Fair Fever and the Polar Vortex

It occurred to me tonight, as I was walking around my yard tending to my flowers that the Heart of Illinois Fair is on this week. We were exhibitors from my first year in 4-H until our 20s. I even remember our family was given an award for the longest continuous exhibitor many, many years later (I wonder if our record has been broken).

Anyway, it is fair week.

I remember the years of drought. I remember the year a tornado went over our heads as we were hanging out in the barn (kids not thinking things through?). I remember many, many years of so much rain it would rush down the middle of the aisle and we would have to clean out the pens to the floor and start all over with bedding. Big mess, huge! Sheep blankets soaked. Yuck! I remember it being very, very hot; so hot that we didn't feed until 9:00 or 10:00 at night.

I have been getting the fair bug. I have a childhood girlfriend who has been posting grandchildren 4-H pictures on Facebook; ribbons, trophies, accomplishments. It is so fun. I have been following a couple agriculture bloggers who exhibit and report their family accomplishments. I have the bug.


So as I walked around at 7:00 at night in warmups, t-shirt, hooded sweat shirt, and sox that in all my fair year I do not remember it ever being this chilly. It would have been wonderful. The sheep would have loved it. Our family would have loved it; show day without giant drips of sweat rolling down your face, back, arms....

I have the nostalgia bug.

I haven’t shown since August 2008. It was the state fair. Conrad had died that summer and I was helping Nichole. I was overcome with grief. It was not fun.

Following these kids, who I really don't know, is fun. I am very happy for their parents and the animals that it is not the "sweat down ever crevice of your body" hot and humid out.

The world's best chocolate chip cookies

When I was a little girl my mother bought a Pillsbury Bakeoff Cookbook that had a recipe for chocolate chip cookies with oatmeal. She made them and our family suddenly wanted them all the time.

I developed and changed the recipe for a college assignment. Through the years the recipe has been used to teach kids the art of baking. It was my introduction to junior high foods class and the kids got to bake and eat the cookies; what kid wouldn't like that the first day of class!

They are expected at family and work gatherings. 

Now titled the "worlds best chocolate chip cookies" by my niece and her friends, they have been requested and been tucked into tux jackets at prom, robes at graduation, sports bags for basketball, and foot lockers at 4-H county fairs.

Tonight I made them for a wedding shower. We are to bring a recipe to the shower. I got over zealous and thought not only should I share the recipe but make sampling. I wrapped them in glass jars and satin ribbon. Very pretty if I do say so myself.

Nichole and her childhood friend are over here tonight so of course some were packaged and sent back with them when they return to their dorm rooms.

It is so fun to share my cherished recipe with friends. I hope the recipe will be passed around for years to come!

It's the little things in life....

I have had the flu for the last two days....and in true "Susan" form, I couldn't stand laying around any more so I worked from home awhile this afternoon. It is so wonderful that technology and my boss allow me to be able to work remotely from home. I love it. Our office is set up so I can easily work here as if I was there, at work. I can set my hours, when I am not feeling well, to get something done without infecting everyone at work. It is comfortable, my Keurig is close, and I can quickly throw a load of laundry in the washer and/or dryer. 

The simple things.....


Tonight, I absolutely needed to go pick up a few things from Target. Yes, Steve would have gone for me but I really wanted to pick the items out myself. He drove me, dropped me off and the door, and was waiting for me when emerged. 

The simple things.....


When we got home Steve made a fire. He tended to it as he was also puttering in the garage. He just would come in, stoke the fire, check on me, give me a kiss, and off again.

The simple things......

I am feeling very blessed right now.

Its Windy and Cold Outside and Water Everywhere

We went to Fairview Sunday to prepare to get the grain out of the bins. It was quite orchestrated event. I had church and we wanted to eat in Fairview (the best breakfasts ever!) where it stops serving breakfast at 11:00. So...we had a short 75 minutes (if our minister doesn't go over) to grab Starbucks and drive to 40 miles west. No talking after church (not always easy to do). Just head to the car. 

Well we made it with time to spare and the breakfast held up to our expectations. We always order the same thing: A giant pancake with a bigger than normal patty of sausage and a 3 egg ham and cheese omelet and toast. I want it right now just thinking about it.

That cafe has been around since I was a little girl. As a child my brother and I were allowed to walk from either Grandma's or the ball park to get an ice cream. Then the ceilings weren't dropped and they had fans that intrigued me. It is arranged differently, though I could tell you how it was arranged. But they serve wonderful food and always have several home make pies to choose from.

After breakfast we headed to the farm. We have to go over the Spoon River in Ellisville and it is high. The overflow had been taken over from the river and Mt Pisgah road was completely flooded. 

Central Illinois is thawing out. It was in the mid 50s on Thursday and the foot of snow is melting with no place to go.

On the way to work last Friday, we drive by a dry creek that feeds to the Illinois River when it rains. When it is really wet it floods the road. Friday this road was closed and the water was raging over the road and the ditch surrounding it were very full. 

Now they say it is getting cold again. The upside is the ground won't be mushy when they try to get the corn into the semi truck. And we did get the auger in place and the tractor that we use for the PTO has a block heater.

Side note: I didn't get this posted and tomorrow another storm is coming in....will this winter every stop?

Valentines Day was so wonderful!!!

Thursday I worked from home.

Friday I went to work (though I could have easily worked from home again) but booked a hair appointment in the afternoon. It was snowing pretty hard and driving to the salon was tricky; it didn't seem that the snow plows had even been out. Two hours later the snow stopped and the plows had been through so returning to work was much better. To my surprise Steve's bosses boss sent him home....OK you don't have to tell us twice!

I came home to twelve beautiful yellow roses. Steve headed outside to clear the drive while I started dinner:

NY cut steak
twice baked potatoes with homemade bacon bits and cheddar cheese
broccoli with cheese sauce
garlic bread
chocolate ganache tart

Steve made a fire and we decided to just talk; no TV. We discussed our future ski trip and some dreams. I love the fact we really do enjoy each other's company.

Then yesterday I was sick! I slept all day and didn't see the light of day until around noon today. Looking back, my first clue I was getting sick was the fact I didn't eat much of my dinner, including most of my tart. Lucky Steve...he ate leftovers Saturday.

Today he headed to the farm to dig out the sheds. Corn is to be delivered March so he wanted to dig out to hopefully avoid a muddy mess later (and be able to get the equipment out). Hopefully his effort helped. Beside nothing makes him happier than driving one of his tractors!

News just said 3-5 more inches tomorrow. Lucky us!!

Creative (and completely frustrating) challenges of grandchildren

We have two grand children. Boys; ages 4 and 7. Usually they are well behaved and cooperative. We do fun things (go to the farm, ride the 4-wheeler, sled, etc) so you always have good choices of "if you want to do <something fun> you have to <eat your dinner, pick up your toys, etc>

Last night was not one of those nights. The four year old had been up all night sick to his stomach. We heard the 7 year old did not think he should have to go to school since the 4 year old "got" to stay home with Mom. Thus the beginning of his day. Mom asked us to pick him up after school, take him to our house, feed him, give him a bath, and bring him home in time for bed (trying to keep the germs contained).

So we picked him up, told him the plans, and plotted out our evening. First, snack. Second, play a bit. Third, start homework. Homework was to read a eight page story. Yes it was big print with lots of pictures, but eight pages. WOW. 

First page in, he started to grab his stomach, and made himself hyperventilate to get himself to cry. It was quite the drama. No, mean Nana didn't by it with a statement like "how could you suddenly feel bad when two minutes ago you were bouncing around?" Blank stare. Then we did the "I just miss my Mom." Answer, "I thought you were going to Dad's for awhile tonight." Blank stare. We read a page through gulping breaths (very dramatic and almost funny if I wasn't just put out he would act like this). We got some juice. Page by page we read and then took a break to work on supper. Suddenly he was laughing and bouncing around again. Assignment read. No more drama. 

Then supper was ready (we made homemade stew with carrot and red potatoes). He knew he had to eat one carrot. He agreed. Just one. He picked out eat piece of meat he wanted, each piece of potato, the carrot. Well, first it was too hot; later it was too cold. He saw me put salt in it so he said it was too spicy (right, actually it needed more salt and there wasn't even pepper in it). Than this was wrong with it and that was wrong with it. He tried saying he wanted something else (Steve already told him this was the menu). Suddenly the hyperventilation, crying, and stomach ache came back. So much of a challenge. 

We sat there and sat there and sat there. 

Steve reminded him he got to take a bath in the big tub. Suddenly he was full - right. As Steve filled the tub I caved. I hated doing it, but I took the potatoes out and said if he ate the meat and sauce he would be done. He downed it (I caught him several times licking the sauce off his spoon it when I walked away so I couldn't figure out the fight - maybe just because he wanted a grilled cheese and we said no to him?).

So it ended on a high note cause he played, and laughed, and told storied in the tub. 

Hopefully he learned something. I learned that his will is strong and he uses tears as a means to get his own way. Oh the life of parenting; even part time as a grandmother.

ILLINI finally won!

I am a huge Fighting Illinois fan, especially basketball!

I sat in Block I for three of my four years at Illinois (my senior year I sat in my big brother's fraternity section). I had season tickets all four years for basketball, which included being an Orange Krush (that year they spelled it with a "C") the very first year of its existance - a small claim to fame. So, though I had high hopes during pre-season, their poor BIG TEN showing has been hard to stomach.

A fun fact - my niece is an Orange Krush member (for those who don't know about this student cheering section, they now raise funds for each 3pt basket made for a variety of charities).

Well today was the day. They played Penn State at Penn State. The Orange Krush, Nichole included, traveled the 12 hours <story> by bus ride to cheer them on. AND THEY DID IT!!! They won after a 8 game losing streak.

So I am having a happy moment and hope the Freshman continue to start :-)