Today he has up some bit about "Aunt Jenny", the fictional spokesman for Spry Shortening from 1937 to 1956, whom he featured in his first book The Gallery of Regrettable Food. (This, if you haven't come across it, is a not-so nostalgic compilation of some truly horrible dishes from the 1950's, particularly those based heavily on canned or otherwise "convenience" foods. Meat Pie with Meat Crust! Baked Peppers with Creamy Marshmallow Sauce! Yeowch.)
Anyway, here's his take on the character:
Aunt Jenny always struck me as someone in the mold of the nice manless lady who ran the Hooterville Hotel – certainly more country, but more sensible than that nattering old hen Ma Clampett.Well, my children, there you have it -- I shall endeavor to live up to my namesake: to be nice, sensible, and manless, and I promise never to natter. (The "country" bit I won't promise to.)
But now, on to more auntly things. As I think must be officially documented somewhere in the Auntly Handbook, the chief duties of any aunt are: 1) to thoroughly spoil her nieces and nephews with gifts and affection, and 2) to digitally document their every waking moment spent in her presence. I am therefore presenting for other aunts, grandparents, and great-grandparents (and, oh yes -- the mother) the following:
(I could just eat these children up. Somebody bring me a spoon...)
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By the way -- it turns out that Lileks' columns have NOT been discontinued, after all. They've simply been relegated to the online version of the paper.
...which, given that this was the only way I ever read them to begin with, makes me wonder how I got the impression that things had changed.
Oh well. You can read his latest column here (if the web address will publish correctly, which it probably won't):
http://www.startribune.com/local/
20585584.html?location_refer=$url
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...and why can't I edit my own comments, by the by? Have to delete them, and then it leaves a trail. Sloppy.
Oh -- it further turns out that Aunt Jenny was married, after all. Well, well. There's hope for me yet. :)
That last picture of Gabe... LOL! The little monkey!
Can't wait to see them next week. You too.
Yeah, the look on Gabe's face in the last picture is one of profound ambivalence -- "Er, not so sure about this, Gran..." Hee!
I think you should print out that picture of Aunt Jenny (if it is, in fact, THE Aunt Jenny) and make greeting cards out of it. I wish there were a sensible pie-baking Aunt Margaret out there whose trademark I could steal!
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