Our Fond du lac Weekend

It was John's birthday.  Like most young couples with a child still living at home -- we decided to celebrate with a little road trip.  It'll be fun to get away -- eat special restaurant dinners and enjoy the always-exciting hotel sex.

Wisconsin is one of our favorite destinations.  It has that extra special allure of fried cheese curds...

The only couple pic from that day

We like to eat at a place called "Faro's"

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It's official -- these obnoxious wind mills are EVERYWHERE

There was a store downtown called "Lillian's"

One afternoon, we went to the Historic Galloway House. They've set up an entire village, with small buildings depicting life in 1800's Wisconsin...

Every building is historically correct -- they have all been moved from other locations to create this village...

The house itself used to belong to the wealthy family -- Galloway -- they made their money in the lumber industry -- then banking. No mention of cheese production.  The home sat empty (with caretakers only) for over 20 years...

Inside the one-room school

I was attracted to the home/business of the small town seamstress....

Which was full of turn of the century displays, dresses, buttons, patterns,

I loved this information....

John looking inside the grocery store...

For John's special birthday dinner -- we went to Jim and Linda's Lakeview Supper Club...and here's the review I wrote for Yelp.

TBC (Tuesday Breakfast Club) Apron Sighting

You really can't imagine how much I look forward to and enjoy my Tuesday mornings. Last week, while many of my friends were in St. Louis for Babylock Tech -- I went off to my usual breakfast at the local grocery store with my book clubbers.

They all know Mary Mulari -- and we were talking about Mary's newest project...

At that moment -- a woman wearing an apron (and very little else) walked into the store. My friend Sandy said, "Mary would call that apron abuse...."

I turned -- and was horrified to see this woman casually walking into the store. She didn't look like she was being chased by bandits...I mean -- this is a choice she CONSCIOUSLY MADE???

For just a minute, I felt like I was on an episode of Candid Camera....

Of course, I did what any of you would have done. I jumped up from the table and took my camera to stalk apron-woman...

I HAD TO send this picture to Mary...

Mary used to have an apron pattern very similar to this...but I'm pretty sure this woman had it on backwards....

When she turned around, I smiled and tried to look innocent. But I was also horrified at the FRONT OF HER..... She was maybe 70 years old, and she was wearing pink bloomer/type underwear (I swear) -- and a pink sports bra. My guess would be a 36DDD. You will just have to take my word for it...

I tried to snap a front-shot picture of her -- I JUST COULD NOT STOP MYSELF...but it turned out like this....and by that time, of course -- she was scowling at me...

Maybe this is my camera, making a judgement, eh??

As my friend Marion always says -- why would anybody write fiction?? when the truth is sooo bizarre...

Mary's random shots

Because I am going to bury this "post" a bit in my blog -- the chances are very few people will see it or read it. AND if you do happen to get to it, you really will wonder what's going on...

I recently interviewed Mary for "Inspired To Sew " magazine -- and I wanted Rhonda Pierce (editor) -- to see what pictures I had available...

Living Room ART

One of the best things about owning your own home (instead of renting -- or living in a car) is that you get to PAINT THE WALLS any color you want....and -- since it's hard to pick one favorite color -- I long ago decided to PICK THEM ALL...My living room has one wall burgundy, one wall blue, one teal, and another yellow...(no kidding)...

This plastic flamingo used to belong to my mother....she LOVED this thing...

I spent years amassing my collection of little travel clocks...

I have long been a sucker for a pithy cross-stitch

The biggest wall in the living room is teal -- and I love the abstract woman's face...it led me to collect lots of other kinds of ladies faces...

But it's time for a change -- and I'd like to figure out a way to hang this up...??

And I bought this over a year ago -- TIME TO HANG IT UP, EH??

I LOVE THIS PAINTING...Bert gave it to me for my birthday -- and I'm ready to redo ALL THE ART in the room now.

This is going to be fun!!  But now I have to get rid of something....

Men vs. Women vs. Purses

Every woman in America has her own purse "criteria". More than any other accessory or article of clothing -- a purse is a unique, individual thing that you carry with you EVERY SINGLE DAY of your life. Your purse says something about your sense of style or self.

I have this theory that women subconsciously buy the same purse, over and over again...in this picture from last summer, I am carrying a purse that met all my high standards....(I wore this fabulous purse out)

My favorite purse -- arty, lightweight, cross-body strap, zipper top, more horizontal than vertical...outside pocket for my phone....(it was a gift from my talented cousin, Jackie!)

Mary Mulari carries a travel/purse that must fit into the compartment of her carry-on suitcase .  Emily prefers a small purse that fits under her arm. Marion found the perfect purse two years ago -- a colorful lightweight fabric bag with a cross body strap...

My Grandma Little probably only owned three purses in her entire life -- but they all looked the same. Black vinyl with two zippered sections on the inside and two handles on the outside. She called it her pocketbook -- and it always sat on a chair at the back door (in case there was a tornado)...

My friend Gail has probably owned 200 purses in her life -- but they also look the same. They are always real leather, always black, and always ENORMOUS.  I'm certain she carries hairdryers, electric toothbrushes and toasters....  Her huge purses are so heavy, they have caused back pain and chiropractic visits...

Recently, I was considering changing purses.  Five or six thrift store purses were in contention from my huge supply of purses-in-waiting living a basket in my basement -- (somewhere under t-shirt mountain.)

With the contenders laid out on the floor in front of me -- I was considering my own purse criteria --and started to have this conversation with Ross -- who was sitting in an adjacent chair. He listened as I explained the various things about purses that matter to me....a cross-body strap, an outside pocket for my cellphone...

My own purses need to be more horizontal than vertical; it needs to be big enough for my wallet and my camera; it cannot have a black lining (because then stuff gets lost in there). Ross was nodding as I explained the importance of a zipper at the top of the purse...yada yada...

I was considering a purse that had a bright pocket on the outside, and the perfect adjustable long strap.  I held up that candidate, and asked Ross,  "This bag has one big obvious flaw....Can you see what's wrong with it?"

Ross looked up -- then over at me -- like a deer in headlights... "I'm sorry, Mom. I quit listening ten minutes ago..."

I started to laugh...then he said, "I didn't know there would be a quiz..." 

I was still laughing...

then he said, "Where's Lilly??""

So much to learn!!

During our visit to the Buffalo Bill Museum -- there was so much for the kids to see and learn...

We started off watching a little film about Buffalo Bill

The exhibits are a mixed bag of some old and new...

The girls enjoyed taking turns being the teacher in a one-room schoolhouse...

Deena and I explained the art of old fashioned chalk and cleaning erasers!!

The Lone Star tugboat is dry-docked inside the museum...

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SUMMER DAY...and Lilly had a great time with Deena and the girls!!

Although -- we enjoyed our little walk along the river -- this wasn't the END of our fun day!!

Monday is Laundry DAY!!

I wonder sometimes if Monday as "Laundry Day" is a thing of the past?

A hundred years ago, it made sense for many reasons. Busy, hard working farm wives had to line it all up -- the piles of dirty clothes -- the fires to heat up the water -- the hauling of the water, etc. It obviously TOOK ALL DAY...and starting off the week by doing laundry gave the rest of the week a certain order, don't you think?

My mother's generation didn't question things like laundry day. Near as I can tell, every woman in the neighborhood continued to do their laundry on Monday -- even though by that time, they all had hot running water, automatic washing machines and electric (or gas) dryers.

Nowadays, most young mothers do laundry every day of the week...maybe Monday is no different than any other day...

But, if that's true -- it makes me sad. Because I still love, love, love having Monday being my LAUNDRY DAY...

AND I have a Pinterest board with hundreds of pictures like this to prove it!!

It is possible I love collecting PICTURES of doing laundry more than I actually love DOING THE LAUNDRY...

I mean -- really -- WHO DOESN'T LOVE MONDAYS AND LAUNDRY???

BEST EVER Tomato Sandwiches

It was really exciting for me to see my friend Linda write about this sandwich on Facebook last week!!

Over the years, I have served this sandwich to EVERYBODY I know.  So, now it is a staple here in Iowa.  It is the sandwich I think about in January...lol.  Amanda wrote last week to say she made it for her friends, and it was a shocking hit...She ate it first last summer after reading about it here -- and this year -- she made it even before her former favorite BLT!!.

Years ago, I worked for a wonderful architect with a great sense of humor who loved to cook -- Jay Ohland.  He and his wife Elsa taught me many things about cooking and canning. Every year, when the tomatoes are ripe, I look forward to eating this sandwich...and I think about Jay and Elsa...



Yes -- that's white bread. I prefer the large cottage loaf...really fresh...

Spread mayo on one piece of bread -- and crunchy peanut butter on the other piece. THEN, all you need is some thick slices of delicious, ripe tomatoes...

THAT'S IT. Heaven. I'm telling you. Absolutely delicious. There's something about the salty peanut butter and the tangy mayonnaise...it is the PERFECT combination.

You can only enjoy this sandwich when the tomatoes are fresh and ripe from your garden.

Every year, I eat this sandwich, and I call Jay.  Two years ago, he told me Elsa died.  Jay was living in senior housing...and I knew he was sad, soooo missing his Elsa.  This year, his number had been disconnected... 

Iowa Summer = Sweet Corn!!

On this day -- Warren had his very first experience with sweet corn...

Although, he was so mesmerized by the hummingbirds, he really didn't seem very interested...

John LOVES doing the grocery shopping. And every year, at Thanksgiving, he buys two or three turkeys. Since we have THREE FREEZERS -- he thinks it makes perfect sense...

If I'm going to make a turkey in July -- I MUST have sweetcorn...

And some company! Who are we kidding?? THIS IS A LOT OF WORK, PEOPLE...

But sooo well worth it!! Even if Warren doesn't remember his first sweetcorn meal -- his sister Lilly will!! (because she remembers EVERY little thing)

The other summer MUST EAT is tomato sandwiches...don't forget...soft white bread, with mayonnaise on one side, and chunky peanut butter on the other side....