Warren's 2020 Summer

LIKE I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH....Blogger has decided to completely change their "interface" -- and I have about a 20% chance of being able to figure it out any time soon. So, when the "legacy" view goes away in August -- there may be a big lag in my blog posts...ugh...

I wanted to write about Warren's summer.  He is 7 this year...and learning things SO FAST...he picks up on everything that is going on around him, and we have the most remarkable conversations.

He's an easy-going little boy...eager to please, and wanting to always participate...

He got swimmer's ear a few weeks ago -- and that has put a BIG CRAMP IN OUR STYLE..

He's happy to wear a facemask -- especially if it means he is able to go into the Goodwill store!

He makes observations about everything.  This table (that looked like a big teacup) was tempting, but Warren said, "it's cool, but there's no room for our food"...and he was right.

The one skill that has alluded him was typing his shoes.  But, during the week they were here, HE MASTERED THAT SKILL...

Summer Food Favorites

The best thing about summer, of course, is the fresh produce.

Last week, we enjoyed our first sweetcorn...and there is NOTHING BETTER THAN IOWA SWEETCORN.

I spent an entire day cleaning a BUSHEL of basil leaves to make fresh pesto.

And I also have a bounty of tomatoes and green beans...

So -- it must be time to make Helen's Italian Potato Salad!

This is a completely different take on potato salad from the one I grew up with...

But it's the one I get HUNGRY FOR...and there really isn't an actual recipe.

My mother-in-law, Helen Farro, was an excellent cook. And this potato salad was different every time she made it -- because she simply used whatever she had on hand at that time.  

But here's my own version --consider it an INSPIRATION...and then, make it your own!!

1 cup cubed boiled potatoes
1 cup cooked green beans (cut into 1: pieces)
4 hard boiled eggs (chopped)
2 ripe tomatoes (chopped)
4 stalks of celery (chopped)
black olives
green olives
green onions
fresh basil leaves or parsley...

Mix everything together...then, dress it with your favorite Italian dressing.  (I use olive oil, balsamic vinegar, with oregano and garlic powder).

Like all good potato salads -- it's better the next day.

Another summer favorite -- FRENCH ONION SOUP!! 

My brother-in-law, Dean, grows the most amazing sweet onions...and he gave me a bushel of them

I sliced them, took my time cooking them down...slowly, so they would caramelize.., then, I added some beef soup base and water...

I scooped it into an oven proof bowl -- added some crusty bruschetta and LOTS of cheese...

I popped it under the broiler to get everything all melty and wonderful...

So - all this good food -- it must be time to HAVE A PARTY!!

Facemasks are here to stay...

Several weeks ago, Lilly and I met up with Anne and Sarah in Tipton...

They gave us a bag full-o-masks...(so far, they've sewed over 800 masks).

These masks are special...because they are MEANT TO BE DECORATED.  This is the BEFORE picture...

Lilly and I got set up on the basement (in our new lounging area)...and we used the same markers we used to paint the bathroom vinyl tile.  (you can see my design style has not changed)....

Lilly's first mask was dragon teeth...

The words say, "This, too Shall Pass." 

Lilly's lizards and snakes...

Note: Lilly's outfit....it was 90 degrees outside -- and she chose black tights with a size 2x black cashmere sweater.  Oh, lordy...!!

Lilly is only 11...isn't that a little young to be entering her "Matrix" phase?

but I'm telling you, Anne -- DECORAT-A-BLE MASKS IS A WONDERFUL IDEA..!!

The Reason we're in LaSalle

After our morning meeting -- in THE MOST PLEASANT place you can imagine...it was a beautiful, bright summer day.  

This is the long view of our little french bistro.  I now think of this as our new favorite place.

We had a very productive planning meeting -- then it was time for the NEXT thing on our agenda!!

A visit to a HOT NEW QUILT SHOP...Quilting In The Valley...

Since opening in 2014, QITV has FOUR locations in Illinois -- and they will have 12 locations within the next year.

This is their third location in LaSalle -- because they busted out of the first two storefronts. Now -- they have 6500 square feet...

Carol Keller (on the left) is the multi-site manager...and Lisa Furleigh (on the right) is the owner.

After a VERY PRODUCTIVE tour of the LaSalle QITV, we carried our meeting to the fabulous UPTOWN GRILL...(recently reopened for in-house dining)

I ordered the tuna nachos. OMG...A.M.A.Z.I.N.G...

Here's the link for the Uptown Grill.    IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE to eat there -- you must go. They have their entire menu on I-pads -- and when you touch the thing you're thinking of ordering -- a picture comes up. IT'S AMAZING.

And -- PLEASE CHECK OUT Quilting In The Valley.   This fairly new quilt shop has experienced skyrocketing success during these most difficult times -- because of Lisa Furleigh's commitment to her customers...to improve something every single day...

I'm telling you -- IT WAS A WONDERFUL, INSPIRING DAY....and you'll be hearing a LOT MORE ABOUT IT...

ROAD TRIP. #6??!!

After a very disappointing trip to LaSalle, Illinois with the kids on Saturday -- I was delighted to turn right around and go BACK to LaSalle on Wednesday....to meet with Rhonda Pierce.

After all, my sucky day was more about the hot weather and two testy kids...it wasn't really LaSalle's failing...and I ALWAYS have a good time when Rhonda is in the house...

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE LaSalle, Illinois...and you will, too -- once I tell you the REST of the story.

However -- I've been playing catch-up with friends so last week was crazy. With my increased Grandma Camp schedule -- and RESTAURANTS reopening (I am seriously doing everything I can to insure their success). ..I'd already committed to lunch with my friend Bert...an afternoon with Sue...a catch-up visit with Cousin Kim...a porch party for my MDF....then John just realized we can go back to his favorite Illinois restaurant for CHICKEN FRIED STEAK...the pool is open again...and I'm trying to get back into a routine.

ALL OF THIS, OF COURSE, while wearing a mask and social-distancing...!!

A day trip  in the middle of the week to meet Rhonda sounded like HEAVEN.  Like a rest, even....AND I DESERVE THIS...

And here's some good news -- I HAVE TOTALLY FIGURED OUT LIBBY -- the free library app!! I hook up my smartphone -- and the audiobook plays right through my car speakers!!  The first book I listened to was The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. 

I can't say enough about this book....I loved it...

THIS SUMMER OF ROAD TRIPPIN has been great!!  I love my new car...and I love planning a little get-away each week. It's a nice way to hook up with friends...or give the kids (or me) something to look forward to.

Next week, I have TWO trips to report on...

OF COURSE, I had to Frankensew a new carseat cover... out of t-shirts...

Rhonda and I hooked up at our favorite little french bakery

Rhonda ALWAYS brings gifts...

The t-shirt says, "Don't think twice. You didn't get it right THE FIRST time, so you won't get it the SECOND TIME either."

I'm wearing my wonderful new  red EARTH sandals (that I bought the last time we were in LaSalle).  Ronda's  comfy new shoes came from QVC...she bought them in several different colors -- DON'T GET HER STARTED!!

But on this day -- WE ARE ACTUALLY ON A MISSION...

Bad Day -- Great NEW GAME..

Ya'll know NOT EVERY DAY IS A WINNER. And, on this blog (as in every Facebook post you have ever read) -- the stories I choose to tell have been heavily edited.

Last Saturday, I had a delightful day trip planned. I was taking Lilly and Warren to LaSalle, Illinois -- and I had purchased tickets for a ride on the I and M Canal Boat. Actually pulled by mules -- I was sure this would be the highlight of 2020 Grandma Camp!

You know what they say about best laid plans...and all that...

First of all -- the weather sucked. It was hot and humid. After driving for almost two hours, we arrived at the boat dock -- only to be told the ride was canceled. (too hot and dangerous for the mules). Sorry about that...

In an effort to pull victory from the jaws of defeat -- I drove to the fabulous, nearby Starved Rock State Park. Hey -- this Grandma's got some game....This will be a wonderful Plan B...

Nope. Not gonna happen.

For one thing, Illinois requires that everybody wears facemasks when they are inside...EVERYBODY. Warren was fine with that...Lilly was not.

I kept having to say, "..Lilly...pull your mask up."

And this constant friction was putting both of us in a testy mood...

Lilly -- pull your mask up...

The original log lodge is STUNNING...and I thought we could sit in the lobby and play a game.  But, can you see Lilly rolling her eyes here?....ugh...

Then, I thought if we went into the restaurant, we could order some apps and play a game...

That's when the kids started arguing over a green crayon. Oh, yeah...this is NOT GOING WELL...

The waitress brought some perfectly good food to our table...but the kids were too focused on Crayon Wars...and they did not eat a bite.

Meanwhile, GRANDMA was having a meltdown. Seriously. I put my sunglasses on so the waitress couldn't see I was about to cry as I asked for our check.

We walked away from $30 worth of untouched food and drinks...I can say that's something I've never done in my life. Ugh.

Dreading the two hour drive home...

We stopped at the Rest Area -- and got out of the car to stretch our legs.  THAT's when we got out our new game. 

Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza...a gift from our friend Nancy Harp.

Unfortunately -- it was very windy that day, at that rest area -- and the cards kept blowing away before we could slap them. But we were able to play enough to see that THIS WAS GOING TO BE FUN..

So, before going back to my house -- we stopped at one of our favorite places -- Brother's Restaurant in Port Byron, Illinois. This place is about 15 minutes from my house...and one of John's favorite breakfast joints...

They also do some kick-ass ice cream sundaes...!!

It was late afternoon -- and the place was almost empty. We ALL LOVED THIS GAME...and Lilly and Warren caught on way before me...which, of course, they loved...

YOU SAVED THE DAY, NANCY...!! I hope the ice cream sundaes and rousing, fun game will be what they remember about that day...

Bathroom REVEAL...

So, it has been pointed out to me that I never actually posted pictures of the finished projects. My upstairs bathroom floor -- and, then, of course, the basement AFTER the Got Junk transformation.

First -- the bathroom.

I would highly recommend this project for anybody looking for a cheap and easy way to change out an old tile floor.  The Floor Pops go right over your existing tile -- and they have this glue thing FIGURED OUT.

We spent a coupla interesting weeks decorating the tiles. Mostly, we did this in the living room, as we were watching tv. I had a big selection of permanent markers...and every tile was completely different. The whole point was NO matchy-matchy....and I wanted WORDS on the tiles.

Before actually laying the new floor, we had to decide whether you should be able to read the words when you walk into the room? Or when you are sitting on the toilet? Lilly was adamant that they should face in all different directions...totally random...

So -- that was our plan.  To basically have NO PLAN.

The room is small, so there are only about a dozen tiles that won't have to be cut or trimmed.  We picked out some of our favorites and did a dry-layout to see how it would look. .

I used a hair dryer to warm the back of the tile...to make the glue gooey...then, we peeled off the backer paper and placed the tile...

After putting it in position -- Lilly rolled each tile with a rolling pin...

You can see the paint job in this room -- and a bit of the window treatment.

There was no rhyme or reason to how we laid the tiles.

The shower curtain says, "It Is What It Is"

This is the finished floor -- before the final coat of varnish.

We decided to leave one plain tile right at the doorway.

The FINAL MOVE was to protect the artwork with a coat of varnish. The danger was that the varnish could dissolve the marker...which, would, of course, actually DESTROY the artwork.

The kids and I went to a hardware store, and after carefully studying all the options -- there was a quick-drying water-based varnish (which I thought would be best).

But I bought the wrong can, which I didn't realize until after I used it, and was trying to clean the brush.  Ugh.  It was NOT water-based, and it was NOT quick-drying...and it DID dissolve some of the marker art.

There was nothing I could do except STAY OUT OF THAT ROOM --  it took DAYS.. TO DRY...and then, it was tacky for over a week...ugh...

However -- at some point, I decided to accept my mistakes...hold my breath....and give myself extra bonus points for being so damned artsy...