Good Morning and welcome to Fat Tuesday!

Of course, since we don't live in New Orleans and we don't have a big parade, it's just another excuse to eat a doughnut.
Sure, that might not be the most healthy way to get through the day, but it tastes darn good. Besides, if you can't get to New Orleans (or Brazil) why not feel a part of it by doing your own little part.
Then again, when you have three little ones running around, every day can be Mardi Gras. Just pull out the beads, make something to eat and, boom, instant parade. Add some fried, fat-laden, sugar-covered doughnuts and New Orleans will have nothing on us. Sounds like a plan.
Hey, we need all the celebrations we can get these days.
Here's a quick recipe for dinner:

Vegetarian Gumbo
7 cup okra, sliced in 1/2" pieces
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup oil (I use olive oil)
1 medium onion, minced
1 lg. bell pepper, minced
4 stalks celery, minced
3 tomatoes, diced
10 cup hot water (distilled, filtered, reverse osmosis)
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. salt (I only use 2 tsp.)
1 tsp. gumbo file powder (I use 2 T.)
1/4 tsp. cayenne
5 bay leaves
1 1/2 Tbs. thyme

Different types of dried mushrooms that have been rehydrated and sliced or chopped, rehydrated TVP, or tofu that has been browned in a little oil to give seafood type textures file to sprinkle on each bowl.

In a dry skillet, fry the okra until lightly browned, and set aside. This takes the slime out of the okra. In a seperate skillet, heat the oil and add the flour and stir constantly until it is a very dark brown (almost burnt). Don't be nervous, a very dark roux is the secret to good gumbo.

When the roux is dark enough, immediately add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and tomatoes, and saute for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the okra, water, and spices, bring to a boil, lower to medium heat, and cook for 45 minutes. Hot water mixes more easily with the roux.

Serve over brown rice, and sprinkle each bowl with about 1/4 tsp gumbo file. Serves 6-8.

If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

Good Morning and welcome to the day we never thought would come!

That's right, about noon today the city of Philadelphia will be awash in emotion as the World Series champion Phillies make their ride down Broad Street to the stadiums.
It's sure to be pretty amazing. If you can't get there, make sure you see it somehow (TV or Internet coverage. There will be a link on delcotimes.com).
While it will be a lot of fun and probably a little stressful, there is one downside to the event.
That would be the pressure schools are putting on students this morning. Most schools in the county have said they expect students to attend like any other day. That's all great and all. There's nothing wrong with that.
What is wrong is the pressure the students had to endure Thursday. I know of one elementary school (which, by the way, is having a Halloween parade of its own today) where the teachers drummed into the students it would be bad to miss a day to attend the Phillies parade.
Some even went so far to say: 'Don't forget, the Halloween parade only comes once a year."
Yeah, well, a championship parade only comes once every 25 years or so. If a parent decides to keep their child out of school to attend the parade, then that's where it ends. If on Monday the school officials give students any kind of trouble for missing Friday, they should be held accountable.
Of course school is important, but there's also life experience. The students don't always get that while preparing for PSSAs week after week.
By the way, lest we forget, today is also Halloween. So, to get ready for the show later tonight, listen to this:


After all the candy's been eaten, check out:


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

Good morning and today we are all seeing things in red colored glasses!

The Phillies exciting weekend was topped off Sunday night with a show of power that means Tampa Bay would be better served just leaving now than being embarrassed in Game 5 tonight.
So, since we now know the World Series title is going to be the Phillies this week (most likely tonight, but, if not, than later this week), that means there's going to be a Philadelphia parade not scene since the sock-hop 80s.
To enjoy said parade is going to take a little planning. For instance, since we've had to wait 28 years for another baseball title, history says we have to enjoy this one to the fullest.
Also, since all schools now require parents to call in when their children will be absent, there has to be some good excuses.
So, here's a few helpful hints. One word of caution, this is for fun only, don't even try to use these for school (work?) the day of the parade. They won't work and, well, just don't do it.
Anyway, here's the script:
1. Sorry, my child has red fever and can't make school today.
2. Um, I have to take my student to the city for some college prep.
3. Hello, my student was up all night and needs today to rest.
4. Good morning, that Rise and Shine column is so good I need to keep my student home to read it a couple of times.
5. Hello. We are having car trouble and can't get our student to school on time. He/she may miss the day.
6. Yes. Um. My student ... OK, we are going to the parade. YEAH PHILLIES! (Well, honesty counts for something, right).
So, there are a few to mull over.
With a couple of days before Halloween, here are a few more:


Can't stop tapping your feet? This will do it:


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

Good Morning everybody from Marcus Hook to Monterey (and everybody in between)!

There is a trading deadline in Major League Baseball today. To some, it's a national holiday, to most it's just a shrug of the shoulders.
Since the Phillies have never really made a big deal at the deadline, it's understandable why there isn't much interest in multi-millionaires leaving one team for another. The Phillies are always happy with what they have and sit on the sidelines watching other teams improve for a chance to win a championship.
Seriously, though, do you blame Phillies ownership when you really think. They are packing the stadium nightly and selling a ton of hats, shirts, whatever. Winning a championship won't sell more tickets. Winning a championship might sell more hats and T-shirts, but that money is shared among teams.
So, be happy, Phillies fans, to watch a team every night. Just don't worry about taking a vacation day for a parade in October.

Speaking of parades, apparently they are shutting down a part of Center City this afternoon to celebrate the Philadelphia Soul's Arena Football League championship. Which, of course, got me thinking: Aren't there enough parades already?
We have the Mummers, Easter Columbus Day, St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and many other parades in between.
Actually, maybe we need more parades. After all, there is a parade on the highways every day. How about adding a marching band to the morning and afternoon rush? Why don't we follow all those Aqua PA construction vehicles around with a car full of clowns?
How about a weekly Saturday morning parade? I'm sure U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-7) would be interested.
Let's shut down Baltimore Pike in Springfield every afternoon for a home-from-school parade.
Or, there could be this:


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com