halloween event

I ran into Wegman's yesterday to pick up a prescription after my work-out at the BAC.
It should have been a quick in and out trip but Weggie's was having a Halloween event. Outside they were selling flower bouquets made in pumpkins, huge caramel apples dipped in various candies, hot cider and doughnut holes. I made it past this but the first thing I encountered was a stand giving out samples of pumpkin soda. She also gave me a card with the events that were happening so I made the rounds. I bought two creature cupcakes for B and I to have for dessert Sunday or Monday. On to the produce department where I tried Caramel Apple Dip. This was cream cheese covered with caramel dip and crushed Heath bars with apple slices to dip. In the meat department I had prosciutto on a stick. In dairy I had Mexican Layer dip. I was too early to taste the seasonal beer. It wasn't noon yet. But my favorite by far was the Cheese Fondue. It was Danny Wegman's wife's cheese fondue recipe. She is from Switzerland so it is very authentic and by far the best cheese fondue I've ever had.

Here is the recipe...

1 clove peeled garlic
8 oz shredded Emmental Savoie
8 oz shredded Imported Le Gruyere
4 oz shredded Surchoix Appenzeller
1 cup dry white wine
1 tsp corn starch
1/8 tsp white pepper
1 T Kirsch
Fresh crusty bread chunks
1. Bring all ingredients to room temp.
2. Rub garlic clove along inside of a large saucepan. Place pan on stove top on Med heat. Add cheese and white wine. Cook stirring constantly in a figure 8 about 15 min until smooth.
3. Whisk corn starch and Kirsch in small bowl until smooth. Add to pan. Cook stirring constantly about 10 min until bubbles. Add pepper. Transfer to fondue pot.

I think it is the addition of the Kirsch that makes this so special. All the employees were dressed in costumes and the store was full of young families with children trick or treating. It is always such a treat going to Wegman's.

trip home-day four

Marilyn showing her fancy house panties


After breakfast at the Corner Bakery we checked out of the Wyndham and stashed our suitcases in Carla's car and set out walking. We walked past Marilyn. She stands now where the American Gothic couple used to stand. Everyone was clamoring to have their picture taken under Marilyn. We even saw wedding pictures being taken here.


Marilyn Monroe in her famous pose



Our plan was to see Millennium Park, the Willis Tower and buy tickets for the play Red at Goodman theater that evening. We wanted to see Willis Tower early because we knew it would be busy but it was across town from the theater that would be opening in an hour for ticket purchase. So we hung around near the theater and walked through Millennium Park. Some fashion magazine had a big tent set up and you could go in and have facials, pedicures etc. I don't know what these guys were supposed to be but they were walking around and people were posing with them for pictures. So I took one also.


Barb and I reflected in The Bean


a view of the city from the park


a view of the city from our room

After purchasing our tickets for the play we went to Willis Tower. The line was long for tickets and then again to get up to the top. Carla needed to get back home so we bought our tickets to use later and went back to the car. Carla drove us to Hotel 71....very posh and modern hotel on the river. She dropped us off. We checked in and stood in awe of our view for about hour.


Donna and Barb in our room at Hotel 71


Trump Tower across the river

It was lunchtime by now so we stopped in Macy's which will always be Marchall Field's to me and ate lunch in the famous Walnut Room. Donna and I had salads and Barb partook of the famous Chicken Pot pie. We had Orange Blossoms to drink. On our way out of the store we stopped at the Lush department in the cosmetics section and all bought some of the handmade shower bombs. I bought one called Sex in the Shower that smelled like Ylang ylang.



Finally we made it up into Willis Tower. This is the three of us standing over Jackson Street in one of the bump-outs. It was a beautiful clear day and we could see far.


the bump-out across from us complete with bird droppings

We went back to our room and changed for the play. It was a drama and quite good. Afterwards we stopped at the Purple Pig for champagne and a tapas dinner that included shredded Brussels spouts salad, roasted bone marrow, calamari salad and fried Manchengo cheese.


our night time view from our hotel

We stayed up very late that night talking and having more wine and building our friendships.

On Sunday morning Donna's husband, Bruce, came to pick her up and drive us to the airport. A very, very memorable trip.

what goes around comes around

As I was getting ready for work this morning I had a Deja Vu feeling that I'd worn this very same outfit many years ago. In junior high. 7th or 8th grade.

I had a corduroy print hip hugger skirt made by my sweet sister, Deb, who sewed many of my clothes. A wide hip hugger belt. I wore this skirt with either a navy ribbed cotton short sleeved top or a gold ribbed short sleeve sweater. Mary Janes like the present ones except the cross strap was straight across instead of on an angle.

Even my hair cut was the same but now it is a little longer with softer sideswept bangs instead of more straight blunt cut bangs. Everything is a little softer now including my body. But hey, for a few minutes as I was getting dressed I felt 13 or 14 again with all the possibilities in front of me that a 13 or 14 year old has. Styles come and go but still there are basic styles that are timeless. If I had actually been wearing the very outfit that I wore in junior high, I would not have looked out of place. Only fat like a stuffed sausage.

what's goin' on

Here's what's goin' on. Over the weekend I bought wine to replenish my wine rack. I'm really liking Spanish wines right now. Hooked on Tempranilla. This is a good one.



I also cleaned out my lazy susan and found several jars of peanut butter that have remained untouched for while. I made a batch of chunky pb cookies and a batch of chocolate pb cookies. Took them to work today. 7 dozen and only 8 cookies remained at the end of day. I've been cooking and baking more lately.

Wonder what happened with me teaching that Boot Camp class? Well, Sandy already had a teacher for the class that I was willing to teach.. She said she would use me as a substitute. I'm not really sure teaching is for me. I'm just not a rah rah kind of a person. And it's really really hard to instruct and call out before you actually make the move. I tried it and I don't think I liked it. I'd rather have someone teach me.

Toastmasters is going okay. I gave another speech recently without any notes and no ums or ahs. This I kind of enjoy even though it causes me great anxiety a few days before. I won table topics two sessions in a row which is an accomplishment for the tongue-tied person I used to be.

ASWA....we are hosting the Northeast Conference this year....a huge endeavor. I offered up suggestions of getting Colleen Wegman as a speaker and also Toastmasters. I offered to write to Colleen and tell her that I'm Wegman's biggest fan but I failed to attend the last board meeting and someone else is contacting her now. However, I was approached to put together a Toastmasters session. I am going to speak at this along with Caroline and hopefully Kevin. B told me to let him know when this was coming up and he would move out of the house the week before. He has experienced my anxiety before.

Got my hair cut and colored and it is laying pretty now. I like it.

Bought a book called One-Yard Wonders. It has lots of cute projects and I would like to find some time to work on a couple. Maybe make something for our Christmas fundraiser.

Running and exercise is going well. Work is....well.... work is work. What can I say?

My kitty loves me and the lilies I bought this weekend are opening and emitting a lovely fragrance. Every day I try to find at least one thing good about the day. Pollyanna calls it playing the glad game. I used to be very good at it. I faltered for awhile but I'm making the effort again.

I love Spotify. I can listen to any song I want when I want.

The leaves are changing color and looking very pretty.

And that's what's goin' on.

trip home-day four

Rose Champagne Cocktails at Pops for Champagne

Friday morn Barb and I got up and made breakfast for all of us. We kissed my mama goodbye and headed North to Chicago. My friend, Donna, came to the airport to pick us up from the car rental place. Donna and I have been friends since our sons were less than a year old. We met at the swimming pool during swim lessons. I can still see those two little babies in their Speedos.

Donna drove us to Roselle, the suburb where we both lived and where Donna still lives. I asked her to drive me past my sweet old house. Then I asked if we could stop at the Lynfred Winery. We decided to do the wine tasting. Most wine tastings don't take long but this wine tasting included 8 or 9 wines and our hostess poured us half glasses of each. We were smashed by the time we got back to Donna's house. We enjoyed her delish Caeser salad and quiche and grapes but decided to fore go the bottle of wine she had planned to open.

So then a trip downtown on the train I used to ride every day to and from work and a long walk pulling our suitcases behind us to a hotel just off the Magnificent Mile. Here we met up with Donna's sister Carla who was staying the night also. We settled in and chatted then met up with Carla's friend, Lori, at Quartino for dinner. Quartino is like a tapas bar only Italian. Everything was good especially the mushroom risotto. The place was loud, crowded and packed. The manager bumped into Lori's chair so many times that finally he apologized and brought us another free bottle of the wine we were drinking.

Afterwards we felt it was a little too early to go back so we went to Pops for Champagne and had the above cocktails. We had a great table right in the window.

Back to the hotel where we may have shared another glass of wine or not. I can't remember. We were all tired and looking forward to the next day of sightseeing.

trip home-day three

Barb at New Salem

I awoke very early on day three. It was still dark outside. Everyone else was asleep and I decided to go out for a walk on the NHM blacktop. I knew I would probably be back before anyone else got up. When I returned Mom and Barb were just waking. Mom still wasn't feeling well and didn't want to participate in our day's outing. Barb and I decided to go to Mason City for breakfast. When we got to MC we found the restaurant we had intended to eat at was completely gutted and no longer in business. But MC has another restaurant...a Mexican restaurant. When we walked in the door, everyone in the busy restaurant stopped talking and eating and looked up at us wondering who these two strangers were in a little town where everyone knows everyone else. I felt on display and actually gave a little wave to the crowd. We had wonderful omelets here and great coffee served up by a friendly waitress. I drove Barb by the swimming pool where I had spent many happy hours splashing and playing while my dad sat and read a book all day outside of the fence. I had intended to drive to Greenview, then Petersburg from here, but remembered that I had forgotten to cash a check at the bank in Mtown before we left. So we drove back to Mtown, I cashed my check and we went out to the Irish Grove Cemetery so Barb could see where my dad and all my relatives on my mom's side are buried. While we we walking around in the cemetery, I got a call from my sister in Arizona letting me know that my mom had called the doctor for an appointment and he had sent her to the emergency room to be checked out. The message that was relayed to me from mom was that Barb and I should go ahead with our plans. My mom's friends were with her and there wasn't much we could do. So we did go ahead with our plans with a little bit of worry all day. You may wonder why my mother called my sister in Arizona instead of calling me. I think maybe she wanted Deb to know and she didn't want to spoil my vacation plans.

So Barb and I drove on to Greenview and then to Petersburg where we shopped at some of the gift shops on the square. Our next stop was New Salem State Park. We walked through the village and looked in all the houses and shops. It was an absolutely perfect weather day. Upon leaving NS we drove back to Petersburg and stopped at the grocery store. Here we bought salads, crackers and grapes which we took with us to have with a bottle of wine at Hill Prairie Winery. A cold front blew in and the weather became very windy and cold. We had planned to eat our lunch on the deck at the winery but had to eat inside. It began to spit rain. Wouldn't you know that after we left the winery the weather began to clear up again? The only bad weather all day was at the precise time that we had wanted to sit outside on the deck.

Now I had been calling mom's phone and Bert's phone all afternoon trying to get an update. No answer. I knew they had my cell phone # but I had received no calls. So Barb and I drove to Lincoln to the hospital. There I found out that she had been treated and released. I told Barb that I was certain that we could find them at Walmart. We walked into Walmart and there they were. Mom rode home with Bert and Ken because she had been with them all day. Mom had been at the hospital all day and was very hungry when she was released. Barb and I had planned to cook dinner at home for the three of us but since mom had just eaten I fixed sandwiches for Barb and I. I think this was the evening that we all sat in the living room and went through the recipe box. Maybe it was the night before. I wrote down a recipe for Eclair Cake that I'm anxious to try. I think I'll make it for the person I have to bake for in our birthday club at work. When I went to bed this evening I tried to read a bit but fell asleep instantly and this night I slept soundly. The next morning we had plans to drive back up to Chicago for the part II of our trip.

music

Music...that great healer

there is nothing wrong in this world that music can not heal

plans

At my last ASWA meeting we had a speaker who was a holistic financial planner. She was a CFP with a financial firm , but was letting that expire to start her own practice working in conjunction with your financial planner whether it be yourself or someone else. She works with people to identify what is important to you and then how much money you might need to pursue that life. I enjoyed her presentation but as these things usually involve examining your life, I have a problem with this. You have to look at your hopes and dreams. Where you want to be 5, 10, 15 , 20 years from now. I never know. Where do I want to be? Goal setting stuff.

Well, I've been in my house for nearly 23 years and my goal was to have all the rooms redecorated. My kitchen has needed remodeling and updating for these 23 years. Every year when I made out a Christmas list I used to put....remodel kitchen on it. There have been heated discussions. Then a few years ago I stopped mentioning this. I accepted. Just recently I said to B....I know we are never going to remodel the kitchen, or change the wallpaper in the living room. I've accepted that. But could we just change the curtain rods to decorative ones because the old white ones are just ugly and old fashioned. He kept saying....no,no,no we are going to remodel the kitchen while I was speaking. But I know we aren't.

I don't know where I'll be any of those years from now or what I'll be doing. Aren't there a couple sayings?

the best laid plans of mice and men
life is what happens while you're busy making other plans

I don't plan anymore
I don't dream

carol of the bells

I've been a real social butterfly as of late. On Saturday evening B and I attended one of the two annual events that give me an opportunity to get dressed up each year. I always enjoy the NCCC College Scholarship Fundraiser. This year it seems that there was not a lot of competition in the silent auction. We put down our number for six items and no one else bid on them at all, so we got all six. For some reason I was attracted to this collection of bells from various countries. I was thinking I could keep the ones I like or give them as gifts and sell the rest on EBay. They are still sitting on the table waiting for me to do something with them. They each have a unique ring to them.



B and I both liked this oil painting of a bleak, wintry cityscape.



I bid on this watercolor of blueberries for my dining room wall that features other pictures of fruit.

B won a little water fountain in the shape of a castle for his desk and a wooden jewelry box/charger for his dresser. You put your phone, iPod, etc on it and the cord goes through an open space in the back.

But the nicest thing we won was a night's stay in the posh Barton Hill Hotel and Spa in historic downtown Lewiston along with two tickets for the Christmas House Walk.



The culinary department did a bang job with the food again this year. The desserts were outstanding also. Bill and I shared an awesome flourless chocolate cake and a pumpkin mousse bar. But my favorite dessert are always these sugar cookies. They are among the best I've ever eaten. Darned if I didn't eat the acorn which was the cutest one before I thought to take a picture. I brought these two leaves home with me to have with coffee the following day.

pumpkin latte

I'm going to try this in my coffee tomorrow morning.

farm fresh eggs

If life gives you eggs, make omelets.

We have a new admin assistant at work. She lives on a beef cattle farm but also has five chickens. They produce more eggs than her family needs so she sent an email out letting us know that if we brought in an empty egg carton that she would fill it for us. I was overwhelmed by the beauty and perfection. You wouldn't even have to color these at Easter. They would be perfect set out as is.



Saturday morning I made an omelet for B. He wanted cheddar cheese, peppers, onions and tomato in his omelet. Over the years I've become a pro at waffles and pancakes but I'm still getting my sea legs when it comes to omelets.



This is the finished product and it could be a little less brown but he liked it that way.



I had a maitake mushroom omelet.

trip home-day two

Auntie M, Mom and Barb

On Wednesday we had a light breakfast at home and then Barb (my mom), Barb (my friend), and I headed to Lincoln via New Holland where I pointed out my old high school and houses of school classmates. In Lincoln I drove us around some pointing out the square,the courthouse, the library and parks. We shopped at Abe's where curiously enough the only thing that I bought was a knife that cuts wavy cukes and carrot slices. When I got home again and was putting this away in my cutlery drawer I discovered the very same knife with the very same gold handle that I had probably purchased the year before at Abe's. I must really like it.

Then Mission Mart, one of my favorite thrift stores. I usually walk away from Mission Mart with a dozen pairs of shoes but this year could not find a single pair that I liked. I did come away with a Bohemian-looking black print halter dress that my mom thought I was crazy for buying and an oatmeal St John's Bay zip-front sweater. Also a cute brown zip-front sweatshirt. On to the impressive new Goodwill. Here I bought a super soft feminine purple stretchy boiled wool jacket, a Calvin Klein pink corduroy jacket, a cream and gold brocade jeans-cut jacket, a black tweed Chicos cardigan and a green khaki Banana Republic skirt. All cute, cute, cute. Barb and I had packed for warmer weather and I ended up wearing most of these jackets on our trip because the weather was a little nippy.

After shopping we drove to Elkhart to eat lunch at The Wild Hare. Barb and I had Stuffed Green Pepper Soup and Asparagus Quiche. Mom had a different soup and a sandwich. Mom wanted me to find something she could buy me for my birthday and it wasn't hard finding it here. I won't say what it was because it's put away and I have to forget about it until my birthday.

After lunch we drove towards Mt. Pulaski just to experience the beauty of Elkhart Hill and then we turned around continued towards Springfield.



Barb and I with the Lincolns

The day flies by so much more quickly than you expect. We had hoped to visit the new Abraham Lincoln Library Museum, his home and his tomb, but only had time for the museum. We did have time to explore it thoroughly and see both of the shows. Mom wasn't feeling very well so instead of having dinner in Springfield, we went home.

After relaxing at home a bit, Barb and I wanted to go check out the new bar, Slackers, in New Holland. We dropped mom off at her friend, Bert's house. I always wonder when I go home for a visit if I will see anyone I know. Lo and behold, when we walked in there was an old high school friend sitting at the bar with his dad. A little while later two more Middletown guys that I know came in. The guys bought us drinks and we reciprocated by buying shots. Barb and I had intended to drive to Lincoln for dinner but ended up staying at the bar and having pizza and enjoying a pleasant evening of conversation.

We picked up mom from Bert's house and went in for a visit with Bert and Ken. It was
another fairly early evening to bed for us. I seem to not adjust well to even a hour time change. The night before I laid in bed for hours before I could fall asleep and I awoke very early in the morning. This night was no exception.

trip home-day one

Barb and I have been good friends for nearly twenty years. We met when we worked together at a psychologist office. She was receptionist and I was bookkeeper. I have met and visited with her lovely mother several times. For years Barb has said that she wanted to to met my mother and see where I grew up. So finally we planned a trip back to Illinois. We had such a wonderful time that I want to remember it here.

On a Tuesday morning a couple weeks ago, Barb drove from Rochester to my house in Buffalo. We took a cab to the airport. Always wanting to allow ourselves plenty of time we arrived nearly two hours early to encounter no lines whatsoever. Also our plane was nearly an hour late taking off. We had plenty of time to enjoy a breakfast sandwich and a Bloody Mary in the airport bar.

We arrived at O'Hare and took the shuttle to the rental car place. Here we had one the most comical conservations I have ever had with our Russian car rental agent. Yes, it is expensive but you made a reservation. I can do nothing. I can offer you a coupon for the next time. We have no economy cars at the moment so we will upgrade you to a mini-van. What if we just came in off the street and asked for a car? Would it be less expensive? Would you like for me to see? Yes, please. It would be over $100 less expensive. Even less with an economy car. Let's do that then. Would you like me to delete all this and start over. Yes, please. (She's all put out. The line is growing behind us) Oh, we have no economy cars. We'll have to upgrade you to a mini-van. This went on and on with her speaking with a heavy Russian accent.

Finally we left the airport with Barb displaying her excellent driving skills and me performing less stellarly as the navigator. On the drive downstate we stopped at the Illinois River Winery. I had been there several times before and enjoyed the excellent wines. We did a wine tasting and purchased a couple bottles to take with us. We were planning to eat lunch at nearby Starved Rock State Park Lodge but by the time we got there it was almost dinnertime. So we walked the grounds a bit and shopped in the gift shop until the restaurant opened for dinner. This huge fireplace was decorated spectacularly.



We were admiring it and the waitress offered to take our photo in front of it. I can't remember exactly what our sandwiches were but we each ordered a different one and split them. They were served with homemade potato chips and both were so yummy that I couldn't decide which one I liked more.

Then the rest of the drive to Middletown. Mom was asleep in her chair and didn't even hear me until I approached her. We spent the rest of the evening talking and having a little of the wine we bought earlier in the day. Barb and mom seemed to get on well. A comfortable evening and early to bed. We were pooped.

corn risotto

Once when I was visiting Deb in Scottsdale she took me to lunch at a restaurant where I ordered corn risotto for lunch. This turned out to be one of those memorable meals that I've never forgotton. Last month I bought fresh sweet corn and Googled a recipe. The recipe called for more risotto than corn. I wanted to use up the corn so I used twice the amount of corn called for. Besides I remembered the risotto that I had years ago being more corn than risotto. Anyway it turned out thicker than I wanted but still delicious. I topped it with a dash of cream and cilantro.



jeweled beet salad accompanied my meal

words

Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words......they really hurt me