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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