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Friday, April 30
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUTHANNE!!
This Saturday is her birthday, so let's all wish her a great one!
One slice or two?
History is Tastier with Cake!
Birthdays have been around for as long as there have been births, so it's no surprise that customs around that special time of the year have existed for a very long time. Take, for example, the birthday cake. What exactly was a birthday cake like 100 years ago in the American 1920's? Tasting History takes us on a journey back in time to show us what such a cake would be like and also walks us through the history of the famous birthday cake!
What do the Germans have to do with birthday cakes and when did we decide it was a good idea to start putting candles on them? All these questions and more are answered in the video above!
Spits aren't just for barbecues and shish kabobs. They can also be for... pastries? In France they have a special cake known as the "Gâteau à la broche" or "Cake on a spit," and it has been around for more than 200 years! What's so special about this cake and what does it have to do with Napoleon?
It's a long and involved process, but what results is a truly unique and truly delicious porcupine of a dessert!
So who invented the very first cake?
"It's unclear who exactly made the world's first cake. However, the ancient Egyptians are thought to have created the first cake. Egyptians often made honey-sweetened dessert breads, which were likely the earliest version of cakes. The Romans probably perfected the practice of adding yeast as a leavening agent to cake, and later the Italians in the 16th century developed the art of leavening without yeast by adding whipped eggs to batter."
Who invented cake mix?
"P. Duff and Sons, a Pittsburgh-based company, created the first cake mix which was for gingerbread in December 1930. Specifically, it was John D. Duff from the company who filed the patent for the product."
You can learn even more about the history of cake here!:
https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/first-cake.htm
Next Art Club Project
Next Tuesday for Art Club we will be Pop-up Flip Hearts Cards!
Participants will need several colors of construction paper, a glue stick, scissors, pen or pencil, markers, and the Template!
Template: HERE
Friday Movie Recommendation!
This week's movie recommendation comes from Cindy with the 2000 Disney Channel original film The Color of Friendship! It can be watched for free through Disney+ or rented through most major streaming services.
"The Color of Friendship is based on a true story and is relevant today, despite being set in the late seventies. Piper Dellums is the daughter of Ron Dellums, a black congressman. Mahree Bok, who is white and from apartheid South Africa, comes to stay with the Dellums for a student exchange. Both girls and their families make assumptions about each other. The Color of Friendship is entertaining but also shows how two teenage girls from vastly different backgrounds learn from their time together. This Disney Channel movie shows how far we have come and how far we still have to go." - Cindy
Thursday, April 29
Mary's Cooking Corner
Mary and her cooking friends are back with a brand new delicious recipe to share with all of us! Strap on that apron because we're about to get cooking!
Hot Diggity Dots & Twisters
Ingredients:
3/4 Cup Milk
2 Tablespoons of Margarine or Butter
1 (4.8-ounce) package of PASTA RONI Four Cheese Flavor with Corkscrew Pasta
1 1/2 Cups Frozen Peas
4 Hot Dogs (or Veggie Dogs!), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 Teaspoons Mustard
1.) In a large saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups of water, the milk, and the margarine to a boil.
2.) Stir in pasta, peas, and Special Seasonings; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Gently boil uncovered 7 to 8 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
3.) Stir in hot dogs and mustard. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
This is a simple and quick weeknight meal that's easy to share.
If you were making this for friends or family what would you pair with this meal?
Arashi says: "You guys can keep going with the cooking.
I'll just be laying here perfecting my sheet cake pose."
Wednesday, April 28
Art Club: Gallery Showcase
Do you hear the birds singing? Art Club does!
Now they have their very own custom birds to hang out with them all Spring long or gift to a friend.
Battle of the MILKS!
Shopping for milk these days can be more stressful than it used to be. With so many new non-dairy and plant based options it's tough to decide which is the right one for you to give a try. This is where our good friends at TED-Ed step in! Watch this short video if you'd like to learn the benefits and disadvantages of different types of plant based dairy substitutes so you can decide which one reigns supreme.
Who remembers Smoothie Day at LES? Smoothies can be a super easy and versatile snack, drink, dessert, and even a meal! You can blend up all sorts of flavors and combinations. If you get to experimenting then you get to taste test each one!
Here's a recipe for a Dairy Free Chocolate and Peanut Butter Smoothie. A perfect healthy shake alternative for a hot Spring day. (And you can substitute out any ingredient you'd like. Customize to yours heart's content!)
Tuesday, April 27
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PHIL!!
Let's all give our future president a grand hurrah!
Making Movie History:
Best Summer Ever Premieres!
It's finally here, folks! The long awaited nationwide premiere of Best Summer Ever!
You can now watch and own this incredible film for yourself. It was co-directed by Mikey Randa and stars our very own Elisabeth, Bobby, Eric, and Phil!
The movie is available on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube Movies, and Cable and Satellite On Demand
"Sage and Anthony have had the “Best Summer Ever” after falling in love at a dance camp in Vermont. Not expecting to see each other again until the following summer, Sage, by a twist of fate, arrives unexpectedly at the same high school as Anthony. Now faced with the drama of high school cliques, an evil cheerleader, and the illegal secret that keeps Sage's family on the move, they are forced to reevaluate their relationship as Tony struggles to be both the high school football star and the dancer he’s always wanted to be."
"Best Summer Ever is an original inclusive musical featuring 8 original songs and a fully integrated cast and crew of people with and without disabilities."
https://www.bestsummerevermovie.com/
Monday, April 26
SWAP!
DAY
Yoga is moving from tomorrow to WEDNESDAY this week!
Our Sign Language Day will be swapping places to tomorrow for just this week!
Weekly A-SIGN-ment!
Tomorrow during our Tuesday 1 PM Zoom meeting we will be sharing another word we've learned in sign language. This week's word theme is School! Share with us the sign for anything that has to do with school (LES or otherwise)!
As usual, feel free to refer to HandSpeak for reference and guidance in finding your word!
That's Absolutely Useless!
Is there really such a thing as useless information? You can make that decision after watching this self-titled video of a solid 10 minutes of useless information!
If you enjoyed this you might enjoy the other useless information videos Youtuber and filmmaker Austin McConnell has uploaded onto his channel.
• 15 Minutes of Useless Information
• 20 Minutes of Useless Information
Random Words Word Search
Do you know what else is useless? This Random Words Word Search that you can print out or play online!
https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/1701199/random-words-for-entertainment/
Friday, April 23
All things grow,
Both Great and Small!
It's hummingbird season! Spring is full of new life, and you can now appreciate the miracle of life as you watch these tiny birds grow up on a 24/7 live feed.
"Watch this Allen's Hummingbird Nest where you can see exclusive live footage of our mother bird "Emerald" keeping her eggs warm until the babies hatch, grow and learn to fly. The nest is located in Thousand Oaks, California, where this little hummingbird built her nest on a string of Christmas lights. Watch this little miracle of nature unfold before your eyes!"
New England is home to an incredible array of different birds, many of which you are probably very familiar with. You may be able to identify some of them by sight, but what about by sound?
Caitlin of Zoo New England is here to teach us 5 of the most common New England bird calls. See if you can identify them along with her!
Next Art Club Project
Next Tuesday for Art Club we will be making Color Your Own Songbirds!
Participants will only require the Bird Template, scissors, and anything they would like to color it in with! They may also print out the Stand Template to prop their bird up and will need gluestick or tape, a pen, and one piece of construction paper if they choose to do this.
Friday Movie Recommendation!
This week's movie recommendation is a special one from the whole LES gang. We all suggest that everyone prepare to watch the hit comedy/musical Best Summer Ever, directed in part by our own Mikey Randa and starring Elisabeth, Bobby, Eric, and Phil! It will be released for all next Tuesday on April 27, but you can pre-order it now.
It'll be available on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube Movies, and Cable and Satellite On Demand.
Thursday, April 22
Celebrate Our Planet
Happy Earth Day!
Happy April 22, aka Earth Day! Since 1970, Earth Day has been an annual event to spread awareness and support for environmental protection.
EarthDay.Org has been pioneering this from the very start (well, not the website per se, but the people behind it!).
"EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day in 1970, EARTHDAY.ORG is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 75,000 partners in over 190 countries to drive positive action for our planet."
It's a great resource for environmental awareness and education. They have Fun Quizzes, Programs, Educational Resources and Toolkits, and so much more!
Earth Day 2021's theme: Restore Our Earth!
At 12 PM EarthDay.Org will host a live digital event right on its website!
"Workshops, panel discussions, and special performances will focus on Restore Our Earth™ — we’ll cover natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystems.
More topics will include:
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Climate and environmental literacy
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Climate restoration technologies
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Reforestation efforts
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Regenerative agriculture
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Equity and environmental justice
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Citizen science
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Cleanups, and more.
World climate leaders, grassroots activists, nonprofit innovators, thought leaders, industry leaders, artists, musicians, influencers, and the leaders of tomorrow will come to push us towards a better world."
Upcycling is one of the best (and fun) ways of turning trash into treasure and breathing new life into something old or deemed "worthless."
Let your imagination go wild with these simple and incredibly useful upcycling ideas!
Upcycling gets even more fun when food is involved. Ann Reardon of How To Cook That's fame has some delicious ideas on how to reuse trash and turn them into edible gifts.
THE 5 R'S
We're all pretty familiar with the 3 R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
But we might want to consider two additional R's: Repurpose and Refuse!
Recycling should be considered the last resort since so little of our recycled materials actually end up recycled and not back in our landfills and oceans.
Instead, consider this tier:
First:) Refuse - Refuse using anything that is single use or unethically sourced in the first place.
2.) Reduce - Reduce your consumption of these items as much as possible.
3.) Reuse - Reuse anything that still has potential.
4.) Repurpose - Turn any item that may no longer be useful into something new or fix it back up.
Lastly:) Recycle - Properly dispose of the item. If it’s recyclable then recycle it as the area you live in says to do so.
https://www.roadrunnerwm.com/blog/the-5-rs-of-waste-recycling
Wednesday, April 21
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FINN!!
Today is Finn's birthday! Hip hip hooray!
Art Club: Gallery Showcase
Art Club celebrated Earth Day with some gorgeous Earth Day cards, complete with up-cycled flowers on the front and words of wisdom with kind messages inside!
We're Movin' Right Along
2021 is full of bright new possibilities! With a new year and LES' reopening on the horizon we can only sing. Kermit and Fozzie have the right idea. Let's all keep Movin' Right Along!
Purple Cup Survey Responses!
You spoke and we listened. This is what everybody had to say.
If you could play any instrument what would it be?
• Guitar
• Violin
• Guitar
• The Alpine Horn
• Hammered dulcimer and the Bodhran
• The Hurdy-Gurdy, Theremin, Drums, and Guitar
• Piano
Tuesday, April 20
Weekly A-SIGN-ment!
Tomorrow during our Wednesday 1 PM Zoom meeting we will be sharing another word we've learned in sign language. This week's word theme is Earth Day! Share with us the sign for anything to do with our planet Earth!
As usual, feel free to refer to HandSpeak for reference and guidance in finding your word!
GARDEN CLUB
* At the Garden!
Garden Club this week will be meeting at the LES Garden tomorrow at 9:00 AM!
Come join help us plan for the new year and say hello to friendly masked faces!
Podcast Spotlight:
The Ian and Lauren Hour
(With Coffee)
What started as a fun way to pass time during the pandemic turned into the smash hit podcast we have today. Ian and Lauren started the Ian and Lauren Hour back in April of 2020 during their weekend Zoom sessions. They'd always talked about starting one, and there was no better time than the present!
What originally began on Youtube is now live on Facebook every Saturday at 1 PM. Come join them chat about the daily topic, hear some breaking news, and just chill out and have some fun. You never know what will happen.
The big Anniversary Episode is happening next Saturday, April 24!
Join in for an extra special episode full of celebration, possibly music and special guests, and a free prize to win for the first person that can answer their brainteaser!
~*~
Ian and Lauren Podcast Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/IanAndLaurenHour
Original YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEfidH7tjnSFY_WCkRs5bKg
Purple Cup Survey!
You still have until TOMORROW to take the Purple Cup Survey!
*~*
If you could play any instrument what would it be?
You can answer the survey HERE.
Friday, April 16
Monday is
Patriots' Day!
We will have next Monday off to celebrate the holiday! There will be no LES Zooms or other programming, so enjoy your 3-day weekend!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ESTHER!!
This Monday is Esther's birthday, so let's wish her a great one!
Purple Cup Survey!
You still have until NEXT WEEK to take the Purple Cup Survey!
*~*
If you could play any instrument what would it be?
You can answer the survey HERE.
How to stay calm
Under Pressure
We have all been there. It might have been some sort of crucial moment in our lives and, for some unknown reason, we just can't do the easy task we were assigned to do. Or you forgot what we were going to order in a busy restaurant. Or you have control of the ball and it's up to you to take the winning shot and... OOF. Missed. It happens to the best of us.
So what can we do to help manage the affects of pressure on our performance? To figure this out we first need to understand what causes this sort of pressure. Then we can know how to tackle it head on!
Arashi says: "My advice for never having to worry about pressure ever again? Find a nice sunbeam and just lay in it."
Next Art Club Project
Next Tuesday for Art Club we will be making Earth Day Cards!
Participants will need one piece of construction paper (a light color preferably), scissors, a gluestick or tape, the Templates, one or both of the info sheets, and any clean paper trash they'd like (like newspapers, paper bags, old greeting cards, magazines, ad flyers, etc.)!
Templates: HERE
Info Sheets (Choose 1 or print both)
• The 5 R's
• About Bees
Friday Movie Recommendation!
This week's movie recommendation comes from Cal with the 1992 comedy Wayne's World! It's a big screen spin-off of the "Saturday Night Live" skit. Rob Lowe plays a producer that wants to take the public access "Wayne's World" to the world of commercial television. Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) battle to save their show and Wayne's girlfriend from Lowe. You can watch it for free on Tubi or rent it through most major streaming services.
"If you like SNL you’d like Wayne’s World. It’s just a funny movie to watch. My favorite moment is when Wayne first meets Cassandra." - Cal
Thursday, April 15
Purple Cup Survey!
You still have until NEXT WEEK to take the Purple Cup Survey!
*~*
If you could play any instrument what would it be?
You can answer the survey HERE.
Weird Windowsill Roommates
Have you ever had a weird or nosy roommate? Was that roommate ever a nest of baby owls? If you are this man from Belgium then you know exactly what it feels like to have Europe's largest owl, the Eurasian eagle-owl, build her next right in your window planter! Now when he watches television three massive owl chicks watch with him!
Owls Word Search
Hoot hoot! Check out this Types of Owls Word Search that you can print out or play online!
https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/2207224/types-of-owls/
Wednesday, April 14
Art Club: Gallery Showcase
Somewhere over the rainbow isn't very far at all for those who came to yesterday's Art Club!
Phyllis lead the gang in constructing their very own rainbows they can hang up to lead some sun shine in.
Derek Paravicini
Pianist Like No Other!
A few weeks ago in Music Club Cindy shared this incredible video with us of a remarkable man. Derek is like no musician you have heard before. Born 25 weeks premature, he has had a lot of difficulties in his life. He is blind and has struggled to overcome many hurdles, but the one thing that always came naturally to him was music. Derek has what is known as "Perfect Pitch," the ability to perfectly replicate any note he hears. He can play any song a person requests without sheet music or a second thought and even switch up the style on the fly!
There's no denying that he is a musical genius. Check out this video to learn even more about Derek Paravicini!
Don't believe me? Then check out his YouTube Channel where he uploads videos such as these where he takes live requests for songs!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMOFHuVzh3n_JBgICCgtnCg
Check him out on Facebook too!
https://www.facebook.com/derekparavicini
Purple Cup Survey
If you could play any instrument what would it be?
Tuesday, April 13
Weekly A-SIGN-ment!
Tomorrow during our Wednesday 1 PM Zoom meeting we will be sharing another word we've learned in sign language. This week's word theme is Rainy Weather! Share with us the sign for anything to do with the rain! Objects, activities, clothing, etc.
As usual, feel free to refer to HandSpeak for reference and guidance in finding your word!
April is
National Poetry Month
What is poetry to you? Everyone might, and probably will, answer that question differently. Now ask that same question to 30 poets and what do you get? Pure poetry in and of itself!
April is National Poetry Month, "30 days of celebrating the joy, expressiveness, and pure delight of poetry." - https://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/poetry
Need a little inspiration? Renowned author, poet, and photographer Charles R. Smith Jr. is talking to teachers and educators in this video, but he might as well be talking to all of us. He gives 3 great and simple poetry prompt ideas that will get those mind juices flowing!
Looking for even more ways to celebrate? Here are 30 Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month at Home or Online!
Monday, April 12
Happy Ramadan!
Ramadan kareem ("Have a generous Ramadan")! Tonight marks the very first day of the month long Muslim holiday of Ramadan. We learned a bit about the holiday last year, but there is still so much to know. Did you know that not only is Ramadan a holiday but also the name of a month? This is why the holiday lasts a whole 30 days.
Do you think you'd be able to go an entire day without food or even water? What about for a whole month long? It definitely helps that each evening after sunset the day wraps up with a huge delicious meal called an Iftar, and since Muslims live all over the world there are so many different types of Iftars. Here are what just 5 Iftar meals look like from different countries with different cultural backgrounds.
Arashi says: "Ramadan Mubarak (Happy Ramadan) to all who celebrate!"
Friday, April 9
Staying Healthy and Fit
by Having Fun!
I get it. It can be hard to get up and exercise sometimes. We've all been in the position where we know it's good to move our bodies but sometimes our bodies just don't want to move, so how can help that?
The biggest misconception about exercise is that it's something you have to go out of your way to do. It has to be "hard work." You have to tired and be sweaty by the end. WRONG!
Although those sort of workouts are great for your body, what many of us forget is that just by doing anything with our body we are exercising it. Put away your groceries? Exercise! Reaching up to a high shelf or crouching down to a low one? Exercise! Walking to the post office or running up and down the stairs? Exercise!
We can call this Subconscious Exercise. It's exercise that we don't even realize we are doing, and it is helping your body more than you think.
The more Subconscious Exercise you do the better you feel. And since this form of exercise is also productive it means you are getting important things done in the process too!
Probably the most obvious fun way to exercise is by playing an active game. Sports, fetch with your dog, hula hooping, swimming, boating, charades, and many other activities we do for pleasure are exercise.
Here's a really fun indoor exercise game that Exercise Club played last Monday! Exercise Tic Tac Toe plays just like regular Tic Tac Toe except there are a lot more boxes, and each box contains an exercise you need to complete before you can claim your spot.
Unsure what a certain exercise is? If nobody you are playing with knows then you can just make it up.
Print out the board HERE!
For the trivia lovers out there there are also interactive Exercise Trivia Games! Take this Jeopardy game for example. They say it's for kids, but exercising for fun is for everybody! From 3 to 300, you're never too old to have fun.
The channel has more gameshow exercise activities like Jeopardy with different themes as well as other games such as Family Feud and the Price is Right.
Next Art Club Project
Next Tuesday for Art Club we will be making circle rainbows!
Participants will need red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple colored paper, scissors, gluestick or tape, string, and the Templates!
Templates: HERE
Friday Movie Recommendation!
This week's movie recommendation comes from Phyllis with the comedy Groundhog Day! It can be rented through most major streaming services.
"It's a hilarious comedy that was filmed in 1993. It is about a weatherman (Bill Murray) that is caught in a time loop that forces him to live the same day over and over again for years on end. It is a very funny movie that is filmed in a town I used to live in, Woodstock, Illinois. Some of the extras in the movie are from Woodstock. The town celebrates the movie every year on Groundhog Day." - Phyllis
Thursday, April 8
6 of the Weirdest Places on Earth
A deep underground cave full of 39 foot long crystals, a forest of full of crooked "dancing" trees, and red water in Antarctica that gave way to life that uses iron to breath. These are just some of the incredible locations our planet has to offer. Traveling might still be off the table for us for a while, so let's take a wild journey together to learn about some of the weirdest and most miraculous places Earth has to offer!
Is that lava actually glowing blue? Watch this video to find out!
Arashi says: "I once took a trip to a weird, scary place called The Vet... I do not recommend going."
Wednesday, April 7
Art Club: Gallery Showcase
Art Club is so excited for nice weather they drew their very own Spring window scenes!
Makes you want to hop out one of those windows right now.
Talking the Talk
How we use language is more fascinating than people might think. We humans have sounds that can be spoken or read that can be interpreted with meaning. If you've ever heard somebody speak a foreign language and become confused and fascinated at what they are saying then you are experiencing the marvel of language first hand!
People who are bilingual, or multilingual, understand multiple languages. Does knowing more than one language have any positive impact on a person?
Language is a lot more than just straightforward communication. How we use language is as vital as the language itself. Across multiple languages and cultures everyone has their own variation of "ums," "hms," or "likes." These "filler words" are often disliked by many teachers and intellectuals, but do they actually serve a function in how we speak? And are they really as damaging as our 6th grade English teacher lead us to believe?
"The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause." - Mark Twain
But what about Sign Language?
"American Sign Language (ASL) is a complete, natural language that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages, with grammar that differs from English. ASL is expressed by movements of the hands and face. It is the primary language of many North Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing, and is used by many hearing people as well." - https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/american-sign-language
Tuesday, April 6
Weekly A-SIGN-ment!
Tomorrow during our Wednesday 1 PM Zoom meeting we will be sharing another word we've learned in sign language. This week's word theme is Springtime Activities! Share with us the sign for something you like to do in the Spring!
As usual, feel free to refer to HandSpeak for reference and guidance in finding your word!
GARDEN CLUB
Garden Club will happen tomorrow at 9:30 AM!
Come join us and help us plan for the new year!
A look at last Friday's
Stonewalk
On Good Friday, April 2 a small masked and socially distanced group gathered out front of the State House in Boston to push the Global Pandemics Bereavement Stone to Copley Square. It made a few stops along the way at churches and the Hynes Convention Center, where Covid-19 vaccines are now being administered. Its final destination was the Old South Church by Copley Square.
Many spoke and gave the stone their blessing. At the State House people spilled heartfelt words about those they have lost and a rabbi blessed the stone.
One of the stops along the Stonewalk route was the Church of the Covenant where Pastor Rob Mark blessed the stone. (Seen Left)
The stone sat at the Old South Church in Boston until after Easter when it relocated to the Unitarian Church in Duxbury. It will reside there one more week until moving to its next location, also in Duxbury.
This is a picture of the stone from Easter Day. It is surrounded by the colorful peace cranes we at LES folded together.
You can read the short article featured in The Boston Globe here!
Monday, April 5
What to Expect
In APRIL
It's a new month! So what does it have in store for us? If we consult Mass Audobon's Outdoor Almanac for April we can see what changes are in the air.
Purple Cup Survey Responses!
You spoke and we listened. This is what everybody had to say.
What is your favorite "weird" food combination?
• Manicotti
• Stale food and green olive and cream cheese sandwiches
• Pineapple on Pizza
• I knew my favorite "weird" food combination but I forgot. I'm so sorry about that.
• I have a bunch but can never think of them on the fly. People say peanut butter in oatmeal is weird though. I beg to differ!
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