She’s Ba-ack!

End of the day in Fort Madison, IA

I brought my laptop and I was really thinking I’d blog a little last week, but traveling has a way of wearing me out by the end of the day after an early wake-up. David and I have been in Illinois and Missouri for most of the past week for our end of summer vacation. We were originally were going at the end of August, but the weather was looking less than favorable and he was asked if he could change some plans for work and… So we ended up going last week instead.

Biggest drawback of the schedule change is that we were traveling after Minor League Baseball season was over, so no baseball, not even one game. Also, we were in Cardinals territory on Saturday when the Reds clinched the Central Division. I’m going to wear my 2010 Division Champions shirt, but I am NOT buying the 2012 Division Champs shirt. Division Champions was the highest point of the 2010 season. I’m waiting to buy my World Champions shirt this year! Unless…

…unless, it’s not the Reds. There is only ONE way it won’t be the Reds; The Tigers are tied for first place in the American League Central Division! My dream World Series is still possible! If it’s the Reds and Tigers I can’t lose! I admit that I lean a little more towards the Reds because well, the designated hitter makes that much difference to me. I’m a National League fan. But the Tigers are my AL team and the team that brought me the love of baseball when I was just 2 years old dancing in Mom’s arms when they won the 1968 World Series. So really, in that dream World Series the only thing that would burn is if either team sweeps. I’d love the decision to be whoever wins the 1-0 Game 7. Then I buy the World Champion Shirt and the other League Champion shirt and wear them both proudly! But I want those shirts; it’s bad luck to buy a shirt for any step on the way. I buy my shirts for when I’m ready for it to stop; and I’m NOT ready for it to stop yet!


What I didn’t get in Minor League ball on our trip, I did get in the beginning of fall colors and the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle!

World’s Largest Catsup Bottle Water Tower

Brooks Catsup, Collingwood, Illinois

I love kitschy art and water towers and larger than life everyday objects. What’s not to totally Nani-love about that water tower? Driving back to our hotel after dinner, we got to see it all lit up too! Totally cool!

I’ll probably show some more photos from our trip in the next few days, but for now, I’ll click back into normal cyber-life and join Joyce at From This Side of the Pond for the Wednesday Hodge Podge!

1. The Wednesday Hodgepodge this week falls on John Chapman's birth date. He's more famously known as Johnny Appleseed...what's your favorite variety of apple?

 

Gala Apple

Galas are my most common apple at home, but they are #2.

Ambrosia Apple

When ambrosias are available, that’s my apple! They’re number one.


2. When did you last say 'ick'?

ick, icky; words I use often to describe things I don’t like, so without thinking too hard I can pretty much guarantee I used it today, probably more than once.


3. Do you think there's a generation gap? Explain.

I live in a generation gap! I’m too young to be cool for the music I like because I’m the age of a parent of the age group those songs are geared for. That’s true for any current trend for those of us in the age group that parented the current trend-ruling class. I’ll start to be cool for liking current music in about 10 years. Then I’ll be a “cool old lady who ‘gets’ us” to the targeted age group.

The “generation gap” is created by teens and early 20-somethings who have reached the age of wanting to establish themselves and their own culture as they enter into the adult world. Culturally, we the “uncools” should step back, be there if we’re needed, but let the new adults define their cultural generation. In a few years we’ll either come back into coolness for enjoying current trends or be respected as the sweet old people listening to 80s music on the “oldies station.”


4. What's on your computer screen saver? Do you leave it alone or change it often?

The screen savers on my laptop and on my phone are both animated bubbles. I’ve always loved bubbles! The screensavers on both devices were set the first day I had them and haven’t changed.


5. If you had the attention of the entire world for two minutes, what would you say?

Just 2 minutes?

Adopt a rescue.

People who try to control other people’s lives do because they can’t control their own.

Respect and tolerance are the keys to peace; if you can’t handle it stay home and off the internet so the rest of us can enjoy a better world.

It doesn’t matter what you call him or how; God doesn’t think you’re completely right.

The sincere way to be charitable is to give and don’t tell anyone.

Oh and that respect? That includes respecting the experience and proficiency of REAL NFL referees and doing what needs to be done to get them back on the field.


6. Four fashion trends to try this fall are-brocade/jacquard (fancy printed fabrics), peplum, lace, and printed pants...which of these four would you be most likely to wear?

I’m 46 years old; too old to let a magazine tell me what to wear or a designer tell me what to spend. I still looked up photos of each of the four for fall 2012. If I was a clothes trend follower, I think I’d just hibernate this year and hope for better in the spring! Not crazy about the types of prints for pants or the designs using lace. I’ve never cared for jacquards/brocades and I’ve never had hips small enough to carry off peplums. I think I’ll just stick with jeans and big t-shirts or sweatshirts for everyday and dress pants with a silk tank and jacket for business/dressy.


7. What can make your bad day better?

Ice cream or an ice cream based product.  My last bad day turned around with a pumpkin shake at McDonalds


8. Insert your own random thought here.

As for pumpkin – the beginning of our trip was pumpkin-awful! On getaway day, Monday, we stopped for dinner. Not only were they out of the carrots I wanted with dinner, but NO pumpkin bread at Bob Evans! I love Bob’s pumpkin bread and it’s pumpkin season! When David went out to get drinks after we checked in to the hotel, he came back with iced tea fir me because he asked; no Pumpkin Spice cheataccino until next week. On Tuesday we ate at Olive Garden and I had tiramisu for dessert because they were out of the pumpkin cheesecake I ordered! Thursday breakfast at IHOP; Ah! Pumpkin pancakes! I ordered the pancake breakfast with sausage and bacon. Feeling deserted by my beloved pumpkin, David asked if they had pumpkin pancakes for me. Our waitress said “yes” and I smiled and said “I’ll have those!” I asked for the whipped cream on the side. I should have worried when she said they didn’t come with whipped cream. Breakfast got there with regular pancakes. I finally got my pumpkin something on SUNDAY. The McDonald’s pumpkin shakes are wonderful! But a week on the road without pumpkin anything is just wrong; wrong, wrong, wrong!

Pumpkin Breakfast Fest!

This morning I had a pumpkin breakfast at home; Pumpkin spice coffee, pumpkin yogurt and a pumpkin donut. Ahhhh.. My autumn world is in balance again.