TMBC Summer Porch Lunch

Last year, when I had the TMBC come for our porch lunch -- it was a THEME PARTY. Remember the Iron Range Luncheon?? Unfortunately, I didn't get a good picture of the whole group that day...

But I love this picture of Sharalan and Jackie -- who was home for a visit. (she lives in Wilmington, North Carolina...ugh...)

It was an "Iron Range" luncheon. AND I DID GET A GREAT PHOTO OF MY SANDWICH LOAF...do you remember this masterpiece??

This year, I chose a MUCH SIMPLER menu...featuring some of Elliott's fresh eggs...

Ina Garten taught me how to properly scramble eggs...(on low heat)...

Everything tastes better when we eat with Aunt Rozella's silver...

I made popovers (of course)

LP brought fresh fruit.

Frankie loves it when we have company.

Everybody got a gift that day. A SPOONER, of course!!

Because, as it turns out -- I JUST CAN'T QUIT BUYING THESE SUCKERS...!!

This was ALWAYS meant to be a spooner

With the red rim, this one may have been a set of elegant goblets?

The yellow mug is an good example of how I turn EVERYTHING INTO A SPOONER!

Spooner (gift from Sue)

Floral vase -- but PERFECT as a spooner, eh??

Summer Pedicure!!

In the Spring, I made an impromptu quick trip to Maryland/Pennsylvania...

My main purpose was to see Mary Fons doing her lecture...(which was GREAT)...

I landed in Baltimore and hooked up with an old friend...Donna Babylon...

Donna and I spent a wonderful day, kicking around the Maryland Eastern Shore...

Antique stores, thrift shops...my usual haunts...

Her little convertible was FULL OF TREASURES at the end of the day.

I bought two pair of summer sandals. One pair was green and one was pink. Of course, I've been wearing them like this all summer...

NOTE THE PEDICURE...!!

My New Speed Queen!!

I'm not QUITE done with my washing-machine saga...Because this is a very big deal for me.

When we went to Zirkelbach's to look at washing machines, the guy working there (Tim) said everybody who works at the store owns Speed Queens.

Even though they carry many other brands...Maytag, LG, Whirlpool, etc. -- they sell Speed Queens about 7 to 1.

SO WHAT'S THAT ABOUT??

Speed Queen uses 14 gallons of water to do a load of laundry, compared to 7.5 gallons for the others.

Speed Queen has a 1.5 HP motor -- capable of SPINNING A FULL TUB, WITH 14 GALLONS OF WATER.

The others have a 1/4 HP motor -- which is all they need because they never SPIN the tub when there's water in it. Those washing machines drain the water out FIRST. Think about that. AFTER your clothes have gone through the wash cycle -- the dirty water drains back down through them...The tub doesn't spin until the water has drained.

If you wonder why your towels all smell like ass -- it's because your shiny late-model washing machine does not use enough water to even dissolve the detergent. It builds up in the towels...because there is never enough water in the tub to rinse it away...

And -- hey -- there is something to be said about an appliance that is MADE IN AMERICA.

Go -- Speed Queen and Ripon, Wisconsin.

I think I'm going to name my washing machine this time. I know she is definitely a woman...any suggestions??

And, yes, I can definitely see a make-over in her future...

BUY A SPEED QUEEN!!

After a suitable period of mourning...I went to my local appliance store, Zirkelach's in Clinton, Iowa -- and bought a new washing machine.

But you have to be careful nowadays.  You can't buy just any new washing machine.

Luckily -- I'd already done some research....

This is from a blog I wrote two years ago:

***********

Growing up, my parents owned several laundromats -- and they ALWAYS had Speed Queens.

My mother would never have considered any other brand at her house. And -- guess what -- THEY ARE STILL MADE IN AMERICA. Right in Ripon, Wisconsin.

But it ain't easy to buy a Speed Queen, cuz the big box stores don't carry 'em. Then I remembered I have the internet.  HOLY COW.  YOU CAN BUY THEM FROM AMAZON..!!

I'm sharing this lively Amazon review from a real life consumer!!
 
The Speed Queen AWN412S is a dinosaur, in the sense that; it will not whistle Dixie when a cycle completes, agitation is louder than a front loader, and a whole truck load of ugly hit it on the way out of the factory. No electronics means no delayed start, no Wi-Fi, or latte dispenser. Add to that, your irritating neighbor who seems to have all the toys will look down her/ his nose at you for owning something that does not light up and sing 'Also Sprach Zarathustra', even though they only know the piece as "the theme to 2001 A Space Odyssey."

With that stated, this machine does what it is supposed to do. It cleans clothes, gently, effectively, and quickly. Use your egg timer if you need an end of cycle alert, 28 minutes for the Regular/Normal cycle by the way. The baby will fall asleep instantly listening to the rhythmic agitation phase. The spin cycle is butter smooth and very quiet. If you have a separate laundry room, the ugly problem is solved. If not, then put a plant on top of it and stop whining. As to the pesky neighbor, laugh out loud and point when they have to replace their 'fashion statement' machine for the fourth time, while your trusted old friend sits there and CLEANS YOUR CLOTHES.

Oh, and take the money you saved from replacing the machine over the years and go to Maui.
Get it while you can as apparently after 2017 machines like this will no longer be made, due to Federal regulation. It does use more water and electricity than a front loading machine. However, what is better for the environment? Having a machine that will be in use for decades? Or having a huge polluting manufacturing plant pouring out junk that has to be shipped off to the recycling/ landfill every 6 years? The water will be recycled and the AWN412S uses $43 per year in energy (with a electric water heater) as opposed to $23 per year for my old front loader.

Being "green" is an end to end process. You can not be "green" by purchasing manufactured products that have to be replaced at short intervals. There is a massive cost to the environment in building these things.

We bought our new Speed Queen from a local appliance store, Zirklebach's in Clinton, Iowa. 

When Appliances Become Friends

I don't know what this says about me -- but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my washing machine. It was a 30 year old Maytag...and we were best friends.

Really. Monday is one of my favorite days of the week -- why?? BECAUSE I GET TO DO LAUNDRY...and I love almost every step of the process.

Sorting the clothes, washing them, hanging sheets out on the line...the smell of fresh, clean line-dried sheets...HOW MANY TIMES have you heard me singing that song??

My faithful 1986 Maytag NEVER LET ME DOWN...she was everything you want in a friend. She was there for me any time I needed her -- night or day. She always did a GREAT JOB...and she was the hardest worker in the house.

My old Maytag would allow me to pick the water level...and the temperature. She used a whopping 15 gallons of water for a large load.

I could easily soak a set of yellowed sheets...put them into a tube of hot water...agitate for a few minutes...then let them sit over night...

A coupla years ago -- I decided to jazz up my laundry area...

And it seemed like she deserved a Make-over. THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN..!!

We had more than 30  wonderful years together. And then, at 2:30 PM on August 29th, she died... 

Dads vs. Moms

I go to the YMCA five or six days a week to exercise in the pool. It is my new happy place. 

Yesterday...A young Dad came in with two small children....probably 4 and 2. 

This is very unusual.  Of course, I often see young families.  And lots of Moms and Grandmas bring  kids to the pool.  But, a Dad, by himself with two kids -- that's unusual.

So, I'm thinking, "good for him."

Hey -- it's a new world we're living in, people!!  When our boys were small, John never changed a single diaper.  (at least, at some point, he stopped BRAGGING about that...) 

I think it's wonderful that today's young fathers are stepping up and actually caring for their own children now and then. 

Anyway -- I digress...

It was late in the afternoon, and the pool was quiet.  The Dad and his two little ones get into the big pool with me  (there is a small children's pool, but it wasn't open).

The boy was 4 or 5 years old, and the little girl was younger.  (wearing training pants).

I don't know what Dad's plan was -- but neither child could swim, and the water even at the shallow end of the pool would be way over their heads. 

So, I marched along, watching and wondering what his plan was.  He wasn't very prepared...he didn't have any flotation devices or swimming wings for his kids.  Hummm....

They got in the pool.  The little boy was hanging on to the  wall of the pool....Dad held his little girl and splashed around a bit.  Obviously, neither child could swim. 

After just a few minutes, the little girl said she had to go to the bathroom. 

So, her Dad carried her over to the steps and they jumped out of the pool...and rushed into the Family Restroom hallway.

Hey, buddy - wait a minute?  Forget something??

YOUR SON IS STILL IN THE POOL!!

HEY, BUDDY...WAIT A MINUTE....YOU MUST TAKE BOTH KIDS WITH YOU!!

I jumping-jacked my way over to where the little boy was clinging to the wall.  And, at that same moment,  the young lifeguard (Sharon) got down from her high perch and calmly walked over to that end of the pool.  The little boy didn't seem one bit alarmed...

Sharon and I exchanged a glance, and held our positions until the Dad returned.  He and his daughter got back in the pool and the three of them frolic-ed on.

Neither Sharon nor I said anything to the Dad.  It was time for me to get out -- and Sharon's shift was up.

And I'm wondering if we should have said something to him....and I'm also wondering how often this happens in this 'NEW WORLD" we're living in.

Here's my point.  I think every MOM I ever knew would have taken her son along to the bathroom.  I mean -- DUH!!

And I also think that the young Moms believe the young Dads are doing the same job they would do.  But you've gotta wonder.  Because they will NEVER hear about the near-misses.  All they hear is "I took the kids to the pool today"....(then, Mom gives Dad a standing ovation).

But that young Dad DID NOT EVEN REALIZE HIS LITTLE BOY WAS AT RISK...

And, the truth is -- the kid was safe the whole time because two strangers saw what was happening.  Nobody ever knew that Sharon and I were there, watching...just in case....

Well, now you know.  But I feel kinda bitchy even writing about this...so I may not post this.  But I may also delete it....

It just made me think.  And wonder.  That maybe I should have said something to the young father...because clearly, HE HAD NO IDEA he did anything wrong...and how much do we all depend on the kindness of strangers...

Also, what really warrants a standing ovation in today's new world...

Auctions

Today, I'm taking the kids to an old-fashioned country auction in one of my favorite small towns....DeWitt, Iowa.

There will be about 200 pick-up trucks in the parking lot.

These kids are used to me and auctions...

You NEVER know what you will find!!

Lilly thought the tractor stools were cool.

Although I know it's a brass bed, I couldn't figure out what the plug was for...?

Lilly thought this stand would be handy for her art supplies

I liked the royal blue stool.  (and I do have a chair thing going on right now...)

Would this thing work?  I wasn't sure.

But I did love the stained glass chandelier.  It sold for $45...

So much treasure, eh?

Warren was fascinated by the tuba.

But I wouldn't let him bid on it...