indiana state fair day 2

I didn't get home from work until 8:00. I threw on jeans and jumped on my bike and was looking at rabbits and roosters by 8:15.




Tonight's dinner:  steak sandwich. Yummy. 

I love the King Tater potato chips. They spiral cut a potato with a blade attached to a drill. The whole thing is brilliant. I was lurking around the stand trying to talk myself out of ordering a plate of the greasy salty goodness. 

Then I saw this: 

Talked myself right out of it. 

I ran to see the world's largest boar before I changed my mind. 

There was a pretty cute guy chatting me up in front of Harley (1121 pounds). The conversation was going well until the guy started talking about the pig's, um, rocky mountain oysters. I fled. 

I was looking forward to the Indiana's Got Game display. There were a few cool things and some artifacts, but not nearly as exciting as I thought it would be. 

I walked through the midway on the way home. 

. 

It was a gorgeous night. 

r.i.p twizzlers

Hello lovelies,

I've missed you! I had a lull in blogging. Partly because I was swamped, but mostly because I believe in the 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't blog it' credo.

I realized that I was in a funk a couple of months ago when I was trying to finish my 47 things about me post and re-read #2. I always wake up happy -- no matter how angry I was when I went to sleep or how I wake up. I always worry that if I heard a burglar in the house my first thought would be "Ooooh, fun! I have company!"

Whoa! That was not true for a couple of months. I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong, but I sure was crabby and out of sorts. I really realized it about six weeks ago when I was hanging out with an old friend, that I was happy to see and all I could do was complain. I didn't even like being with me. Sheesh.

Ironically, that same friend told me that he woke up one day a few months ago and felt good for the first time in a long time. I told him that I was feeling like crap to keep the universe balanced. Well, I'm feeling better punk - I hope you still are too.

Long ago I decided this blog was not going to be about cats (have one, his name is Felix and he looks like a bat), hot flashes (been there, done that) or my weight. Well, you're just going to have to hear about my weight for a minute.

In order to feel better I started addressing the things that were bogging me down. The basement project was one. I stopped staying at work until 11:00 pm. I dusted off my bike. I reacquainted myself with the library - and thanks to Erin Brown I have a small display of my PEZ dispensers in the Glendale library. And I joined Weight Watchers.

I know that my activity level has declined over the years. I went from an active job at the coffeehouse to a mostly desk job. I started blogging and writing which requires hours on my bohunkus.

In the beginning I'd eat potato chips and other crunchy-saltys when I was writing. A year or so ago I switched to Twizzlers. They were 'fat free' and didn't leave trails of salt between the computer keys. I was feeling pretty damn good about myself.

The first time I typed my Twizzler intake in to the Weight Watchers program I almost fainted. One serving of Twizzlers is worth 5 points! The same as a cup of chicken and dumplings! So eating a bag of Twizzlers (not out of the realm of possibility in a three hour writing stint) was like eating four cups of chicken and dumplings! Or drinking 10 Miller Lites. Or eating two whole French baguettes. Or a one and a half Peanut Buster Parfaits.

So, the Twizzler jar is gone. And now that I'm paying attention to what I eat and am consciously exercising. I've lost six pounds in the last two weeks. Only twenty more to go.

And the State Fair started yesterday. How many points is a steak sandwich?

indiana state fair day 1

I am a State Fair junkie. The fair opened today. The fairgrounds are just a mile down the Monon Trail from my backyard.


I jumped on my bike- still in my work skirt and met up with Tammy on the trail. Note my fancy basket and horn .


We were looking forward to touring the giant colon, but it closed at 6:00 [Crabbydad insert joke here].

We saw cows.

And more cows.

And rode the tram.

And ran in to friends.

The weather was just perfect.
The pork chop sandwich rocked also.


I loved the shadows on the trail on the way home.

Taking that photograph is a testament to my balancing skills. And my grabbing the camera out of my basket by the strap. And my taking the lens cap off with my teeth. And not getting kicked off the trail by the 5-0 since it was after dark and the trail was technically closed.

47 things about me

the morning of my birthday

My plan was do to this on my birthday (May 19), to follow up on last year's 46 things about me. It was languishing on my computer until I was inspired by Bella Rossa's 63 things about her.

I too, am so swamped that this is also the last thing I should be doing, but also because several of the things on our list are very similar. Bella is quite a bit younger than I am but we both started out in the same small town. She's immersed her self in comedy in Chicago and I've been called the godmother of acoustic music in Indianapolis. And we both were painfully shy when we were young. I always say that I was just saving up all my socializing and conversation for when I got older. We both have tattoos that we forget about. I'm sitting on mine, don't know about hers. Like Bella I've very allergic to several foods, but I never want to make a fuss. Of course, leaving in an ambulance would make a fuss also.

So, with out further ado:

1. No one is more surprised by my life than I am.

2. I always wake up happy -- no matter how angry I was when I went to sleep or how I wake up. I always worry that if I heard a burglar in the house my first thought would be "Ooooh, fun! I have company!"

3. I'm working on coming to terms with my messy desk. It works for me, okay people?

4. I have over 50 paintings by local artists. I'm out of wall space.

5. I am a night owl who wakes up early. Naps are a necessity.

6. My favorite font is Georgia

7. My favorite state is Indiana. Seriously. I love where I live.

8. I'm a procrastinator- as you can tell from this two and a half month late post.

9. I have only-in-my-head conversations with both of my grandmothers. I hope to be as kind and thoughtful has they were.

10. Peppermint yummy. Spearmint yucky.

11. I'm allergic to tons of stuff - foods, animals and the great outdoors. Sometimes I wish I could live in a bubble.

12. I have enough black skirts to open a museum, but only one pair of black pants.

13. The top two days of my life: when my niece and nephew were born.

14. Cover story baby! Read it here.

15. I'm really afraid of heights and I thought the way to cure it was to jump out of an airplane. I took the lessons and got as far as standing on the wing of a small plane. I was so sure that I didn't want to do it that I jumped over the instructor and a good chunk of air to get back in to the plane.

16. I either wanted to be Nancy Drew or a librarian when I grew up.

17. I build a nest where ever I am. I'm always surrounded by books, glasses of water, papers and my computer.

18. I sweat over grammar. And I'm typically wrong. Or am I usually wrong? Damnit! Damn it?

19. I've been to Ireland twice and I can't wait to go back.

20. The word donkey always makes me laugh.

21. I've always wanted a pony. I'm not sure what I would do with it, but I want one.

22. I was a ten year 4-H member. I only lasted one year with sewing. I loved home furnishings (refinishing furniture) and food preparation.

23. I'm not a dancer. It makes me feel weird and self conscious. You have fun, go ahead and hit the dance floor with out me. I'll be right over there, in the back - where I belong.

24. I wish I was as witty as Dorothy Parker.

25. I love any songs about astronauts.

26. I'm not a fan of hugging, but I'm working on it.

27. My cat's name is Felix, named for the musician who was staying at my house when I found him.

28. I think 'deadline' means when I should start writing. If the deadline is Monday morning, I'll start Sunday night, goof around until midnight then set my alarm for 5:00 so I can actually write the article.

29. I say 'seriously' way too much. Seriously.

30. I think that Facebook rocks.

31. I write about music, but I'm not a critic.

32. There barely a corner of my house that is not stacked with books.

33. I'm very impatient. Now get out of my way. Please. Thank you.

34. I can't stop volunteering. But, I really need to.

35. I hate the word 'puke.' It makes me what to throw up.

36. I bite my nails.

37. I am a State Fair junkie. I've been known to go every single day its open. Sometimes in the winter I walk by the fairgrounds to remind myself that summer will come around eventually.

38. I often have absolutely no idea what people are talking about. Smiling and nodding serves me well.

39. I've never owned a car that was not made by General Motors.

40. I rarely sleep through the night. I move to the sofa so often that I keep my travel alarm clock in the drawer of my coffee table.

41. I believe in the Golden Rule.

42. I have an autographed photograph of Johnny Cash in my living room.

43. I bought a Waterford jar in Ireland to storeTwizzlers.

44. My dream date is a cowboy. That has taken a shower. And reads. And plays pedal steel guitar. And is funny.

45. People Magazine is my guilty pleasure.

46. I can't finish a crossword puzzle without looking at the answers.

47. I never pass up the chance to sniff a baby's head, jump on a trampoline or coast on a shopping cart through a parking lot.

khaki pants and no shirt - all for wilco

I'm a big Wilco fan. And Uncle Tupelo before that. I've seen Wilco at least six other times.

I'm also a big fan of Emergent Leadership Institute. I've been donating my NUVO writing earnings to them. ELI matches high school and college students with volunteer opportunities and they do an excellent job.

One of the projects they've been doing this summer is gathering the recycling after big concerts. I decided the Wilco show was a great time for me to volunteer with them.

The added bonus is that you're in the venue early enough for sound check and sometimes the bands come out and meet the volunteers.

The dress code for the volunteers is khaki pants or shorts and a yellow ELI shirt.

I only have three fashion rules:

No khaki

No yellow

No accessories bigger than my breasts (that cuts out a lot more than you'd think).

I mentioned that I didn't have khaki pants and was told that you could buy them at Wal-Mart. Ummm, not helping the cause any. I was not going to potentially meet Jeff Tweedy while wearing khaki pants - I just couldn't!

I realized the goofiness of the situation. I didn't mind the band and a ton of my friends seeing me pick cans out the trash, but I wouldn't be caught dead in khaki pants.

I remembered that I had a pair of light brown Capri pants and decided they were close enough.

I still had to wear the yellow shirt. I listened to sound check with my Tonic Ball tee shirt on. Before the gates opened there were only a few people milling around. I walked down a little hill and ducked behind a tree and pulled the Tonic shirt over my head. I turned as I was putting the yellow shirt on and realized that I was standing right in front of the little building where the band was eating dinner.

I panicked and scrambled back up the hill. Had I stopped and thought for a few seconds I think I would have had enough nerve to poke my head in the building and say hello. I had a copy of the review I'd written about their last show in my non-khaki pants pocket that I would have loved to get signed.

And, in retrospect if I'd ever thought about what I might do if I stumbled in to Wilco's green room taking my top off might have been on the list.

The Lawn is a great venue and it was a beautiful night. The show was great. Read the Indianapolis Star's David Lindquist's review here.

I actually enjoyed the volunteer job. Most of the work was after the show, so I was able to walk around - dozens of my friends were there and watch the show.

Our task was to grab the cans and bottles from the trash - there were recycling bins right next to the trash cans, but apparently it is hard for folks to figure out.

It took me a while to get the technique. I kept using the grabber thingie to lean on when I reached in to the trash to grab the recycling out. I finally got the hang of the grabber. Stick your fingers in enough goo and you figure it out pretty quickly.

Our real task was after the show. We attacked the lawn with bags and grabbers. It went surprisingly fast. In a hour the place was picked up and dozens of bags of recycling were carted off.

Who knew that I would have so much fun picking through trash?

i'm in love...

...if it is possible to be in love with an appliance.

I saw this handsome range at the Saint Vincent DePaul annual sale.
It was just like the movies - I spied it across the room and ran in slow-motion around the tables, through the chairs and knocking blue haired ladies out of my way to put my hands on this beauty.


It's a 1950s Frigidaire range. It is in wonderful shape and everything works -except the clock, but I think that might be my fault. I'm sure I'm not pushing a button or something that I need to.

My kitchen is too narrow to get a good photograph, but it is sweet. The door on the left is a warmer oven, the door on the right has an oven and a broiler or two ovens or take a section out and have one big oven. There are three burners and the deep pot (works like a crock pot or can be used for canning or double boiling).

Luckily I was able to fit it in the truck. The porcelain makes it extra heavy. The best part is that my old stove was able to go straight to a family that needed one.

I wish Monica lived closer, so she could come an over and check it out.

basement update

Before: [click here]
After:
Look at the freshly painted walls and floor. And the glass block window. And the new sink. And Grandma Nora's drying rack.

Everything is off the floor and in tubs!

This whole wall is mostly PEZ stuff. I see another project blooming.
And I'm not showing you the stack of tubs holding yard sale goodies.

It sure feels good!