Writing for the numbers

I'm perplexed, which isn't an unusual state for me.

"There you go again, Eleanor. Now what's the problem?"

Did my daily blog check-in and discovered, to my surprise and horror that according to my page view count, nobody has read my blogs today. Not one person. Nada. Rien. Bupkis.

As one could expect, this has somewhat unnerved me since I've always strived to write and share interesting, somewhat controversial on occasion, weird-ish and witty in my opinion, copy. For whatever reason, nobody has felt the need to read today.

"So what's your theory as to the reason, Eleanor?"

Of course it's pure speculation on my part since there's no way to ascertain the cause unless blog readers actually post their reasons.

- Today being Sunday, people are busy doing...Sunday-ish things like watching football games or something...cleaning the gutters...walking the dog or cat

- People are hitting the malls early and getting a head start on fighting for a parking place, in order to buy holiday gifts

- People are taking care of personal hygeine Sunday tasks like cutting toe nails, picking up doggie-do in their back yard and related responsibilities

- People are absorbed in baking their Christmas fruitcake, which must be aged for the holiday with an ample amount of liquor. Just wondering why this is a sustained holiday favorite when many people that I know and having watched them eat it, pick out a large percentage of the fruit with their fork. Some leave it on the edge of their plate while others hide it in a napkin. But I digress.

- Sunday is the day for a gum massage and floss the teeth

- Sunday is the day set aside to make-some-green bean casserole. Related to fruit cake issue, why is this a sustained favorite? Anyone reading this want to share? Having only tasted this delicacy once in my life - that says something in itself - went on line to find out what exactly went into the making of this popular dish.

According to the Campbells Classic Soup site http://www.campbellskitchen.com/Recipes/RecipeDetails.aspx?recipeId=24099 (say that fast after a few drinks) , which has honored the dish with its own link, here are the ingredients for Classic Green Bean Casserole:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or Healthy Request®)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

Speaking strictly for myself ("well who else would you be speaking for, Eleanor!"), somehow green beans, soy sauce and fried onions just don't do it for me. However, it is one popular holiday dish so who am I.

Moving on...

- Sunday is egg nog tasting day in order to obtain the perfect balance of nog and brandy or bourbon or rum, or all three

Although my consumption of egg nog is limited to a few tastings as a guest over the years, it definitely has earned a place on my tasty treat list. The ever-dependable and definitely too perfect, Martha Stewart, offers these ingredients on her site, to make her perfect nog.

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 12 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup bourbon, (optional)
• 1 cup chilled heavy cream
• Grated nutmeg, (optional)

 

Receipe directions on her perfect site here: http://www.marthastewart.com/334358/eggnog?czone=entertaining/holiday-entertaining/holidaycenter-drinks&center=0&gallery=274594&slide=281657

Really, getting back to the possible reasons, it's all speculation in the end but it does make one wonder. Have I lost it and more to the point, did I ever have it? I mean, go know! Then again, tomorrow is Monday, followed by Tuesday...

To quote Kingsley Amis: "If you can’t annoy somebody, there is little point in writing" Do I hear an amen?

Wookie the cat tale still has legs

It's been almost a year now that Wookie the cat has been missing. Going out on a limb here since nobody has written any updates, one presumes that there have been no sightings.

In the way of background info., Wookie's disappearance caused a local uproar in Bedford, England, when his owner Mike Harding was threatened with a legal fine for posting posters of his puss, in the hope that somebody - anybody - had spotted his beloved feline.

So here we are another Christmas almost upon us and still no news updates concerning the cat's fate. What is interesting, though, is that this blog story still has legs so to speak. In the year that the tale was told here, for whatever reason, there is still interest judging by the hits. We're not talking hundreds of hits but even so, the story always climbs up to the top of the pile. Also included in these numbers are spammers most likely but it's still personally noteworthy that people around the globe drop by to read the story.

Pure speculation, perhaps it's a seasonal thing in that people - okay me - wonder whether Wookie is "out there" somewhere, having to depend on an occasional mice meal or on the kindness of others, as people plan their festive menu. Perhaps he is forced to find shelter living under garden shacks. Then again and putting in a positive light, maybe some kind stranger took him in and he lives out his life as a pampered cat. Thing is - nobody knows.

Perhaps if Mike Harding is reading this, he would or could provide an update, if any. Meanwhile, perhaps sympathetic cat lovers (or even likers) feel moved enough to donate to their local animal shelter in Wookie's name. Or just donate, anyway. They can always use the money.

Meanwhile, verifiable updates on Wookie are welcome and Wookie if you're reading this: come home for Christmas!