Two Chums | Two Chums

Jul 13

How Did They Get Their Names?

How on earth did the days of the week get their names?

Jul 12

Staying Young

When is the last time you “played”?

Jul 11

Let’s Hear it for Katherine Hepburn!

Katharine Hepburn made her Broadway debut in 1928, the same year she graduated from Bryn Mawr College.

Jul 8

Another “Did You Know”!

In the last couple minutes of the last dive of the field season we found the largest fish we have ever encountered with the ROV, a Greenland Shark.

Ah yes! We found this so very interesting and no, we did not know. We wonder how many of you knew!

Jul 5

2 Comments

Did You Know?

A Jewish family Karnofsky, who immigrated from Lithuania to the United States, took pity on the 7-year-old boy and brought him to their home.

Jul 4

1 Comment

Happy, Happy 4th!

Your Two Chums wish you a very happy Fourth of July! Celebrate well and enjoy! We do have one question for you. What color was the Statue of Liberty originally?

Jul 1

Savvy Secrets – Celebrate!

Today is the 1st of July which means the 4th of July is almost here. Today we want to share two unrelated yet important ideas for having a wonderful celebration with family and friends.

Jun 30

Savvy Secrets – Corn

Will there be corn on the cob in your weekend BBQ plans? We’ve got a great savvy secret for you today you’ll love!

Jun 29

The 4th of July weekend is quickly approaching. Many of us are planning to head for the beach, the lake, the mountains, or to visit friends or family for a BBQ. With gas prices at an all time high, some people may be rethinking their plans and everyone is looking for the best price when they need to fill up their tanks. Did you know there is a phone app for that?

Jun 28

In The Words of Julia Child

For many of us, one of our first memories of cooking is listening to the jovial voice of a very tall woman on PBS, chuckling as she methodically deboned a chicken or loaded a dish with butter.

Jun 27

1 Comment

Love

This is a wonderful reminder for a Monday morning!

Jun 24

Oldest Airport?

Do you know which is the oldest airport in the world?

Jun 23

Amusement Parks!

Who doesn’t enjoy the occasional visit to an amusement park? And, there are some little known facts that we would like to share with you…

Jun 22

2 Comments

Bond, James Bond!

Inspiration can come from the unlikeliest of places. While living in Jamaica in the early 1950s, author Ian Fleming was in search of a name for the secret agent main character in his new book, Casino Royale. “I wanted to find a name which wouldn’t have any romantic overtones,” Fleming later said. “I wanted a really flat, quiet name.”

Jun 21

More – Did You Know?

It happens to all of us at times. Despite our best efforts to stay cheerful and have joy, we just feel flat or worse, we feel down in the dumps. That happens to all of us from time to time. Today we want to share some natural help for you to try the next time you’re feeling blue.

Jun 20

Did You Know?

Do you know how “seltzer” got its name?

Jun 17

Graduation Time!

It’s graduation season: A time when students wear awkwardly pointy hats, wrap themselves in a robe, and listen to esteemed strangers tell them to chase their dreams. Here’s how those traditions came to be (and the reason graduates are always marching to that song).

Jun 16

Old Is New Again

If you are of a certain age you will surely remember the name Ann Landers and her syndicated advice column “Ask Ann Landers” as well as that of that of her twin sister, know as “Abby” in the competing popular advice column “Dear Abby”.

Jun 15

Did You Know?

Stars! Michelin Stars!

Jun 14

Flag Day

Today is Flag Day, June 14th. But “What is Flag Day?” you might ask.

Jun 13

Kitties!

What taste can cats NOT taste?

Jun 10

Thank You Ma’am-Well Done

We close out this week of coverage of the royal Platinum Jubilee with a look back at some of our favorite moments of the celebration.

Jun 9

Louis Steals The Show

The Royal Jubilee this past weekend was of course designed to celebrate the remarkable 70 reign of Queen Elizabeth II on the British throne. The focus was meant to be on and stay on her. But it was her little great grandson, Williams youngest child, Prince Louis who very often stole the show.

Jun 7

Jubilee – Well Done!

As you know by now this past weekend was the Jubilee celebration for the Queen as the world celebrated her remarkable 70 years on the throne. Yesterday we gave you some info about the dress Queen Elizabeth II wore when she was formally crowned at her Coronation. Today we want to share a highlight from this weekend’s celebration.

Jun 6

2 Comments

A Royal Weekend!

The UK has just celebrated quite a feat – HRM Queen Elizabeth II has been on the throne for 70 years! Pretty amazing, actually!

Jun 3

Did You Know?

Many farewells have religious connections. Adios in Spanish and adieu in French mean “to God,” for example.

Jun 2

2 Comments

Girlfriends

The word “girlfriend” first appeared in 1859, according to Merriam-Webster. It was originally just defined as female friends.

May 31

Wise Words – Start Now

There are times when we all wish we could go back in time and change the direction we’ve gone or a decision we’ve made or just generally have a “do over”. So when those feelings come these are some very wise words to remember:

May 30

4 Comments

Remember

On this special day when we remember those brave men and women who fought and died defending our freedoms remember…

May 26

The Southern Belle

Word Genius furnished us with these “Southern” quotes and we knew you would absolutely love them.

May 24

Table Manners!

According to Maureen MacKay, a Florida-based etiquette expert has a bone to pick when it comes to many Americans’ eating habits.

May 23

Cukes?

Oh my goodness! Apart from being yummy in a sandwich, we did not know that cucumbers were so wonderful in so many different ways!

May 18

If At First You Don’t Succeed…..

Was Jello an instant hit?

May 17

Savvy Secret -Summers Coming

Before you know it summer will be here. In a few weeks it will be time to break out the sandals from your closet. But will your feet be ready?

May 16

In Switzerland, Never One!

The Swiss are known for their historic commitment to neutrality, but they’ve taken a firm stand on one of the most important issues of our time: guinea pigs.

May 13

She Was The First

Do you know who this woman is? Neither did we. But she has the distinction of being the first at doing something. Can you guess what that is?

May 12

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A Toast to The Queen

The life of Queen Elizabeth II is remarkable in more ways than one. Born on April 21 in 1926, she is the longest-reigning British monarch in history. She is also the fourth-longest reigning monarch of all time, having taken the throne almost 70 years ago. And few would bet against her reign becoming the longest ever — a record currently held by Louis XIV, the Sun King, who reigned in France for 72 years and 110 days – but you never know!

May 11

Disney (Did Not) Say!

Who would have thought that a mouse on a steamboat could lead to an entertainment empire that spans the globe?

May 10

Celebrate!

Sometimes life is hard. Things can be tough for all of us at one time or another, and sometimes, for long stretches it feels like you just can’t catch a break. So when you have a reason to celebrate…CELEBRATE!!!! And when you don’t have a reason….find one!

May 9

Chums’ Choices

We received this rather wonderful note from one of our chums which we felt we should share:

May 6

1 Comment

Clever Pigs!

Are they really clever?

May 5

Marshmallows?

We are coming up to summer when roasting marshmallows is a favorite thing to do!

May 4

Success?

What is success?

Depending on who you ask, success can manifest itself in a number of ways: an oversized bank account, hundreds of thousands of social media followers, or a resume full of accolades and accomplishments. It can also look like a healthy relationship, a stable family life, or finally kicking a harmful habit.

May 3

1 Comment

Savvy Secret – Bracelets

Some people call great and helpful tips “life hacks”…your Two Chums call them “Savvy Secrets”. If you’ve ever struggled to put a bracket on one handed and then do up the clasp, we have a terrific Savvy Secret for you today!

May 2

Start Fresh

It’s the beginning of May and the start of a new week. Let’s get off to a good start with some very good words of wisdom 🙂

Apr 29

3 Comments

Taps

It is three weeks ago today that we celebrated my darling husband’s life at the home of one of our sons and his dear wife.

Apr 28

Keep Playing

Many people make the assumption that it is because we get old that we stop playing.

Apr 27

2 Comments

More “Did You Knows”!

Maybe you’ve seen flocks of birds flying overhead to mark the changing of seasons or read about salmon fighting upstream to return to their birthplaces, but exactly how do these animals navigate in the midst of long distances and shifting geological conditions?

Apr 26

Who Knew?

The world knows him as the jovial-looking fellow whose face has graced untold numbers of ravioli cans, but to those who knew him in life, he was Ettore “Hector” Boiardi — which is to say, Chef Boyardee was a real person.

Apr 25

Chinese Take Out Boxes!

In the U.S., plenty of Chinese restaurant fare feature produce that doesn’t grow in China, such as broccoli. Thus it shouldn’t be terribly surprising that Americans also took liberties with how Chinese food is packaged.

Apr 22

The Incredible Edible Egg

There are so many varied and delicious ways to enjoy this amazing super food. One of our favorites ways to eat an egg, a classic preparation, is to poach it. Why then, does this seem so intimidating to so many people?

]Read more

Apr 21

Historic Quotes from the State of the Union

These ten quotes are from various Presidents and we find them all very interesting.

Apr 20

2 Comments

Savvy Secret to Relax

With busy lives and hectic schedules, relaxing and de-stressing is something most of us don’t do often enough. We have a Savvy Secret to help you with that today.

Apr 19

An Encouraging Word

All of us need hope in difficult times and most of us can do with a word of encouragement on almost any given day. Today we have an especially good one to share with you 🙂

Apr 18

Did You Know?

We are often asked how you know if it is first cousin, once removed or second cousin, etc. and we found this wonderful explanation which we would like to share with you.

Apr 13

Words of Wisdom – Find The Gold

None of us…not one single person alive….is all good or all bad. We all have some wonderful qualities and talents, and every one of us has faults and shortcomings. What are you looking for? The book of Proverbs in the Bible has something to say about that.

Apr 8

Roses Are Red

Yes roses are red…and pink and yellow and orange and white…

Apr 6

Words Of Wisdom – Special Occasions

We all have things in the realm of our possessions that we tell ourselves are saved for those special times that are out of the ordinary…treasured items we save for special occasions. These words of wisdom we came across today change all that.

Apr 5

14 Comments

A Good Man

They sometimes say that a good man is hard to find…

Apr 4

The Measure of Success

Today, in reflecting on what it is to have a life well lived, and pondering what the true measure of “success” for any person may be, these wise words from Ralph Waldo Emerson ring particularly true.

Apr 1

Coincidences!

In their 1989 paper “Methods for Studying Coincidences,” math professors Persi Diaconis and Frederick Mosteller defined a coincidence as a “surprising concurrence of events, perceived as meaningfully related, with no apparent causal connection.”

Mar 31

Savvy Secrets-How Does Your Garden Grow

It’s Spring. Time to tend the garden. Nothing is better in Spring than the blooms that pop up and adorn the garden or flowering house plants like beautiful decorations. Feeding those plants is crucial. But expensive commercial fertilizers aren’t necessary.

Mar 30

Emily Dickinson Quotes

Emily Dickinson is considered one of the greatest American poets of all time, famous not only for her singularly brilliant and innovative poetry, but also for her mysterious habits, reclusive tendencies, and morbid fascination with death.

Mar 29

A Word From Meryl Streep

After all, it is Oscar week so why not quote our much-loved grand dame of the cinema?

Mar 25

Word of Wisdom – Fashion

Ladies, in case you are shopping for clothes any time soon we found some very wise advice from the very celebrated fashion designer of films and Hollywood stars, Edith Head.

Mar 23

The Kiss!

A kiss of today, and…

Mar 22

Stay Encouraged!

There is no doubt that the name William Shakespeare is known to most people and his writings revered!

Mar 21

Chums Choices – Toaster Bags

This item we share with you today just might change the way you eat your lunch or make snacks for your kids, or even heat up that leftover piece of pizza for your own midnight snack.

Mar 18

Popsicles?

Do you know how popsicles came into being?

Mar 16

Freedom!

While visiting the U.S. in 1995, Pope John Paul II gave a moving homily to the crowds gathered at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.

Mar 15

Chums Choice – Belfast

Its almost time for that most famous Irish holiday…St Patricks Day. Time to celebrate the Irish. But even if it wasn’t we would be telling you about this lovely film…Belfast.

Mar 14

We See These All The Time!

What on earth do these mean?

Mar 11

1 Comment

Smile

We all possess the ability to change someone else’s day with something that costs us nothing and just might mean the world to someone else. It could be someone we love or even to a perfect stranger for that matter.

Mar 10

Savvy Secret – No Grease, No Problem

We all make mistakes when baking from time to time. You are getting ready to add the batter to the pan and the phone rings, or someone comes in the kitchen to ask a question, or the doorbell rings…you’ve been there, you get distracted and forget to grease the baking pan BEFORE you add the batter. You don’t want to take all the batter out and wash the pan and start agin but what else can you do? Today we are not just identifying a problem, we’ve got the solution!

Mar 9

Use This For That

For all kinds of reasons it is necessary from time to time to make substitution of an ingredient when you are cooking. Knowing what you can use or how you can make those substitutions work can be tricky. Today we want to share a chart that will help with one common ingredient…eggs.

Mar 8

Abraham Lincoln’s Quips

Abraham Lincoln experienced many hardships in his life, suffering from what in his day was known as “melancholy,” but today we would call clinical depression.

Mar 7

Golden!

When Earth was about 200 million years old, it passed through a field of rocks suspended in space. The rocks smashed into our planet and embedded millions of tons of new elements in Earth’s crust — including gold.

Mar 4

Healthy No Bake Brownies

Everyone loves delicious treats. Lots of things claim to be “healthy” and some are. Many other things claim to be “tasty” and again that too is often true. But healthy AND tasty are rarely used together truthfully. Those two things (healthy and tasty) are very often mutually exclusive when it comes to treats. Not today!

Mar 3

The Only Message We Have Today Is…

PRAY!

Mar 2

Wise Words – Be That Thread

We often encourage you, and ourselves as well, about the value of being kind. Today we share a quote with you that tells you why, beyond the obvious reasons to show kindness, that being kind could have such value.

Mar 1

Oh Audrey!

Audrey, we wholeheartedly agree with you!

Feb 28

1 Comment

Say it in Japanese!

Golly, these are so inspiring, for sure!

Feb 24

Words Of Wisdom From Miss Tina Turner

Miss Tina Turner at age 80
(Yes, you read that right….80!)

February is Black History month. We came across some “history” both in words and song that you more than likely may not have heard or seen before.

Feb 23

Did You Know – The Name of God

Whether or not you are person of faith, you may or may not know the name of God given in the Old Testament scriptures in Exodus 3. But even if you have known His name we are fairly sure this new info may enlighten you and encourage you as it has us.

Feb 22

Miracle on Ice

It was back in 1980 when a huge upset took place!

Feb 21

Word To The Wise – Be Kind

Have you ever heard someone mispronounce a word and had a little chuckle to yourself, or a moment of perhaps feeling just a tiny bit superior because you knew the right pronunciation?

Feb 18

“Play It Again Sam”

“Despite being one of the film’s most oft-quoted lines, the words “Play it again, Sam” are never said in Casablanca.”

Feb 17

The Pink Drink

Other than their legendary coffee and coffee drinks, the most popular beverage that you can buy at Starbucks is The Pink Drink.

Feb 16

Chums Choices – Hourglass

Every girl loves a new lipstick now and again. We found a beauty!

Feb 15

E.E. Cummings

True words, for sure. E.E. Cummings life proved it.

Feb 14

Skating Into Valentine’s Day

BEIJING, CHINA – FEBRUARY 12: Olivia Smart and Adrian Diaz of Team Spain skate during the Ice Dance Rhythm Dance on day eight of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 12, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Annice Lyn/Getty Images)

TURIN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 06: Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the United States compete in the Ice Dance Free Dance during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Turin at Palavela Arena on November 06, 2021 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Joosep Martinson – International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)

Three years after Adrian Diaz popped the question to Madison Hubbell on a high cliff overlooking the romantic port city of Barcelona, the two Olympic ice dancers are looking forward to finally planning their dream wedding.

First, though, they’ll have to spend Valentine’s Day in the most awkward way imaginable: competing against each other.

Feb 10

Be Inspired!

Grab these quotes and go!

Feb 9

Answers From A Skater

Mirai Nagasu, the famed figure skater, kindly answered some questions to fill us all in during the Olympics.

Feb 8

Ohhh, Ireland!

This lady, Alexis McSparren, moved spontaneously, to Ireland and here are the things that surprised her the most:

Read on

Feb 7

1 Comment

Well Done – A Platinum Jubilee

Official photo released from Buckingham Palace in honor
of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Yesterday was an historic day to be sure. February 6, 2022 marked 70 years since Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II, making her the longest serving monarch in English history.