Getting better all the time?

That's the upbeat message those of us fortunate enough to live in this little corner of heaven get to hear whenever they play a Winn Dixie commercial on our airwaves.

Today, it rings about as true as the piffle and nonsense coming out of Washington, DC.

It seems Winn Dixie will be closing thirty stores by September 22nd, including four here in Orlando:

* 2103 Americana Boulevard
* 4400 Hoffner Road
* 4520 South Semoran Boulevard
* 10535 East Colonial Drive

I'm just glad not to find the ones on Curry Ford and Bumby on the hit list.

Hope and change, y'all!

It'll cure what ails ya

I'm still battling a sinus infection down here.

This morning, despite the pain and discomfort, I was determined not to let it slow me down and keep me home bound for another weekend. So, I forced myself to drive downtown to a Huckabee campaign meeting. (Big news: the state hq is supposed to be opening right here in Orlando on Monday morning!!) But, about an hour and a half into things, a coughing fit overtook me, and I had to make a hasty exit. Kinda embarassing, actually, because I know my flight to the door distracted the speaker. Oh, well, hopefully she's amongst the socks reading this and will now understand the reasons and accept my apologies . . .

Anyway, the coughing subsided enough by the time I got back to Apopka, that I was able to run in to the Winn Dixie to pick up a few things to soothe my aches and pains. You know, chicken noodle soup, etc.

But, if you really want to know what is making me feel even better than all that store-bought stuff, it is the Republican forum they just had on FoxNews tonight.

After seeing it, I will not be surprised on Tuesday if Huck doesn't lap Romney and come in second up in New Hampshire. Old Mitt is really wounded after Iowa, and McCain (among others) really let him have it.

I particularly liked it when McCain laughingly acknowledged the Mittster as the "candidate of change" in the Republican field. Not because he's bringing new ideas to the table, or anything like that. Rather, because he changes his convictions on things like the sanctity of life depending on what audience he is addressing . . . that left the former Massachusetts governor stone-faced. Just beautiful!!

And, of course, Mike Huckabee delivered another stellar performance.

So, hopefully tomorrow I'll feel well enough to finally take down the Christmas tree . . . we'll see!

Glazing a ham

Ho ho ho, ye socks!

I'm taking a break out of my holiday-making here in Apopka to wish you all Yuletide Greetings.

I am spending Christmas Eve learning something new: how to glaze a ham.

Traditionally, I bake a plain old Smithfield this time of year.

But, today, Winn Dixie was sold out!!

All they had left were a bunch of spiral-cut hams with glaze packages.

So, what's an elf to do, right?

Anyway, I just added the glaze and stuck the ham back in to the oven for the last couple of minutes.

I guess I better run back downstairs and check on it. I'll let ye know how it turned out!

I hope you all have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS tomorrow!

Going bananas in Orlando!

I just love it when Central Florida makes national news, especially when we are portrayed as idiots (which is not hard to do).

Well, we did it again.

Just as our infamous rush hour was coming to a close this morning, a truckload of bananas found its way all over the east-bound lanes of I-4 near the Par Avenue exit to fashionable College Park.

No big deal, right? Accidents happen.

Well, that's not what attracted all the media attention. That credit has to go to all the amazing local commuters who put their vehicles into park right there on a major interstate highway to pick up as many armfuls of free bananas as they could carry!

Come on, folks! They only cost 49-cents a pound at the Winn Dixie! Stop holding up traffic!!

How embarassing . . .