Trailer Park Humor

Tell Me Please....what is Trailer Park Humor?

I just realized I don't know exactly what trailer park humor is.  Someone recently described my humor as trailer park humor.  Is that redneck or what??!!

So ...  maybe I'm supposed to open all of my posts with "Welcum all ya rednecks"...... then go on to say "on this day we're gonna have a mockumentary of the boys and girls in the trailer park"..... "and we's gonna study the feakin inner workins of white trash".

Maybe one post could start with "you'se  best be careful cauz I know where your mama parks her house".  I could probably go on in that post and tell that story about the midget in your mama's trailer park that looks up women's skirts just because he's so close to the ground.  Or....maybe about the sign that says no more than 3 beer can wind chimes with no more than 5 cans each.  Or maybe I can post about the trailer park requirement "only three cars on blocks at one time".

I bet that person who told me I was a trailer park humorist must have seen me in my oompa loompa costume the other day.  I was just trying to get the dang costume right for the big fright night.  That must have been a grotesque display of humor to that idiotic bully.....yes, I said idiotic bully.  But I've got that person fooled....I don't even know what a trailer park humorist is!!!!  Maybe crass humor?? A humorist with lame jokes????

I've never said trailer park living was low class or on the wrong side of the tracks in any post.....cauz I'm not rich!  I think I live on the other side of the tracks.....somewhere down the road there's a railroad about 5 miles away.....so I live on this side of the tracks.  So what the heck is the person talking about?

At least I have a humor bone in my body.  It might be slightly twisted at times....but I laugh and have a good time.  I think that idiotic bully who said I do loads of trailer park humor has a warped sense of humor!  And ....  maybe lives in a trailer down by the river and thinks the economy is good and can't wait till he can afford to fix those five cars sitting in the yard by his trailer.

Ok, ok .... maybe I do some trailer park humor  ..... now if someone can just tell me what the heck it is!

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From Loompaland Have A Happy Holloween

glitter-graphics.com

Recipe
The best cream cheese frosting....you could make cupcakes and color this icing orange today for halloween.....put a couple of pieces of candy corn on top.....Halloween dessert tonight at your house!

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Beat the butter and cream cheese and then add powdered sugar a cup at a time....then add the vanilla.  Goes good with red velvet cake.

Thought For The Day

One today is worth two tomorrows.

--Benjamin Franklin

If you saw the Cardinal games the other night a couple of them were wonderful....especially game six. Even those who aren't Cardinal fans would have to admit the 6th game, 9th inning was exciting.  I was watching all of the games from the sofa and not from the game seats at the stadium. 

I could never understand why people think it is so thrilling to have a stadium seat at a game like the World Series.....especially those seats I would probably land up with.....way up in nose bleed section clear at the top.  When you watch it on the large screen television at home, you see just about the whole field at one time .... plus you get to see the reruns immediately ..... those stupid calls from the umpires or the strikes that really weren't. 

 Those kind  of umpire calls make your blood boil.  But .... if you were up in nose bleed section at the stadium, you wouldn't see that......it would cost you 1/3 of next year's salary for the tickets.  But keep in mind it's an hour process to even walk down the steps to the bathroom, so you miss about a whole inning and sometime two by the time you finally decide you can no longer hold that three cups of soda (which cost you $5.00 each) in your poor little bladder.

Congratulations to the Cardinals.....they're my team....sorry if they aren't your most favorite.  Stick around long enough and maybe they will be someday.

Note....this post was published on Sunday rather than Monday

due to appointments on Monday.....see you again on Tuesday.

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My Cup of Inspiration

The Cup Of Inspiration And A Spoonful Of Encouragement.

Each day I seem to need to fill-up my cup of inspiration to keep finding ways to keep my writing talents alive.  I'm bored and find that blog writing is cool but maybe isn't enough.

Sometimes I feel I want to write a book, or articles for a newspaper, or a magazine, but I know that it's  hard to get the channels opened up to get published.  Plus the spoonful of encouragement I need is just not there yet.  Someone needs to tell me (other than my daughter) that I need to get my hind end in gear and do what I really feel I want to do....like write a novel.

Then I get to thinking.....do I have enough inspiration or do I need a fuller cup of inspiration or am I just feeling the cusp of light inspiration or just boredom.  Perhaps I'm seeking something to do to keep me, myself and I from being bored and old and lazy..... and also something to keep the old mind working on smooth oiled wheels.

What the heck do other people do to keep from getting bored each day?  I just can't sit at the computer each day hour after hour unless I have a specific task to do.....I can't read article after article.....or read every facebook comment.  I'd have to get a gallon jug full of inspiration to do that!!

Now don't tell me to go clean house so get unbored....that ain't gonna happen.  I wasn't put on this earth to be a housekeeper.....if someone doesn't like my messy house, don't come to see me.  I'd rather be bored than clean!

As I sit here, my cup of inspiration has wasted away.....I've lost some of it.  And the milk I put into it, has soured.  I guess I'll keep on writing the blog and be happy.  And .... keep on researching for old things and telling all of you stories of me, my antics, the past and the future.   The End.

Old Tyme Pictures In The Area

The Mill - Interior....I remember going many times to the Mill

as a young child.

Illinois Watch Co. Springfield 1911

Ferguson Building Springfield

6th and Monroe.  Approx. 1908

Springfield Swimming Pool Unknown Address

Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield

Women's Building

Another picture of Il Fairgrounds

Women's Building

Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield

Coliseum with Covered Walkway

Approx. 1912

1917 Petersburg Courthouse Square Taken From Top

of Robbins Building.  Was in Petersburg Observer 1-16-97.

Thought For The Day

To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals.

--Benjamin Franklin

Not long ago, I was driving down a rural road and right in front of me was a freakin cow.   Standing right in the middle of the road!! This was a big cow and was a Hereford from what I could determine.  It had horns though so I thought it might be a range steer perhaps brought from Texas.

I don't like those big steers with horns the width of my car.  They scare me.  So I honked.....and honked....and honked.  The steer must have had sawdust for brains, because it chewed it's cud and looked at me like "you stupid broad" why are you honking.  Perhaps he was smarter than me....he wasn't sitting there honking the horn like I was.  He was peacefully going about his business of chewing his cud.....just in the wrong spot as far as I was concerned.

He just wouldn't move.  So I cautiously open the door and holler at him.  He is steadfast.  So I get one leg out, with the intention to go in front of the car and flap my arms.....he bellows....he didn't like my motions I guess.  I get back in the car and honk the horn again several times.  Still no movement.

If I would have had a bb gun, that cow would have now rested in my freezer.  I would have put a lasso around his neck and drug him home and butchered him in the bathtub (I knew someone who butchered a deer in the bathtub).  But I didn't have a bb gun nor a rope to use as a lasso so I was stuck until he moved.

Maybe a farmer would come by.  But no that didn't happen.  It was hot and the car was low in gas.  Dang!  Calm yourself girl.....wait for the steer to move.  It moved it's front foot.....YAY.....he's gonna move, I just knew it. No...he didn't move, he moved his foot so he could poop in the middle of the road.  Now I have to wait until he's done his job, and then be careful when I finally get to move the car as I don't want cow poo on my tires to stink up the garage.

He raises his head and stares at me and starts walking towards the car.  No, No please don't let him headbutt my car.  Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!  He tilts his head and looks like he's saying "you are a dumb broad and it's hot out here and I'm tired of playing games with you".  Just then he starts to wander off the road.  He is slower than a turtle or black molasses....but he is moving from the middle of the road.  He went from one side to the other.....

Now I wonder why he crossed the road......

He wanted to get to the udder side!!!

Just 58 days until Christmas

and 27 days until Thanksgiving.

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Days Of Long Gone - Memories

Memories are the best things!  These are memories of a Greenview kid from long ago.

Go way back with me today.  Back in time, before the internet.  Before drug abuse in our town.  Sit back and take the stroll through time.   To think about yesteryear is sometimes sad because we can never get that back, but those memories are locked up in a person's mind, not to be easily forgotten.  Sure, something might have slipped your mind, but when someone talks about it, the memories flood back to you.  Today I'm devoting the entire blog to memories of yesteryear.  You probably will remember some if not all of the things I remember.

Laundry detergent had free things in the boxes.....towels, glasses, or dishes.  And Dolly and Porter Wagner used to be on the Breeze commercials.  Dishes, dolls and trucks at the grocery store for purchase.

Gas stations with full serve....your windshield was washed and your oil checked.  Gas was $.25 per gallon.  Manual lawnmowers.  No air conditioners.  No computer.  Black and white television.

Hula hoops, pogo sticks, roller skates with a metal key, jacks on the sidewalk, hopscotch, the limbo, tag, tree houses, running through the sprinkler, shooting marbles, cops and robbers, having a backyard show, lying on your back and looking at clouds and seeing faces, baseball games at the old grade school, sliding down the spiral fire escape at the grade school (with wax paper), bike riding with friends...with no worries of getting molested or taken,  long monopoly games, Old Maid, rummy, baby chicks at the fair as prizes, real turtles and frogs at the dimestore.  Gerald McKee at the park, Gerald's dad's store with a partial dirt floor.

Bazooka bubble gum with comics, baseball cards with a slab of bubble gum, 5 cent comics, a hunk of bologna at West Foods, Necco candy, penny candy at Whit Stone's drug store,  chocolate soldier drink at Johnson & Denton,  ice cream cones at Emma's some with free cone papers in the bottom,  chocolate milk at school, mayonnaise or ketchup sandwiches, butter and sugar sandwiches, borrowing (?) apples from people's yards to eat, wax lips, ribbon candy at Christmas, popcorn balls at halloween, everyone trying to guess who you were at halloween.  Cotton candy at the fair.  Double Ferris Wheel at the state fair.  A & W Root Beer stands.

Slumber parties, after prom parties, staying out all night after the prom, pastel colored taffeta prom dresses, boys in tuxes, dance lessons at the grade school, sock hops, garter belts to hold seamed hose up, girdles, boys using Brylcream, no jeans at school, skirts that had to touch the gym floor  while on your knees, rolling your skirt at the waist and pinning it.   Sadie Hawkins day.  Freshman initiation.   Horrible scabs on polio vaccines.  Copies from the mimeograph....which you couldn't read the tests sometimes.  Manual typewriters and the little piece of correction paper.

Ovaltine, Tang, Tab, Val-o-Milk candy, milk
duds, turkish taffy, candy necklace, charleston chew, fizzies, lik-m-aid, wax bottles, chick-o-sticks, boston baked beans, chuckles, sugar daddy pops, slo pokes, teaberry gum, blackjack gum, root beer barrels, candy cigarettes.

Peanut butter sandwiches with the chili at the school cafeteria, fish on Friday's, saying the pledge of allegiance each morning at school, the open windows at the grade school, the tunnel to the gym at the grade school, Frankie and Paul the custodians, and at the high school Joe Waggoner, walking to school and church, white gloves at Easter, the Easter sunrise church service.

Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Books, Mickey Mouse Club, Captain Jinks, Bullwinkle, Sky King, My Friend Flicka,  Little Rascals, Davy Crockett,  Jackie Gleason, Ted Mack Amateur Hour, Ed Sullivan, Zorro, Spin & Marty, Pegwell Pete Show, Loretta Young Show, I Love Lucy,  Lassie, Quickdraw McGraw, Captain Kangaroo...Mr Greenjeans....Grandfather Clock....Mr. Moose...Bunny Rabbit....Dancing Bear....Tom Terrific...Mighty Manford The Wonder Dog, Augie Dogie.  Howdy Dowdy and Clarabelle.  "Goodnight Gracie".

Noxzema for pimples, Clearasil, vitalis, Evening in Paris, dad's Old Spice, my dad in a cap and a giant hat when he went somewhere,  giant rollers in the hair which stuck you when sleeping, sanitary belts for women, jock straps for the men, giving your class ring to a girl to go steady, fluffy angora around a class ring or paint it with finger nail polish, Buster Brown Shoes, Thom McCann, Woolworth's, Kresge's, Bressmer's, Myer's Bros, Barker's, Springfield Dry Goods, Westenberger's (the best place to buy angora), Camera Shop, Icy Root Beer, Tops Big Boy, Steak & Shake Uptown.  Top Value and  S&H Green stamps.

Greenview phone numbers began with Woodland....then the number.  Telephone operators in the little white building across from the park.  Party lines.  Rabbit ears on the television or turning the antenna pole.  Tubes in the television.  Milk delivery, dry cleaning picked up, Watkins was home to home sales.  Doctors made house calls.  Doc Beard was the veterinarian.  Blanch, Addie, and Louella were hair dressers.  Bimmy ran the pool hall and Emma the cafe.  Peasey and Marilyn ran the Village Inn. Smitty ran the tavern and Gene and Marie the lower tavern.  The Linda Theater.  Shows in the park on a screen after the theater closed.  The skating rink.  The store, skating rink and tavern burned.  Rodemer's and Cynthia saying "it will wear like iron". 

In high school, the kids got GTO's, or Chevy Super Sports.  I walked most of the time unless I borrowed the huge Pontiac, or Oldsmobile or whatever dad had at the time...until graduation then a red 1960 chevy convertible.   The light dimmer was on the floor.  Some cars didn't need an ignition key.   Cars were never locked and neither were the house doors.  Friends came in to visit without knocking.

Believing in Santa Claus, the tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny.  The one thing I was always afraid of was...."step on a crack, you'll break your mother's back".....I believed this and never stepped on a crack....and I still avoid stepping on a crack.

Yesterdays are now today's memories.  Living in a small town made us tough youngsters.  Now we are tender old people.....living the dream of our past.  There are many more memories in my past, and one of these days, I will once again share them with you.  Until then, enjoy the priceless treasure we all have.....our memories.

Me and Santa....I still believe.

Fur Upon The Paws Or From Them

No I haven't grown fur on my paws....not yet!

Did you know that people make stuff from dog fur?  There are ways you can make dog fur yarn.  I can just imagine me lying on the sofa with a dang dog fur afghan thrown over me.  That dog yarn would smell like a wet dog and would probably learn to scratch itself with all of the flea eggs imbedded on the fur that's used to make the dog fur yarn.

And, I didn't even think about the remaining dog doo doo that might adorn the fur from around the hiney of the dog.  Oh my goodness talk about a horrible thought to have dog fur doo doo lying over me in that afghan which was knitted from dog fur yarn.  Then I think about a winter hat sitting on my head which was crocheted or knitted from that darn dog fur yarn,  it makes me want to scratch my head and bark like a dog.  And maybe eat Alpo from a can.

The only good thing about finding out that dog fur is a good source for dog fur yarn is, that I could go around my baseboards and gather up stray dog hair from a little black pooch that lives in this house.  Perhaps I can find a source to sell this dog hair and become mighty rich.  Maybe I could find a way to put some hair growth on the dog so that every month I could sheer her like a sheep and sell that raw dog fur to a yarn spinner person.

Somehow wearing the hair of the dog is just blasphemous!  Humans weren't meant to wear dog hair and sit and scratch and bark and whine for food.....and I feel if I were to wear something from dog fur yarn, that's exactly what would happen.....strange things do happen doncha know.  So for this chick (girl not a real chicken) I'll leave the dog her fur and will cover up with something other than a dog fur afghan.

Sugar Grove Cemetery Names

The following are names of persons who are at rest in the Sugar Grove/Sweetwater Cemetery.  Perhaps some of your relatives are buried there.  This list includes all names and not just those of our forefathers.

Ackerman, Adams, Agee, Albrecht, Alkire, Anderson, Arkebauer, Armstrong, Asseln, Atkin, Austill, Austin, Backhaus, Bagby, Bailey, Bains, Baker, Banay, Barkley, Beard, Behrens, Belkison, Bennett, Biggs, Binger, Bless, Boyer, Bracken, Bradley, Brown, Bunger, Burgoyne, Burditt, Burnett, Burns, Cain, Callaway, Campbell, Cantillion, Cantrall, Carlson, Chesley, Clardy, Claypool, Clemens, Cleveland, Coffey, Colson, Coombs, Cooper, Crenshaw, Croft, Crowder, Cutright, Davis, Deal, Deckard, Diers, Dirks, Dinora, Eastin, Eden, Eldridge, Ellis, Ellison, Emmons, Estill, Evers, Fields, Fitzgerald, Foster, Frick, Fricke, Frye, Funk, Gaddie, Garner, Gibbs, Gilkison, Glaspy, Goff, Goodpaster, Goodpasture, Graham, Grimsley, Hackwith, Halbury, Hall, Halla, Hambleton, Hankins, Harkin, Henderson, Herron, Hilton, Hinton, Holtom, Hubbard, Huffman, Hughes, Ingram, Jackson, Jacobs, Janssen, Johnson, Kazenski, Keene, Kincaid, Kinney, Larson, Lash, Layton, Leppert, Lewis, Light, Looby, Lukins, Lundquist, Markusson, Martin, McAtee, McKee, Meadows, Meeker, Melker, Melton, Merrill, Meteer, Miller, Mills, Money, Montgomery, Moore, Mullin, Mulvihill, Mundy, Munson, Murr, Myer, Neat, Nelson, Nixon, Oary, Olds, Orum, Ott, Page, Parkhurst, Parkin, Parks, Peirce, Perce, Peters, Pickrell, Pitts, Pond, Potter, Powell, Prather, Propst, Ratliff, Reeves, Riggin, Roberts, Robinson, Rogers, Royse, Ryan, Sachtleben, Safe, Sager, Sampson, Saunders, Scharf, Schofield, Schuermann, Seeman, Sharp, Shields, Smith, Smock, Snedegar, Snedigar, Sommer, Sommers, Spauling, Sprouse, Spurlock, Starr, Stone, Strauser, Stroje, Struwe, Stuart, Stuhmer, Sturgis, Sweeten, Sykes, Taylor, Tholen, Thompson, Tuttle, Virgin, Voss, Wahlfell, Wainwright, Wattling, Watts, Webo, Webster, Weidhuner, Wendell, Wenger, Wesselman, Wharton, Whipp, Whitty, Wiesseman, Wildman, Williams, Wilson, Wohler, Wright, Yates, Yung, Zellers.

For Your Information:  The Marbold mansion has been listed with a realtor for $100,000.  It's my understanding that the owner is charging way too much for it considering the condition and won't separate the house from the 10 acres of land.  I also understand that the Marbold Association would love to purchase the house but not at that price.  Unfortunately I fear that someone will purchase the house and will tear it down......that would be awful, but personally lacking the funds to buy the house, I can't do anything about it.  My family has many years connected to that house......my dad farmed the owner's land for many years (Carl Miller) (some of the land was farmed as early as pre-1949).  I was named after Carl Miller.   My brother and I spent thousands of hours at the Marbold Mansion, running in and out of the house and around the land.   That was before it was in as bad as condition and it still had most of the buildings and even the butcher block still existed in the butchering room.  Some of the published material which I have seen, doesn't exactly agree with my memory of the house  and outside buildings.  Articles which my brother has done are complete and correct.   If I were younger and rich I would buy it.

Recipe
The following recipe is one I got from the Paula Dean website.  With apples so plentiful this time of the year, it's a perfect dessert for now or anytime.  These bars are wonderful!! 

Paula Dean's Caramel Apple Cheesecake bars

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3   granny smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2   large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2   (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup caramel topping (to drizzle over the baked bars)

Streusel Topping
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.  Press evenly into a 13-by-9-by-2 inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Mix the ingredients for the Streusal topping in a small bowl  and sprinkle evenly over the bars .  Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.

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Thought For The Day

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

--Eleanor Roosevelt

No Mr. Whomever you are, pick up trucks aren't just for men.  They are for girls!!  A lot of girls drive those big tall 4 wheeling pick up trucks, adorned with stickers on the window proclaiming trucks are for girls.  Yep I have one too! 

If I want to go out muddin or 4 wheelin I can, just because I do.  After all, I learned to drive in a bigger truck than a pick up truck.  That was when the trucks had low and dual low and you had to double clutch the things to get the truck shifted from one gear to another.  Remember you're talking to a farmer's daughter who had to be the farm hand a lot.

My last truck had a button to move the pedals up and down....that was cool because my legs are short.  When I go to buy a truck, I probably do more research and ask more questions than most men.....simply because I want to make sure my truck is what I want and need.

To give you an idea of how well I can drive my huge and tall 4-wheel drive  pick up truck....I can fit it through the most narrowest bank teller slot without hitting the mirrors....I can also parallel park it in a really small parking space without taking off any fenders or even hitting the curb.   Ask most men if they can do that!!! 

It's always been said that real men drive pick up trucks but let me tell you the real story......REAL WOMEN DRIVE PICK UP TRUCKS...AND GREAT BIG PICK UP TRUCKS TO BOOT!!

Silly boys....don't you go calling me no names.....I'm just a good ole country girl! 

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No Vitameatavegamin Today

Every one knows that's a tonic!
Where's The Beef??  Oops that's not the right commercial ...  even though the name Vitameatavegamin seems like it has meat in it but that tonic sounds like it has more veggies in it than anything.  But, we all know from long ago that the main ingredient was 23% alcohol which made it 46 proof liquor.  The more Lucy drank the more soused she became.

This I Love Lucy show was my most favorite of all of her shows..... the grape stomping show came in second.

Lucy got that commercial job by telling the girl Ricky hired that he found another girl for the job!!!  Yep...it will be Lucy on that commercial but Ricky doesn't know she's going to do it.  The vitameatavegamin was a tonic that a person could spoon their way to a healthier life.   It was supposedly tasty like candy and contained vitamins, meat, vegetables, and minerals......and the unknown 23% alcohol.  Lucy was hilarious in this show.  After she drank her way through the commercial, her  speech was slurred. Being the wonderful actress she was, she did a good job of acting like she was totally bombed.

In order for the tonic to appear to be thick instead of runny, the show actually used Apple Pectin in those bottles.  Lucy's requirement for the contents was that it taste good since she was going to repeatedly spoon the vitameatavegamin into her mouth.....the apple pectin worked out very well.

This particular show aired May 5, 1952 but reruns were on television for years and years.  TV Guide rated this particular show as #2 in the 100 Greatest Episodes of all Time. As the result of this Vitameatavegamin show,  a 60th anniversary talking Lucy Vitameatavegamin Doll was issued and was very popular in sales and cost about $100. 

 Lucy was definitely Miss Congeniality in everything she did.  She set the world on fire with her comedian antics.....and we will never have another like her I'm sure.  I loved Lucy and I even have a Vitameatavegamin sign in my garage on the wall......you would be surprised how many young people never heard of this word, let alone know the story of Lucy and her antics.  Let's hope her inspiration never dies.

Another Segment on Abraham Lincoln's Life

1835 - In January William Berry, former store partner, dies leaving Abraham in debt for about $1000.  On August 25 Ann Rutledge, the legendary sweetheart of Lincoln died  from the fever at the family farm 7 miles northwest of New Salem, at the age of 22.  Late in the year Lincoln is in Vandalia for the opening session of the legislature.

1836 - Lincoln addresses a large crowd in Petersburg addressing the proposed Beardstown and Sangamon canal. IN March he purchases 47 acres twelve miles northwest of New Salem on the Sangamon River.   August 1 Lincoln is re-elected to the Illinois General Assembly and is now a leader in the Whig Party.  In September he receives his license to practice law.  On October 5 he files his first court case in the Sangamon County Circuit Court.   He starts courtship of Mary Owens, age 28.

1837 - Lincoln helps get the bill passed to move the capital  from Vandalia to Springfield.  March 3 he made his first attack on slavery by entering his protest in the House Journal against an antiabolitionist resolution passed by the house.  On April 15 he moved to Springfield to live with Joshua Speed and  also became a law partner with John Stuart.  In the summer he proposes marriage to Mary Owens and she refuses.

1838 - He successfully helps defend Henry Truett in a famous murder trial.  Lincoln is elected to the legislature for the third time in August, but in December he is defeated as the Speaker of the House.

1839 - Abraham begins his law practice in the 8th Judicial Circuit and travels through 9 counties in central and eastern Illinois as a lawyer.  On December 3 he is admitted to practice law in the United States Circuit Court.  He meets Mary Todd, age 21,  at a dance.  On December 9 the legislature session meets in Springfield for the first time.

1840 - Lincoln is reelected to the legislature in August.  In the fall he becomes engaged to Mary Todd.

1841 - As the result of a bout of depression, he breaks off the engagement with Mary Todd.  On March 1 he forms a new law partnership with Stephen Logan after dissolving his partnership with John Stuart.  In August and into September he visits his friend Joshua Speed in Louisville, Kentucky and sees 12 slaves chained together.

***

In the near future I will again post additional timeline information on Abraham Lincoln's life.  I hope you have enjoyed learning more about one of our former citizens of Menard County.

Deaths

Deaths in the past week:  Bob Willis and Harvey Shields.

Recipe

Quick Vegetable Beef Soup

1-2 pounds ground beef (brown and drain for lower fat)
1 onion

2 cloves garlic
4 or 5 carrots, chopped

4 potatoes, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes
7 cups beef stock
2 cups water
1 packet Au Jus gravy
1 teaspoon each of dried basil and parsley and pinch of thyme

1 bag frozen green beans
1 can of corn (or frozen corn)

I use diced tomatoes and then puree part of them in a blender as we don't like a lot of chunky tomatoes.  The Au Jus Gravy is the secret ingredient in this quick soup.

Thought For The Day

When a thing ceases to be a subject of

controversy, it ceases to be a subject of interest.

--William Hazlitt

As I remember my dear mama saying "Lick the bowl good".    As a kid licking the bowl when mama made a cake or cookies, was my most favorite thing to do.  I still like to lick the bowl but I'm afraid to after all of the dire warnings to not eat raw eggs....cook your food to a million degrees so all of the botulism and germies are dead.  So what is a person to do I ask!

Should I lick the bowl or not?  If the food is cooked, I have no problem at all licking that sucker until it's so clean I don't even have to wash it.  When it's time to make icing my mouth waters until I get the darn cake iced.....then I start drooling because I know that spoon will land up in my mouth.  Ohhhh I forgot about making fudge and other candy.....it's yummy time when I make those.  Those sweet morsels around the bowl or pan are just sitting there waiting for me to dip and double dip my spoon to get every last morsel.  I don't care if no one else gets their spoon in for a lick....in fact that's why I double dip so no one else will want to dip their spoon into my heavenly bowl licking.


Since it's becoming so close to the holidays and my annual baking and candy making sessions, my tongue is starting to water just thinking about all of that bowl licking.  I guess it's time to get the recipes out....wonder how long stuff would keep in the freezer????  Until the holidays?????  Or maybe I should wait a bit longer.....stay in my mouth dear tongue....it ain't time yet!

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Go Cardinals......Chirp Your Way

Now Is The Time Cardinals......Hit 'Em Hard!

Not all of you are Cardinal fans, but in this neck of the woods, you see a lot more Cardinal fans than Cubbie fans.   Those birds win out most of the time.

Now it's my belief that the Cardinals aren't the most consistent team and their defense is maybe a bit leaky.  Pujols made a boo boo the other night that was not so great but then the next time we saw him he was a home run king.....he couldn't be stopped.  Then came game 4 last night and the inconsistency raised its ugly head.  Whop Whop went the bats......air only and no hits.  It looked like everyone was trying to copy Pujol's mighty swings when he hit the home runs.

If any team could win this current World Series it is the St. Louis Cardinals.  Coming from being the the Wild Card, and plowing their way through adversity, they overcame....they stood tough and can win this Series!

They are my team choice.....I'm going to root root root for the home team!  And don't turn out the lights yet.....they have lots of baseball to play yet!  Go Cardinals!

Old Tyme Greenview

JOHN E. POND, a representative of the agricultural interest of Greenview township for many years, was born in Menard county, August 4, 1851, and is therefore by birth as well as training and preference a western man, possessing the spirit of enterprise and progress which have been so characteristic of the middle west. His father was David B. Pond and his paternal grandfather was Rev. Billious Pond, whose birth occurred at Plymouth, Connecticut, June 26, 1781. He was married October 11, 1801, at Camden, Oneida county, New York, to Miss Rhoda Orton, and for his second wife he chose Mrs. Melissa Moore. In early life he determined to devote his energies and talents to the work of the ministry and was ordained in the Presbyterian church at Camden, New York. In 1837 he removed to Illinois, settling eight miles west of Springfield. His ministerial labors were mostly in connection with the Bible and Tract Societies and he did much good as a pioneer preacher in the promotion of the moral development of central Illinois. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years, five months and twelve days, passing away December 8, 1874.

David B. Pond, the father of John E. Pond, was born July 5, 1822, in Camden, New York, and accompanied his parents to Illinois when fifteen years of age. He acquired a common-school education, remained under the parental roof and assisted in the work of the home farm until his marriage, which was celebrated on the 25th of March, 1845, Miss Susan A. Moore becoming his wife. Throughout his entire business career he carried on general farming and stock-raising in Sangamon and Menard counties and he died in Los Angeles, California, December 31, 1892. He had taken an active and helpful interest in community affairs, his labors proving effective in promoting the general welfare. For many years he was a member of the school board and the cause of education found in him a warm friend. An active member of the Presbyterian church, he served as one of its elders for twenty years. His political allegiance was given to the Republican party. Unto him and his wife were born two children: Tryphenia and John E. The former, born August 7, 1849, was married November 25, 1874 to Cornelius Lyman, and is now living in Dayton, Washington. After losing his first wife, David B. Pond wedded Mary E. Watson, who is now living in California.

No special event of importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for John E. Pond in his youth. He worked in the fields when not engaged with the duties of the schoolroom and remained at home until twenty-three years of age, when he was married. He wedded Miss Alice Buchanan, a daughter of James C. and Louisa (Obourn) Buchanan. Her father was born at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, March 20, 1831, and was married at Warrensville, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1852, to Louisa Obourn, whose birth occurred in 1835, and who was a daughter of Thomas Obourn. Her mother bore the maiden name of Miss Reeder and, like her husband, was a native of Pennsylvania. At the time of the Civil war James C. Buchanan responded to the country's call for aid, enlisting in June, 1861, as a member of Company C, Eighth Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry. The regiment was assigned to the Army of the Potomac and while in this service he died in October, 1863, at Washington, D. C. and his remains were interred in Arlington cemetery. His widow survived him for a number of years and passed away March 16, 1877. They had two children, Mrs. Pond, who was born September 27, 1855; and Mrs. Clara Pond, born October 23, 1857.

Recipe
Sometimes I like to use a cheese spread on crackers for a get together or just to have on hand for home snacks.  I love Pimento spread but wow it was always so expensive at the store.  Long ago I found a recipe and tried it and it was really good and tasted like the Pimento Cheese spread that you buy in the stores. 

Pimiento Cheese Spread

16 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

4 oz. jar chopped pimiento (I drain and then add juice back in for right consistency)

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 c. to 1/2 c. miracle whip

Freshly ground black pepper or cayenne, to taste

Mix the ingredients, starting with the lesser amount of miracle whip and add more to taste.

Thought For The Day

There is no revenge so

 complete as forgiveness.

--Josh Billings

Bottled water or not....that's the question.  In the beginning water was on earth and that water was in perfect balance.  It had the right amount of nutrients, minerals, salt, etc to mix with the components of your body fluids.  Then came humans.....the waters of the earth were plundered much like the lands of the earth.  The rivers and water ways were contaminated with human "stuff".

Now comes the bottled water factor.  To drink or not to drink is the question.  Some say it's just tap water in those bottles.  I disagree!  At least on the taste of purified water.....I definitely would agree on the taste of spring water.  I can't stand the scum that spring water leaves when I make iced tea....so purified water is my choice.

I'm not so sure that well water is exactly the best to drink these days....with all of the chemicals that are used on the farm fields.  One must stop and think about all the persons who have cancer.....does it relate to the chemicals used on rural American croplands.  We just don't know, but when farmers used cow manure and other organic fertilizers and cut corn and weeks out of beans instead of weed killer, there didn't seem to be as many deaths due to the big "C" word....of course back then not as much was known about the dreaded cancer, but the scientists were aware of the disease.  I just don't think there were as many cases.

I will continue to go to the store and buy my drinking water....purified that is.  They can keep the spring water....as far as I'm concerned that spring water tastes like they bottled the water straight from the spring behind my house....where the cattle do roam.  Just my opinion and just sayin.

WHAT????

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Is There A God Of Cake?

Cake Is Wonderful....Who Makes Me Eat It?

There has to be someone or something making me want to eat cake!  Cake with icing, cake with ice cream, cake cake, cake with no icing, or even cake crumbs.  My palate isn't in the least bit discriminatory as long as the stuff seems like cake, smells like cake or resembles cake in any way, shape or form.

In my eyes, when I see a cake, it has a sign that says "Eat Me Cake.
Others might not see that huge sign but I do.  Stop and smell....do you smell cake?  Just writing this makes me smell the fumes of a well baked Betty Crocker cake.  Some days I smell coffee laden tiramasu, or creme brulee type cake, or ganache, or lemon, or angel food, or German chocolate, or pineapple upside down cake.  The smells come through loud and clear to my nose.  But where are the smells coming from?  Something or someone is making me smell and crave cake.  Maybe it's that devil in the devil's food???  Or is God being a meanie to me and tempting me with the evil cake smells of temptation?

Each slice of cake is about ten pounds on an older pair of hips worn by a cake eating machine.  A nibble here and a big bite there and pretty soon the cake eating machine stuffs the whole piece in my mouth.  I'm telling you someone or something is grabbing my arm and bending it at the elbow and making hand to mouth contact anytime I see a cake.  I'm literally getting tennis elbow from the constant bending at the elbow.....overuse I think they call it.

Today I will be going against the "Lady Code Of Honor To Eat Sweets" and will refuse to eat cake.  I pledge to not "suck it up" nor worsen my tennis elbow by bending my arm to put the delicious morsel of cake crumb to my watering mouth.  As the little train said "I think I can"  I think I can".  I better ..... or the God of Cake Butt will make sure I will not fit through the front door.

Greenview News and Events

The Fortnightly club has formally disbanded.  The club was started in 1895 in order to further knowledge.  Disbanding was caused by lack of membership and participation due to health problems.  I always thought it was rather a secretive club.....and I could never find out how to become involved in this or if I would even been eligible to be a part of it.  I think had younger people known about the club or were invited to join, they might not have needed to disband.....just my strong personal feelings.  I personally think we should start an a club of sixty cuties......and have a camaraderie party each month.

October 29 - Medication Disposal.  Take your old unused prescription or over the counter medications to the Menard County Rescue Squad Building In Petersburg or the Athens Fire Department, 10am to 2pm.

October 29 - Middletown United Methodist Church annual soup dinner.  From 4pm to 7pm.  Chili, vegetable soup, drink of choice, relish tray, dessert.

November 6 - Middletown Presbyterian Church annual fall brunch.  10am to 2 pm.  Pulled pork, bacon, sausage, Belgian waffles,breakfast pizza, scrambled eggs, sausage and gravy and biscuits, fried potatoes, ham and beans, cornbread, desserts, coffee cakes, fresh fruits and drinks.  All you can eat.  Children three and under Free.

*****************

Today I must cut short this post.  I have two early morning appointments looming ahead of me.  Unfortunately I can't do both the blog and the appointments ..... so you know which one got cut!  But I will be back on Monday.  See ya then!

This is amazing:

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Are You An Oompa Loompa?

I think I fit the definition!

The definition of a Oompa Loompa is that you are from Loompaland, usually tending towards tendencies of small size, an orange complexion, and green hair.  They are also frisky and wear funny mismatched clothes with different colored stripes and like Willy Wonka chocolate bars.  Yes that sounds like me a couple of months ago.  I'd used some fake tanning gel and I looked rather orange.  That was about the same time that I used some hair color and to me my hair looked like it had a green tint.

Being of short stature, and a bit rotund, I referred to myself as a Oompa Loompa.  A lumpy oompa loompa and especially when I put on my striped socks and stuffed a pillow in the front of my capris.  I was running around like that and acting like a looney oompa loompa until someone knocked on the door..............holy crap ......what was I gonna do?  So I carefully snuck up to the door to see who it was through the sidelight windows.  Egads, it was a friend I hadn't seen for about 5 years. 

Laughing all the while I opened the door ...... she  too burst out laughing .....of course she burst out laughing.  You don't see an oompa loompa every day of the week.....in fact you don't ever see them I don't think.  But she sure saw me.  Orange tanned skin, green tinted hair with my striped socks and a pillow in the front of my capris to represent an even fatter oompa loompa than I already was.

My friend just couldn't wait to ask.  She said "Are you trying out for a Willie Wonka play?"  I said no ..... I was making my Halloween costume.....whew......I took care of that one.....but all the while I had my fingers crossed for telling just a little fib. (You all know how adamant I am about not telling fibs or lies).  But I took care of the situation right then and there. 

I was an Oompa Loompa for the moment and so that I can clear my conscious and not feel I fibbed, I'm going to put those striped socks back on for Halloween.  My hair still looks like it has a green tint.  Now what to do about orange skin.....cause I'm not using that fake tanner again!!!!  Maybe I will go try to buy some orange face paint.  I really want to be that Oompa Loompa again....just for a day.  But I can't decide if I want to live in Loompaland.....the mean old wicked witch of the west might have come over from the Land of Oz to Loompaland.

Old Tyme Pictures of Area Things

These are from old postcards which were readily used in the olden days.  Click on the picture for an enlarged view.

Springfield City Hall and Lincoln's Home

1905

Another Picture of Springfield City Hall

Unknown Address

Postcard used by Springfield's Lincoln Henkel Business

College in Springfield 1912

Memorial Hospital Springfield

St. John's Hospital Springfield

St. Clara's Hospital Lincoln 1908

Recipe

Dump Cake

2-21 oz. cans of fruit pie filling (cherry is great)

1 yellow cake mix...dry.

1 c. chopped pecans or english walnuts or mix the two.

1-1/2 sticks of melted butter

Use a 13X9 pan. Spray bottom & sides of pan with cooking spray.
Pour both cans of fruit pie filling in bottom of pan.
Spread it around evenly as possible.
Sprinkle "DRY" cake mix on top of fruit. DO NOT SMASH DOWN THE DRY CAKE MIX. I just sprinkle it on.   Highs and lows are fine. Top the dry cake mix with chopped nuts.
Pour melted butter over the nuts and dry cake mix.
Bake 350degrees F. 45 min to an hour.

Thought For The Day

If you are able to state a problem,

it can be solved.

--Edwin H. Land

While in the big city yesterday I did the most dastardly thing possible!  I had to go to a cardiac exercise class and after that I was hungry as a bear. 

I also needed to go to the grocery store and I know that when I'm hungry while shopping, I buy what I consider the most unusual, delectable and expensive things I can find.  Upon getting home from grocery store shopping I tend to wildly jump into tearing open packages and eating the whole lot of unwholesome food in my shopping bags.  If I had gout, I would certainly suffer after one of these binges.

Based on my unwillingness to shop while hungry, I was forced to pulled into the closest drive-up window....the local McDonald's drive-through, so I could order some cholesterol laden burger meat.  Yes, just after cardiac rehab exercises, I wanted the most unhealthy McBurger I could order.  And I didn't want to forget the toxically salted french fries either.

The woman ahead of me had a load of kids in the car.  I could see through her back glass that the kids were throwing shoes at each other and acting like a bunch of hoodlums.  I'm sure this wasn't their only trip through McDonald's today because the kids acted as though they had drank about 6 carbonated cola drinks, containing about 2 cups of sugar each.

Finally her van pulls away and it's my turn to order.  I tell the uninterested intercom what I want.  The garbled reply of course can't be understood, but I thought she said $8.42.  Now how can that be????? I only ordered a McDouble McBurger as I call it and an order of those horribly toxically salted french fries. 



Sure enough I get to the window and she says in her sweet voice $8.42.  "It can be" I politely say.  "I only ordered a McDouble and a $1.00 french fry".  The clerk says, "ma'am I have it you ordered 4 large coca cola's and three french fries".  I said "that's not my order".  She said, "that was your order".  It suddenly dawned on me.....I'm being held hostage to pay for order for the van that was in front of me.

Not wanting to make a scene I said "look.....I'm going to pay only for my McDouble and my french fries."  She said "your order is $8.42 and you must pay this amount."  I say....."call the manager NOW!" 

It's been so long now since I ordered, I know that my burger will be tepid temperature with the toxically salted fries dehydrated and limp and cold.  The window slides open and a man with a beard says "can I help you?"  By this time I'm tired of McDonald's friendly faces.....so I loudly exclaim.....I want it my way!!  Then I thought.....Oops that was Burger King's wasn't it.......so I then tried to calmly tell him my two item order and that the clerk was trying to scam me into paying $8.42.  He said, no problem ma'am.  Your order is ready at window 2 and that will be $2.16.  I pay and don't respond because I can't believe that it took me asking for a manager to get the cost right.

I drive to window 2 and the clerk said....that will be just a minute.  What????????????  After all this time, my order isn't even ready????  Finally the sack is passed out of the window and I drive off.  My hand goes into the bag.  No napkin.  No ketchup.  One french fry and a McChicken.  Not my order.  The only way I like a McChicken is without the mayo and lettuce.....but I'm starved so I scrape the lettuce and mayo off and eat it.  Is McDonald's so poor that they can't even give their loyal customers a napkin to wipe off the grease from their food.

The tasteless but over salted fries were cold and stuck in my throat.   If you've ever tried to eat a cold McChicken without any sauce, it's a gruelling task and I might say a tasteless concoction.  By the time I got done eating my leather car seats were shiny with an oil covering and I was slipping and sliding around.  

I know my McDonald's problems were caused by something trying to tell me I shouldn't eat that crap.  But did I listen.....NO!  I ate it.  And right after exercising to build strength.  There is something wrong with me......no will power that's what.  I just hope the heck that today is a stay away day for me.....the power to resist is upon me.  I hope!

Thanks for reading my blog.  It's for Greenviewanites and other persons interested in humor and history.  Comments would be appreciated.   This blog is protected under copyright laws and cannot be used or reproduced.

Have a great day......

If I Were Age 14 Again.....What Would I See?

Age 14 ? That Is A Long Time Ago....hmmmm!

If I were to be age 14 again, I would see Freshman initiation and the horrible senior I had assigned to me.  I was a true slave!  No names mentioned of course, but he was a bully and a meanie.

I remember that Disco had just become popular.  American Bandstand was a must on our television set every Saturday afternoon I think.  Everyone was doing the "Watusi".  In Greenview we were a bit behind the times on popular dances.  If I remember right, we were still doing the twist to Chubby Checker's " The Twist". Then I remember Chubby Checker releasing his "Wah-Watusi" record.  I had to have that record too so I could learn to dance the Watusi all night long!

Of course in Greenview we were just beginning to do the Mashed Potato.   Dee Dee Sharp came out with Mashed Potato Time and I absolutely had to have that record when it came out.

Here's the utube for "The Twist" on American Bandstand, Chubby's Dancin Party and Dee Dee Sharp with Mashed Potato Time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbK0C9AYMd8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqjQOmvQBjs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQBKpV9emKc&feature=related

My family liked country music and I remember about this time that Patsy Cline died in a plane crash.  I remember hearing that Patsy Cline record we had played over and over at our house.

But, my most loved music of this time was the Beach Boys.  When they came out with Surfin USA, I loved it and had to have that record the moment they came out with it.  I personally think some of the best songs from the Beach Boys were released when I was a couple or three years older but I loved every song they ever sang.  Here's Surfin USA on utube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grj7sjQ0_p4

I remember the day the Greenview K and K Market, the old locker plant and Kincaid's tavern burned.....I was just 14 and was at cheerleading try-outs when it started.

Of course the most impressionable memory of being age 14 was that President Kennedy was killed.   I got to watch every news cast about his death on television and cried every minute.  They kept repeating the segment where Walter Cronkite announces that "there were three shots and a rumor that our President is dead" and then later Croncike announces the President is indeed dead. I must have watched that segment ten times that night after school.    When the school superintendent made the announcement over the intercom, I believe I was in Band class.  I remember going home early because I was so upset because my Great-Grandma Lizzy also died that afternoon and it was on my mama's birthday and she had just died the year before so I was just about traumatized. The death of President Kennedy and being able to watch the newscasts on television is something I can carry with me for a lifetime.

Being age 14 again was fun.  It doesn't seem as many years ago as it actually has been.  But time passes quickly....and as you get older, it passes faster and faster. A stroll down memory lane is all that is left of age 14.  I don't think I would want to be age 14 again for good.....but if I could go back, maybe for just a day or two!

Old Pictures In The Area (click for bigger on most)

Illinois Central Railroad

Illinois Central Railroad Advertisement to

attract people to buy land from them.

Vachel Lindsay - An Illinois Poet

Illinois State Armory Building, Springfield

Little Chum's Lodge Springfield Postcard

Junction 66 at North Bypass 66

Fleetwood Restaurant - Dirksen Parkway/31st Street

Springfield

Death Verified

As stated in yesterday's post, I have verified that Penny Simmering died on Thursday, October 13.  She was age 83.

Recipe

Pot Roast in Slow Cooker

2 (10.75 oz) cans of cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 ounce) package of dried onion soup mix
1 ¼ cups water
 3 lb or more pot roast

In the slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, OR  on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

Thought For The Day

The worst loneliness is not

 to be comfortable with yourself.

--Mark Twain

"gonna rock around the clock tonight, gonna rock rock rock til broad daylight".  Bill Haley had it right when he came out with that song.  Through the years there were times when I just didn't sleep at night and felt like I had rocked around the clock all night.  In the last year or so, those sleepless nights are when I sit back and think about what I can remember about the past and jot it down for future blog articles.

That rock around the clock song is from the 1950's when lots of people hated the rock and roll type music.  Of course back then people were always talking about the future.  They thought the Russians were going to bomb us after Kruschev came into office (and later beat his shoe and supposedly said "we will bury you".

Clark Gable said "damn" in "Gone With the Wind" and people didn't want their kids to go to the movies any more for fear of bad words.  Gas was about 20 cents a gallon and people feared it was going to get so high they couldn't afford gasoline.

Marilyn Monroe was about the sexiest woman alive and all the men were googly eyed when they saw her in her bathing suit and other sexy pictures.

I was really young in the 1950's but I remember riding my bike to Johnson and Denton's grocery store to get a loaf of bread for less than a quarter.  I remember my folks talking about various things and when a price went up or a news item came on they many times said "what is this world coming to".

If the people who were alive in the 1950's, but have since died, could only see our current day prices of gasoline and beef roasts and bread and especially cars, they would probably beat their shoe on the table as The Russian Communist Kruschev did.  We live the fast pace but the economy controls our finances.  The hard times came in the past and for some are here now.  Never let us forget the good times.......the life where our days of our youth led us to our future.

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Have a good day!