And we have a winner: Last week’s pop-up Puzzler may have been a bit too disguised and arcane, given that there were few entrants and only one correct response. To refresh your memory, I mentioned that a super-duper degreaser from Beamer’s Hardware not only took out the grease on our old (and now back-in-action) toaster, but also erased the numerals indicating toasting strength around the selection knob. This doesn’t matter, though, because we pretty much always leave it set at:
The winning answer is, of course, High Noon, as in 12 noon, as in the toaster dial is left set at 12 o’clock.
Now, I say “of course,” but given that only one correct answer came in, maybe what I thought was obvious—the classic 1952 western, starring Gary Cooper—was perhaps not so obvious. Possibly also a factor is that in a world of digital clocks, the relationship between 12 noon and the position of a clock’s hands has become fuzzy, as nutty as it is to ponder that.
Either way, the winner was reader Carolyn Botari, which will be no surprise at all to those who recall past Puzzlers, which solutions have often come from the keyboard-tapping fingertips of C.B., who must also be a whiz at Trivial Pursuit.
Catching up: If you missed it, James Culic’s column this week, The Curious Case of the Butcher of Fonthill, neatly captures how so many in Pelham and beyond feel about the matter of Country Corner butcher Rick Lowes, whose sexual assault case is set for an incredible 41st hearing today in a Welland courtroom. Our previous editorial on the unconscionable delay in taking him to trial clearly had no influence, given that we wrote it back at court appearance number 26.
On a more positive note, check out John Swart’s Balanced Life column from yesterday about healthy snacking. I’ve become a regular grazer since the onset of some intestinal issues a couple of years back—meaning smaller meals, but a snack of some kind on an almost hourly basis during the day, capped off with a midnight snack that pairs well with scotch (almost anything pairs well with scotch, given enough scotch). My latest mini obsession is oatmeal cookies, as in nailing down a healthy recipe or two. Last week’s effort involved sweet potato. This weekend it’s going to be blueberries and maple syrup.
Speaking of treats: the HBO Max series Julia recently completed its second, and sadly last, season. Based on the early fame of TV chef Julia Child, whose cooking show The French Chef ran for 10 years on US public television, it’s a terrifically well written and acted comedy-drama, always a tough blend to pull off. The early 1960s production design looks flawless to me, although I was all of 5 years old in 1965, so take that with a grain of delicious Mediterranean sea salt. Both seasons are available for streaming on Crave. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll suddenly want lobster and scrambled eggs. (And see if you can spot Isabella Rossellini through all that makeup.)
Lobster and scrambled eggs. Now I’m hungry. See you next time.
