Coffee, Tea or Water On The Brain

Will it be coffee, tea or me??

It's never hard for me to decide what to drink at dinner.  I choose water....it's the best for you and the cheapest too.   But...some persons  rather frown on the habit of drinking a spot of water with a meal....it's coffee....or tea.....or a coke .... or nothing.  I think dining becomes more pleasurable when you can taste the food with no lingering aftertaste from a flavored drink.

Dining with a person you love can be satisfying unless you are in a fight or not speaking.  And, if you're in a domestic battle, the drink you have just ordered, may land on your head before the meal is over.  Nothing like a good over the dinner battle with the number one public foe....the spouse or lover.

This is usually how the evening will proceed:  "Darling, are we going out to eat tonight?"  "Yes, I'm going out....I don't know about you!!" "What do you mean, you don't know about me?  Aren't I invited or is there someone else going with you?"  "You know d*mn well there isn't anyone else going, I just thought you were mad at me, so I didn't know if you were going or not!!"

"Well....I didn't realize that you didn't think enough of me to go out alone and not even ask if I was going!"  "I didn't say that....I just thought you were mad at me and didn't want to go!"

"Well...let's go then.  I want to get dinner over with and back home so I can watch my show at 7 pm and that only leaves us one hour."  "What do you mean we only have one hour?  It takes 30 minutes to drive there.  We can't be home by 7 pm!"  "Well.....we're going to have to try to hurry so I don't miss all of it!!"

"Let's go then".  THEY ARRIVE AT THE RESTAURANT 35 MINUTES LATER.

The Waitress arrives and is perky.  "May I help you?"  "We both want water ."  "I don't want water!  I want a coke."  "You can't get coke, that's too many calories!"  "I'll get a coke if I want a coke!!"  "No you won't, you will have water!" "Alright, bring me water."

Waitress brings water.  "Drink it fast because I don't want to wait for you to drink the rest of your water after you've eaten!"  "I'll drink my water any way I want it.  First or last who cares when I drink it!"  "I care when you drink it because I want to hurry home."

"Fine, we'll hurry home.  Here's my water, you drink it or better yet, I'll just pour it over your head"  AND HE DOES.....THE END.

Just Some Old Area Pictures

Lincoln Developmental Center

Lincoln, Illinois  1880 - 1920 era

Odd Fellows Home For Orphans 1880-1920 era

Lincoln, Illinois

Springfield High School

Springfield Post Office

St. Charles Hotel

Claimed to be the first brick building in Springfield

Springfield, Illinois built around 1830's but under another name.

Bought in the late 1890's and razed and became the Baker Lumber Company which was probably later the Vredenburg Lumber Company as they were located near the 210-216 E. Jefferson address.

St. Charles Hotel Article

Was located at 210-216 East Jefferson

The right half is in the previous picture and that right half is

thought to be the first brick structure.

Orpheum Theater

Springfield, Illinois

Springfield Train Station

1920

What's To Eat At Our House Tonight?

Hotel steaks from Alwan and Sons Market, Peoria Heights, IL.  When we have these steaks, I just put on a bit of spice and throw them on the grill.  They are so tasty you don't need steak sauce.  With a big baked potato and a salad, the meal is complete.  I bet you think I'm pushing this meat company.....I am because the hotel steaks are only $6.49 per pound but I'd pay more.....and, I don't want anyone to miss out on getting meat from this place.  Like a Humphrey's but tons bigger and lots cleaner.

http://www.alwanandsons.com/

Learn A New Word

So that Greenviewanites can be the smartest in the county.

New Word: dendroid = resembling, branching like, or shaped like a tree.

New Spanish Word: un recibo = receipt

Thought For The Day

Run as fast as you can.  Look for someone with bigger problems than you have.  Focus on serving them.  Your problems will shrink or disappear.

--Mike Marino, Jr.

The toilet seat was up again this morning.  Wow do I hate that.  If you are a woman, or I guess a man too if you have to go doodoo....have you ever sat on the that toilet seat when the top seat is in the "up" position?  If you have, you know what I'm talking about then!!

You stagger into the bathroom, half asleep and don't bother turning on the light because you know where the toity is and  you know exactly how many steps it is to set your bottom down.  After all you've been doing this same thing for about 30 years on the same toity.

Kerplop.....the hiney goes into the water!   Geeze.. I love sitz baths but, not dirty sitz baths!! Oh my goodness....you cuss....you try to stand up and can't because the hiney is so far down into the water, it's impossible.  Besides it's dark in the room because you didn't turn on the light.  You try to grab hold of the vanity, but your hand slips when you're half way up and out of the toity.  Kerplop again....you can just feel that nasty water splashing on your old hiney. 

You try grabbing the vanity again and succeed this time, but your hiney is dripping all over the floor.  You look at the towel rack and it's bare, because you took the towels off the towel rack last night to wash them.  You turn to the toilet paper roll.....OMG it's almost empty and you can't reach under the sink because the old hiney is still dripping water on the floor.  You think for a minute standing in the hiney stooped position, all the while dripping water.  Ah ha... Use the rest of the toilet paper and then pull up the pajamas....let the jammies soak up the rest of the water....they can always be thrown in the wash.  You do that and all is well but your bottom is still wet....run to the shower and wash the nasty water off. 

It's obvious to me that the man of the house is not housebroken although he claims "he always puts the toilet seat down!"  But my thoughts are "why would I, as a woman, ever put up the seat unless I was cleaning the darn thing!"  And, I'm housebroken and put it down because I know I don't want to get a wet hiney.

I think men who aren't housebroken are maybe lazy???   Or, do they just pee and walk away, oblivious to the consequences?.   Or, maybe they want revenge on us woman!!

I guess I must consider the alternative that the lid could have been left in the down position while the man was trying to take aim.  Perhaps that would have been worse than toity water.  I guess I just had to get this off my chest after running to get the toity water off my hiney.  And I guess I need to become housebroken in a different way and turn on the dang light so I can see if the toity lid is up or down ....  Before this becomes a sexist contest!!

Remember the rating indicator at the bottom of the post.  If you are in comments, the indicator will not show up....you must be in a viewing stage to see it.

I was rather hard on the men today with my post....Sorry guys....just a woman thing!  LOL

 

Putting My Foot In My Mouth

It's Called Foot and Mouth Disease!
There are times I have put my foot so far into my mouth with a faux pas, that I thought I would have to call a local surgeon to get my foot out.  These are when I make the social error of the year....saying something to someone and it's far off base.  Here's a couple of things I did: 

 I met a woman I had known several years before.  She had her beautiful blonde daugher with her.  I gushed about how much the little girl looked like the woman.  She said: "She's adopted". I actually thought the girl did resemble her a lot.  Open mouth insert foot!

Someone at work asked me if the outfit she had on made her butt look big.  I said jokingly "I really don't think it's just the pants."  She got mad.  Yikes!  Open mouth insert both feet!

I also saw someone I hadn't seen in about 4 years, I asked how her husband was....she said he died.  I forgot!  Open mouth insert foot!

One day I was talking to my ex-husband and I called him by my current husband's name....both their names rhyme....the ex was really mad.....ha ha .....only a half a foot was in my mouth on this one since I really didn't care I called him by the wrong name.  I thought it was funny afterwards.

One of my worst foot and mouth disorders was during breaktime at my former job, we were talking about hair.  I said, I hate it when people wear wigs.  One of the girls, said "I'm wearing a wig!".  Open mouth insert foot.

Now .... if I had a foot fetish, putting my foot or someone else's foot in my mouth might be appealing, but my foot fetish must have left me, because I hate it when that foot is in deep.  Sometimes I feel my faux pas is so bad, that I should open my mouth and change feet...put the other foot in for a while. 

 Have you ever tried to do some quick thinking and peace lovin stupid chump blabbin....all the while blubberin all over yourself??  All the while, I'm  doing this peace lovin stupid chump blabbin while I still have the foot implanted deep in my mouth.  Sometimes I go on so much, I begin to feel that I have diarrhea of the mouth trying to get out of a foot and mouth disease situation.  I guess it then becomes a moutharrhea problem  ......  the mouth is in real trouble!!!!  I just can't win when this happens!

Looking back at some of my foot and mouth syndrome disorder occurrences and the moutharrhea problems I've had, I found some of these were humorous....I guess this is my dark humor.  I really don't mean to hurt someone's feelings....but I just feel the need to find the humorous side to it so that I will perhaps slobber more and then getting the foot out of the mouth will be easier and will result in no surgical removal and less moutharrhea.   

Another Walk Down Memory Lane

The following pictures come from the 1960 edition of the Souvenir Yearbook.  Some great memories of some great folks. 

Johnson and Denton Grocery Store

Was located where the Masonic Lodge is now.

Al Setzer - Standard Gas Truck

Don Lockhart - Sweney Gas Truck

Cramer - Smothers Auto and Machinery

Business was north side of park where Mel's Market/Apke's Grocery Store was.

This is who I think these are from left:  first, Herbert Fields; second Percy Carter; third Keith Moore; fourth Dave Cramer; fifth Jimmy Johnson; sixth Tommy Smothers;  seventh Ed Cramer; eighth Joe Pisoni maybe???? although I didn't think he ever worked there; ninth Kenny Hollis.

Harry Jones Pontiac Dealer - Owl Garage

Was located on Route 29 where the old Laundromat was at the end of Adams Street, across from where Casey's is now.

Menard County Review - Jack and Willie Ruth Luscher, owners.

Picture shows their daughter Kathy, business was on the north side of the park.

                                                  ***********

The following pictures are from the 1975 and 1976 Souvenir Yearbooks:

Kirby's Department Store - West Side of Park

Formerly Rodemer's

Mel's Market (Mel Lockwood)

Was on the northeast corner across from park.

The market burned then Vic Apke built a store, and now

 Dan Horn has a Rainbow business in the store building.

Downtown Greenview 1975

Downtown Greenview 1928

The stroll in memories is never long enough.  There doesn't seem to be enough pictures for us to see ...  remember, if you have any old pictures to use in the blog, please email them to me at carlaslittlemoms@yahoo.com. 

Some of us remember these times I've shown today, while others are too young to remember or others joined our fine old town not long ago.  It doesn't matter if you didn't know these times, because now you know a little bit more about what the town was all about back then.  Greenview has changed, and will continue to change.  Your memories might be of another time, but they are still good memories.

Old Time Greenview Recipe

I've had this recipe for years and years.  My copy says PTA/Band Parents Maid Rites at the top.  Charlotte W. tells me that the Band Parents used to have a fair stand and these were served.   Since my copy has PTA on it, I would guess maybe the PTA used this recipe too. I remember the dinners before basketball games when these were served.  And also the chili suppers....yummy.  I doubt that anyone would be having a clan over to serve this many Maid Rites, but I thought it would be fun to post the recipe.   Maybe if we have a burgoo, we can also have maid rites and be in burgoo and maid rite heaven! Enjoy!

PTA/Band Parent Maid Rites

40 lbs ground beef

4 to 6 bottles ketchup

2 small bottles Open Pit barbeque sauce

2 - 3 cups flour

3 lbs. chopped onions

2 pints sweet pickle juice

2 large cans tomato juice

2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Brown the ground beef and onions then drain the grease. 

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for at least one hour or more.

Learn A New Word

So that Greenviewanites can be the smartest in the county.

New Word: gerrymander = repartition an area in order to create electoral districts in order to give unfair advantage to a political party. 

New Spanish Word: el queso = cheese

Thought For The Day

Anyone who keeps the ability

to see beauty never grows old.

--Frank Kafka

You might put something on the internet that says "Why not move to Central Illinois".  It's the land of Lincoln, corn, beans, cattle, pigs, wheat, pick up trucks, hot in the summer, cold in the winter, high humidity and Greenview.  Do you think we would get many responses???

Earlier this spring I could have put mudflats in my list of attributes but now I could maybe put "arid like the desert "since we haven't had a really good drencher since July....just some hit and miss rains.  NOAA weather rates Menard County as Moderate Drought at this time.  That might attract some people from desert states or countries. 

We should also carefully prepare our ad so that it attracts persons who like Abraham Lincoln, since there are so many attractions in this area, it supports our economy in the Springfield Metro area (we are considered the Metro area of Springfield in case you didn't know).  We could also attract persons who like vintage architecture, with the Marbold Bank, the Marbold Mansion and the Big Stone Mansion and the other huge fine homes still remaining.  These would fascinate these lovers of architecture miracles.

We could also say we have a media celebrity, since one of our residents is Liz Willis Soldwedel (aka Liz Willis) from WYMG radio.  And, Liz is the proud owner of the Marbold Bank too.  So... we have a claim to fame! 

Perhaps we wouldn't find any new Greenview/Central Illinois residents, but we might find some who are interested in the history of Greenview.  We all could give them a big list of things which happened in our Greenviewanite life.

Wonder what future generations of kids being born today will think of Greenview?  I wonder how changed it will be?  Will our history still be as important to them in their later years?  Will there be any of our descendants still in Greenview? We won't know but, we can hope.

Take pride in the history of our old town.  It took a lot of pride and effort to start and grow this town from literally nothing.....just some land on the plains.  It's your town now....keep it that way.

Remember the rating indicator at the bottom of the post.

We Are They

We Create Our Own Reality!
When an event occurs, people react differently.  Their reaction might depend on a belief that was shaped in childhood.  This is likened to a behavior pattern .....  we don't see things as they are, we see things as we are.

An example of this would be:  If a child was chased by a rabid dog and bitten, the child would most likely form an opinion that all dogs are bad and would be afraid of all dogs.

This child would develop behavior patterns different from other persons who had not been chased and bitten.  In fact if a different child was raised around a dog which was playful and mild mannered and very friendly, the child would develop a behavior pattern with thoughts that all dogs are friendly.

Any particular person can hear one word or see one event and that word or event can turn the person's prospectives completely opposite, upside down and inside out.  A different person who developed different behavioral patterns wouldn't necessarily react in the same way.  We are all different.  It can be said "we are they", but the "they" doesn't fit all of us.  Each of us in the "they" are our own person.  Each of us has our own beliefs, soul and spirit.  A person with negative thoughts perhaps will cause the life of this person to be filled with negative things.  But a spirit which is alive and happy might result in a fruitful life. 

To have positive and happy thoughts and beliefs is good.  Even an older person can change the thought and belief process.  It might take a lot of change and energy, but it can be done.  In the world we live in, which seems to be filled with more crisis type events, we need to have as many positive thoughts as we can.  Otherwise, the negativity will get you down. 

Challenge yourself to change your negative patterns.  Think of positive things only for one day and see if you feel any difference.  You might have to work at it, but you can do it.  Transform yourself into a new person.  A healthy mental state improves your entire health.  If we all would change our patterns, then this would apply "we are they".

Old Springfield Pictures

Sangamo Electric 1899 - 1978

My sister worked there until closure.

Illinois Watch Co. Springfield Plant

1869 - 1927

Weird Names For Food

Have you ever ran across a name of a food and thought "how weird".  There are some mighty strange names, and especially those from the United Kingdom.  I have a friend in the UK and she was always talking about this or that food.  Most of them I would have to ask what is that.  Then I thought about some things we have in America, and they are just as strange.  Here's a list of some mighty weird food names:

•  Toad in a hole.  It's a dish made in England, with sausage links baked in a flour and egg batter, sometimes with gravy.



•   Bubble and squeak.  Hash made from leftover cabbage and roast.
  

•   Birds in a nest or Eggs in a basket.  Simply eggs fried inside a hole in a piece of bread.

•   Bangers and Mash or Bangers and Thump.  Sausages and mashed potatoes with gravy.
•   Limping Susan.  Okra and rice. 
•   Hoppin John.  Beans and rice.
•    Eton Mess.  Strawberries and whipped cream over baked meringue.
•  Cat Heads Biscuits.  Southern style biscuits.
•  Flying Saucers.  Fried bologna, topped with mashed potatoes and a slice of cheese and then broiled until cheese melts.
•  Pigs in a Blanket.  Hot Dogs or Smokey Sausages wrapped in crescent rolls or canned biscuits.
•  Angels on Horseback.  Bacon wrapped oysters.  But at our house, they were hot dogs slit lengthwise, with cheese in the slit and wrapped in a bacon slice then broiled.
•  Devils on Horseback.  Dates stuffed with cream cheese then wrapped in bacon and broiled is the most common, but apricots or prunes can be used rather than dates.
• Spotted Dick.  English steamed sponge pudding made with suet and dried raisins and served hot.
•  Sh*t on a Shingle.  Chipped beef or ground beef gravy over toast.
•  Ants on a Log.  Celery spread with peanut butter and sprinkled with raisins.
•  Shoofly Pie.  A brown sugar, egg and molasses pie with a crumble top.

•  Goeduck ("Gooeyduck").  It's a saltwater clam and is called the world's strangest clam.  Can be cooked like other clams.
•  Shaking Beef.  A Vietnamese dish, with beef cut in small pieces and the skillet is shaken to cook.
• Tatties and Neeps.  Mashed potatoes with mashed Swedish turnips.
•  Rollmops.  Appetizer made with herring strips rolled around a pickle.

These are just a few strange names for food dishes.  Some are really weird, while others are just mildly strange.  You might know some others that are even better.  Let me know if you have some weirdo names.

What's To Eat At Our House Tonight?
Sirloin pork chops beaten with a meat mallet, floured and browned and simmered in gravy.  Homemade potato salad, leftover chicken and noodles (from yesterday) and a vegetable salad.  Flan cake leftovers for dessert.....OMG is this flan cake good!

Learn A New Word
So that Greenviewanites can be the smartest in the county.

New Word: hagiography = biography of a saint

New Spanish Word:  cinturon = belt

Thought For The Day

Anger is a brief lunacy.

--Horace

You know you're from the Greenview area when:

We talk about the Marbolds and the person you're talking to thinks of "marbles".  When you were in school, 90% of your field trips were to New Salem.  When you order a "sody" and no one knows what you want.  When you eat chili, you want peanut butter and honey sandwiches because the school cafeteria served it that way.  You remember the PTA's maid rite sandwiches. 

When you remember getting vanilla or cherry cokes at Emma's.  When you remember the go kart track north of town.  You remember when Joe Waggoner sold heavy cream and he was the custodian at the school.  You remember when the school had to put braces (those ugly square metal things on the wall) in the gym to keep it from falling.   

You remember when we had great bands and concerts (Gary White can take a bow).  You remember when we had super great basketball teams.   The clothes requirements at the school a long time ago. 

Remember when there was very little crime and no drugs.  Just about everyone is a Cardinal fan.

Just a few memories and thoughts about our dear old town.  Once a Greenviewanite, always a Greenviewanite, even if you move.  And if you move here, you automatically are taken into the world of Greenviewanites.....a clan amongst ourselves.  Never to be shaken nor taken from the fold, ever.

I found the following utube song and prayer which was so

appropriate for the weekend hurricane.  The words to this song are wonderful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUWbmtbzDno&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Remember the rating indicator at the bottom of this post. 

Will The Tempest Hit

Hurricane Irene Is Coming Aboard???!!!
The people who live on the coast run the chance of  hurricanes, tropical storms, tempests, cyclones, typhoons or whatever they are called for the particular area.  They are not pretty and the devastation is massive.  My friend and reader Ken D. and I were just talking about the destruction Katrina did on the Mississippi coast.  Last year when we went to Biloxi, Mississippi, the coastline was still bare five years later .... across from the beach there used to be wonderful old beach houses.  Last year during our trip along the beach highway, where houses once stood, for miles was bare and in some areas, severely damaged buildings still stood behind fences....five years later.

Beautiful cities and wonderful landmarks can sometimes be totally destroyed.  The water surge causes horrible damage and loss, and the water can remain in some areas.  I heard on the news that in a previous hurricane, Manhattan was under 13 foot of water.  Ironically, a climatologist from the Weather Channel, Heidi Cullen, wrote a book about what the weather of the future could do to New York.  And, in that book, Manhattan is predicted to be under water.

This morning the prediction is that Hurricane Irene will hit New York.  We can only hope that by a miracle it moves eastward.  There will be many people in a city that large who will not heed the warnings and will not leave.  Even at a Hurricane Category 2, the damage will be enormous.....Irene is a HUGE hurricane en mass.  Hurricane Ike was a Category 2 and Ike did tremendous damage and was the third most costly hurricane ever recorded.

We should always respect Mother Nature in her fury.  None of us knows exactly why she has been so mad at us lately in one form or another.  No rain in some areas, horrible tornadoes in other areas, devastating fires, and devastating mudslides.  It must stem from the fact that earthlings have not been kind to the earth we live on and our ecosytem is our of whack !!! 

But, we can only begin  and continue to change our ways.  We must be more greener and begin to restore the environment to its natural habitat.  That can only be done by grouping together and by addressing the evironmentalism concerns.  Perhaps this might calm Mother Nature....and maybe she will be easier on us.

Lets all give positive thoughts that Hurricane Irene will miraculously turn to the east and go out to sea.  And if that doesn't happen, our thoughts should be directed to protection of our fellow Americans in those areas where she will begin her destruction.   If you've never prayed before, please find it in your heart to do just a little bit of prayer. 

A Couple of sites of Katrina Surge and Damage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kou0HBpX4A&feature=related

http://members.tripod.com/~Post_119_Gulfport_MS/katrina8.html

http://www.stormchaser.ca/hurricanes/katrina_return/katrina_return.html

http://www.photographic-realities.com/html/portfolio/ninthward.html

Pray For The People of The East Coast

Old Tyme Greenview

1915 - Claude Petrie bought Luther Roger's interest in the Greenview Review and it was now known as Petrie and Pond.  Mr. Pond was an attorney too and weekly contributed an article called "Lamped In the Limelight".

1916 - Marshall Spaulding and Bud Rice opened a restaurant in the Opera House first floor (note from Carla:  where the locker plant used to be).  John Struwe and Ray Hamil had a garage (note from Carla:  in the building where Hinricks Auto Sales was).

1917 - Oil was first used on the streets.  A deep well was dug for the town waterworks at a cost of $895.  Marshal Spaulding and Bud Rice took over the operation of the picture show.  Bob Brewer operated the grocery business, located in the old Taylor building.  Conrad Kuhn ran a bakery.  Nancy Bracken, lacking a few days of being 100 years old, died on May 2, 1917.   Harry Killion operated the ice house.  Surveying for the new hardroad began.  April 6, 1917 the United Stated declared war on Germany.  The Red Cross was organized in Greenview.  Many Greenview men went to war.  The East View Coal Co. was incorporated.  The Volstead Act became law, saloons as closed.  Traffic in moonshine, white mule and bootlegging in general began.  The chain hitchrack was removed from around the park to allow parking for cars.

More Old Time Television

1950's then reruns

Queen For A Day

1956 - 1964

Bonanza

1959 - 1973

Lassie

1954 - 1971

Leave It To Beaver

1957 - 1963

Mickey Mouse Club

1955 - 1959, then reruns

1953 - Early 1960's

We had an old black and white television when I was a kid.  And, when it broke, John Estill would come with his huge bag of television tubes to fix it.  Lots of times we went to Grandma and Grampa's house to watch their color television. 

I remember when our antenna wasn't quite right, one of us would run outside and try to twist the tower pole.  It usually didn't help, but it was worth a try.  We had a rotor box which was supposed to turn the antenna, but when it stormed the antenna tended to rotate a bit on its own which caused really poor reception.  There were VHF and UHF receptions and I really never understood those two things. 

Television has really changed.  When I see some of the shows of today, I wonder if it was for the good!!??

Cooks Night Out Tonight....No Cooking!

Thought For The Day

For every minute you are angry,

you lose sixty seconds of happiness.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Labor Day weekend is coming up.  Those of us who live here take the Marbold Mansion for granted.  The Marbold Association sponsors and holds an Ice Cream Social with displays of old crafts, tours of the house, trolley tours of Greenview and general information about the old mansion.  Be sure to find time to visit this on Sunday, September 4. 

Then, on Monday, Labor Day,  the Greenview parade will thrill both the kids and old folks....and younger people too.  Candy will be tossed and the politicians will try to shake your hand.  Lots of cool old cars will remind you of your younger years.  Then later, you can see about 200 of those cool shiny cars along the park and around the town streets.  If you need to buy some fleas, the flea market will be your choice.

Labor Day is known for the celebration at the end of summer.  It's too bad that summer will have to end, but after going through some really hot days with no measurable rain since July, it's probably time we moved on to a new season.  Let the fun begin!

Don't forget the rating indicator at the bottom.

Have a Good Weekend Friends! 

What Do You Remember About Old Time Television

Remembering Past Local Television!!
Did any of you older peeps appear on the Pegwell Pete (Pegwell Circus) show?  I went two times and I loved it....so I guess I was a television star in my early years.  I think that was in 1958 and 1959.  For weeks and weeks I collected empty packages from Pegwell meats....mostly hot dogs.  I carefully washed those packages so they didn't stink because at first I didn't wash them and wow they stunk.  The different types of meats had a certain number of points.  These points could be used to buy things.  I had sacks of these packages when I went.

At the show there were auction items kids could bid on.  Many kids had sack after sack of packages so they got the good stuff.  But Pegwell Pete always had enough small stuff that the kids with a small amount of packages could buy.  I knew I couldn't bid against anyone with lots more meat packages than me.  They also gave prizes just for being on the show.  I think you could sign up once a year to be on it.  They gave us hot dogs, chips, soda and I think cookies too but, I didn't much like the hot dogs....they made me burp.  But I still begged my dad to buy them.

I remember going to neighbors and other town folks asking for them to save their Pegwell packages so I can have them when I went to the show.

The show was started by the guy who owned Pegwell Meats and also the television station which eventually became channel 55.  Pegwell Pete was the ring master of the circus and did the auction.  We sat on hard bleachers and sang the Pegwell Weiner song .... it went something like "we love Pegwell Weiners" -- "good old Pegwell Weiners".   There was someone named Jo Ann on the show, but can't remember what she did.  Pegwell Weiners sponsored the show.

There were other local shows kids could be on.  One was Click T. Clack and another was The Funny Company.  I loved watching these but never got to go to these.  Another show in the early 1960's I think you could go to was Marty's Pepsi Dancing Party.  And .... I almost forgot another was Popeye and Miss Kim Wilson.  I have a picture of that one.

Howdy Dowdy 1957 - 1960

Along with Buffalo Bob and  Clarabell (Bob Keeshan who later was Captain Kangaroo) and others in Doodyville.

Roy Rogers Show 1951 - 1957

Along with Dale Evans, Pat Brady, Trigger, Buttermilk,

Bullet and the Jeep Nellybelle

Mr. Wizard  1951 - 1965

Wagon Train 1957 - 1962

Starring Ward Bond

What a fun time it was for kids back then.  Of course we also watched Captain Jinks and Salty Sam on a Peoria channel....I think it was on at 3pm each day on channel 43 (later became Channel 25).....rushed right home from school to watch it too!  It was on from 1956 to 1972, but throughout the years underwent many changes. 

Captain Jinks and Salty Sam

Channel 43 Ad

Hope you enjoyed this trip down television memory lane.  Today I have a doctor appointment at 8 am so I have to leave early.  This didn't leave much time to do anything else on the blog post today.  Tomorrow is another day.....bigger and better.  Toodles my friends.

This is really a bad hair day for Donald Trump!!

HA HA HA HA

Please note .... I had to remove the comments from all blogs I had at the bottom of the blog.  A person put his foreign language website on there which was a virus and I couldn't remove it....I was afraid my readers would go to that website.  It's the chance I take doing a blog....they ruin things for others.  Maybe in a week or so I can put it back on as the comment will drop off.   Sorry.

Best And The Worst Of Dreams

What Exactly Is The Worst Dream I've Had?
I typically don't dream a lot, because I think I sleep in a deep comatose state.  There have been a few times I knew that I dreamed and remembered the dream and then promptly forgot it, but most of the time, I can remember a lot of the dream.  Thank goodness there just aren't any horrible and frightening dreams...I guess I'm lucky.

The worst dream I had was that my grandson stopped up the toilet and it overflowed all over the down stairs.  He had  gone to the toilet #2 mind you....and there were gallons of poop water going all over my carpet, seeping into the basement, and then began to climb the stairs to the second floor.  Toilet paper was swirling in the poop water and kept catching on the furniture.  I had come downstairs from the second floor and had hip boots on and I was trying to keep the toilet paper from covering everything.  All at once the dream ended without me knowing if the water receded or if I really kept that toilet paper from ruining everything.  Not that it mattered because poop water was what I really should have been stopping with maybe a plunger or water turn off.  Duh.....I guess I am dumb in my dreams.

I'm quite sure something precipitated this dream.  That being....my grandson is known for using a huge wad of paper when he uses the toilet.  He was visiting our house and I reminded him that he couldn't use lots of paper or it would stop up our rural septic system.  Of course, earlier that day he still used the big wad and it stopped up the toilet ...he screamed and I caught it before it overflowed!

The best dream I ever had was about me writing both a book and a cookbook.  I got in touch with a fabulous publisher and he gave me one million dollars to write the best book and best cookbook ever published.  I worked on these books every day, and never seem to get done, but the publisher was happy and he kept giving  checks for different amounts....most were $100,000 or over.  My cookbook was finally done and the publisher made me cook every recipe in that cookbook so he could see if he liked the recipe.  He started getting fatter and fatter until I thought he would burst.  He really liked my recipes and finally declared my cookbook the best ever written and started giving me millions of dollars and it was all in cash.  I had that money stored in one of my bedrooms and would just go sit on top of the money and play with it just like Scrooge did. 

Then, all at once, I woke up.....ran to the bedroom.....sorry Charlie....that room didn't have a single dollar in it.  It did have a couple of old cookbooks, but not my new one that I wrote in my dream.  Dang!  What a dream.  Wonder if I really wrote a cookbook, is that dream publisher really out there ..... somewhere??

Greenview Old Tyme Biographical Sketches
From the 1879 History of Menard and Mason Counties Book:

DEDERICH AMERKAMP, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 6 ; P. 0. Greenview ; was born in Hanover, Germany, Oct. 3, 1817. He passed his youth and early manhood in his native country, working on a farm and attending school. In 1843, he was united in marriage with Mary Ottman.

 From this union there were four children Harmon, Annie K., Catharine M. and Eliza M. All are married, and live in Menard Co. In 1860, he emigrated to the United States, and located in Greenview Precinct, Menard Co., III., where he has since resided, and owns 500 acres of nicely improved land, which he has obtained by close attention to business, combined with honesty and
industry. He was again married Oct. 29, 1860 ; this time to Mary Wansing, a native of Germany, and a most estimable lady.

Mr. Amerkamp is one of the most intelligent and influential men in the county. 

GEORGE W. BLANE, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 24 ; P. 0. Greenview ; was born in Menard Co., 111., July 12, 1836; son of George Blane, who came to Sugar Grove, Menard .Co., in 1819. Irish Grove derives its name from the fact that in that year Mr. George Blane, his mother, three brothers and a sister stopped for some time in that grove. They were natives of Ireland, and were the first white persons who ever lived in that grove. He was married soon after settling in Sugar Grove to Miss Mary M. Alkire. sister of Leonard Alkire, one of the early settlers of Sugar Grove.

The subject of this sketch was brought up to farming, in which he has always continued. He received a good education much better than most of the boys of that period who lived in the country. He remained with his father on the farm until 27 years of age.

He was married to Harriet Cleveland Dec. 18, 1862, daughter of Asa and Experience (Avery) Cleveland, who was born in Menard Co., 111., May 11, 1841. Her parents came to Menard Co. in 1840. Mr. Cleveland was a native of Vermont, and his wife of New Hampshire. From this union there were ten children, seven of whom are now living Minnie V., Jennie K., Lizzie B., Mary A., Jessie M., Geo. W. and Jay E. The names of those deceased were Herbert, Emma A. and Sadie A. Mr. Blane is a Republican, and at present a candidate for County Commissioner.

 JOHN P. BLANE, farmer arid stock-raiser ; P. 0. Greenview ; was born in Menard Co., 111., July 25, 1845 ; is a son of George and Mary (Alkire) Blane, both of whom were among the first settlers of Menard Co. The father was a native of Ireland, and came to Illinois as early as 1818, and to Sugar Grove, Menard Co., in 1819. He
died in 1864.

John P. passed his youth and early manhood on his father's farm. He received such an education as the schools of that day afforded. He was united in marriage with Mary A. Bracken Feb. 7, 1867. She was born in Menard Co., 111., and is a daughter of 0. P. Bracken, one of the pioneers of Menard Co. From this union there were four children, three of whom are now living Ella M., born Jan. 19, 1871 ; Carrie M., born May 31, 1875, and Lee E., born March 8, 1877. The name of the one deceased was Emma F., born Dec. 22, 1867, died March 21, 1869. Mr. Blane owns 364 acres of well-improved land; is a Republican in politics and a self-made man.

What's To Eat At Our House Tonight?
Tonight it's Taco Squares.  I can't remember if I previously told you how I make these but I'm too lazy to go through archived posts ....  So, I will once again tell you how to make them and if you already know how, skip this part of the blog post....LOL. (Keep in mind each time I make them, it might be a little different)  I brown 1 1/2 - 2 pounds of lean ground beef or ground turkey with 1/2 cup chopped onions, drain the grease and I rinse the meat with hot water to get out the fat grams.

 Use lower sodium Taco spice mix....For 1 1/2 pounds of meat, I use
 1 1/2 packages spice, for 2 pounds of meat, I use 2 packages. Mix spice as stated on the package and then add one can of (no-salt) tomato sauce. 

While cooking the meat, unroll one package of crescent rolls and stretch them to fit in the bottom of a Pam sprayed 9 x 13 pan.  If you let them sit for a while in the pan, they stretch easier.  Put these in a 400 degree oven for about 6 minutes.....just until the stickiness is gone from the dough.  Take them out and put the taco meat on top of the dough, sprinkle with shredded chedder cheese and cover with another can of crescent rolls.....stretching the dough to cover the meat.  Bake in 400 oven until they look nice and brown.  Cut into squares and top with chopped tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream as desired.  You will not be sorry...these are great!

New Word For The Day
So that Greenviewanites will be the smartest in the county.

New Word:  gotterdammerung = complete descruction of an institution, order, regime

New Spanish Word:  la mantequilla = butter  (try saying this at dinner tonight ....instead of pass the butter in English ... LOL)

Thought For The Day

All human wisdom is

summed up in two words:

wait and hope

--Alexandre Dumas

I'm back on my history writing kick.  When I hunt for history of Greenview, I realize that the people of my generation and on (current) are not documented in a book like the old time folks wrote.  Maybe we need to document this, at least in a psuedo type book for the local libraries. 

All it would take is a few paragraphs about each person like the biographies that I post about the old time folks who lived in Greenview.  Who, of my readers, who are Greenviewanites, would be willing to write three or four short paragraphs and let me document these into some type of a pamphlet or psuedo book so that at least our generation is documented somewhere .... just so we can have documented history for us folks.   Maybe there are a few smatterings or one lines written in the scrapbooks about some of us, but that isn't comprehensive nor does it tell us anything about you and your family.  This would not be intended to put on the internet....it would go in the county libraries.  Let me know if you think you could or want to do this....I'm willing.  

If you don't want to put a comment on here, email

me at:  carlaslittlemoms@yahoo.com 

Do You Remember Miss Kim Wilson......watch for more about old time local television info from years ago!

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