Mornin' all, I THINK I know this, if I'm right it was needed for the president's protection.

Annette

No idea on this one. This intriguing and I will be waiting for clues.

Annette, good idea. The protection of the White House and President changed forever after Pearl Harbor. Much like September 11, 2001, no one was sure what would come next and an invasion or attack on the mainland was considered a real possibility. FDR found himself surrounded in more ways than one in order to be sure he was safe.

Good afternoon. Have to answer this one quickly so I can get a couple more hours of sunlight in. Late start to the day again and we don't get much light up here at this time of year. :(

I know this one from an old friend of mine and my brother who used to build models. Ships, cars, planes even tanks! Then they would play "war" with them and fill them full of holes! Boys will be boys!

Good one Cynthia! I think I will take my chances today and brave the outside. Our "weather outside is delightful" but this house is so frightful!! Haha! Still workin' on trees.

Ginny

Phew. Finished cleaning the inside of the car (didn't just vacuum, but also cleaned the leather and dashboard-gotta love those Armorall products) in between watching the Army-Navy game. As a former Philadelphian with a father who served in the Army and an uncle in the Navy, the game is close to my heart since it was played at JFK stadium (Municipal Field) throughout my childhood. Dad would not be pleased at this moment!

Oh, probably too obvious and it will give away the answer, but apparently Roosevelt was surprised to see his transportation to the Capitol.

I did it again......I guess my clues are too vague. Not direct enough to give it away. So if I said that FDR would NOT get to the Whitehouse full of holes, would that work for an answer???

Ginny

Well, I thought I had posted this am, before I left for work, but forgot to hit the submit button!! Oh well. I'm pretty sure I know the Al Capone bit - there is a restaurant locally called Capone's, and they have trivia on the wall, I think!! Didn't know the answer to the other, but was FDR's transportation slightly more ponderous than his usual limo??

Pearl Harbor was a definite surprise, which was against the Japanese tradition of 'bushido', or honour above all else. It has been suggested that a note was supposed to have been delivered to FDR, prior to the attack. Timeframes got screwed up - I haven't found any corroborating evidence, but I check another time, when I don't have Baked Artichoke dip in the oven, a trivia question of my own to prepare, and a tree-decorating party to get ready for....lol. I warned you I'd be multitasking this weekend!!

Nancy.

Uhoh, Nancy. I am confused...the Al Capone connectiuon was my only question this week. :)

Thinking Annette, Ginny (your clue was fine, btw), and you have it.

Sounds like you have a fun evening planned, so enjoy. I can almost smell the articoke dip-yum!

Ginny's clues nudged a memory about the first of what the Secret Service referred to as "The Beast" having been one that Capone knew well.

I recently read The Kennedy Detail: JFK's Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence by Gerald Blain which mentioned "The Beast".

OK, another kind of limo!! (I saw Hitler's Daimler, it is at our War Museum!!) You think you're confused??!! Hoo, I need to read more carefully!!

Tree is up, straight-ish and I have undone the whipped line holding it tight - it should be loosed by morning, but I will need at least one more person to straighten - you want to talk about Beasts - this sucker is about 9' tall!!! I also got a double recipe of Nuts & Bolts made, I wonder if that will be enough? Two bowls of the dip - double again. I also got a box of clementines, plus several batches of cookies. There is nothing worse that running out of food!!

Very cool question!!

Nancy.

Your tree decorating party guests should be well fed, Nancy.
What are Nuts & Bolts?

Bobbie

Nancy ~ You might need some of those Nuts and Bolts to hold that tree up! A 9 foot tree wouldn't even fit in my house! And you are ahead of me Nancy. I still have yet to get one tree out on the lawn and haven't put up one decoration in the house except for the 3 snowmen on the piano.........but I have finally picked out a new fridge so I won't have to run up and down the stairs to get my cold stuff!

The other day my daughter and I were texting and I was complaining about the insanity around here. She says,"Mom, your house always looks like Santa's workshop before Christmas". Next year, if it kills me, it is going to be different! :)

Ginny

I second Bobbie's question: What are Nuts and Bolts? Must be a Canadian thing?

Okay, so **** for all four of you: Annette, Bobbie, Ginny, and Nancy! The Capone connection was that his armored car had been confiscated and it was used to take FDR from the White House to the Capitol for his speech. I will link the entire article on which the show I watched was based. It really is a fun story. I always like learning more about FDR since one could barely mention his name in our house. My grandparents didn't like him at all, nor did my parents. My mother came around some as she got older and after she saw a PBS show on his life. The courage and strength it took for him to walk to the podium in the congress was extraordinary. I find his determination to accomplish that physical task amazing. As I said before, we were so very lucky to have someone like him to see us through the Depression and most of the war.

Can't wait to hear about your party Nancy. Also, very cool that Hitler's Daimler is near you. They certainly had some magnificent cars back then.
Anyway, here you are. Have a marvelous day. BTW, nothing wrong with Santa's workshop as an inspiration for decor! ;)

Cynthia

Here is a link that might be useful: Dec. 8, 1941

Well, my question is finally posted - what a morning!! And I can't even blame the cats!! lol. You guys probably call it Chex Mix, but it's been around since before then!!

Nuts & Bolts - this was a holiday tradition in my childhood home!!

2 cups Shreddies or Crispix cereal
2 cups Cheerios
1 cups nuts - I use regular peanuts, but Mum used to used honey roasted peanuts, or cashews
1 cups pretzel - I use stix, but small loopy ones would work
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons garlic powder - I used garlic salt

Preheat oven to 300F. Melt butter in roasting pan. Add everything and stir to coat pieces well. Bake about 25 minutes, stirring several times. Some recipes use a cookie sheet, and drizzle the butter mixture over top - messy, messy, messy!!

I have added Tabasco or Frank's Red Hot sauce to perk it up - depends on who it's for!! You can change the ingredients up, add sesame sticks or rice crackers, whatever suits your fancy - just keep the total cups the same.

Cheers All. Nancy.

Nuts and Bolts were always Dad's favorite but I always thought they were sold in a box! I guess Mom made them when we weren't looking. :)

Good question Cynthia! Thanks for the fun! I hope you have a great week and that the kids are not too rowdy! :)

Ginny

Great question, Cynthia. I had no clue, but it was fun to learn about it.

TM

Thanks for the recipe, Nancy. I am familiar with the term Chex Mix. We made a mix of cereals and nuts and I think coconut as well as other ingredients. Not Rice Crispie bars, which we also made.