! 

Hello Dolly Bars

Searched and sourced from AI Assistant

1/2 cup ( 1 stick ) of butter, melted

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 14oz can Sweetened condensed milk

Set oven to 350 degrees.

Put the butter inside your 13x9 inch baking pan,

 and let melt in the oven or microwave.

Mix the graham crackers and press into the melted butter to form a base.

Sprinkle the Chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, chopped nuts,

 and coconut evenly over the crust layer.

Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the top layers,

 so it sinks into the layers.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Note:

 You can substitute chopped dried fruit such as apricots or cherries, for the coconut.

And now, a little music from the era... some of my very favorite songs from the early 1970's. 

Redbone

Come And Get Your Love

The Love Unlimited Orchestra

Love's Theme

Carly Simon

You're So Vain

 

Drunk Librarians

 

"If television's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who won't shut up!"

~Dorothy Gambrell 

Cat And The Girl Vol.1

Okay, so later this week we will make the switch to Dish TV. We currently have Xfinity, and have been their devoted customers for over a decade, but the price for it has gotten completely out of control, especially right now, when the price of everything else is equally untenable. We are paying $275 a month for their top tier channel line-up, internet, and home security. The equipment for Xfinity Home is basic, but does alert police if something is happening, like it did several years ago when someone tried to break into our old house, not once, but twice! Also, we had to subscribe to TCM for $9.99 extra a month, rather than get it for free, because Comcast, in it's infinite wisdom, decided that not enough regular customers were watching the channel, so they boxed it with a sports and entertainment package, which I paid for, but never used. Ugh. 

But with the new change we will be saving around $150 a month, and TCM comes standard with our service from Dish. Now, to be clear, the package doesn't include Internet, I get that from T-Mobile for $30 a month, and I am planning to approach our home security differently too. Maybe bolster our Ring account with new equipment, or possibly I will look into ADT or maybe SimpliSafe. We'll see. San Joaquin County charges an additional $75 per year to have a security system that alerts the police, in the event of a break-in, or emergency, and even more if the alarm goes off, when there is no emergency! It get that false alarms can be expensive, but come one, I feel like I am being ripped off right and left! Oh well, I will  figure it out, and in the meantime, I am saving a lot of money, and getting a little more for it!

I hate the idea of a two year contract, because I am 64 years old and who the hell knows if I will even be alive in two years, but here's to making whatever future is ahead of us better! I will update later in the week about how the installation goes. I extremely dislike letting representatives into my home. Everyone thinks there is no such thing as Covid-19 anymore, and no one wants to wear a mask. How many homes will the installation professional be in, before he spends time in our home? What germs might he bring along with him?

I hate that Covid happened, but it did, and it changed my life. Sometimes I feel like a drunk librarian, with all I do to research all the happenings surrounding the Coronavirus, and the FDA Recall lists. It's hard to not feel anxiety about it all, when it has affected me the way it did. I am doing the best I can, and trying to take care of us the best ways I can.

Sigh.

NPR - August 14th, 2026

Is There A Summer Covid-19 Surge This Year?

Yep, It's Ramping Up Again

Toxic! Yellow! Oleander!

"As a matter of fact, most cases of food poisoning are never linked back to their source."

~Eric Schlosser

Walmart

Stockton, California

August 14th 2026

There were exactly 3 bags of Taylor Farms Salads available on the shelf, at my local Walmart. The, Buffalo Ranch, Maple Bourbon Bacon, and Nashville Hot. As I looked at the shelves, I wondered why three remained? One bag of each? Where did they come from? Do they belong there? Did someone pick them up, found out that they were recalled, and they put them back? Were these flavors exempt from the recalls? What are we putting in our bodies?

Are there enough CDC scientists to catch the next pandemic? How about the next really big cases of Salmonella or Legionnaires poisonings. What about the Norovirus or E. Coli?? Is The FDA doing all it can, particularly in that there have been so many cuts to their research teams? While we are busy with these real concerns, are we keeping just as busy ignoring Covid-19 variants and surges? It looks like the usual summer surge of Covid-19 has been relatively mild, will the autumn and winter surges be equally as mild?

I have honest fears. 

I think I have good reasons for them.

 A lot of products seem to be disappearing off the shelves.

Recent U.S. Outbreaks - CDC

Recalls, Market Withdraws and Safety Alerts

FDA - August 15th, 2026

Ellipsis Weekend Cooking... Macarons

 

Chocolate Macarons - NYT - Recipe

"I lean against the window, biting into the delicate macaron. It feels like I'm drinking a lightly sweetened, warm cup of green tea, sprinkled withe a tiny contentment spell, one of mom's specialties."

~ Julie Abe

The Charmed List

The photo above is mine, those gorgeous macarons are not. Well, I mean, I didn't make them, I bought them. Costco, had a sale on them several years ago, and I was hooked! The brand, Le Chic Pâtissier, was reasonably priced, as it was right before Easter, and they make a beautiful addition for Easter afternoon tea, or for a quiet moment when you just have to turn off the noise, and decompress. I have learned to make all kinds of sweets, but I have always been a bit intimidated when it comes to learning about making them myself. But, Sally's Baking Addiction, one of my go-to sites for baking, has a marvelous step by step recipe and guide to follow and it sounds enjoyable. Also, Harry and David, has a recipe for Halloween Macarons that will have me in a sufficiently spooky mood by the time my favorite holiday arrives!

Americas Test Kitchen

The Ultimate Guide To Making Macarons

Just remember, a Macaroon is not a Macaron!

Saturday's And Sunday's At Farrell's

 

"Some day you will be old enough

 to start reading fairy tales again."

~C.S. Lewis

Oh yes, here I go again dwelling on my youth. Really, seriously, I am finding a great deal of joy in my current reality. I have my hobbies, such as photography and birding. I have three beautiful cat children, and a husband who treats me like I'm made of gold. But not that hideous gold spray paint Trump likes to cover everything with, but rather real gold, white gold, like my hair, because lets face it, there is plenty of white hair on the top of my head now. 64 will do that to you! 

I wouldn't change my white hair for the world, but some days, when I look in the mirror, I see my life inching away to the point that I wonder when I will forget my past all together! Time. How could 45 years go by so fast? And how can it take the best of everything with it? Everything eventually changes, and passes away, sometimes even great restaurant's that you didn't think would ever go away! Grain D'or bakery, Banchero's Italian Dinners, and the ice cream parlour... Farrells, all the places I though would live forever. But that's what we do when we are young, live like there is no canceling waiting for us, which is as it should be!

I found a cool documentary the other day, that both delighted me, and broke my heart at the same time. It brought back such memories of spending Saturday afternoons, after movies, and Sunday afternoons after church, laughing with my friends, and just hanging out at the mall, at Ferrell's! The ice cream was smooth and Lucious, and they certainly had plenty of flavors to pick from! Farrell's was a big part of the fun for me. My personal favorite ice cream sundae was the, Blackberry Straw-ana, 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream, with bananas, whipped cream and toasty nuts on top!, Alan's favorite was the Gibson Girl Sundae. It was huge!

After my teens, when I began working, my job wasn't too far from the Hayward airport, and Southland Mall, so my friends and I would drop in there for lunch. That was in the early 1980's, and at that time the menu had been revamped somewhat, and you could build your own hamburger! There were tons of choices, but I was set in my ways, even back then. My burger always consisted of a burger Pattie, tomato, Swiss cheese, 3 slices of deli ham and thousand Island dressing. Never onions. Never pickles, Never lettuce.  I still put that combination on my hamburgers even after all these years! Yes, it's a glorified Big Mac, but Farrell's buns were better, They toasted them with plenty of butter!

And now, it's all a memory. Who would have thought that a fantastic restaurant, like Ferrell's would fade away? Now I won't lie, there was a very unpleasant occurrence in the 1970's when a plane crashed into the restaurant in Sacramento, killing numerous people, but that didn't tarnish their reputation, Farrells endured for many years after that, in fact the last one just closed. Unfortunately it was way to far away from me to be able to visit one last time, Ferrell's joins the great culinary cemetery with other great diner restaurants like, Baker's Square, Lyons, and Carrows. 

 

So, all that remains are the memories, And the haunting sounds of laughter, memories, of those who have long since passed.

 Too many friends, in the blink of an eye.

Watch that really cool documentary. Farrell's was a very special place, you'll enjoy it's rich history!

Dude Lost!

 

"Winners are not afraid to lose. But losers are."

~Robert Kiyosaki

Dude lost. End of discussion. Full stop! But will the former crack addict go away? nope. I guess he is planning on blaming the Minnesota GOP for his apparent loss! So I guess the GOP are a bunch of election thief's! LOL It's RIGGED, I tells ya!. It's refreshing to know that the Democratic party won't be blamed for this whiney crybaby's failure to win his primary! Donald Trump backed him, will he step up to help him? Will the Minnesota Republican party ignore him? Will they sue him? Will he still be fussing over this come November? Will he give up and go away? 

Time will tell. 

For fuck's sake, these people are such bores. 

"Winners make commitments, losers make excuses."

~Anonymous

McEconomy Choices

 

"I was at McDonalds once. There was a sign out front. It's said 'McMuffins: now served with freshly cracked eggs.' I was like, what the fuck were they doing before? Just melting down old SpongeBob toys in the back?"

~Joe Russell

I think McDonald's should pay me for that photo, I think I did a pretty good job in making their classic morning sandwich look tasty! Too bad this Egg McMuffin is so different from the one I became hooked on years ago! When it was introduced, the Egg McMuffin sold for just 63¢. Yesterday, I paid $2 for one on their deals menu, but after that they sell for $5.69... and they are at least 25% percent smaller, although I would be willing to debate the issue. I fall on the, Team Shrinkflation, side of the controversy. I remember what I bought!

Still, McDonalds, and others claim the McMuffin has not changed in size one bit! Shrug. Decide for yourself, but one fact is indisputable, the price has gone up, especially after Covid-19! Supply change issues, lack of eggs from the Bird flu, and energy costs in the form of higher gas prices have made the Egg McMuffin unaffordable, at least for me, but once in a while I need a fix, and the $2 deal works for me. Shrug. fortunately, in that it is a fairly simplistic sandwich, they can also be made at home with a little work, and they can be frozen for a quick bite on the run! The plus to fixing my own is that I can cook it to my standard! I'm picky, especially right now!

Here is a breakdown of the cost for homemade McMuffins

Based on purchasing the ingredients at my local Walmart.

Thomas's English Muffins - 6 pk - $3.38

Kraft American Singles Processed Cheese -16 count - $3.86

Jones Dairy Farm Canadian Bacon - 12 slices - $4.47

Great Value Cage Free Eggs - 12 count - $1.67

Estimated Total $13.38 for all the initial ingredients, and then form at will. Dear hubby adds a couple slices of Canadian bacon, or replaces the Canadian Bacon with a sausage patty, making it a Sausage McMuffin with Cheese. I don't vary that much with my, but sometimes I like 2 slices of cheese. So any way you slice it, it's cheaper to make McMuffins at home. Duh. Oh, I'll still visit McDonald's and enjoy a genuine, Egg McMuffin, like on the first day of Autumn, which is a tradition in our house, but in this economy, I think I might just make my own.

Here's some fun... On the first day of Autumn, In 2023 we scored extra McMuffins! placing your to-go order at 10:20 am, just before they stop serving breakfast, is the way to go, I guess! 

Time Magazine

The Unlikely Origin Story Of The Egg McMuffin

Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... Girl Most Likely To...

 

Girl Most Likely To...

ABC Circle Films

Release date, November 6th, 1973

Tillson: Mr Meyers, can you tell us the basic theme of Oedipus?

Moose Meyers: Uh... yeah. That's the guy who had something wrong with his eyes. Yeah. He had eye problems.

Tillson: Miss Knight, perhaps you can help Mr. Meyers with the theme of the Oedipus legend.

Mirriam Knight: Easy. A guy can't kiss his mother and get away it.

~Mirriam Knight ( Stockard Channing)

 Once in a while I get lucky, and a truly fabulous film from my childhood becomes available, and this is one of those movies folks! I love to share movies that stood out for me as a kid, to share a bit more about myself, and let me tell you, this movie left an impression! The, Girl Most Likely Too...,,  was originally featured on the, ABC Movie Of The Week, in 1973, and it still holds up to all the elements that made it a great film, all the way back then! Stockard Channing and Ed Asner lead the cast, with a few familiar faces from back in the day like, Annette O'Toole, Larry Wilcox, Dennis Dugan and Fred Grandy!

 I had already loved Ed Answer for years, but this movie made me a Stockard Channing fan for life! It's a great movie if you've ever contemplated seeking revenge on someone, and while I know the whole revenge thing is getting pretty old right about now, this movie manages all the ironic humor it can find, while reminding us to not take it all too seriously! It delivers all the luscious guilty pleasure as good as any beach read! My inner psycho applauded this film when I was 11 years old, and I never forgot it. Today, I could live vicariously through it, and be quite happy!

Now click on through the link, and go have some fun!

Note: This is Stockard Channing's first credited screen role!

Have A Coke And A Smile

 

"You know, we might've fucked up the planet, sucking out all the oil, melting the ice caps, allowing ska music to flourish, but we made Coca-Cola, so goddamn it, people weren't all bad."

~Joe Hill

The Fireman

These fucking Republican sourpusses!

For fuck's sake people, shut up and enjoy an ice cold Coca-Cola!

You'll have to pry my Coke, out of my cold dead hands.

Think

 

"Only you can prevent Wildfires."

~Smokey The Bear

Ellipsis Weekend Cooking... Chicken Wings And Their Sauces

 Epicurious - Dr. Pepper Barbeque Sauce - Recipe

Football season is almost here, so it's time to try something new... Chicken wings with different sauces. I have always wanted to try Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce, but the ever lazy me, always opted for my favorite bottled sauces. Frank's Red Hot Sauces, and Original Bullseye BBQ. But as good as they are, how boring is it that I didn't think out of the box once in a while? Well, there's no better time then right now, right? So, in an effort to jazz things up, here are a few sauces I plan to try. Chicken wings and ribs will be a much happier experience I think. But lets be clear, it will take quite the sauce to unseat Buffalo as my favorite for chicken! I'll update this post if I find one that does!

These recipes, from here and there, sound wonderfully delicious!

Simply Whisked - Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings - Recipe

Don't Go Bacon My Heart - Sweet & Sour Chicken Wings - Recipe

Urban Bakes - Spicy Maple Chicken Wings - Recipe

Sticky Orange Glazed Chicken Wings - Sanderson Farms - Recipe

Food Network - Cranberry Glazed Chicken Wings - Recipe

Nutmeg Nanny - Apple Butter Chicken Wings - Recipe

Food Network - Creole Mustard Chicken Wings - Recipe

Food 52 - Sticky Pomegranate - Chicken Wings - Recipe

Delish - Spicy Apricot Glazed Wings - Recipe

Delish - Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings - Recipe

Delish - Sunkist Wings - Recipe

Delish - Balsamic Glazed Wings - Recipe

That should be a good start. So off I go to plan. Goodness, I am hungry!

Swimming Lessons

 

"What greater gift, than the love of a cat."

~Charles Dickens

Time for another adventure for Orange Cat Scully, and his nephew, Edgar. This time Scully teaches Edgar to swim! Oh my, where was Scully when I needed to learn to swim? LOL.

Here are my fellas, Tyler and Joey. I wish Simon had been in the photo, but I can't seem to get them all corralled at the same time. Oh my goodness, the sure keep us running! Such spirt, just joy, such and love that fills you!

Have a little fun. Visit the Purrallel Universe on Youtube

89 Days And Barf To Go

 

NBC News

Cyclospora Outbreak 2026: Maps, Foods To Avoid, States Most Impacted, As States Hit 22,000 Cases

"I got food poisoning today, but I don't know when I am going to use it."

~Steven Wright

Summer fruit salad, partially from my own garden ( 2007 ) 

back when we could trust the CDC.

George W. Bush administration

👀

We are heading into the last stretch of summer, and I would love to say I feel good about having some wonderful dinner salads, or fill my daily breakfasts with luscious fruits, but with the way things seems to be going right now, I just even think I want to try, to try. I just can't bring myself to buy fruits and vegetables from anywhere. Although yesterday, I had a fit of rational thinking, and decided to try some tree fruits, like oranges and peaches. When I got one home, I scrubbed them really good, and cut opened a very nice, Cara-Cara orange, only to find it was dry and mealy on the inside.

 It's seems no one else is keen on purchasing the fresh stuff, even if it had never been anywhere near a, Taylor Farms, or Walmart, so I suppose I am not alone in my hesitancy. I will be returning the oranges to Costco, continue to read the updated recall lists, and I will keep myself updated on things in general, but with what all Trump has done to my trust of the FDA, CDC, and medical advice we are currently subjected to, my trust has eroded to the point I might never eat the way I used for at least Trump's last two years in office.

Interesting Reading...

San Francisco gate

Taylor farms says ex-president committed $32 million fraud, including U.C. Berkeley gift. 

NYT

Scared of Cyclospora, Americans turn to Local Lettuce

Update to my original post

New York Times

Two deaths linked to Cyclospora outbreak in Michigan