Summer in Regency-Era London is, of course, a far cry from watching professional league baseball in the U.S.A. In London all eyes and ears were trained on the virtues the lovely ladies of the court with all it’s drama and glamour where as fans of baseball will be comparing and measuring and singing the virtues of who can hit and spit the farthest. And while Lady Whistledown might be watching to see which young woman is stuffed so tightly into her lace-up corset that she passes out or that her nipples pop up above her dress in the season's first infamous wardrobe malfunction, Lady Shoutsup on the other hand will be watching to see if any of those Tight Buns of Baseball have pantie lines. Are they called pantie lines when a guy has them? Seems like there should be a more masculine term for evidence of tighty whitie or boxers or---gasp!---just a jock strap.
At the continuum care complex it’s become a popular custom to have theme buffets on Tuesday nights. Staffing in the food industry is so shorted handed now and as much as Lady Whistledown would mourn the fact that the world at large has dismissed the idea of having butlers and footmen lined up to take those once coveted jobs in The Service, it’s safe to say those days are long gone. The pity. As Lady Shoutsup I would have loved to get my Tuesday night stadium style hamburgers, brats, chicken, potato and pasta salads and chips served by a guy dressed up in fancy-dancy livery.
But atlas the buffets are self-serve. We do have a tall, very dark and handsome guy who wears a black chef’s cap and a side buttoning, black culinary arts shirt who tends the chafing dishes. I would never admit this but Lady Shoutsup would tell you that the first time I saw this young guy without his pandemic mask in place I embarrassed myself by blurting out, “Wow, you’re really cute!” He’s got a wide white smile, deep dimples and a rich voice and the elderly ladies here all love him. He's also good at his job; we've burned through a lot of so-so servers since I've been living here.
But of course a ballpark themed buffet is not a Débutante Ball and the only bit of gossip this author found at the event worth sharing was a conversation over-heard where one of the residents was telling a story about when she was helping her mother pre-plan her funeral. "Do you prefer a burial or a cremation?" the woman was asked. Apparently the mom didn't like either choice and finally declared, “Oh, just surprise me!”
The real Débutante Ball took place here on Friday in the form of an Opening Day gathering to see the Tigers playing at Comerica Park and you can be sure that Lady Shoutsup was at this viewing party and the happy hour in the bar afterward. And what an exciting ninth inning it was for the Tigers win! As you may recall last year I tried to teach myself about the game but because of the pandemic I had no one to share the experience with.
I’ve never been to Comerica Park and I'm not sure I’d actually want to ride across the state to see a game in person, but Lady Shoutsup dug up the tidbit that they've introduced something new this year. A traditional food in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where it’s a mortal sin for a traveler not to have a pasty before leaving the area. This season Tiger fans can get a Coney Pasty (crust stuffed with ballpark frank slices, coney sauce, mustard and diced onions), a Polish Pasty (crust stuffed with cheddar and potato pierogis, grilled smoked sausage and sauerkraut) or an Apple Pasty (tender apples and cinnamon baked in rich, flaky crust.)
Well, dear readers, it's time for Lady Shoutsup to quit playing with words but not before revealing that this blog owner is mourning the fact that she just viewed the last episode of Downton Abbey. While the ending was satisfying and wrapped up all the loose ends, there's no coming back from leaving all the couples destine to live happily ever after, no end of season cliffhangers. No who shot J.R. And now if you'll excuse me I have a pot of tea to prepare. All kidding aside, have you tried pouring coffee the way the English pour their tea, by putting the creamer in the cup first? It makes a surprising difference. ©
Your Chafing Dish Hunk at least is SOME Eye Candy at the Buffet! *Winks* I can't get into Baseball... or Football... or... well TV Sports in General, so I Confess to only pretending/feigning Interest when The Man regales me with it, he is devout about his TV Sports. I used to go to all of his Games, and The Son's Games, and our Middle Daughter's Cheerleading, and The Grandson's Flag Twirling... so, in Person, I'm All In... but only if one of mine is in The Game. *Smiles* No Gossip for Blog Fodder, darn... but what that Woman's Mom said about Surprising her is hilarious, guess she just wasn't that into the Coffin or Urn shopping? Mom and I had a blast when we did it, The Man thought it was demented and just let us Surprise him with what we picked out for him.
ReplyDeleteThankfully my husband wasn't into sports and the only thing I ever watched until last summer was an occasional golf game. I've always been grateful I didn't marry a weekend jock that I dated and I didn't have to spend my life pretending an interest in sports. There are a lot of woman here to follow football and basketball, far less are into baseball which surprises me.
DeleteMothers have to feign an internet in a lot of things as they are forming their little human beings.
Our Chafing Dish guy really is Eye Candy but with a brain and great personality to go with his looks. He's got another job, too, working as a server in the most exclusive restaurant in town where tables tip in in the hundreds. He really likes how he is treated here but he might not last long because we aren't allowed to tip. They get bonuses every three months instead.
You have inspired me to re-watch Downton Abbey, and I'm really enjoying it. The first time I saw it was a PBS marathon, meaning that if I went to the kitchen for a glass of water, or dinner I had no opportunity to see what I missed. It has been fun having those gaps filled in this time around.
ReplyDeleteNina
I'm finding in general that I love to rewind certain parts of Netflix when I'm not catching it all or I want to savor a particular line or two. When I first tried watchin Downton Abbey on PBS I couldn't get into it but with Netflix and closed caption it made all the difference for me. I didn't want it to end.
DeleteYou have your silly hat on today! What a fun post you wrote! I have never watched Downton Abbey but now I may have to give it a look... I have also heard a lot about The Last Kingdom so now I have 2 series to check out on Netflix.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound like you are enjoying yourself very much!
I was in a silly mood when I wrote this and I had fun doing it. At the last minute it got flagged as abusing Bloggers guidelines and the post wouldn't go live when it was scheduled. I didn't find that out until this 1-2 o'clock in the morning. Evidently the bots thought I was trying to BE Lady Whistledown instead of just write like her. So I took her name out of the title and resubmitted it for review and it got published. I was heartbroken when I thought I couldn't share this post that I had so much fun writing.
DeleteDownton Abbey starts out slow so give it a few episodes for it to really get engaging. I almost quit watching Brighton after the first episode because they seemed over acted but soon figured I out it's meant to be campy.
I think it's great how the CCC continues to mark every holiday and season with something fun for all of you. Life has been hard the past few years (and it still is awfully hard for so many folks in our world!). It's a blessing to have the chance to visit with others, eat good food, and watch sports (or not, lol). Your talk of pasties made me hungry. Gosh, my mom was the appointed pie baker of our family (I did the other baking), and she made the flakiest pie crust I've ever eaten. It didn't matter whether it was savory or sweet, there were never any leftovers. Funny how our mind takes bunny trails down memory lane. I might just have to make a pie today (thanks a lot, Jean...). Of course, I will be using a frozen crust, cuz I never mastered the art of making them, I just mastered the art of eating them. I hope the CCC gives big enough bonuses to keep the cute guy at the chafing table.
ReplyDeleteHe feels appreciated here but, or course, that doesn't pay the bills and he's also a college student part time so he won't be here forever. But he wants to be a broadcast journalist so we might someday share him with the a bigger world. He's got what it takes personality wise.
DeleteI'll bet your mom used lard in her pie crusts. The best crust of "ye olden days" did. I used a pie crust from the dairy case this past year and it wasn't worth the effort. Hard to get good pie now, and every since reading about the pasties at the ball park I've wanted one.
You're right, Jean. We DID use lard in our pie crusts and for frying chicken, too. Mom and Dad farmed near just a few miles from our grandparents (also farmers). I can still remember when it came time to butcher cows and hogs. Grandma knew how to make use of nearly everything, and she actually rendered the lard and kept us supplied. You cannot beat lard and I know it has been vilified over the years, but those pies were scrumptious!
DeleteI truly laughed out loud at the pre-planned funeral story: "Oh, just surprise me!" That's a comment for the ages.
ReplyDeleteWe're currently watching "The Gilded Age" on HBO, which is another Julian Fellowes period soap opera. This one is set in Old New York, 1880s. It's very like Scorsese's "The Age of Innocence."
I laughed out loud too at the "just surprise me" reply and I knew I wanted a way to work the conversation into a blog post. It actually happened at a lunch table here and not the baseball buffet. I used my creative license to move it around in my life.
DeleteI'll have to see if The Gilded Age is on anything I get. I'm burning quickly through programs with my night binging.
You have definitely nailed Lady Whistledown's voice. :) I just finished the lastest season and am waiting for the next already. I am tempted to rewatch Downton. Oh, and I have to admit that Longmire has grown on me. We're getting close to the last season on that one, too, though.
ReplyDeleteAs a native Yooper, those pasty ideas are sacrilege to me, but I admit that last one sounds like an apple hand pie, so that could be a winner!
To a true Yooper, I suppose the pasties do sound sacrilege but I'd still love to they the Coney Pasty. Have you ever found a frozen one down here that reminds you of home?
DeleteI actually did re-watch Brigthon and am tempted to re-watch Downton. I just went on a hunt for something new at Netflix and will try some of their matches. Found about five.
I loved Longmire and just finished another great, character driven short series. I just wrote a blog about it for next Saturday so I won't spill the beans just yet.
If I am craving pasty, I usually make my own so I haven't really looked down here. My brother loves to make them, too. When his kids were in HS, he would make batches for their ski team and needed another oven. So he would bake some in my oven and give us dinner. And as I age, they don't agree with my digestive system the way they used to, so I have to limit my intake. LOL. But I rarely go up north without having one. Yum, yum.
DeleteAm one of a handful of people who has never seen Downton Abbey but I sure got the baseball references. I did not know there was a Blogger police. Glad you made bail.
ReplyDeleteCracked up at "just surprise me". Priceless.
I was a latecomer to the Downton Abbey party. And if I'm telling the truth, when the ladies here were singing its praises last fall I poo-pooed the mire idea of me watching what I thought of as too snobby and stuck up for me to enjoy. Then last month I got sucked in by the second episode. And now I get all the fanfare. I only wish I'd gotten is sooner so I could have interacted on the show's message boards for viewer.
DeleteI didn't know know there was a Blogger's police either and after reading the long list of possible offense I might have committed I figured out the bot thought I was trying to steal/use Lady Whistledown's byline which is probably protected by copyright. So I tweaked my title and submitted the post for review. Scared the crap out of me!
Now there are two more shows you can binge ... the 1970 Upstairs Downstairs and the 2010 Upstairs Downstairs, as well as the Gilded Age if you sign up for a free week of HBO (or a month if you want to take your time.)
ReplyDeleteBlogging Police? How have we escaped them so far??? I want a pasty!! You sure are having fun!
Thanks for the TV tips.
DeleteYou should have seen the list of infractions that the "Bloggers police" supposedly monitors.
I was just reading a British mystery series in which the DCI made a big thing about putting the cream in first and serving only in china cups. I don't use cream but I did wind up buying a couple of china cups, which I now use all the time.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had kept a few of my old china cups. After binging two series set in Regency-era England I'd love to do tea time up more elegantly.
DeleteOh, Lady Shoutsup you are on FIRE! LOL! Can't wait for the next scandal sheet to emerg from your computer.
ReplyDeleteCream in tea? Are you sure it wasn't milk? I agree that putting it in first makes a big difference.
"Surprise me"...I'll have to remember that one...it's a keeper.
Deb
Oops, you are right! I do so need an editor to catch mistakes like that. I just googled the question and surprised to read one explanation that they started doing it that way to keep their delicate cups from cracking from the steaming hot tea.
DeleteHave you watched Chicago Med? It hadn't appealed to me until I read that it was like comfort food. I like the characters and plots better than the ones in Grey's Anatomy. Netflix has the first five seasons.
ReplyDeleteI'm not usually into medical dramas but I love character driven shows so Like comfort food---that's an intriguing way to describe a series, isn't it. I may give it a try.
DeleteHere in our Australian household we still sometimes debate the weighty question of whether to put the milk in the cup before pouring the tea. My brother does this, but I'm very 'modern' and put the tea in first, followed by an amount of milk that makes the tea the color I want. Of course, when possible, we wait six minutes for the tea to brew - but we no longer turn the teapot widdershins a few times before pouring. (I think it was widdershins.)
ReplyDeleteNaturally we use loose tea in a nice teapot, not that newfangled teabag thingamajig.
The other important step is to 'bring the teapot to the kettle', not the kettle to the teapot, because the water might go off the boil on the long journey across the kitchen.
And then sometimes we just dunk in a teabag and forget the bothersome rules.
Too funny! I had to look up the meaning of 'widdershins' because I'm not up on my superstitions.
DeleteMy mom was a avid tea drinker and hated it when the water wasn't probably boiled and brewed. If she had a grave she'd probably turn over in it when I boil my tea water in the microwave and I only have the patience to steep it 2-3 minute. I'm breaking the ancient tea rituals right and left as I also on longer even have a proper china tea cup.
no pantie lines because most wear long leg tight boxer types. Or so I've heard...tee hee. It sounded like a nice day even if you're not into baseball. When I drank coffee with cream I did do the cream first once and then never went back.
ReplyDeleteMe too on the cream first.
DeleteI'm so happy you piped up on pantie line thing. Now I can quit feeling like a pervert because it was a question I couldn't erase from my brain. LOL
My dad always added milk last to his tea, pantie line isn't something I have every thought of
ReplyDeleteThe pantie liners was just a joke from a bored mind who was trying to think like the step sister of Lady Whistledown.
DeleteTall, dark and handsome!! And you noticed. So' there's life in the old dog yet', I see. Good for you, we are all a long time dead so we might as well enjoy ourselves while we can.
ReplyDeleteIsn't there going to be a film of Downton soon?
And the milk goes in first because posh families had posh, very fine and thin china, which might have cracked with hot tea.
I thought the Downton film already came out last winter unless there is another one I haven't heard about which is entirely possible. I haven't been on any fan sites to learn the gossip.
DeleteI just found that out about the tea cups cracking. Makes sense.
did my comment get lost? Google is playing silly buggers again.
ReplyDeleteNope, it didn't get lost. You probably just didn't notice the little line about telling you the comment was saved for the blog owner to moderate. I miss that often when I post comments on other blogs. Bloggers could make that more visible in my opinion.
DeleteWhat happened to your "Weirdness In My Blog" Post Jean, it showed up in my Blog Roll and promptly disappeared? This the Weirdness you speak of? *winks*
ReplyDeleteIt was a short post I wrote quickly because the one I wrote...the one you just read...got removed by the Blog Police for violating a rule. I re-submitted it after making a change to the title and was surprised that it didn't take long for them to let me publish it. So I removed the 'Weirdness in my Blog" post.
DeleteWHAT, they have Blog Police and I've not yet been Arrested for violating the Rules, how Strange! *Bwahahahaha* And you my Friend are such a careful and considerate Blogger, so how did that even happen to you? Does someone have to Report you? Lemme at 'em if they did, how dare they pick on my Blog Friend! *Smiles* I've only ever had a few Violations on The Book of Faces, Strange what they will moderate and ban really. A pix of an Antique Nude Cabinet Card in a Vignette they freaked out over, yet I've seen actual Porn allowed on some folks FB Walls and nary a violation issued and they don't make them remove it, go figure! Plus, how about all the Hate filled stuff allowed... yet, they'll find petty stuff to clutch their Pearls about, it's just Odd.
DeleteI actually blame you for the Blog Police napping me---LOL---because I was trying to do like you do and make my title more google friendly and catchy. But apparently saying 'Lady Whistledown Meets American Baseball' broke some kind of infringement law. Who ever owns the rights to that name or the Downston series gets a notice when something comes up on the web and they reported it. Probably a bot the first time and a real human when I resubmitted it because anyone who actually read the post would know I wasn't trying to push myself off as Lady Whistldown.
DeleteIsn't it funny that that at one time you could actually send "porn postcards' in the mail but now you can't even post one on Facebook.
Infringement Law can be tricky. I once promoted an Artist in a Post, which was Free Advertisement for her but she didn't complain, a Magazine did that is well known and felt their Magazine Spread exclusive had been infringed... I didn't even know they'd done an Article on her! So, I responded that I'd take my Post down, I'd Credited the Images used that weren't mine to the appropriate Photographer, but the Magazine hadn't been mentioned and I guess that was more than Beef than anything, like they NEEDED my little Blog to promote them when I'm sure they have a huge Advertisement Budget. It was comical, I used to buy that Magazine and never have since, plus, when Blog Friends at the time asked why the Post got taken down, I told them, and some of them Boycott the Rag too... Bad PR travels much faster than Good PR, so it was just not a very wise move by the Magazine to be petty like that, it didn't set well with General Public who felt they were being a Bully. Anyway, ironically I got a Private Message apologizing to me for how threatening they'd been in their request, they'd made it seem as tho' they would have taken it to Court, which of coarse wasn't necessary and I had zero ill intent with my Post... their Magazine wasn't even the Topic for Chrissakes, I just took the Post down and swiped Left. Apparently they got backlash and knew it, so felt an apology was in Order. Apology accepted and now I can't even recall the name of that Magazine but I think it went out of Business. *Bwahahahaha*
DeleteThat's quite the story! Sometimes legal departments come on strong right out of the gate to scare the little guys off---that's what I'm guessing anyway. If so, it works.
DeleteGreat post - made me laugh! I like Bridgerton but Tight Buns of Baseball sounds more fun! Loved the "surprise me" line!
ReplyDeleteIsn't that a great line. I wish I would have thought of it when I was planning my final wishes.
DeleteJust letting you know I popped over to your aphasia blog to post a comment. Now that I've rediscovered those posts, I'm going to read them with renewed interest, due to changes in my life since you wrote them. Thanks for saving them from disappearing. (BY the way, I can't figure out why sometimes Blogger will only let me comment on your blog if I sign out of Blogger myself. Ah, the mysteries of the internet...)
ReplyDeleteCatherine/parlance
Thank you for letting me know! I keep those two aphasia blogs up in hopes they'll help someone going through the similar experiences. Times change but the emotional roller coaster doesn't.
DeleteBloggers does a lot of things I don't understand. I can even reply to comments on my own blog from Foxfire or Chrome. I have to use the brave which I hate using for some things.
I enjoyed Downton Abbey and remember that sad feeling when it was over... at least until the next movie. As for Bridgerton and Lady Whistledown, not so smitten with it but love her. As for baseball, I can watch a game once in a while. I like the drinking beer part the best.
ReplyDeleteI almost quit watching Bridgerton because it seems so over the top and silly but I became a fan because of the romance factor. I haven't been able to find the Downton movie yet, am saving that search for when I'm really craving some comfort food TV.
DeletePlay Ball! I'm an Indians fan (Cleveland) except now they are the Guardians, which I think is a stupid name. Ah well.
ReplyDeleteI miss Downton and will be glad for the new movie to come out this summer. I didn't like "The Gilded Age" nearly so much. Maybe it's because I prefer Brits to Americans. Or the period. But I'll give them a thumbs up for costumes! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Try to find the first movie before the second one comes out!
I will. I don't like The Gilded Age either and didn't bother watching after the first episode. I was really surprised that I liked Downton Abbey as much as I did. So many little subplots and the history, of course, made the show for me not to mention the costumes.
DeleteYour tale of the lady and the pre-planned funeral reminded me of a woman I knew in Salt Lake City who was going through the same discussions with her kids. They finally accepted that she wanted to be cremated, but she had one caveat. "Don't you dare scatter my ashes at the Great Salt Lake," she said. "You know I can't swim."
ReplyDeleteThat's just as funny, isn't it.
DeleteLOL What fun! You have absolutely nailed Lady Whistledown! And I never wanted Downton to end either. I've seen the movie since then...and the new one coming out. Not the same, but still fun to have the old gang back together. And Go Tigers! ⚾️
ReplyDeleteI've got to find one of those movies!
DeleteThe Tigers won their third game in the bottom of the eighth just like they won their first. Might be a good season.
Telling young guys they're cute? I see.. well, why not? Older men have been doing this for years... a Polish Pasty - that's a pasty stuffed with dumplings, right? Just a snack :-)
ReplyDeleteI haven't had a pasty in decades but pasty stuffed with dumplings sounds gross to me me. I'd try any of these variation the ballpark is selling.
DeleteI put the sweet n low, then creamer, the coffee. I don't have to stir and I always get it the right color because I know where the line should be for the creamer. Ah, the little joys in life.
ReplyDeleteI believe the 2nd Downtown Abbey movie comes out around 5/25/22. Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to mark it on my calendar! Thanks.
Delete