A Glorious Return! Hudson House Has Re-opened!

Hudson House, 514 PCH. Redondo Beach

If you are as curious about "creative drinks" as you are about food, they proudly present nine of them.  Since the ingredients are listed, it might pay to pop in for a couple and if you fall in love, with the ingredients listed, you can make your own at home where you are unlikely to get busted for DUI.   Thus if an ingredient calls for some exotic  thing - dusted with powdered butterfly wings ...it's still cheaper than in a bar.    Take a little pocket notebook and a pen.

Actually, just read the drink menu at their site.  

With summer coming, it should be said that they have really tricked out a spacious "backyard" or patio to comply with California's dining out laws.  Patios popped up all over the beach towns and now, these restaurants which were going "glub glub glub" as they circled the drain, are well positioned now with dandy new patios  for the summer.

Hudson House has a thick Astro-Turf "floor" 10+ heat lamps and both tables for 2 to 6, and varnished oak picnic benches and tables.   Alert!  You have to walk through the interior of the restaurant to get out there.  It's worth it.  

We both ordered an old favorite - Brown Sugar Ribs.  but they weren't our old fav because they changed the sauce .  And not for the better.  This sounds interesting though - Toasted Edamame with Shishito peppers, garlic, soy and honey $8  Garlic, soy and honey sound inviting on their own.  Waffle anybody?

Mac and Goat cheese?  Errr  Still got room?  Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with whipped cream and caramel drizzle.   

Mah Fellow Colander-Hat Wearers

Ah am addressing you as this Wuhan Scandal/Chinese Virus wends it way along.   I thought from the very first time it hit the news that it was an enemy attack.  My reasoning and bite your damned old tongue and hear me out.  I can, too, reason.

1.  The Chinese hate us.

2.  Wuhan, the local where the drama apparently took place would appear to an entire island of drug labs.

3.  What if they created this virus; infected some 20 or 30 lab workers and put them onto planes to - Italy, London, then Paris ,- and finally the US -  you can see the momentum building here

4.  Now they announce an absolute cure for this disease and will willingly sell said cure to any and all takers - for $1million per shot.  You don't think China wouldn't do a land boom business?   

Suckers all over the world have had The Shot of God knows what with what long-term side effects.  And the media and the pols push the shot.  With $1million lotteries for those (and only those) who get the jab as our Brit friends refer to The Shot.

We live in strange times.  Keep your guard up.  Rattle your colander hat and hope for the best.

Food Somewhat Far Away

But both are well worth the outing. Richie surprised me day before yesterday by asking if I'd like to go to the New York Deli yesterday for lunch.   I'm always up for a meal "out."  I'm funny that way.

"Opportunistic" many might say.  Hell, I know damned well I am and so do readers that have been reading this on any kind of consistent basis.  "Where's she off to now?  Doesn't she know where their kitchen is?"

To which I reply, "None of your business."  

NYDeli is located in a little strip mall of uninteresting shops/services and not much of every thing.  

But the interior has one truly remarkable décor item.  It's a big room, divided by a sort of wall of trees that look exactly like Jacarandas that have been electrified like Christmas trees and there are multitudes of them.

We ordered onion rings to nibble while our food got fixed. Richie ordered a hot pastrami - me a hot corned beef  - sandwich; he ordered the pasta salad; I the cole slaw  and  we both got water although they have and serve beer and wine.   It wasn't a day for a mid-day drink.  

The food portion was generous to say the least. Positively a mountain of  meat in the sandwiches and heaps of the sides.   The pastrami and corned beef were top quality and the servings so generous, so big that we had a sandwich half each left over for our dinners.  Lunch for two plus dinner is very economical - $34.    NY Deli, 2424 Sepulveda, Torrance

As good as all of this was there was a gigantic bonus.  We re-found Ted's Place. Ted is the Reigning King of corned beef hash.  Ted's is on the corner of Sepulveda and Normandy.  Parking lot is on Normandy. 

Why am advocating a humble dish like corned beef hash?  Because it's perfect.  A good-sized platter arrives in front of you with only three things on it - cut your imaginary platter in thirds - 1/3 hash browns, perfectly grilled; add three fried eggs spread over 1/3 platter  of (again) perfectly fried hash-brown corn beef.   Even more economical - $5 per platter for pure ambrosia.  If the coffee wasn't free I'd be surprised.  

Ted is back; I have a reason to live; life is positively rotund with good things.  And - as if more was needed - the sun is gingerly kicking the cloud's ass away.

Would You Have the Nerve?

Book Review - "Everything Beautiful in Its Time" by Jenna Hager Bush   and her twin sister Barbara Bush, daughters of George H W Bush and his wife  Laura.  The twins were theirs.  

The girls seem to have turned writing about family members into a cottage industry.  And each twin married and had children.  Thus 8 grandparents.  Her side; his side x 2.

All of whom seem to have been given similar nicknames.  George and Barbara Bush were known as Gamma and Gampy.  Can you imagine addressing the President of the United States as a baby name as that?

Walker's Point, in Kennebunkport was the tribe's favorite place to be.  Barbara welcomed guests - the Texas upbringing made them hospitable.  But don't think to come visit if you ignored Barbara's Rules to Visit on a previous trip.  Short and sweet - Don't track in sand, hang up your towel, Tell us if you'll be eating out and finally, make your bed.   

And I think of reports of other Presidents who took full advantage of the White House help.  It's an engaging enough book but not much of a beach read.  End of a tepid review.  

 

The Accidental Covid Shot

 Now don't misunderstand me .. Richie and I fully intended to get The Shot; we were just going to do it in our own time.  It seemed to me that as they're pulling the needle out, there was a headline about a new strain "It is unclear if this virus (fill in name ) can deter this new virus.  Or  the announcement of a new lethal side affect.  Teenagers develop heart problems; adults throw blood clots left and right. 

So, "Later, gator" and onward we went.

Until yesterday.  Richie had a Rx at CVS to pick-up and I had a couple of other minerals to pick up.  The knee specialist suggested them (rather forcefully) for the hairline fracture on my left  patella (knee cap to us peasants.) At our second appt. the x-ray showed the fracture was well enough that he told me I could ditch the brace.   YIPPEE!

I'm trying to explain what we were doing in CVS.  Richie went up to the Talk to the Pharmacist window and asked if they were dispensing The  Anti-Virus?  He'd read that CVS was  and could he make an appt. for us if this CVS was doing it?   (Pier and PCH next door to Vons))

"Raffish" our adopted nephew, a medical doctor,  had told me that Moderna, he had found,  was the most promising and that's what he had gotten.  

He did say that with several of the viruses, any side effects present themselves  after the 2nd shot of the mandated program.   The first shot had no affect on us at all so far.  Richie  did whine a little about the  place where the needle went in - he felllt it.   Otherwise we're both fine.  I plan to, uh, forget about the 2nd shot.  June 21st is the scheduled 2nd shot.  (As if ) 

She said they were giving the shots; they weren't busy now and could do it and Richie responded, "No time like the present.  Let's do it."  So the chief pharmacist came from behind the counter and next thing you know, we were in the car, driving away rubbing our upper arms, left arm.  There are more right-handed people than left so bang-o!  Shot to left arm.  

Masks?  Supermarkets and bars.  Then out in the fresh air; ditch the mask. 

Tidbits and Oddities

 What follows is a sample of things I run into in daily trips around cyberspace (I think that's what it's called.)

The $7,000 Tojo toilet from Japan.  It's  special feature?  It takes a picture of fecal matter apparently exiting your body and sends this picture to your doctor.  This kind of non-invasive bowel examination is said (by Toto probably) to be just as good as a colonoscopy.  

The cheapest toilet is nearly $900 - Polaroid? shot?

French dogs can attend sniff/saliva  school in Paris.  There they are taught how to sniff a Covid sample and indicate to the owner Covid or not.  And this is 97 accurate Same for saliva which is said to be 91% accurate.

I like this idea because you don't get a yard-long swab up your  nose.  It tickles.  Who knew the brain could sense ticklish? I know this  because many people will tell you that this test does go up to your brain! Certainly it feels like it.

Today's boredpanda.com has witty signs from a gas station.  I recommend panda this morning.  A sample or two - I wish I was as thin as my patience.  Two silk worms got in a fight; it ended in a tie.

Saturdays

In the midWest anyhow, the weekly schedule ran like this:

Monday - do the wash;  Tuesday iron what's clean (pause for us all to scream with laughter at the very thought of getting out the tools and then Wed. on through the week until Saturday, doing what you do for a living that, if nothing else will pay for more starch to finish ironing.  Okay.  But no law says you can't have fun through your week.  As unlikely as it may be that you could.  Have fun that is.  Readers Digest to the rescue. 

Yes I believe in science - that's how the jelly gets in the donuts.   I buy seedless grapes only; leave the wine-making to the professionals.  I had a prune joke, but it's dated.  I have a Star Wars joke but it's forced.

I have a nihilist joke but (shrug) who cares?   I have a joke about cows but I don't want to milk it.

I have a joke about a broken clock, but it's not the right time.

And...Charles Dickens walks into a bar and orders a martini and the bartender asks "Olive or twist?" 

 Rene Des Cartes walks into a bar.  "You want a beer,?" asks the bartender  "I think not," says DesCartes, and then he disappears.   I don't get that; if you do, have a nice snicker at me and put the punch line in a Comment.  

Amazed Again

Anyone  older than say, 50, could (and often does) cite something that amazed them.  My moment came in yesterday's mail and getting mail that isn't a bill is a rare and wondrous thing anyhow.  

What ho!?   A letter (not a bill) from the Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine.  What the hell do they want with someone who lives in So. Cal? Maybe they wanted to perform a necropsy on Streak?  Far too late.  And I wouldn't be about to have Streak ashes dusting lightly over everything upstair

Excerpts from their letter:  The Pet Tribute of KU, etc. recently  received a generous monetary contribution from Hermosa Animal Hospital in memory of your special friend Streak...through this donation Streak will live on in perpetuity.  

Then they push a memorial book displayed in the Veterinary Medical Library (your name and "Streak" together.) placement and an owner's photo of the deceased in their "Whispering Garden."  

 The former owner of the deceased can write a message to the late pet.  There is a designated space set aside for your message on the form.

And they close --We would like to express our deepest sympathy for your recent loss and hope that the thoughtfulness of Drs. Liebl, Broussard, Burgos, Jack and Yao will somehow comfort you during this difficulty time. 

"You think you'll be okay but them reality comes around and - Ka-Pow! Reality."

Wed., May 5th, we took our cat Streak - a blonde tortoise - in to the vet.  We had an appointment to have her euthanized.  She was 20, had had a stroke that stiffened her rt. back leg , rendering it useless.  We saw her  gradually fading away, day-by- day.  It was time.  

Her vet came out to the car and picked her up in her cat carrier, reassured us we were doing the right thing  and said she or someone on staff will come and get us.  Streak would be ready for her final appearance. 

Summoned, we followed the tech to the first room on the left as one comes in from the parking lot.  Streak was wrapped - except for her face - in a heated blanket with an array of three syringes near  her front paws.  Our vet explained what each had on board and used the first.  "This will relax her and then ... this pink one in the middle..." and Richie, looking pale, said, "I can't" and left.  

Perfectly understandable.  She was always more his cat than mine - she was his lap junky.  He sat down in the recliner and whishht She was in it.  

Because I am an advocate of euthanizing a sick animal whose time has come, it didn't bother me.  While waiting for between the shots, the vet and I were perfectly okay with the whole procedure.  Some might be rather disquieted by the laughter we were creating. Of course the vet was okay, veteran of a great many shots.  When Streak had died, somewhat disconcertingly, her eyes  were still open.  I asked that they be closed (don't they keep any pennies to weigh them down?) She explained that after death there is no muscle tone whatsoever thus the eyes can't close on their own.  

I asked that she be cremated and the ashes given to us.  This is our standard practice.  The ashes come to you in a plastic bag, placed inside a little Lane Cedar Chest, closed with a tiny padlock and key.  

Yesterday they arrived.  And what a kit it was:  ashes in chest, little padlock and key; a photo display triangular rack; a packet of Forget Me Not seeds and Richie's photo of her curled up cozily in her little bed and, finally a condolence card.  Streak was home, especially since we set all of the above under the skylight for the sun which she had loved always.   

Okay, so far; so good.  But this morning the sun caught the glitter of the little lock and key and reminded me forcefully that  she was dead,  That is the reality.    

A New Standard in Eating - Yum

The Standard, 226 Standard Street, El Segundo, CA  Long ago I developed this somewhat sneaky way to combine a haircut (The Tonsorial Parlor under the genius guidance of Dale Snowberger)  and eating out.  Lunch or early dinner; it's "Out!" and I want me some.  I'll be perfectly happy to heat up the leftovers for dinner.  That's my kind of cooking...

Dale recommended The Standard and said the hamburgers on a pretzel bun are delicious; "Ask for more napkins  when you order one- they are that juicy!"

Well the juicy burgers will be an enticement for next time.  Yesterday we each had a Rueben with  garlic fries.  It comes with fries but do you want plain, garlic and I think or sweet potato (next time on that one. )

We had lunch and  dinner the sandwiches are sizeable but only $13

Modelo Draft?  $8 each.  Total tab for lunch and dinner for two - $45.99  Hell, be a sport:  $46.

We finally remembered why the place seemed vaguely familiar ... had we been here...yes...but it ws with someon, but who? and then Bingo! staring at the open front door and the first table, we shouted almost simultaneously, "Dee!"   

When we talked, he said yes, it was him and further that since there's an Air Force base  set up not far away, he knew it well, along with his Air Force buddies.  I thought what a pity it is I don't know any single women to shoe through the place like a yard full of cackling hens.

Ah well.  That much more food for us.

Such as Sunday Breakfast:  California Benedict with bacon, avocado, potatoes on the side and Hollandaise sauce.  They open at 10:30 a.m. 

 

One of the Irrefutable Signs Summer Will Come This Year!

Despite what you see out of your very own window!   May Gray. or Gray May as you prefer.

I'm referring to the first white corns on the cob in your supermarket.  It is positively heavenly.  The kernels are fat, plump and sweet/  Not candy sweet; just such a subtle sweet all most of us experience is "Damn!  that's good!  We've gotta get this again soon!"  I agree with you!

The Marketing Mind

Yesterday's column addressing Queen Elizabeth II's foray in alcoholic beverage making prompted the following great merchant thinking.  

A cousin and friend and I were discussing it and the idea of a pink martini appalled us both.  Musing, he said, "But it would be great for that women's breast cancer group - Susan something?"  

"Yes! the Susan B. something," I replied.  "Komen!  Susan B. Komen!"  "Pink is their color.  

But I think they ought to team up with MADD - encouraging martini drinking - no matter what color it is - not a good idea.  

"Who's Your Bootlegger?" (Inquiringly)

(Confidently)  "Queen Elizabeth II"

(Reply)  "Get outta here!"

The barley for her beer - Sandringham Golden IPA and English Bitters - is grown on that Estate? Castle?  is grown there.  It disconcerted me to read that the finished gin (named "Celebration Gin") is ruby-colored.  I pondered on the likelihood of a pink martini being appealing.  I have heard of pink elephants in connection with what someone will see if they drink more than two martinis of any color.

 It puzzled me that the head of the Church of England is a brew master and gin fancier.  The gin part may derive from her mother who once famously rang the kitchen help and said, "Will one of you old Queens bring this one a G & T?"  

Both products strike me as a bit on the dear side.

Either beer comes in a 500ml bottle for $5.50 (assuming that's Euros.)  The gin is $41!  For what looked like a regular bottle of say, Scotch, Vodka ...

The labels, however, are pretty;, dainty, flowery, girly,  pastels and quite fetching.  

Queen for a day?  Before lunch mix yourself Queen Elizabeth's pre-lunch cocktail.  The kitchen staff says she only has one; never more.  In case you were worried she'd suddenly taken after her Mother.

No one has ever said what it's called.

You will need gin, (undoubtedly her make), Dubonnet , champagne, and chunks of lemon.  (This sounds vaguely like a Kir Royale to me.  Which is: a dollop of blackberry liquor with a topper of champagne.  Lemon optional?  Suit yourself; she does!    

Certainly not your usual car chase

It should be noted that we are rarely without one playing on Ch.7 for which apparently Ch 7 has the monopoly. 

When Richie switched away from the BBC. 7 came up like a moon the wild dogs go nuts for.

Last night, I settled on my big fat chair and looked up to see a small white car on a freeway ramp.  The announcer said, "The car in question is a Prius -..- and I lost it big time with a guffaw of laughter that rattled me in my my chair.

Suddenly my mind flashed with this surprising scene.  The officer was running along with the car - passenger side - flashing his badge, screaming, "FREEZE!" while throwing bullets at it.  

O that it could have been like that,

Prius owners the car won.  But I sure had a good laugh. 

Weather To Read By when You Live Here

 We have two seasons despite what anyone might say about sunny So Cal.  They are in order 'cause there's not many of them - Gray May and June Gloom.  To reassure you about a tan, July bounces right in.  Don't  forget your sunscreen.

So remembering our two less-that-perfect months and hit the library with elan. 

I don't know how much elan it requires but just take your best shot.

I scored b i g.  Four new Stuart Woods which as far as I can tell I haven't read and they are a quick read.

(as far I could tell - at least I haven read them yet, and two biographies.

First and probably classier -"JFK, Coming of Age in the American Century 1917 - 1956" Right away I smell a large, well-fed rat.  JFK was very much alive and well in 1956.  I think he courted nd married Jackie in those years. 

The other is decidedly not classy at all - "Battle of the Brothers" referring to Princess Diana's sons Willian and Harry.  Royal mud to be examined in detail.  

Truth be told (and I am capable of it,) I got them both for the pictures.  Reading about politics is coma-inducing

Furthermore will report on the contents  of both.  I didn't believe the story of Harry cavorting with "friends" in his visit to Las Vegas.  What I didn't believe was that they were all stark-nekkid.  An unlikely scenario.  Indeed.

Tidbits - Crazy or not?

I read in one of those orange tidbits as the computer awakens and stretches - O.J. Simpson has endorsed Liz Cheney because, "She's honest."   "Judge not lest you be judged: came instantly to mind.  

And so far, she hasn't rejected his appeal.  And you wonder why politics sucks?  

In 1906 dueling with wax bullet became a Men Only Olympic contest.  No one got killed which is frankly amazing consider wax could be made to look quite like a real bulled.

They didn't become lethal until the Gangs of Chicago. 

Book Review

And it's - "HRH, So many thoughts on Royal Style" by Elizabeth Holmes   $35   327 pages 

I keep thinking that there's nothing left to write about the royal family but clearly there is.  Evidence to follow.  And it's a grum day, overcast and more or less ugly.

The Royal women covered in this are Queen Elizbeth II, Princess Diana; Kate Middleton  Duchess of Cambridge, and most recently and fewest pages, Megan, Duchess of Sussex,;  Queen Elizabeth is by far the most interesting - because she's been here the longest?  

She has had dressers since childhood - Margaret "BoBo" - as well as surveillance - they two shared a bedroom from the time she was 11 to her honeymoon with Philip!  Now by jingoes, that's  close...

and a bit more than eerie.  BoBo was a Scotswoman and taught her to smooth out wrapping paper for another gift.  

Queen Elizabeth has a wardrobe directed at the public - hats must not hide her face.  Dresses must be solid bright material so that the people can easily see her from the back of an audience.  And as an example, a pink splotch that people who shot a selfie can later point to it and say, "There she is!  See the bright green?"

Other little quirks - Kate Middleton wears panty hose!  Still!  

Me-again favors bateau necklines.  Little funny things like these.  

The Queen recycles gowns - had her coronation dress redone six times - because she didn't have to buy or make six new ones.  Alert - she also recycles jewels.  Alert fanciers of jewels have often noted that!

It's an interesting, gossipy read.  It's a bit pricey at $35 so see if your library has it.

The Earthquake between Redondo and Hermosa Beaches Last Night.

I sat quietly in front of the TV  as "Jeopardy" began to roll and so did something else.  Our house.  There had been a tremendous  "whump! and I thought, "My God, a car got the house!" as a couple of smaller tremors passed so quickly I wasn't sure anything had happened!  "Richie!  Turn on the radio!" I bellowed.

I should explain - we have one radio station that always knows all about the earthquake in process - where it was located, what strength - 3.7, in this event and located 6 miles out in the ocean. 

And the animals?  Fred the cat, ambled off somewhere downstairs but the big surprise was Lady Bird the cockatiel, who went nuts!  She was flapping her wings so hard that plants across the room began waving in sympathy.  

And Jeopardy resumed  business.  I didn't get the last one, the theme one; did you?

Mamma's Day

 We weekly grocery shop on a Friday or Saturday.  We've learned the hard way to do it any day but: Superbowl - good luck finding avocados for your world famous guacamole.

What does Mom want?

Flowers 26% of the Moms want them' only 2% of Daddies  get them.  Cards - 90%

chocolates 28%   clothing 80%

65% of  the parents want quality family time.  I think of some families (and no doubt you can, too)  that could provide anything but  "quality" to their time."

Flowers - the most popular is said to be the pink carnation.  They represent Mary's tears for Jesus upon His death.

How much do you expect to spent on presents this year?  $220 per person  Totaling $16 billion up from $15.3 billion last year.

Restaurants  make out like bandits.  Our favorite restaurant - shuttered to my horror - Ports O Call with a dynamite  buffet and all of the free champagne you can swill down.  

On a trip into the bathroom, I asked the attendant (we were old pals and always had a little chat , ) how many plates today?  And she said, "3,000."   And I gasped.  

Today, I can report that the front and back doors of Ralphs supermarket were massed high with flowers.  I think people had a hard time getting their carts through.  Even funnier - there's a See's Candy store?  Emporium? right next door to Ralph's- and people were lined out to the parking lot.  

And the Ob/gyn surgeon said, "And those babies just kept coming! Five girls and four boys."

 A quote that might have happened, but I didn't hear it.  What prompted this?  A 25 year old Mali woman gave birth to nine babies in Morocco.  5 girls and 4 boys at once.

After Ocotopussy. when Nadia Suleman dropped eight babies from one womb we became familiar with Octoplets.  All eight are now 12 years old.  Okay back them there hadn't been very many multi-births.   Quits are rare enough at 1 set in 55,000,000 births.

Curious about what in hell one would call nine at once besides litter,  I consulted Google.  

6 babies - sextuplets 

7   " septuplets

8 octuplets

9 nonuplets.

There have been a couple of nonuplets in such as Australia but unfortunately they died with days of birth.

The Malis though - the husband reported that his wife and the nine babies were all doing well.  

But I'm thinking "Litter would be a good generic name for occasions such as this one.  And maybe later on a singing group"  "The Nonnettes"?

What Cinco de Mayo Celebrates - and Doesn't.

Cinco dee Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day.

Cinco de Mayo IS the battle when the Mexican Army defeated France in the French Mexican War of 1862.

A local restaurant - the Ragin' Cajun' from Louisiana has wished  all of us (and adds and the big tent is plenty spacious) by saying:  Happy Cinco de Bayou  Y'awl Come on In!

For Michael Jackson Fans

Who knew?  And if you do know, you get an A in the class.

Today is his mother Katherine's 91st birthday.  Born May 4, 1930.  Her given name was Kattie B. Screws; her father Prince Albert Screws. (After he got out of the can?  Remember as kids "Do you have Prince Albert in a can? Better let him out!" (click!)     

She grew up to marry Joe Jackson (1949 -2018) The happy (and it must be said prolific) couple sallied forth and built a family with 10 children - seven boys and three girls.  The oldest from 1950; the youngest

from 1966.  

Jermaine Le Jaune bears an interesting name.  Translating his name Jermaine Le Jaune from the French  gives us Yellow Jermaine.

Cast Away!

and I'm not talking about an incident at sea.

This morning, I had an appt. with the hand surgeon.  He ordered X-rays of my busted hand after the current cast was removed.  And I don't have to have another one!  I have been wearing a cast since the surgery March 23rd to pin it back together.  FREEDOM!  

Now I can shower and wash my hair, and head back into the kitchen to cook again!  

and button certain items of clothing (Levis) and go up and down the stairs fully able to grip the railing. 

But most of all, I can write checks and pay bills; and sign documents, write research notes  and don't forget the NY and LA Times Sunday crossword puzzles. 

FREE to do all of the above and more than likely, much more.  

Looking down on the back of my hand and I see that the poor skin - not having had any liquid since March looks all flaky.  I wonder if this is called Cast Dandruff...It won't last long - water and hand cream are waiting to hit the stage.

FREE!

                          Free Again!  The Cast is Gone!!

More later.  Celebration dinner at Alioto's Via Firenze of which I will report tonight.  Right now I am so incoherent with joy that this is a poor blog with a very happy owner. 

 

May 1st - Today

Is Labor Day in France.  When King Charles 1X received a bunch of them as a sign  of goodwill and good luck;  he thought  it a charming custom and officially called it so in 1561.  It's  been celebrated ever since.

What happens?  People buy little bunches of  Lily of the Valley flowers and hand them off to strangers.   We learned about this charming custom firsthand when we landed at Charles De Gaulle and were walking to the Air France bus into Paris where my best friend Michelle would pick us up.  Various people handed us a small bouquets of these lovely blossoms.  

At first I thought these strangers were selling them - some kind of promotion and started to fish out my billfold.   "No, no" - the strangers insisted.  Michelle quickly set us straight when we met.. 

It is a lovely custom if you don't know that these flowers are extremely toxic and can poison small pets and medium-sized children.  

Good luck my foot!