Week in Review: Help me! Help me! I'm, like, drowning in teenage angst, courtesy of L391 - Fiction for Young Adults. I just finished book twelve and have three more to go. We read a book about a girl in L.A. named Weetzie Bat who has a lover named My Secret Agent Lover Man. We read about this young fella who finds a pasty looking man in a black suit sitting on the floor of his garage. This guy has wings on his back, but is he an angel or a bird? We don't know, but he poops owl pellets! We've read about a sinister Catholic boys' school and high school lesbians who keep saying over and over to each other "I'm scared too," and rape and violence and death, and, of course, good old Holden Caulfield whew.

Wednesday was a great day because my dear friend, Cindy, and I went to lunch at the Kimmell House Inn - in Kimmell, where I had a creamy tomato bisque with basil that, dear readers, I cannot stop thinking about and will not rest until I can replicate. After lunch, Cindy and I drove back to her house, got some scissors and walked over to Stormy and Nick's and cut some of their hydrangeas to hang and dry. That evening, our neighbor, Marcia brought over a yummy rum cake to thank Bob for his annual trimming of the hedge. Bob spent the entire week in Minnesota at paper school, where I think he: 1. Drives people around on a shuttle bus. 2. Wears a hard hat. 3. Poses for group photographs and 4. Takes people out to eat.

And speaking of Stormy, she and Nick celebrated her birthday in New York City this weekend, with a matinee performance of Gypsy and dinner at La Grenouille. Happy Birthday Stormy - you old Leo, you. Here's a picture of the two of us, at a baby shower last year. We were just about to signal the start of the playdough baby competition, which, I believe I just might have won. Below are some of the hostess gifts that Stormy bestowed upon us in the waning months before her final departure:

A lovely ceramic flower bowl

A very nice basket

Some twisted nylon line

A barrel of monkeys

.From the Archives: June, 1964 - I'm eight and my little brother, John, is one. He was adorable. I can remember having this picture taken. I remember that he was adorable and I think I remember that he was heavy.

Oh, Brett.

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Recipe of the Week: Bob has been cooking this evening - salmon with fresh pineapple salsa. He's still working on it, so I'm unable to report. I, on the other hand, have been "rethinking cornbread." Here's a recipe for spicy jalapeno cheddar cornbread, which Bob is not that crazy about because he doesn't think it's a good combination - he likes sweet cornbread. My son-in-law, however, does like it

Spicy Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 medium jalapeno chile, cored, seeded and chopped fine.

3/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a food processor or blender, process sugar, corn kernels, and buttermilk until combined. Add egg and process. Mix dry ingredients adding half of the shredded cheese. Toss to coat. With a spatula, make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into the well. Fold with just a few turns to mix. Fold in the chopped pepper. Pour the batter into an 8 inch baking dish, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

"I can still recall old Mister Barnslow getting out every morning and nailing a fresh load of tadpoles to that old board of his. Then, he'd spin it round and round like a wheel of fortune and no matter where it stopped he'd yell 'Tadpoles! Tadpoles is a winner!' We all thought he was crazy. But then, we had some growing up to do." Jack Handey

Week in Review: Twenty-three American girls brought their American Girl Dolls to the one room schoolhouse on Monday and Tuesday. We embroidered initials onto handkerchiefs, jumped rope, made flower presses, and cracked open geodes. We also made applesauce and lemonade and little sandwiches and ice cream. We had a Victorian luncheon under the trees and even learned some different ways to fold napkins. At the end of the second day, I asked them to pretend they were Kit Kittridge and write a newspaper story about what we did at our mini-camp. We all had fun. This is little Isabelle showing off her handiwork. I'm not sure that she actually sewed a stitch, as she hasn't even been to kindergarten yet, but she certainly looks pleased.

Wednesday was blistering hot, so that morning, Lori and Baleigh and I drove up to the Shipshewana flea market because for some reason, I only go up there and stomp around in that treeless field of never-ending crapola on the hottest day of the summer. Why is that, I wonder? After the flea market trip, they left for Lindsey's house in Indianapolis. I taught my aerobics class at 5:30, then Bob drove me down to Indy and dropped me off at Lindsey's too. We were joined by Megan and the toddler formerly known as the cutest baby in Springfield (Landon). When Bob left he tossed Landon up in the air a little and I thought, ah-oh he's going to scare him. But, I don't think so because after he had gone, Landon kept going to the door and saying "Bye Uncle Bob."

Thursday was another blistering hot day, so, we went to the zoo, of course, because that's another thing I like to do when it's really hot outside. You know, the kind of day when you stagger from exhibit to exhibit looking for the animals, who are all hiding under rocks and bushes and what-not because of the heat. I would say this picture about sums up our trip to the Indianapolis Zoo. Okay, yes, we did see an elephant getting a bath, but how long can you look at that when you are sitting in a little puddle of sweat?? "Oh, look!" I said, "It's the dark and damp scary poisonous spider house. Let's go inside, quickly!"

Landon was a happy boy when we were in the air conditioning. I think he takes after Aunt Lou. We ate lunch downtown at the Weber Grill. He was good as gold.

Is there anything better than........

Daylilies and Purple Coneflowers?

Cleaning the green fuzz out of your birdbath?

Finding a little bird's nest in your window box begonias?

Talking Bob into moving the peonies?

Leaving an overly-ripe peach for your groundhog??????

I think not.

From the Archives: Flower girl, Baleigh, Lindsey, and me at Chad and Megan's wedding in Springfield, just four years ago, June of 2004.

Recipe of the week: We made ice cream twice this past week; for our Victorian luncheon and again at Lindsey's on Thursday. Here we are on Lindsey's porch. I don't know what's up with the Jazz Hands. Here's the recipe.

Ice Cream

6 to 8 junkets, dissolved in a small amount of water

3 cartons Half and Half

2 1/2 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Beat eggs well. Add sugar. Stir in half and half. Add vanilla. Heat to lukewarm. Pour into canister and add junkets. Finish filling canister with milk. Let stand undisturbed for 15 minutes. Freeze in electric or crank freezer.

"If you ever fall off the top of the Sears Tower, just go limp because maybe you'll look like a dummy and people will try to catch you, because, hey, free dummy." Jack Handey

Week in Review: I filled in for Sally at the Park Department Tuesday through Friday, and it was the second week of my Young Adult Literature class, which meets three nights a week for two hours and twenty minutes without a break to go to the bathroom. That's right. It meets from 5:30 to 7:50 PM and after two hours, my stomach starts to growl. Also, on Saturday morning, the Debbie's and I cleaned the one room schoolhouse in order to get ready for our two day mini-camp on July 14th and 15th, where we will be celebrating the American Girl Dolls! (there was a dead bird in the school, by the way -I don't think it was a victim of the West Nile Virus, but just plain old building entrapment) Here's a picture from a couple of years ago. I believe I'm wrestling some form of prairie vermin or varmint from my hair. Twenty-six young ladies have signed up to attend our two-day jamboree and we are going to have some fun. Can't wait to tell you about it next week!

To help prepare for the camp, I made a trip to the library and checked out every American Girl Doll book they had. One of the ladies who works in the children's section is also named LouAnne, and she likes to say hello to me, because, she says, there are just not very many people named LouAnne - and certainly not any famous people, except maybe LouAnne Pig, and Gomer Pyle's girlfriend, LouAnne Poovie, but anyway, there aren't many positive role models named LouAnne. (although, if I remember correctly, LouAnne Poovie was a pretty hot little number) But back to the point, Children's Librarian LouAnne and I agreed that we loved the American Girl Dolls and we both loved the Little House Books. I told her that my favorite one was Little House in the Big Woods, where they lived so comfortably and cozily with the pumpkins and salted pork in their attic - before Pa dragged them off into the God-forsaken prairie. I never forgave Pa for doing that. I mean, they had family in the big woods. And food! They traded hog butchering day, and straw hat making day, and maple syrup parties at Grandpa's for eating jack rabbits and being worried about wolves, and getting a lousy penny in their stockings for Christmas. I know Laura thought Pa was really clever, and he could play the fiddle and all, but frankly, I think Pa was selfish, and maybe, a loser.

From the Archives: 1972. Bob in his psychedelic army barracks. Bob figures he was at his thinnest in this picture, maybe 175 lbs. On the back of the picture it says: "After we went to the funeral." I don't know who passed away but gosh, I hope he didn't wear those jeans to the service.

Sunday Night Supper: My sister, Lori, and niece, Baleigh, are here for the one room schoolhouse fun, so they were our guests for supper. We served, what has now become our signature summer meal, the chick buns, with salad and rosemary garlic potatoes.

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BRETT! DON'T BE THAT GUY!!!!!!

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On a melancholy note, my dear friend, Stormy, officially folded up her tent and moved her show to Wilkesbarre, PA. I miss her already

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"I think there should probably be a rule that if you're talking about how many loaves of bread a bullet will go through, it's understood that you mean lengthwise loaves, otherwise, it makes no sense.

Jack Handey

Week in Review: Happy Fourth of July to all you Americans out there! The squirrel celebrates Independence Day....











...and so does Bob, as he exercises his right to nap. Bob likes do a little something in the hammock that he calls "obso-pondering." This activity requires observing and pondering at the same time, or lookin' and thinkin.' And sometimes when he does this, (lookin' and thinkin') he falls asleep. So I just went out and inserted the flag for this holiday shot. It was pretty quiet around here on the Fourth. On Saturday night, we were treated to the fireworks display on Sylvan Lake, as we went out on our neighbors', (Rick and Cathy's) boat.


On Sunday afternoon, I baked pies and watched Nadal and Federer play for the Wimbledon Championship. It made me so nervous, I almost turned it off! Nick and Stormy joined us for Sunday Night Candlelight Supper. They are leaving this week, so I had Stormy open part of her birthday present (the part that I didn't want to ship to Wilkesbarre.)







From the Archives: Our little firecrackers, Lindsey and Rob, celebrate Independence Day in either 1991 or 1992, I'm not sure, on the front porch of our Diamond Street home.






Happy First Anniversary to Lindsey and Brent! 07-07-07. You crazy accountants, you. I hope that cake in the freezer is still moist and burn-free!

















"I will not have pseudo-hyphenated people boasting about their holiday abroad while I'm singing a selection from Song of Norway."
-Hyacinth on why she dislikes Sonia Barker-Finch




Recipe of the Week: On Sunday evening we served Nick and Stormy our signature chick-buns, rosemary and garlic potatoes, apple/walnut/cherry salad with maple dressing, homemade dinner rolls, and for dessert - lemon meringue and peach pie. Most of these recipes are already posted on the blog. Here are the directions for making the chick-buns.


Chick-Buns (slang for Chicken Bundles)
4 whole boneless chicken breasts, skinned, cut in half
8 (4 oz) 1 x 1 x 1/2 inch chunks Cheddar cheese
16 slices bacon
barbecue sauce

Prepare grill placing coals to one side; heat until coals are ash white. Male aluminum foil drip pan; place oppositee coals. Make slit in each chicken breast to form pocket. Insert one chunk of cheese into the pocket and roll the breast into a bundle, and wrap criss-cross ;with 2 slices bacon. Secure bacon with wooden toothpicks. Place bundles on grill over drip pan. Grill, turning every 15 minutes for about 45 minutes or until chicken is fork tender. Brush with barbecue sauce during last 15 minutes of cooking. Be mindful of the cheese!




"Here's a good thing to do if you go to a party and you don't know anybody. First, take out the garbage. Then go around and collect any extra garbage that people might have, like a crumpled-up napkin and take that out too. Pretty soon, people will want to meet the busy garbage guy."
Jack Handey