3/03/2024

Its So Nice To Be Insane

 


So, just the other day I had a hankering, (is hankering even a word anymore?) for some sugar cookies. Classic Bakery on Route 224 was my answer, and my destination. The bear claws are to die for as well as the other assorted cake, cookies, and novelty items on display. 

But this time, I wanted cookies. I selected the red heart shaped cookies with sentimental sayings written on the icing. ( Hell, the sayings on the cookies could of said 'Eat Me" for all I cared.) 

Anyway, when I got home. I opened to dozen box and selected this one. Yes, this one. It said Angle Baby. I was assuming it should have said Angel Baby, but there it was, Angle. I spied the other 11 cookies purchased but all were correct spelling. My cookie was an anomaly. 

This made me think about a song long ago, sung by Helen Reddy called Angie Baby.  

And as she turns the volume down

He's getting smaller with the sound

It seems to pull him off the ground

Toward the radio he's bound, never to be found


By the way. The cookies was good, tasted great and highly recommended. Find the Helen Reddy tune on Youtube, play it and have your cookie.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 4.5 out of 5 shots and recommends the Classic Bakery for delicious cookies.



LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL

2/24/2024

Gunning For Sofa Beds

The summer of 1978. I can almost remember it. The year I graduated high school. Wait, that was 46 years ago. Hells bells. I'm old. Real old. 

I had just graduated high school and was just beginning to enjoy my vacation. I had so many things planned. I was going to do the old Jack Kerouac thing and hitch across country until I reached the West Coast. I read the book, On The Road, and it seemed pretty cool. I was also going to swim everyday. Actually get a tan for the first time in my life. Hell, I was 18 and ruled the world. But, I needed cash. And since being a gigolo wasn’t working out the way I imagined, I had to seek employment.

A friend of mine told me a furniture company was hiring and he knew the manager and could get me in. I was gold. The next day I was hired at the Poland Countryside Furniture company. Now with the name beginning with Poland, I imagined the facility was in Poland, Ohio. I was wrong. Quite wrong. The warehouse was in Niles. No problem. No n bother. 

That morning I pulled in to the parking lot, parked my car, and went inside. Inside I met my partner, Mike, and we immediately went to work loading the delivery truck for our first run of the day. We loaded couches, chairs, tables, lamps, all kinds of furniture. We neatly tied it all down and used blankets to keep them from getting scratched. Denny, the boss, handed me the keys to the truck. I slowly took the keys. I guess this would have been the perfect time to tell Denny that I didn’t know how to drive a truck. I thought I was just a delivery guy. I didn’t know I was hired to drive the truck. But, instead, I turned and headed for the truck.

I jumped in, adjusted the mirrors, the ones that had another tiny round mirror glued inside, pushed on the clutch, turned the key, and started the truck. So far, so good. This was gonna be easy. Then I noticed it. The gear shift had this red button attached on the side and it was labeled with the word “Low”. Little did I know that this was a 16 speed truck with 8 high and 8 low gears. Ignoring the button, I jammed the truck into first gear. (I hoped it was first) Letting out the clutch like I do with my car we were off to our first delivery. I actually did pretty good driving. The hills were a little unsettling with several motorists beeped their horns and some thought I was deaf as they signed me hand gestures of good driving.

Anyway, weeks passed and I was getting pretty good driving the big rig. Still never used the red button, (Didn’t need it) and we loaded up the truck for another delivery run. We arrived at our destination, a charming house with a double drive-way. Mike and I began unpacking the truck and placed the furniture on the driveway to save us some time climbing in and out of the truck to many times.

About five minutes later, the garage door opens and a four door sedan appears and backs out of the garage at a rapid speed. Mere seconds later the sedan rolls up the back of the yellow sofa that we had placed on the driveway. The car was going so fast that the couch acted like a ramp and the car rolled on top leaving the back wheels dangling off the ground several inches. The car turned the couch into kindling wood.

At this moment, time seemed to slow down. Everything was in slow motion. From the truck I saw the wheels spinning but the car going no where. I saw the driver, a man, still trying to get his car over the sofa. I saw Mike with a look of disbelief on his face. And I saw myself, starting to laugh at the situation.

A blink of the eyes later and I snapped back to reality. I had to take command of the situation. I walked over to the car and the driver who was still gunning the engine and tried to explain to him that he wasn’t going anywhere with his tires not making contact with the pavement. As fate would have it, I started laughing. Laughing real loud. You know the kind. The eye watering, side splitting, very vocal out of control laughing.

Maybe a minute later, I calmed down, Mike calmed down, and the driver actually calmed down and stopped gunning the engine. He got out of the car and asked us if we could assist in getting the car unlodged from the sofa. A couple of heave ho’s and we pulled the sofa out from under the car. There it lay on the ground splintered in a hundred pieces. Half jokingly I asked if he still wanted the lovely yellow sofa. The man went into a rage speaking in a language I wasn’t quite familiar with. Again, I started laughing. This time at him and he knew it. I told Mike to grab an end of the couch and load it back on the truck. The customer then said that since the couch was ruined, he didn’t want the other furniture. I told him no problem and we proceeded to load the rest of the stuff back up. I waved and gave him a thumbs up when we were ready to leave.

Footnote: Needless to say that the customer complained before we even got back to the warehouse. After our side of the story though, we kept our jobs and we worked through the summer until Fall quarter started at Youngstown State University.


LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL

2/03/2024

Scarsellas Meatballs And Penne Dinner

 


So yes, it has been a long while since I posted any Blue Plate Specials updates on the Grassy Knoll Institute. Hell, its been a long time since I posted any updates. However, the wait is over. I have in store over 100 restaurants and fast food joints to update plus hundreds, yes, hundreds more updates from every Grassy Knoll Institute categories. I might even toss in an iron throne post or two, or three. 

Anyway, pictured above is a Meatball and Penne dinner from Scarsellas restaurant. Dish comes with three meatballs, good sized meatballs, and tasty by the way. And plenty of well cooked penne cooked very well. Add the spaghetti sauce and you an absolutely fantastic meal. 

Cost was a very good $12.99

By the way: Hello Dale. Thank you for the diet coke. It was truly the pause that refreshes.

The grassy Knoll Diner rates Scarsellas Meatball and Penne dinner 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommends for dinner. 


LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL

11/01/2023

Is It November Already

Only 364 more days until Halloween... To soon... Yea, thought so.

One thing I thought I would see last night but did not. Ken and Barbie Halloween costumes while the kids were out trick or treating. Not one Ken, not one Barbie.  

To be real, there were plenty of kids out collecting candy. That made me feel good. The hours were 5:30pm to 7:30pm unlike in years past when it was 5-7pm. 

Unreal isn't it. Halloween, with such a buildup, comes and goes so fast, like you are riding a sled down a hill with no control of your speed or destination until you wind up on November 1st. But, I am now off the sled and prepared for the rest of the year. Yes, there is plenty of candy still in the kitchen which I will take it to work and pass it out to any and all who wants or needs it. 

Oh, by the way, this is the last post for the 2023 Halloween season. We had a glorious season, everything went smooth, weather was OK, good costumes, good fun, and good times. 

Here is the ending time.

Thank you everyone who came to my site and viewed the Halloween Dark Zone of the Grassy Knoll Institute. I am still here. I will say, I am still enjoying this blog and its readers. Especially during Halloween. 
 
I am ending this post as I have in the past previous seasons. I am staying put right here. I am not leaving. I am staying here until I am the last blog in the universe. 

Happy Halloween to everyone once again. Thank you for viewing and commenting and I will see you all next year. I guarantee it.


Happy Halloween


LURKING, IN THE SHADOWS, ON THE GRASSY KNOLL

10/31/2023

Halloween Treats Famous To All

 


Happy Halloween to everyone reading my humble blog. And even those who don't read the blog. One day you will though. Trust me. 

Anyway, enjoy some Halloween peeps. Eat all six. 

I will talk to all of you tomorrow to update where the blog is heading. 

Trust me, and believe me, I will be adding many posts in November and every month from now on. 

Happy Halloween


LURKING, IN THE SHADOWS, ON THE GRASSY KNOLL


Best Halloween Yard Display 2023


 In all my travels in the neighborhood the past two months checking out Halloween displays I came upon many displays. 

Some were good. 

Some fantastic. 

But none better than the picture above.

This yard display had at least 8 figures with some standing 12 and 14 feet high. And all of them illuminated for the evening viewers to take in as they passed by in the car or walking by. 

Did I mention I love the Halloween season? 

Happy Halloween


LURKING, IN THE SHADOWS, ON THE GRASSY KNOLL

Real Or Fake Halloween Prop

 


So I was at the Canfield Fair back in late August visiting all the tents and I happened upon this tent. They were displaying props and scare item for the upcoming Halloween Canfield Scare grounds events that happened in late September and October. 

Do you see the figure of the girl in the background? As I approached closer the girl was not moving. Not a single movement. 

I was now intrigued. 

I had to know.

I was certain that she was a real actor just waiting for me to get near so she could jump out and scre the Hell out of me. 

I did move forward and said hello there hoping for a response. But I got nothing. Not even a blink of her eyes. Not even a breath of air. 

I approached up close, waved my hand in front of her face, and with no movement, I touched the figure. Alas, it was a mannequin. A damn good mannequin. I was and am impressed. 

Happy Halloween


LURKING, IN THE SHADOWS, ON THE GRASSY KNOLL


White Oak Cemetery Gatlinburg

I have been travelling to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for the past 40 years or so. Every time I return, the area transforms itself into a more elaborate tourist area. (See, I did not use the word Trap.) 

Little did I know that in all this time roaming the streets packed with superb restaurants, thrill rides, including steel roller coasters, escape rooms, and countless stores to shop in, I stumbled upon Gatlinburg's  White Oaks Haunted Cemetery, located in the heart of Gatlinburg. Mind you, it is not easily seen. In fact it is tucked away up on a hill with no signage directing you to it. However, I found it. 

Right off the Gatlinburg Parkway I potted the entrance to the ancient cemetery. As a point of order, I will divulge the location of this haunted cemetery. (Yes, I said haunted)

Simply walk to the entrance of "The Village." Inside the village, there are a multitude of shops including clothing, pictures, novelties, candy, and believe it or not, a cemetery. 

Walk under the entrance and proceed inward. Wind your way through the brick laden floor. Continue to always move right on the road until you reach the restrooms. It will take about 5 minutes. At this point you will have climbed to a point you can gaze down upon the Village.

Turn to your right and you will see a driveway. At times the drive will be closed with a no entry sign attached. Pay no attention to the sign. (Or the man behind the curtain)

Walk slowly up the slight incline. There are just some mild twists in the road but nothing bad. In a matter or a minute, perhaps two minutes, you will see the White Oaks Cemetery sign. You have arrived.



Welcome to the White Oak Flats Cemetery.

As you can see, it is a large area with many a tomb stones adorning the grave sites. I cannot believe that in all the years travelling around the country and visiting Gatlinburg at least close to 100 times, I never wondered into this area. I mean Hell, this has been here since 1839. (Not me, the cemetery.)

Anyway, I wondered around in broad daylight looking at the names on the grave stones. I stayed for almost two hours. It did start to get dark, and Lord knows you do not want to be in a cemetery after dark. Ask me sometime, I will tell you story or two, perhaps three times inside a cemetery after dark. 




Some believe Leroy Jethro Gibbs, lead agent from the hit show NCIS, retired two years ago and stayed in Alaska, set in his ways to fish and hunt. Perhaps this is a relative of Mark Harmon. (Perhaps not) 


This is the path up the hill from the Village to the entrance of the Cemetery. Time had passed and I was ready to make my way back down to the strip and find myself a good steak dinner. Perhaps at the Peddler Steak House, the best Filet steak in the city would be my choice. And it was. 

But that is another time. Another story.

Happy Halloween


LURKING, IN THE SHADOWS, ON THE GRASSY KNOLL