Ya Gotta Know This About That: Is It Good To Be Old Fashioned And Predictable

Predictable Huh?!
Call me predictable - is it good or not so good? If I'm a predictable person you will always get the truth from my mouth even if it hurts. Some people like predictable people and some don't because the person is boring! But..........to be predictable is to be trustworthy!

Maybe if I acted on impact, I wouldn't be so dang predictable. I sure wouldn't want to go off and be irrational doing an unpredictable act, but maybe a random unpredictable action or thought would be good for me. After all nature's acts are sure unpredictable and Mother Nature gets by with it.....we just accept her actions as the norm.

For this blog, I have a predictable schedule....and the readers like that.....I doubt that readers think my schedule is boring. But if I wasn't predictable and planned ahead with my topics and thoughts and ideas, I sure wouldn't have a predictable schedule and I probably would have articles which were lackadaisical and not fit for reading.

Life has the great plethora of possibilities and I always want to be there to participate so I feel I must be predictable. When I experience a life action, I, in turn, share that with people through articles and conversations......so my predictable streak wins there!

I guess I've talked myself into continuing to be a boring, predictable person.....like it or not. What comes out of my mouth will be the truth, nothing but the truth (even if it hurts) ..... so help me God.

Old Tyme Greenview

The following is from the Matilda Plews book "Some Interesting Menard County Homes"....First Printing 1967, Second Printing 1974.

Henry Wernsing Home

The building of this majestic grey stone house was completed in 1902, and was a gift of Henry H. Marbold to his daughter Anna, who was the wife of Henry Wernsing. Bedford stone was used in this house, the stone being chipped and fashioned at the location. Standing at the outskirts of Greenview to the south and east, this house boasts twenty rooms. On the third floor is a large ballroom where many brilliant social affairs have been held by the past and present owners. Alkire Brothers, Greenview contractors, construct-
ed this house.

Before moving to their new home, Mr. and Mrs. Wernsing occupied the house to the north, now occupied by Mrs. Harry Wernsing.

Henry Wernsing was born in Badbergen, Germany in 1859 and came to the United States in April 1888. He was married in September of the same year to Anna Marbold. After removing to Greenview Mr. Wernsing established a general merchandise and grocery store. Mr.andMrs. Wernsing were the parents of five sons: Harry, who married Mabel Sis son; Otto, who married Helen Sud-
brink; Rudolph; and two sons who died in childhood.

Mr. Wernsing's death occurred in 1917. Mrs. Wernsing continued to live in this home for several years, eventually moving to Springfield. In 1937 the home was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Carl Miller of Chicago who were former Greenview residents, Mrs. Miller being the former Mae Blane, daughter of Edward and Louise Tourine Blane. Mr. Blane was the son of Abner Blane, and a descendant of the Blane family which settled in Irish Grove in 1820, said to be the first white persons who lived in the Irish Grove community.

Carl Miller was born in Ronne, Bornholm, Denmark, the son of Hans Peter Miller and Sophia Hallberg Miller, and came to the United States in 1883 when he was a year old. At an early age he entered newspaper work in Springfield and later joined several newspapers in Chicago. In connection with his work he devoted much time working for various Masonic groups. In 1923-24 he served as Sovereign Prince of Chicago Council Princes of Jerusalem, and in 1939-40 he was Commander-in-Chief of Oriental Consistory. He received his 33 Degree in 1922 and was elected an active member of the Supreme Council of 33 Degree in 1940. He served as Grand Marshal General of Supreme Council from
1944-63 and was Potentate of Medinah Temple in 1936. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were in attendance at every meeting of the Supreme Council from 1944 until 1963.

Recipe
If you go to the state fair, I bet you pass a stand which sells cinnamon toasted nuts. The stand always smells so good.....but those darn nuts are soooooo expensive. Unless I'm really hungry for those nuts, I don't buy them because I know that I can go home and make them for a little bit of nothing and they will taste just like those fair nuts. The fair sells almonds, cashews, pecans, etc....and you also can use those nuts if you want. Give this recipe a try ... you won't be sorry. Note: If I use salted cashews, I cut the salt just a bit in the recipe.

Cinnamon Toasted Almonds

2 egg whites
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 cups unblanched almonds
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until frothy and then beat in vanilla. Add almonds and stir gently to coat. Combine the sugars , salt and cinnamon and then add to egg white/nut mixture and stir gently to coat.

Spread evenly on two greased 15x10 baking pans, trying to make sure they are separated. Bake 300 degrees F for about 35 to 45 minutes or until crisp (ovens vary.....watch these to make sure they don't burn....but you want them to get crisp so the times will vary.....also will vary with the amount of coating on the nut.) Stir once during baking but try to keep them separated. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 4 cups.

You can tell the character of every man

when you see how he receives praise.

--Senaca

If I told you that you need to be adrenaline-ized, you would probably think I was a bit looney. What the heck is that?? It means getting pumped up when you need it!

One day I needed to be pumped up..... I was going into a store and all at once I looked up and saw a masked man holding a gun on the people in the store. He waved me in and believe me I went on in. I was scared as heck and I had go to the bathroom too. I could just see myself making a mess of myself on the floor in the store, with pee going down my leg. But I held it the best I could.

I'd taken a defense class which taught me to hold my keys in my hand and poke the assailant in his eye. I also knew it hurt a man really badly if you give him the old knee in the groin area. It makes the man bend over and then you hit him on the head with your heavy purse. I'd also learned in my defense class that a high heel on the top of the foot was horrific for the assailant. I was planning the whole time I was walking in the door because I didn't want to become a dead duck.

He motions me over to him so I slowly proceeded. He whispered....get out of here, this is a movie. I said "sure it is" and promptly used my spike high heels on the top of his foot. While he was off-balanced, I used my key in his eye and then hit him in the groin with my knee. Yep he bent over and I hit him with my enormous purse and then sat down on his back....all the while I was saying....."call the police and help me sit on him".....and "get his gun" which he had dropped. The people just stared at me. What was going on with these people....did they really want to die in this hold up? And why was I doing this? Maybe it was time for me to get up and run like the wind.

Just then a man with a camera came over to me and said "Ma'am... this is a movie....but we got it on tape." I looked up and around and sure enough there were lots of people over on the other side of the store. I hadn't noticed this before because I was too focused on the man with the gun.

I was embarrassed. My adrenaline was still coursing through my veins but I didn't know what to say. Someone helped me up from my perch on his back. People started laughing and clapping. Someone shouted "Ya got him sista!" Yep I did but I got the wrong man....he wasn't really an assailant.

I went on my merry way after the fracas. Then I wondered what if it really was a hold-up. Why would I want to jeopardize my well-being by being the heroine. Never again....if it happens again I will calmly turn over my heavy purse and hope he breaks his shoulder carrying the weight of the darn thing....but I now carry any large sums of money in my bra for safety!!