My inner chef just came out. . .

I'll do anything for free kitty litter, Fancy Feast or Purina Cat Chow. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm sure you remember when I had you all voting like mad in the Ultra Pet Photo contest that we unfortunately didn't win due to what Andrea believed to be the result of an evil conspiracy. But that's another story.

My major food expense is cat-oriented,thanks to dinners cooked and served at the significant other's home. Wasabi can whip through bags of expensive Temptation treats almost as fast as Ginger can down a 59 cent can of Savory Salmon. Benard has turned me on to the world of coupons, and I've learned to buy Fancy Feast 24 cans at a time to save a dollar!

But back to the really free stuff, like a year's worth, for goodness sakes. I, who can barely boil water, have entered Fancy Feast's new "Tastemaker's" recipe contest on line. My task. . to create a recipe for a new cat flavor that will win me a year's worth of their expensive "Elegant Medleys" brand of cat food. Don't tell them that my not-so-elegant cats turn up their noses at the exotic "Medley" flavors. . .they are strictly salmon eaters. . .but there is no need for the powers that be at Fancy Feast to know that. If I win it, they will learn to love it, believe me.

The contest provides you with a number of "Protein Sources", "Accents" and "Sauces" from which I had to pick and choose to create my recipe. (Those familiar with my culinary talents are now laughing hysterically.) I know you are dying to hear my entry, so here goes. . .

Inroducing. . . .PURRRFECT SUSHI BY WASABI & GINGER. . .A compelling combination of Yellow Fin Tuna & Shrimp, with a yummy Accent of Wild Rice, topped off by a dollop of Classic Gravy. (I trust you all caught the clever play on words in our recipe's title.)

Sounds almost good enough to eat, doesn't it? I also had to write our "inspiration story" about me, my cats and how we all adore Fancy Feast, and upload a photo of the three of us. That part was easy.

I hate to think of how many thousands of entries they will receive. . .cat food is damned expesive, especially when you have multiple pets who eat like there is no tomorrow. I'm putting my money on PURRRFECT SUSHI to win this race. At the very least we should end up with one free can for trying, don't you think?

Let's see now. . 365 cans @ .59 per. . that's $215.35 worth of cat food! Wow! Keep your fingers crossed. I'll keep you informed.

Quiet. . .We're on air!

I've been a regular Tuesday morning reader to the visually impaired on public radio for several years now, but this morning when I finished my stint reading the Miami Herald, the "significant other" appeared at the station to lead a tour of the television and radio studios to a group of 5th graders from Meadowlane Elementary School in Hialeah.

Seven girls and two boys, led by Media Specialist Debra Fisher, arrived wearing special yellow Tee-shirts with a cartoon tiger at a microphone on the front and the words WTBN NEWS CREW on the back. They explained to us, in all seriousness, that WTBN stood for Tiger Broadcast News. . the W making the whole thing very professional.. and the tiger being the school's official mascot. They also informed us that they telecast the weather and news every morning to the rest of the students from their in-school studio.

Can't say I remember my elementary school being that technologically advanced. . we felt fortunate if we had gym lockers that actually locked. These kids were really TV-savvy and very interested in everything Benard and staff members had to say. Plus, they asked a ton of questions. The highlight, of course, was our time in one of the studios where the kids took turns behind the TV camera and on the set as "guest celebrities". (The quality of my photo isn't good, but you get the idea.)

A tour of the radio station facilities on the building's second floor yielded an unexpected bonus. WLRN radio personality, Joseph Cooper, was on hand to allow the kids to sit behind the mikes and know what it feels like to be interviewed on air. (In the photo that's Cooper on the left and Benard in the middle, talking with the kids.)

It was a fascinating morning. I had a strong feeling I was looking at the next generation's Brian Williams and Katie Courics. Don't underestimate these kids. They're smart as whips and all they need is a chance. Now if our crazy governor would just stop cutting funds to public education.
# # #
# #

Me and Marjorie. . .

That's Marjorie Stoneman Douglas I'm sitting with in the photo accompanying this blog. For you non-Floridians, she's the lady who single-handedly saved the Florida Everglades when in 1948 she wrote a book titled "The Everglades: River of Grass".

Marjorie (the bronze sculpture that is, the real lady died at the age of 108 in 1998) is a regular stop on my tour when I serve as a new tram guide at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens. I mostly do Thursday mornings,with Jeff Kaplan as my driver. Both Jeff and Benard drive and talk for their own tours, but as I have written in the past, Fairchild wisely refrained from asking me to also drive, not wanting to unnecessarily maim visitors and wantonly kill exotic plant life.

Benard was my very patient mentor while I was learning the fact-filled 45 minute spiel that makes up the tour. He's been a Fairchild guide for some 12 years and I am a newbie. At the end of three tours. . all guides do a three-tour shift, mine this morning was for 10am, 11am and 12 noon. . .I am totally pooped. You try talking without stopping for three hours, not to mention trying to remember endless botanical tidbits like the baobab tree somes from Africa and the albizia tree is native to Indonesia. (A low bow to Jeff for not flinching when I screw up my continents every now and then.)

With less than 15 minutes between tours I make a fast run to the ladies room, repair my lipstick and make a stab at smoothing down my hair which is at total odds with the cordless head set mike that I must wear so that the passengers on the three car tram can hear what I have to say. Benard tells me that driving the tram is like driving one of those huge semis you see on the highway. Is it any wonder I'm not behind the wheel, much less capable of even seeing over the wheel at my towering 4' 11" height.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is truily an amazing place and I am enjoying my new role as tram guide. At the end of my last tour this morning I actually got a round of applause. If I wasn't a volunteer, I would ask for a raise in pay.
# # #