It looks like ‘monsoon season’ has arrived that brilliant broiling days are translating towards cloudy with some humidity and a sprinkle of rain. Some cloud cover is welcome, as are the drop of temps from 40-45C to a chill 35-40C. What isn’t welcome is the humidity. Normally before 10%, is is now a steamy 40%. I miss proper Midwest thunderstorms that would roll ominously over the horizon portending doom and deliver onto us proper thunder. All we got here are mid-afternoon sudden downpours that don’t last long, just enough to wet the place and make things feel like a steam room.
Hot puppies! I don’t work tomorrow! When my bosses sold the place to The Overlords, we became part of their policy to close on Federal holidays. So, for the first time ever, I have Emancipation Day off. I remember a study where they asked busy people what they would do if they had an extra day. Most of them ended up not chilling out but doing more work. I will have a day totally impromptu. Nice.
Speaking of holidays, today is Father’s Day, something never much celebrated in my family as Father’s birthday was always close to it; he likes to combine them into one day. Not one for prizes, last week he announced all he wants this year are calls from his sons. Fine. If he prefers family over things of real value, so be it.
This week several planets will be aligned in the early morning hours. I hope the recent cloud cover doesn’t spoil my view of this. The one time of the year when I don’t want clouds I get some.
Today I don’t have too much ‘there’s-work-to-be-done’ tasks. I need to finish some charts and I want to buy aluminum foil. We are fresh out, which borders on crisis. Growing up in the Midwest, a roll of aluminum foil was must-have in the house at all times. It was the equivalent of Southerners having sweet tea at-hand. It seems as soon as one runs out of something like this, all sorts of shenanigans happen that shout out for some.
Today I did Wordle in three moves and Canuckle in two. The rest of the day will be anticlimactic.
Spo-fans: what are you doing this Sunday? Any plans for Father’s day? Tell me your aluminum foil hacks.
Spo-Reflections 
36 comments
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June 19, 2022 at 7:08 AM
Lori Hawkins
I’m sure Father Spo will enjoy all of his phone calls today. That is much better than prizes.
You ran out of foil?? You are very close to losing your Midwest card.
Enjoy your day off and do something fun and or relaxing.
June 19, 2022 at 9:12 AM
Urspo
I seem to have 3-4 rolls of parchment paper, now how on earth did that happen?
June 19, 2022 at 7:15 AM
Brian Dean Powers
It’s Sunday, and I’m going to see “Ain’t Too Proud”, a jukebox musical about The Temptations.
June 19, 2022 at 9:13 AM
Urspo
I asked Someone have you ever heard of “Ain’t too proud”. He said yes it’s a jukebox musical about The Temptations.
June 19, 2022 at 7:17 AM
rjjs8878
Yard work in the morning. Lunch with a friend followed by afternoon drinks at a neighborhood bar. No foil hacks here.
June 19, 2022 at 9:13 AM
Urspo
What a lovely way to spend a Sunday; good for you!
June 19, 2022 at 7:25 AM
larrymuffin
Not much today, I got the Club Newsletter out, it will be a quiet day.
June 19, 2022 at 9:13 AM
Urspo
Sundays should be quiet days, good for you!
June 19, 2022 at 7:30 AM
Debra She Who Seeks
My Rare One and I are going to a birthday celebration wiener roast this afternoon. Man, it took me 4 to get Wordle today and all 6 to get Canuckle! I’m lucky they don’t revoke my Canadian citizenship. Enjoy your day of spontaneous leisure tomorrow!
June 19, 2022 at 9:14 AM
Urspo
I would like to attend a wiener roast, especially if here is sauerkraut and proper mustards, no rubbish types.
June 19, 2022 at 8:04 AM
Old Lurker
Oh I hope you manage to stay busy and productive on your day off tomorrow. You wouldn’t want to disappoint your German-Swiss Puritan ancestors.
Despite it being the solstice, the next few days will be grim for me. My goal today is to salvage some sunshine. I doubt aluminum foil will help, but you never know.
June 19, 2022 at 9:15 AM
Urspo
May I suggest you make a sporty chapeau out of aluminum? There is nothing like a new frock to brighten up the day.
June 19, 2022 at 9:55 AM
Will Jay
I believe that tinfoil, not aluminum foil, is the proper material (e.g. the tinfoil hat club). Both sparkle, but one is protective.
June 19, 2022 at 9:21 PM
Old Lurker
Been there, done that. Aluminum foil is effective at keeping one’s head warm but fails as a fashion item, or protection from harmful government rays.
June 19, 2022 at 8:05 AM
Robzilla, Native Of Slam Diego
My father died this year, so I’m obviously thinking about him. I’ll call my brother to check on him. Otherwise, it’s just another day. I’ll visit the cemetery during my time off tomorrow or Tuesday when it won’t be crowded.
Aluminum foil is a must have in my kitchen. I always use it for my baking pans so I don’t have to wash the pans after using them. They’re also great for keeping a can of soda cold for a few hours. I fold a paper towel and use the towel and a square of foil to wrap it around the can.
June 19, 2022 at 9:16 AM
Urspo
The first birthday/Father’s Day/Christmas etc. without a loved one are always the grimmest.
I forget to think of lining pans with foil for better tidy up.
June 19, 2022 at 8:09 AM
wickedhamster
I have a collection of aluminum foil hats of different shapes, depending of what I’m trying to block from my brain: CIA snooping waves, alien body-takeover waves, Lithuanian min-control experiments… you know, the usual. Then there are some I only wear to attract attention, or to get a seat on metro (combined with the right facial expressions, it’s VERY good for that).
June 19, 2022 at 9:17 AM
Urspo
Was it the late Anne Marie who once upon a time held an tinfoil hat (aluminum) contest? Jolly good fun it was.
Thems in Lithuania: up to no good that’s certain.
June 19, 2022 at 9:45 AM
David Godfrey
Despite being out late at the symphony last night (the third piece was almost an hour long) I was awake at 6:15 AM. I went for a nice walk. Came back to relax. I too have Monday off – and no plans besides a little laundry. Aluminum foil (not tin foil, there is no tin in it) we must have the standard width – heavy duty and extra wide-heavy duty. Not the cheap lightweight stuff. I use it mostly for lining baking trays when I am oven roasting veggies, and covering oversize pans (mostly in the oven.). Not for wrapping things, that is what zip lock bags (quart, one or two gallon size ziploc freezer bags, not the cheap ones – the nice heavy ones) and cling film are for. Reynolds makes both aluminum foil and baking parchment and the boxes are easily confused by linear thinkers leading to occasional outages of one or the other. Fortunately Amazon does same day delivery on those items. And yes, I have been known to order them for home delivery.
June 19, 2022 at 12:26 PM
Urspo
I like the feel of the heavy type of aluminum. Did you know you can poke your finger through the ends of the box to create a roller hold on the foil?
June 19, 2022 at 10:35 AM
DwightW.
No one bought meat at the grocery, we had things in the freezer. The roll of Reynolds wrap bought cost 16.00$ . Most expensive item on the list. Great in the bottom of pans for easy clean up or especially under fish.It will be 20 years next June , since my father died. Born on June 15, As a young Dad , he was fearless, teaching us to fish, to drive a boat and reinforcing our swimming lessons. He was very hands on as long as you followed his life plan for you . My brother balked , and made a huge mistake , and my brother ended up divorced and going to -Night law school. I loved my father , and he and 3 generations before him loved alcohol. Which is why I don’t drink! Interesting to hear you Southwesterners call something “Monsoon season” I laugh , as my other friend who did it lives in New Mexico.
June 19, 2022 at 12:27 PM
Urspo
It is quite sensible appear to avoid flicker given the family history; good for you!
The ‘monsoons’ here are a dreadful disappointment, no ominous dark/green skies with pending rumbles, no proper claps of thunder, just a sudden downpour like somebody accidentally turned on the shower head too quickly and then turned it right back off. No fun this.
June 19, 2022 at 5:10 PM
Richard Portman
Give it some time. I am sorry they are disappointing so far. We all are sorry because we never know what they are going to do. It is early in the season to talk this way.
Meanwhile, i do not wear aluminum foil hats. We have plenty of people doing that.
They are not to blame for our troubles, but they aren’t helping.
June 19, 2022 at 10:57 AM
Debbie W.
How nice to have the gift of an unexpected day off. Do enjoy it!
I am ever-so-curious about the importance of aluminum foil in your household: what do you use it for, and how often. We have the same roll of aluminum foil that was purchased many years ago (Costco-size), and we seem to have barely made a dent in it.
June 19, 2022 at 12:29 PM
Urspo
mostly I’m supposed to line pans with it, in theory to make easier tidy up. Overall this trick never works I have to clean the pans anyway so why bother the foil? I sometimes use it to cover . Leftovers in the refrigerator – but that could be used by plastic wrap.
June 19, 2022 at 11:14 AM
Moving with Mitchell
You should never be without aluminum foil. Protection from the aliens.
June 19, 2022 at 12:29 PM
Urspo
to got anything for Cup Sprits and lugubrious ghosts?
June 19, 2022 at 11:49 AM
Linda Practical Parsimony
First of all, I think you and the rest of the family are of real value. Of course, he realizes he does not need much of the rest.
For years I was afraid to use aluminum foil aka tin foil where it touched my food for fear of Alzheimer’s. I still think the fear is valid, but at this point I would lose my mind cleaning pans, so I just put the fear aside and line baking dishes when I am cooking meat mostly. If I don’t use foil, I use parchment paper. For baking, I do use Pam. All this cuts down on Tommy having to scour too many things. I cook; he scours.
When I needed to put oil in my car, I made a funnel of foil that worked quite well. Tommy has the whole bottom half of his window nest to his chair covered with foil to reflect the afternoon sun.
When I am going to thaw meat in the refrigerator, I put foil under it and sort of cup it up to contain any drippings. It works. Sometimes, I use a small baking dish for protection from thawing meat.
June 19, 2022 at 12:31 PM
Urspo
those are good tips; thank you for sharing them.
The quotation about things of real value was made by David Sedaris. Five brothers and I like to use it.
So far as I know there is no good studies linking aluminum foil to Alzheimer’s. This assumption was based on early studies plaques in the brain had some aluminum in it. But this didn’t pan out as it were.
June 19, 2022 at 1:19 PM
usstorageunit
This is the second June without my dad. This afternoon we returned from the funeral of both of my parents. My mom was too sick last year to attend a service for my dad, so I didn’t do one. Mom passed April 9. So we did a quick 48 hour trip. I’m glad to be home and have that over with.
Later today we will celebrate Father’s Day with pizza, salad, and some sort of dessert that I haven’t figured out yet.
As for tin foil, I use it all the time. I do remember my grandmother in the 1970’s being concerned that her favorite pot was made of aluminum, but since she had used it for years it seemed silly to abandon it at that point in her life. LoL.
June 19, 2022 at 5:03 PM
Urspo
Yes, at a certain point one can take a what-the-hell approach.
I know a nutritionist who says when she is 80 no more broccoli only chocolate for her
June 19, 2022 at 3:29 PM
Gigi Rambles
The Husband goes through aluminum foil and paper towels like nobody’s business. Every single time we are having people over, I will head to the grocery for some forgotten item and he will yell out as I am leaving, “Pick me up some aluminum foil, please!”
He uses it on baking pans, etc. (he doubles it up if the item being cooked is extra fatty; ie. bacon). He also wads it up into a ball to scrub the grill grates.
June 19, 2022 at 5:04 PM
Urspo
patience above! I wonder how long I go between the purchase of rolls. I think I will mark it down ‘date of purchase’ and see how long it lasts.
The grill scrub is a new one; I learned something.
June 20, 2022 at 1:26 AM
BadNoteB
Impressionable victim of Madison Avenue and product of the ‘50s that I am, I continually date myself with brand references to kitchen “wraps”, both Saran (why not Glad, I can’t explain) and Reynold’s. Old habits die hard, despite feeling like an antique when either reference slips in front of a student, who will invariably look at me and ask “what’s that?”.
I buy my cling film in 500’ rolls, am loyal to “Stretch-Tite” brand’s performance for home use, and will gladly suffer a spare roll hogging precious storage space rather than risk running out. Efficiency of the microwave for reheating foods and aluminum foil’s outrageous unit cost has reduced use to very limited circumstances over time, it seems. Its rare specific use status puts foil on par with waxed-paper in terms of “kitchen crisis when out” status, however.
Father’s Day has become another Sunday on the calendar since the death of my dad five years ago and having no children of my own. I do have a rather odd tradition that I now continue in memory of Dad in the week leading up to the holiday, however.
For almost 50 years after the last death on his side of the family, Dad made a point of visiting the cemetery where his family are buried in the days preceding all major holidays. This was peculiar within our family when contrasted with my mother, who preferred to never visit the graves of her family members. This difference in philosophies was noted but never questioned or discussed and I often suspected Dad’s dedication had something to do with unresolved personal grief issues.
In the year following my parents’ deaths, I was surprised to find solace in visiting their grave sites, particularly in connection with major holidays when the sense of loss was particularly poignant. It was during this time that I made the odd discovery that local cemeteries, too, have unique life cycles and there are limits to the concept of “perpetual care”. Specifically, our local cemetery mows lawns weekly and irrigates as necessary during summer months. Grass continues to grow and creep over edges of headstones as earth settles and erodes beneath over time; bronze and granite weather and dull in shine with exposure to the elements. Such tasks are not part of the perpetual care contract. This realization finally made perfect sense of my Dad’s devotion to cemetery duty for so many years: it was a matter of family pride and honor of memory in maintaining the grave sites – traditions now passed to me in the next generation, and especially in observance of Father’s Day.
It seems acceptance of the adage of apples not falling far from the tree is another unexpected feature of the aging process.
June 20, 2022 at 6:45 AM
Urspo
I haven’t had much success in Saran-wrap and cling-wrap; when they come off the roll it all bunches up on itself. I use foil therefore.
I haven’t been to a gravesite in years. All my relations are buried in faraway sites, several hours to visit. 7 generations of Spos are buried in the same cemetery in Pontiac MI.
June 28, 2022 at 5:59 AM
Sassybear
As my Father was a monster when he was alive, and a distant memory now that he’s deceased, I never did and never will celebrate Father’s Day. Now, if there’s a Daddy’s Day, let me know – that’s a holiday I would enthusiastically celebrate.