My Post Is Not Spam

No Sirreeeeeeee My Posts Aren't Spam

It was so nice when Spam meant you could go to the pantry and get out this little oblong can with primarily dark blue colors.  And written across the front was SPAM.  But that word SPAM meant you had an edible product enclosed in your hand.  A nice little fake ham block of pressed meat which had loads of fat, calories and sodium.  I remember my family would slice that little SPAM block of meat, roll it in flour and fry it in grease.  And we would all eat it like it was the best thing on earth.  Maybe it was!  But in my youth, eating SPAM meant I was really a "spammer" simply because I ate SPAM!

Throughout the years I've seen contests for the bestest SPAM recipe.  Even the state fair has a SPAM cook off session.  Casseroles with SPAM
.... stand alone SPAM ..... Green eggs with SPAM probably.  All in the name of SPAM.  But, these days SPAM doesn't always mean SPAM in the can....it means that you have become the worst critter on earth.....the internet spammer.

A couple of days ago  I started getting messages about Spam....and it wasn't SPAM the meat man calling at my door.  No it was the Spam police on the internet....telling me my message had just turned into a piece of Spam.  Well........forgive me but I'm not a spammer.  I'm simply trying to send a message.  

I've been called a lot of names in my life, but I have now gotten the world's worst name affixed to me.....a misnomer of course......but folks I'm officially a spammer.  Lock me in handcuffs and drag me off to cyber jail....let them cook for me, dress me and support me......but please don't call me a spammer!  I swear I didn't mean to.....I don't know why I did it....and I don't even know what I did to become a spammer.  Please your honor, the cyber judge, you must believe me.  Oh well.....I haven't received my cyber sentence but you know it will be harsh.  At least ten years in cyber prison......maybe I'll see a couple of our former governors there.

Old Tyme Greenview
Taken from the 1879 book The History Of Menard and Mason Counties:


E. L. SWINEY, farmer and stock -raiser, Sec. 35 ; P. 0. Greenview ; was born in Bath Co., Ky., July 28, 1823. His father died when he was 2 years old. He lived in Kentucky until he was 11 years of age, when he came to Indian Point, Menard Co., with Mr. Kennedy Kincaid. They brought a flock of sheep with them, which young Swiney helped to drive. He continued to live with Mr. Kincaid until
21 years of age. He received such education as the schools of that early day afforded.

In 1845, he bought 285 acres of land in Sugar Grove Precinct, upon which he has since resided. He now owns 700 acres of land upon which are good buildings. He was united in marriage with Melinda Johnson Sept. 10, 1846. She was born in Menard Co., Aug. 25, 1824. Her parents came to the county in 1823, and her mother, who is now living, is one of the oldest living settlers. Mr. Swiney is the father of seven children, five of whom are now living Emma, Elijah, Laura, Ned and Frank. Mrs. Swiney departed this life Feb. 9, 1877. Mr. Swiney is a stanch Republican in
politics.

ADAM SHARP, boot and shoemaker, Sweetwater; was born in Baden, Germany, Sept. 18, 1850. His father was a shoemaker by trade, a business he taught his three sons. In 1853, John, the eldest son, came to the United States, and located in the
village of Sweetwater, Menard Co., 111. ; he also lived in Missouri about five years. He died in 1878. Adam came to this country in 1872, and commenced working at his trade in the village of Sweetwater the same year. He was united in marriage with Bertha Kyle Dec. 11, 1877 ; she was born in Logan Co., Feb. 16, 1857. They have had one child Augustus, born Jan. 5, 1879, died April 12, 1879. Mr. Sharp came to this country as a poor German lad, but by close attention to his trade, combined with industry and economy, he has gained quite a competency. He owns a large shop, in which he always keeps a large and well-selected stock. He also owns one of the nicest residences in the village.

Recipe
For years I have been making Caramels for the holiday season.  My kids have always fought over who gets the most caramels ....to the point they count each piece in their Christmas candy container.  It's unreal they don't realize that I know how to count out two piles with equal amounts.....and these kids aren't kids...they are adults ... at least I thought so.  I'm sharing my Caramel recipe.  It makes lots and be sure to use a huge heavy Dutch Oven type pan or it might flow over the top when cooking.

Carla's Caramels
4 cups sugar
3 cups white syrup
5 cups half and half
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Mix sugar, white syrup and 2 cups half and half together on medium high stove.  Cook until soft ball stage (235 F) ....it will take 30 to 45 minutes to do this stage.  When it is at 235 degrees, slowly add 3 more cups of half and half and cook to 238 degrees....constantly stirring and it will take at least another 30 minutes.  Upon reaching 238 F, take from heat and add vanilla and nuts, stir and pour into greased jelly roll pan.  Makes about 4 to 5 pounds.  When completely cooled (several hours) cut into small pieces and wrap in cut waxedpaper.  Store in an air tight container in a cool place.  IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE A HUGE HEAVY PAN TO COOK THIS AMOUNT OR IT WILL OVERFLOW!!


Thought For The Day

He who has a thousand friends

has not a friend to spare,

But he who has one enemy will

meet him everywhere.

--Ali ibn-Abi-Talib... 602 - 661 AD

Note: Me thinks this was a smart man way

back when!

Do you believe in the almighty horoscope?  Some do and some don't.  I used to grab the newspaper and the first thing I read was the daily horoscope.  I was a believer .... I just knew that tiny message was going to tell me the exact kind of day I could expect and if it said I was going to come into money....I knew that the lottery was on the way to my bank account.  After being disappointed about 2 million times I knew that Astrology and the Stars weren't fortunes....they were words in the horoscope field.  There for a reason...to build the firm believers' hopes and let them think they would surely be Queen For A Day on that particular day.

The energy of all of the planets in this world didn't make a difference in me receiving the lottery winnings I pined for each time I saw a horoscope message forecasting a fortune in my life.  Shucks!

I felt discriminated against.....the planet energy didn't like the color of my hair or my breath was bad.....or it had to be something because horoscopes don't lie.

I have grown older now and know that the words are meant to entertain....not shove some unstable person over the edge (I sure hope not!).

If you still firmly believe in those mighty horoscope words of wisdom and hope and fortune, I wish you good luck.....you probably will need it.

Unfortunately I have been experiencing DSL internet problems.

My service keeps going off and on and things don't post right.

As soon as this gets fixed, I will doing a series of posts on theaters which were popular in Springfield.

This blog is protected under copyright laws.  Please abide by this.

Come again.

Time To Decorate

It's Not Looking Enough Like Christmas!!
You say you just haven't had time to decorate?  Whatever have you been doing...sitting at the computer 15 hours a day and not getting things done??  Oh dang that's me I'm talking about.  The house is a mess...clothes need to be laundered....the decorations aren't all up (wreath on the door and the very skinny 5 foot tree, which is already decorated found its way up from the basement).  But I have tired butt from just sitting in front of this darn computer screen.

During a road trip this weekend to do some shopping in Decatur I saw where very few people had their decorations up.  I love looking through the front windows of homes and to see their trees.  Mine never looks as good as others.  So I've decided this year during clearance time, I'm going to buy a fake, very fat and as tall as my ceilings can handle tree.   My other one is just not fat enough nor tall enough so my skinny minnie tree usually gets put up instead of the big tree.  And, I'm going to buy all new decorations too!  I'm tired of those others.

This year our granddaughter will be an Angel in a real life nativity scene at Lewis Memorial Christian Homes during the season.  This is an annual presentation.....be sure to go if you get a chance....I will put times on later.

I do know one thing......when you get older and have no kids at home, Christmas just doesn't feel the same.  Especially when the kids don't come home for Christmas.  For several years, we have made the trek to their homes.....see the kids open presents and eat breakfast and then go home because they're on their way to their in-laws.  It's hubby's birthday on Christmas so we go home and eat cake....and no left overs.  But this year, since hubby has the next day off....I think we will go somewhere....just an overnighter ..... to celebrate Merry Birthday and Happy Christmas.

Now is the time for you to think about decorating for Christmas. And don't let this happen ------------------------------->







And, be sure to set out your nativity with  baby Jesus in the manger, Mary, Joseph, and the three kings to celebrate the real reason for Christmas. 

Old Time Springfield Pictures

Springfield Hospital and Training School 1921

unknown location

St. John's Hospital 1945

St. Nicholas Hotel 1930-40's era

Postcard of Springfield Motel Slumberland

1641 Wabash Ave.

Osco Drug Downtown - southside

of the courthouse.  Unknown date but when they first moved

there from Monroe street I think....early 80's maybe???

Recipe

Chocolate Butterscotch Haystacks

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 package butterscotch chips

1 can spanish peanuts

1 large can chinese noodles (La Choy)

Stir the chips together in a bowl which can be microwaved.  Set microwave on medium heat and every 45 seconds, stop and stir.....keep doing this until completely melted.  After melted, stir in the peanuts and the chinese noodles.  Stir until mixed completely.  Drop by spoonful on waxed paper or parchment paper.  Cool until hardened.  Store in covered container.

Thought For The Day

Life is too short to spend your precious time trying to convince a person who wants to live in doom and gloom otherwise.  Give lifting that person your best shot, but don't hang around long enough for his or her attitude to pull you down.  Instead surround yourself with optimistic people.

--Zig Zigler

Are you sending Christmas cards this year?  Well don't really expect one from me.  I've decided that the mailman has far too many cards to carry in his heavy mail sack, so I'm opting out.  I guess this might add to the post office's financial problems, but surely my measly little amount of cards won't hurt that badly. 

I plan to use Al Gore's glorious creation (the internet) to tell my friends and maybe some frienemies Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and may your holiday be blessed.  Wait...................I hope the heck I don't have any friends or frienemies that feel hurt and get bent out of shape when the greeting is Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays while others are offended by even this comment.  So it's the war about Christmas holidays.....you're damned if you say it and damned if you don't ( say the right thing that is). 

The greedy store owners have really driven the true meaning of Christmas out and made it so commercialized.....now others want to drive the Christmas greetings from our mouths and demand we say "the appropriate crap" that they want.  It's just like driving prayer from the schools....in my book.  From now on I'm going to say Happy Jesus' Birth at Christmas....and see if those "do gooders" can complain about that....because that my friends, is the real reason we celebrate Christmas.   And then I'll tack on "and by the way, have a Good New Year". 

I'll probably get complaints, but do I care????? H*ll no.

This blog and posts are copyrighted.....do me a favor and don't copy my stuff.  See you another time.  The rating indicator is at the bottom of this post.

Why Are Some People A Pain In Our Sides

There Are Nice People In This World and others....well!!!

 I have always tried to be a nice person, but I swear there are some people who would raise the dander on my poor old 13 year old dog.  That old dog of mine has dog friends who come around and poop in my yard that are much nicer than some people I have met in my life.

I personally think it's those persons with bad attitudes who make the worst come out in people.  Maybe they have a miserable life and just get their jollies by wanting to make others miserable too.  Sometimes these types of persons throw rocks at people who are a happy type of person because they want everyone's attention centered on themselves and they don't want others happy and nice.   To me this leans toward the cowardly type approach.

Long ago I learned in management classes in college that you must be a leader first.....then a management person.  You have to be a nice person and use honey to get things and not go the vinegar approach because it turns people off to your ideas.  But some peeps just see it one way.....barge in.....tell everyone their views and are convinced their views are right no matter what.....they direct everyone their way....be it right or wrong.  Sorry Charlie...this ain't the way to get things done!!  Not in my book at least.

I'm certainly not ever going to change the world, but I can void these types from my life.  YAY ..... thank goodness for that.  I think these types should be put in a jar with a tight lid and never let out.  And if they are, flush the toilet when you're done. HA  HA HA

Sorry for the lateness of the post.   I had DSL internet problems since yesterday.  In view of this, today's post is short and sweet.  I will do better tomorrow.

Come again.

What If Black Friday Was Cancelled?

What is Black Friday Anyway?

When Santa's Sleigh is the last thing to roll down New York's famous 34th Street during the Macy's parade, the CEO's at all department stores begin to salivate heavily.  They wring their greedy little hands in joy and anticipation of opening their doors either late Thanksgiving or super early on Black Friday. 

These CEO's know that their store, which has been in the red all year, might finally be in the black after one day's shopping.  All year they plan the advertising to give a glimpse of those super bargains.  Sure they spend a lot on advertising.  A one page colored ad in the Wall Street Journal costs between $210, 300 and $248,000.  Wow that is some dough.  The New York Times would be about $24,000.

Around Springfield, it might not be that high, but coupled with the $3.00 per paper that the SJ-R now charges, do we now know which other CEO wrings their hands in joy prior to the Thanksgiving Day's advertising?  Me thinks it might be Gate House Media...the owner of SJ-R.  Sure they had extra costs involved in moving the printing operations from Springfield to Peoria back a while ago, but $3.00 for papers on Sunday and Thanksgiving?????

The stores show these wonderful super cheap bargains.....but they conveniently forget to tell you that there are only 3 to maybe 4 and 10 items if you're really lucky of each super cheap item.  You get there thinking you are the one who will get the bargain of the day.... only to find the line stretches down the street, around the corner and 15 blocks down the dirtiest alley you've ever seen.  All for the sake of getting one of the cheap 3 or 4 items.

But the store got you in the store....so, might as well do some other shopping.  Some items of which, they most likely have marked up to cover their sale prices.  (Just like the myriad of closeout sale items I've seen on businesses going out of business.....they mark the prices up to mark them down.) 

You go down the aisles with your Christmas list.  A shirt and a truck for Billy and  socks and a bee bee gun for Johnny.  Jimmy gets a new coat and three books he wanted.  Sally wants that new doll which eats, drinks, sleeps, and poops.  Ginger, being the teenager she is, wants that wonderful and costly newly designed LCD television which you could have gotten for the super low price of $98.00 on the super deals but they were all out when you got there so now you must pay $248.00.  Your cart runneth over.  And your billfold will be empty....but you are smiling because you went to the Black Friday sales and made some store CEO happy.  His store will now be in the black.

What if Black Friday was cancelled?  Employers could quit giving this Friday off as an extra holiday.....that would save production and money.  The department stores could save money on advertising but they would really be in the red come the end of the year.  You could save gas getting to the store and your wallet would be fatter until you went shopping on another day....but you might get some bargains going shopping where sales are on the items you have on your list instead of shopping where you went first.  You could sleep in if you still had the day off.  You could stay home and eat leftovers instead of having to buy lunch out on Black Friday. 

See there are myriads of answers and reasonings to that question.  Am I out shopping this early morning at 6:30 am??????  No, I'm still in my frog pajamas.  Let me tell you I'm getting tired of wearing these frog pajamas so a new pair is on my list....maybe some nice new pair with a turkey on it .... just my style!  Today is still today later today so I might venture out...who knows.  Maybe they will have that one lone sale item I really wanted but decided it just wasn't worth it at 2:00 a.m. this morning.  Maybe I'll see you out shopping today or later this season.  We can have coffee....you buy!

Area Pictures

Petersburg Harris High School

1940-1950's era

Downtown Petersburg.  This

picture appeared in the Petersburg

Observer 9-4-2004.  Unknown date of the picture.

An old advertisement for the Elkhart Elevator

which was operated by Allison, which also ran the

Greenview elevator.

1937-39

Oliver tractor with a Grain Master Combine

Logan County

Illinois State Fair Happy Hallow Postcard

Springfield....unsure of date

Recipe

The holiday season is officially here so it's time to start planning your  "to make" list of candy and cookies.  High on my list is Peppermint Bark.  It's easy and people love this sweet yet minty concoction.

Peppermint Bark

2 pounds of white chocolate ( the real stuff is always the best)

30 small candy canes

Line a jelly roll size pan with foil or parchment paper.  Place candy canes in heavy plastic freezer bags and pound with a meat mallet or a rolling pin until crushed.   Put chocolate in a glass bowl and put in the microwave for 4 to 5 minutes....always watch closely and take out every minute or so starting with the second minute and stir the chocolate.  Take from microwave and stir in the peppermint pieces.  Then spread evenly in the jelly roll pan.  Cool for at least an hour.  Break it up by slamming the pan on the counter.  Store in a tightly covered container.

Quote Of the Day

My health is good,

it's my age that's bad.

--Roy Acuff

I bet some of you are sitting in your desk chair reading this blog with an extended bloated stomach from the 7,000 calorie meal you ate yesterday.  And you don't know why but you're hungry this morning and thinking about going to get a big turkey sandwich for breakfast.  Well...that's better than a piece of that leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast.

When we're sitting at the Thanksgiving table with the plate that really needed sideboards, we don't really care that the 7,000 calories are going into our tiny little stomach to later become a big wad of fat on our getting bigger hiney.  Just think, there are 3,500 calories in one pound so you just ate 2 pounds of ugly body weight.

I always picture a two pound of hamburger to see what 2 pounds of ugly body weight looks like.  So if you gain 10 pounds of body weight, and look at a 10 pound package of hamburger....you will find by looking at 10 pounds of beef that you are in real trouble, because you're going to need some new clothes.....and a diet.

So today as you sit at your computer.....get up every once in a while and do five jumping jacks, 6 leg lifts on each leg, get two cans of vegetables and lift them above your head and down to your shoulders 10 times each, and go outside and walk to the mailbox 8 times.  You have just done a bit of good for getting those hamburger look-a-like pounds off your old hiney. 

Let's work out today because we have another HUGE meal to go through in just 30 days from today......Happy day!

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glitter-graphics.com

Thanksgiving Eve, November 23, 2011

The Month Of Remembering and Being Thankful.

The month of November is always nostalgic for me.  It signifies a month in which a great president was murdered on November 22, 1963.  The Russians launched the first living creature (a dog) into space.

November 11 is Veteran's Day and is celebrated because this was the end of World War I.  Germany's Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989.  The general election is typically held in November so that people can exercise their right to vote.

Our former county resident Abraham Lincoln made his famous Gettysburg address in November, 1863.  And, President Lincoln was the president who declared Thanksgiving a National Holiday in 1863.

These are just things that have stuck in my mind for years about the month of November.  Of course how could I forget, it means big discounts and a huge amount of ads for the store sales on Black Friday and the start of the Christmas shopping season. The Monday after Black Friday is Cyber Monday. And of course it means Christmas is just around the corner.

By the time I get to this month, I'm usually pretty sick of winter and the start of large heating bills and winter hasn't even started.  But, this year, the weather has been rather nice during this month.  I typically think....wow....where did this year go.  Another year will have passed under my "old age belt" .... which seems to be getting rather tattered and worn.

But one of the most important things to me is the fact that this month has celebrated birthdays during my life which have importance to me.  My mama's birthday was on November 22 and this year she would have been age 99.  Another relative's birthday is this same day.

But ... Thanksgiving gets the big blue medal for being the most significant day for most people in our country.  It allows us to get together with family or friends to celebrate the festive occasion.  Wonderful food, friendship, comradery, Macy's parade, football games, naps after lunch, and general good times all go together like a turkey and stuffing.  They fit!

If you are traveling for the occasion, be safe. From my family to yours, may your day be wonderful and may you experience the joy and peace of a blessed holiday. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grandma's House

I like the taste of turkey

Anytime throughout the year

But it never seems

to taste so good

As when Thanksgiving is here.

Could be it's all the trimmings

That are cooked with it to eat

But I think it's

eating at Grandma's house

That makes it such a treat.

--Unknown Author

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

Being Thankful

It's time to be thankful for a lot of things.

First of all I must say how thankful I am to my readers of this blog.  It started out in 2009 and I posted for a few months.  Then illness and family crisis situations forced me to quit.  Then in June of this year I re-invented the blog and here we are....still going strong with my reader volume increasing everyday.  At this point I have had over 7,000 reader views since I started and am averaging about 1500 readers a month.  Wow .... that is almost an unbelievable number for a Greenviewanite blog.  I am truly thankful.

A big hug of thanks goes to those who are my friends, both in real life and in cyber life.  I really enjoy conversing by email with those of you who contact me....it is wonderful to renew old friendships from another era in our lives.  To able to put up with me for this long has probably  been hard on you "friends".....thanks from the bottom of my heart.

I think back to my younger years and am thankful that I had the courage to break up with a boyfriend who was not so good for me and when he told me "you'll never find another like me"....well thanks to the angel watching over me, I said "well I hope not.  If I don't want you why would I want someone just like you!" That courage later gave me a family for which I'm so thankful and a wonderful husband whom I have to thank each day just being there to help me with household chores, through illnesses, and to be my sounding board and my soulmate.

The day of Thanksgiving is approaching and each of us should take the time to think about those who have enriched our lives to make us a better person.  Our lifetimes are short and as we reach into the days of our older lives we begin to realize just how short that lifetime really is.  I truly love life and give thanks to God each day that I am able to wake to another morning of life.  Life is good.....and saying thanks is too.

Area Pictures

Logan County Courthouse 1958 in Lincoln.

Logan County Courthouse 1950's in Lincoln

Lincoln 1916 Broadway looking west.

Illinois State Armory Building which was built in 1936 to replace

the State Arsenal Builing which was lost in a fire (see picture below of the State Arsenal Building).  Before the Springfield Convention

Center, basketball games and similar were held in the State Armory.

I remember taking my young children there each year to the Circus.

The building still stands on 2nd street in Springfield.

State Arsenal Building early 1930's (burned and in

1936 the State Armory was built to replace this)

Recipe

A dear friend, Patt, gave me this recipe not long ago.  It is wonderful....I had to adjust the recipe a bit for me, by using the lowest fat content Alfredo Sauce and Turkey Italian sausage but it worked and it was wonderful.

Sausage, Pasta and Broccoli Casserole

jar (1 pound) Ragu Cheesy Classic Alfredo sauce (canuse low fat)

1/3 cup milk
1 pound SWEET Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled (can use turkey italian sausage)
1 package (9 ounce) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
8 ounces egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers (kind in a jar or can not flakes)
Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, combine Alfredo Sacue and milk. Stir in sausage, broccoli, noodles, ¾ cup shredded cheese and roasted peppers.  In 13x9 inch baking dish, evenly spread sausage mixture. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through. Makes 6 servings.



Thought For The Day
You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
--Eleanor Roosevelt

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

The other day I was thinking about when we used to go shopping in uptown Springfield. My dad used to take us shopping and I think it may have been Thursday evenings they were open later.

I remember going to Myers Bros. because there were so many floors and beautiful things to see. On the way we always passed a store next to Myers Bros. and we would go in and there was a parrott which always said "Hello Harv". It was so cool. My dad knew one of the owners of Myers well so we always went to an office to say hi and he would give me candy. He was a nice man.

At Christmas time the windows of the stores were beautiful. I loved to go to Woolworths. My dad would sit at the coffee counter to eat a piece of pie and would give us kids money to go buy something. I would of course buy a little plastic doll for about 50 cents to a dollar. I loved the smell of Woolworths. It always smelled really good. We would also go to Kresge's and that was fun because it was so big....and a basement too. There was another dimestore I don't remember the name of the dimestore. Back then I jsut loved dimestores....and being from a small town, Springfield was like the shopping mecca of the world to me.

It brings a smile to my face to think back. It's a reminder of my youth.

Come again.  Sorry for the lack of color today and the bigger type size on some parts as I usually use.  I had trouble getting this to post and then half of it didn't post and I had to go in and paste the other into it.  I'm lucky I had saved most of it into another document and didn't lose the entire post. 

LIfe Is Tough Sometimes

Don't we always hear that life is tough?!

Yes, life can be tough and unfair.....and the bad thing is we don't get to practice living .... we only get one chance.  Sometimes I think that life is so unfair you could even get a splinter in your old buttocks if you slid down a rainbow.  And, it would probably be a colored splinter. I guess that rainbow splinter would be red from the outer part of the arc.   I think that red arc is called the first chakra in the Hindu and the New Age philosophy.

We all have needs and wants and desires and sometimes we're not understood as much as we would like.  So....sometimes we must go through life explaining ourselves.  We make errors in life and maybe are disciplined or yelled at...this happens especially when people are young and in the learning stages of life, but it can happen in later life too.

I once read a quote by John Wayne.  He said "Life is tough, but it's tougher when you are stupid."  When I first read this long ago, I didn't know how to interpret this....but I think he meant if you do stupid things it makes your life tougher.  I relate this to someone who might make a decision to take drugs .... life probably gets tough and worsens because of what I would call a "stupid decision".

I know that when you, as a person, are tough on yourself, life will usually be so much easier.  When you stand up and face it and acknowledge it....things get better.  The best thing to do is to tell yourself, life may be tough, but I'm tougher. Go for everything in life with gusto!   And be tough!!  Life will get better.

A Bit More About Abraham Lincoln
I found a large amount of information about Lincoln and thought I would begin posting some of it in continuing posts.....about two a week until done.  It's always good to know about our 16th president who used to roam our lands in and around Greenview.  Author is Derald Leigh Henson. PhD.

"Abraham Lincoln was active in the Lincoln, Illinois, region from 1836 until his Presidential election in 1860. Photo 3.1, the earliest known photo of Abraham Lincoln, was taken during Lincoln's first and only term in the US Congress and just about six years before he christened Lincoln, Illinois, in 1853.

Abraham Lincoln 3.1 photo 1846-47 ........

Note: The Lincoln portrait of 3.1 belongs to the Library of Congress. The date of this photo has been somewhat controversial. The photo had been given to Frederick Hill Reserve by Robert Todd Lincoln, who said the photo was made in Washington, D.C, about 1848  Lincoln's first and only term in the US Congress and just about six years before he christened Lincoln, Illinois, in 1853.

Even before Lincoln served in Congress, he had established a successful law practice throughout central Illinois, including Postville and Mt. Pulaski in Logan County. Photo 3.1 shows a faint smile and sensitive, intelligent eyes (they were gray). This is a portrait of a man with the contentment of early professional success, but the photo also suggests humble dignity, rather than smug self-congratulation. In my view, Lincoln's photos typically show his humble dignity and conceal his life-long ambition.

Lincoln's first ambitions were to gain public office, begin a legal career, and establish family life. He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives for four successive terms beginning in 1834. When Lincoln first ran for the Illinois legislature in 1832, unsuccessfully, he printed his "platform" in the Springfield Sangamo Journal, and this article expressed one of Lincoln's life-long goals: "every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. Whether it be true or not, I can say for one that I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem. . . ." (Thomas Lincoln was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1837, and he moved to Springfield, Illinois, from New Salem and married in 1842.
Then in 1849, after serving in the Congress, he returned to private law practice and did not become directly involved in politics till 1854, when he reacted to the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, which opened the possibility for slavery to spread into the western territories. The historian William Lee Miller notes that Lincoln's decision to re-enter politics was bold and would pose unusually difficult challenges. Miller writes that Lincoln's primary motive was to get the Kansas-Nebraska bill repealed, even it if meant supporting someone who was not in Lincoln's political party, the Whigs, Miller raises the question of why Lincoln would make such a decision at a time when he had escaped poverty, established a young family, and had gained financial stability and social respectability through his growing law practice. Miller explains: "one reason, surely, was [Lincoln's] 'thirst for distinction,' his desire that his name be known, that he be 'truly esteemed of his fellow men,' by rendering himself 'worthy of their esteem.' Here was his chance. A related reason, surely, was that this time his longtime rival Stephen Douglas might be vulnerable".
Lincoln's tenacious ambition, coupled with his intelligence and remarkable shrewdness, is the only way to explain his rise from laborer (flatboat worker), store clerk, failed grocery store owner, and traveling surveyor to become this nation's greatest President. Undoubtedly, Lincoln would have been flattered in 1853 when he was asked if the new town 30 miles north of the state capital could be named after him.

When he christened Lincoln, Illinois, in late August of 1853, he was only a few months away from his decision to re-enter politics, and only a year away from the speeches he gave in the second half of 1854 that ultimately led to his Presidency.

Abraham Lincoln 3.2 photo 1860..............

Photo 3.2 reflects a realization of the task ahead of him in 1860 that he knew to be greater even than Washington's. The jaw is set, the penetrating eyes revealing his profound intelligence and determination to accept and meet the challenge. When the photo showing the early beard was taken, the President-elect had already begun the serious business of working with other prominent Republicans in selecting his cabinet members. He was traveling to Chicago in late November, 1860, to meet his Vice President-elect, Hannibal Hamlin, for the first time. As they met for three days, "the main item on the agenda was the selection of the cabinet".

From the early 1840s to 1860, Lincoln transformed himself from locally successful lawyer to acclaimed national political leader and courageous President-elect. The city of Lincoln, Illinois, witnessed and participated in the drama of Mr. Lincoln's amazing advancement, as summarized by the inscription on the historical marker located at the city's christening site by the railroad depot:



"Near this site Abraham Lincoln christened the town with the juice of a watermelon when the first lots were sold on August 27, 1853. President-elect Lincoln spoke here, November 21, 1860, while traveling to Chicago, and Lincoln's funeral train stopped here, May 3, 1865, before completing the trip to Springfield."

....... Abraham Lincoln 1854

 

                                       Abraham Lincoln 1857 ...............

Thanksgiving Humor....

** A lady was picking through the frozen turkey's at the grocery store but,  couldn't find one large enough for her family.  She asked the stock boy "Do these turkeys get any bigger?"  The stock boy answered "No ma'am, they're dead."

** If a big turkey is called a gobbler, what do you call a little turkey?  A goblet.

**  In the week before Thanksgiving the teacher  asked her class of 9 year-olds to write a paragraph entitled: "What I am most thankful for on Thanksgiving Day".

All Joey could write was: "I'm thankful that I'm not a turkey at Thanksgiving."

**  How do you send a turkey through the mail?  "Bird Class Mail". 

** Why did the turkey cross the road?  "Because it was the chicken's day off."

 

Those Self-Service Check-Out Lanes

Self Serve Check Out Lanes
These self serve check out lanes are getting more and more popular.  Why????  Maybe because it saves the store money so their profits become greater and we end up paying a higher price on all grocery items or whatever to pay for the installation of the special self-service machines.

Fewer Cashiers has to result in a lot of $$$$ for the store.   Now there is one watchdog cashier for all of the self-serve machines.  So if a store now has 7 or 8 self-serve aisles, that is 7 or 8 less jobs for cashiers. 

Let's talk about Walmart.....do you remember the old sign they had hanging which said "if more than 3 in line, we'll open another check-out lane". The sign no longer hangs in Walmart.   In these times, I have seen as many as 8 or 9 people in line and in the Dirksen Parkway store there may only be 4 cashier aisles open during the day plus the self-serve lanes.  Are they trying to force us to use the self-serve lanes.....my guess is yes.  I have been approached several times by a Walmart employee saying "why don't you come over to the self-serve lane and I will help you and also show how it operates".  NO thank you!  It's bad enough that you, Mr. Walmart, have increased your prices almost every week on the same item.  Take for instance the low fat margarine I use.....last year it was 68 cents......this year it's $1.48 for the same container.  And you want me to use a self-serve check-out....no, you wait on me and bag my stuff.  Of course I've been shopping for the most part at other grocery stores because of the rise in Walmart prices....just personal opinion I guess.

Back to the self-check lanes.  Walmart isn't the only store using these.  Many others have taken advantage of the opportunity to save money and use these.  I would imagine these type of lanes have boosted the sales on certain personal type items.

Take for instance condoms.  No one really likes to suffer the embarrassment of buying these.  I think people feel everyone is watching their purchase when they go to the counter and hand up that big box of condoms labeled "lubricated" "orange colored" "ribbed tips" "reservoir tip" "size ex-large", etc.  These same persons who wish to purchase these can now do it at the self check-out lanes with more privacy.  And, we know that the use of these condoms are needed to help prevent the spread of disease.  Let's just hope that teens have been guided properly before purchasing these at these lanes.

Another private item for which sales could be boosted and, especially by male purchasers, are womens' sanitary items.  Husbands almost always refuse to go to the store and buy these.  Perhaps the self check-out lanes will help wives around the world in getting husbands to finally have a way to be helpful when a wife is desperate to seek a husband's agreement to buy these. 

So I guess there are pros and cons to these new self check lanes.  I'm an old dog who doesn't like to learn all of the new tricks.  For now I'll use the regular lanes thank you.

Old Tyme Greenview
1972 - A new mobile home park was constructed on the west edge of Greenview.  C. N. DeHart retired after teaching in Greenview since 1936.  Postmaster Andy Fitzgerald announced his retirement as of July 1. Lora Tomlin was crowned Illinois Beef Queen at the Illinois State Fair.  Cynthia Rodemer and Gladys Pittman closed the doors of Rodemer's Department Store on October 17 after 39 years.  John Dennis, rural mail carrier died.  Marshall Spaulding, retired grocer, died.  Voters of Porta, Athens and Greenview overwhelmingly defeated a proposeal to consolidate the three districts.  Mr. and Mrs. Merle Kirby held a grand opening of their Department store (in the Rodemer store) on December 4.  Harold Baugher owner of Baugher Implement died.

1973 - A school bond referendum passed for an addition to the high school to be used by the grade school.  Red Florence resigned as pastor of the Christian Church to move to Scottsdale, Arizona.  On June 3, the first services of the Baptist Chapel were held in the back of the Wetter building.  Terry Butler was called as the new minister of the Christian Church.  Mark Gideon, 14 year old son of Don Gideon was killed in a tractor accident on the Evers farm.  Julie Schurman was crown queen of the 1973 Labor Day celebration.

1974 - A fire completely destroyed a barn and contents on the Reggie Dowell farm.  Rev. William Yueill resigned as pastor of the Greenview United church.  Terry Butler pastor of the Greenview Christian Church resigned.  The old Legion Hall was raised in June to make room for the new Community Building.  Phil Hanson was hired as the new minister of the Christian Church.  S & H Trucking constructed a new 60' by 100' building.  Les McKee, retired grocer, died.  Susan Beaty was chosen the Labor Day queen.

Note:  It's always fun to take a stroll back in time.  In a future post, I will again post other dates for your enjoyment.

Recipe
My grammy had a lot of recipes she used.  These are very old recipes.  She used to make a fruitcake which had mince meat in it.  Years and years ago she used to make her own mince meat but in the later years she bought it in a jar or in a package which was kind of a dried mincemeat.  Here's her fruitcake recipe using mince meat.

Grammy's Fruit Cake
1 pkg (9-oz) mincemeat
1/2 cup water
1 cup walnut meats or pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup (8-oz) mixed candied fruit, coarsely chopped
1 reg. size can evaporated milk
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Break mincemeat into small pieces and put in a two quart saucepan. Add water. Place over medium heat and stir until lumps are thoroughly broken. Boil briskly one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Add nuts, candied fruit, canned milk and egg; blend well. Stir in flour and baking soda until just blended. Pour mixture into 9x4x3-inch loaf pan, which has been greased, wax paper lined, and greased again. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour and thirty minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched with finger and top in golden brown. (note: if you buy the jarred mincemeat and it is more smooth/wet and not dried looking, you can skip the boiling and using 1/2 cup water step).

Thought For The Day

One should count each day

a separate life. 

--Seneca

When older hands type, the typing speed is a bit slower than when the person was a mere young thing age 20. 

I know that to be a true statement.  I used to type like the wind although I only had a summer typing class taught by the beloved Thelma Eldridge....I think it was just a few weeks.

Now I type slower and more refined.  I should be hired by Webster's dictionary because I don't make typos any longer, I make up new words when I type....yessir no typos for me.  See I will show you:
Neow if the timmme to coome to the aidde of thier countrymen. 

If you will note the old typing skill statement....I can now display the new words ... and I'm sure I'm headed to have my new words included in Webster's. 

So when you make a mistake or you see my new words in my typing ..... smile .... cause it isn't gonna get much better.

Please note I have used a different font style in today's post which might be easier to read.  But I have found that when it posts it doesn't post right so I will most likely go back to the other style.  I was trying to find a type style which would be easier to read.  Sorry.

The Historic Marbold Historic Association New video.  Impressive and educational.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIRO-VZ_Um4&feature=share

come back again!

Thanksgiving is Coming?

Thanksgiving....Are You Ready?
It's coming.  And soon too.  The stores are getting crowded with people buying turkeys and hams and pumpkin in a can and pie crusts.  Then there are the cans of pineapple and the multiple containers of Cool Whip.  And don't forget the stuffing in a box....doesn't anyone still make their own stuffing.....guess people like the million grams of sodium in Stove Top.

Once you get to the check-out lane, you suddenly forget that you forgot about 16 items.  So you carefully back out of the lane, which really upsets about 4 or 5 of the people who are behind you.  You keep saying Sorry, but it doesn't help.  Isn't anyone in a good mood around the holidays???  Maybe it's because they know their shopping basket, which is full, will end up costing well over $100 for just one meal on Thanksgiving Day.  And then when the total comes, it's almost $160.00.

Once you get home, you start unloading the myriad of sacks and find that you have so much it won't fit on your pantry shelves.  Now what?? Do you just leave it sitting on the counter or do you  leave it in the sacks and hide them somewhere because there's still a week to go before you need to use the stuff?

Dilemma number two is what is everyone else bringing as you haven't heard from most of the people.   You know that you are depending upon them to bring most of the variety and, for some to bring the desserts because they always bring desserts.   Do you call them at this point and be blunt and say "what are you bringing?" Or, do you hope you don't get ten dishes of baked beans and if this happens you will have turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy and stuffing which you have made and baked beans, baked beans, baked beans times 10 for Thanksgiving day. 

 The people start coming....and when you uncover the dishes.....it's baked beans and more baked beans and more baked beans.  And by the way, those who usually bring dessert decided to bring baked beans.   Oh crap!   There will really be a lot of root-tootin going on the next day.  You run to the freezer and drag out the 5 dozen cookies you made for the weekend cookie walk.  At least you now have a dessert.  And.... you go to the bread box and grab the extra two loaves you bought for next week and grab the extra margarine on the way by the refrigerator.  You can't even open up the pineapple to sit out in a bowl because it's crushed instead of chunks.

Lunch time arrives.  You look at the 10 oven-proof bowls of baked beans and almost cry.  But at least they look different.  One has bacon on top and one has something else but you can't tell what.  Oh.....one looks like it has ground beef in it....another meat...YAY.

You say the blessing and everyone goes to the counter where the food is carefully placed.  They seem to mill around and pass by the baked beans except those who brought baked beans are taking a spoonful out of their own dish.  The plates going to the table are looking mighty slim so those 5 dozen cookies will be a drop in the bucket.  Each person's plate has a lot of turkey, little or no baked beans, not much Stove Top (because the first 4 people in line took most of it) and three slices of bread.

Each person is a afraid to say anything because they know they brought baked beans and should have brought something else.  But the laughter begins and no one criticizes, they just have fun which is what should happen. 

Clean up begins and you are asked if you want to keep some of the baked beans.....ARE YOU KIDDING?  You never want to see another baked bean in your lifetime.  And you probably won't ever get another baked bean dish from one of your guests. 

Your guests leave finally and you can relax until next year.  Sound familiar???

Springfield Information
A very nice person named Tim from Springfield gave me some information on the certain locations of old businesses in Springfield.  I had posted the picture postcards of these businesses but I didn't know the locations.  I am certainly grateful to know where these places were located in older Springfield.

1.  Fleck's Motel.  I knew it was on route 125 but not the exact location.  It was just west of Bruns Lane on Jefferson.  Not there now.

2.  Magnolia Court.  It was at 2615 E. Cook.  My source says it is still there but is residential.

3.  Howard Johnsons.  My source says both buildings are still there on south 5th street but are now residential.  I knew the building the restaurant was in was still there.

4.  Moonlight Gardens.  I have heard of this so often but didn't know where it was.  It was at the corner of Wabash and Chatham Road where Shop and Save now sits (built in 1971).

5.  The Swimming Pool Picture I posted.  It was the 1st Veteran's Memorial Pool on 11th.  And is now Memorial Pool Park.  The Illinois Watch Factory was in the background in the picture I posted.

5.  City Hall.  The first city hall was at the northwest corner of 7th and Monroe.

6.  Little Chum's Lodge.  The building is still there and sits next just north of the Pioneer Motel on Peoria Road (out closer to Information Corner).

Thank you to our visitor Tim.  I sincerely hope he continues to read the blog and hope that other interested persons also join us in my quest to generate an interest in the history of Greenview and Menard County as well as nearby Springfield, Illinois.

Recipe
Do you need an appetizer for Thanksgiving.  Here's one which is not too healthy but is good.

Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
1 package little cocktail smokie links
Reduced Sodium Bacon
Brown Sugar
Cut Bacon Slices into 3 pieces.  Wrap each piece around a little smokie link and fix with a toothpick and place in a baking pan.  Sprinkle Brown sugar over all smokie links and bake at 350 until bacon looks cooked.  You may want to drain some of the grease off during the cooking.


Thought For The Day

I have learned to be with those I like is enough.

--Walt Whitman

It is time to slow down.  Both in the car, because bad weather will soon be here and also a slowing down in life too.

Once people get older they just can't do as much.   So it is better to be slow than living out at Elmwood Cemetery.  I have decided I will continue to post on my blogs because I feel it is a worthwhile effort. But in other things I don't think I will be involved.  Hope you continue to come to the blog.

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