How to Fair, Sho, and Can....

You know when you feel like you never have time to sit. That's been July for us. I have spent time at our address but it sure doesn't feel like it. We mostly come, drop our stuff, feed the cats, sleep, and pack our stuff to leave again. We've spent a lot of time in a vehicle and may fondly remember July 2015 as the month we sat in cars. August may be better, may not be. I am not sure if we can get worse! 

The week started out a little slow, went and saw Capitol Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. Last year I had taken Matt to Macbeth, which I loved and want to thoroughly discuss but he did not. This year I got smart and met a friend, Lexi, there. We picnic'd, gossiped. and then enjoyed the comedy. It was better than last year's and the weather was wonderful! What a great event!

Thursday I spent at the State Fair. I worked a booth during Senior Day. The highlight of my day included the footlong corn dog and getting my picture taken with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Wish the picture would have taken a little better, I hate that about the camera on my phone! The weather was super warm and the brief time I spent on the grounds reminded me of the summers that we came up to show steers.

We've also officially started the canning season with a lug of peaches. We did a couple quarts of white peaches in a light honey syrup one night and the next night we did a bunch of sauerkraut in pints and white peach and basil jelly. I was hoping the peach smell would outweigh the smell of the kraut. I was wrong. It hung in the air.

Saturday was full. We woke up, headed over to Fargo for the Airsho. Matt has had this on my calendar for months. This event was featuring the US Navy Blue Angels. The event ongoing got better when Mead & Hunt/Jon invited us to attend in the VIP area. This meant that we had a shaded tent and a first row seat within 150 feet of the Blue Angels, center field of the show!

There were so many great performances. It was painful to ask Matt which was his favorite....he went back and forth between Chuck Dramamine's act, to the Harrier, to the Blue Angels, to Kent Pietsch's dead stick, to Fat Albert....I think my favorite were the Immortals, which was a combination of planes but the Angels were stiff competition.

Photo courtesy of "I Do" Events

When we got home, we rested just a bit before heading out to help take down another wedding. This one was also at the Radisson, where we had had our reception. We are always quick to judge other weddings in this location and compare it to our own.
We are getting the hand of this pretty well and will probably have a few more coming up later this month.

On Sunday, we got back in the car, of course we did. We headed to Elgin/Morristown to see my Grandmother. Early in the year, we had agreed to her putting in a row of beets for us to pickle. Well, she made good on it. Her row and our row are a bit different when we took a look at her garden, which was as big as our yard! Not only did we get beets but got left over chicken, potatoes, chicken gravy, buns, bread, pie, and a full belly. Was good to visit with her and Grandpa and can't believe all she gives!

I also hate to brag but I did win three marbles games in a row. Matt claimed I'm a cheater but I've had a lot of practice over the years!

Best meal: This is a no brainer...Grandma's chicken. There wasn't anything that I didn't like. Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, bread, gravy, peaches, vinegar slaw, gravy, scalloped corn, and gravy.

ALR: Will we see a lot of aviation people here today?
MJR: Probably. You see, it's an air show, that's like Aviation Nirvana.
ALR: What's OshKosh week then?
MJR: Woodstock.

How to stay home for a weekend...kinda...

After weeks of not knowing what our house looks like on the weekends, we stayed home. We weren't lazy in the least but at least we slept in our own beds.

We took in a little Bismarck fun. They held their first annual German Days in downtown Bismarck. We had high hopes. With the price of the gate admission, the cost of the food, and the cost of the beer, we were expecting a bit more. We did enjoy our food. I had kuchen (German custard with fruit) and a fleischkuechle (which is a seasoned meat wrapped in dough and deep fried). Matt had the sampler plate....cheese buttons, krout with knoephla, and a cabbage roll. We enjoyed these meals with a beer while listening to the Little Dutch Band. We didn't stay too long as the crowds became a bit lengthy for meal lines, which was really too bad for me, I wanted a strudel dessert with honey.

Saturday was busy and left us feeling sore and tired. I started the day with a Bountiful Basket pick up. I got peaches and I'm anxious for them to turn to can them. From there, I woke Matt up and we headed to our "second job." Our wedding decorated had let us know that she had some part-time openings for set-up and tear down help for her events. We figured a little mad money couldn't hurt and who doesn't love a little wedding fun. We put on 200 chair covers that morning as well as set runners and center pieces only to take them off later that night and mingle through the hot dance floor. There were two weddings on the same day. We couldn't believe the work and detail that went into each one.

Between those two events, we headed out to the farm and helped them take off the east wall of the barn. They are expanding and adding another lean-to. Was surprised how quick it went with the 5 of us.


The garden is slowly coming along. We did some major harvesting including the lettuce and some of our beans. We didn't have as many as we thought but if we didn't pick those and the pea pods and eat them right there, we may have had more. Tomatoes continue to plod along as does our cucs and pumpkins. Things are growing but we'd like to see things moving along a little quicker. We have great neighbors who have been sharing their wealth lately....who can complain about free produce. I'm a wishing they would have planted zucchini. So far we've been gifted cucs, lettuce, and beans.

On Sunday, after sleeping in, we took the day slowish. We washed the camper after getting it home...we'll need to work on the inside for a bit too now but the outside is much brighter. We did laundry, bought groceries, and cooked an amazing supper.

We had decided to do pizza but I thought we should give the grill a try. We really outdid ourselves! So tasty. We made small personalish sized with multiple varieties, even adding fresh basil to the mix straight from the garden. Matt was the grillmaster and I was the ordered. We also attempted a new dough recipe with semolina flour.

After we took Dad a few burgers, we went to bed and I'd call the weekend a total success.

MJR: What kind do you want?
ALR: I want a "Randy"
MJR: Pepperoni and Jalapenos?
ALR: Yes, that's a Randy.
10 minutes later, pizza is done and out.
MJR is cutting fresh purple basil for the top and only puts on half.
ALR reaches for slice with basil on top.
MJR: Nah-ah, a true Randy doesn't have the purple basil... you stick with the original.  

How to shave a cat...

Update on the cats....they hated that we were away. We had a few incidents and accidents and even a few vet appointments. We scheduled boosters for Nike and TonyDanza and also called the groomer to get hair cuts as recommended. Unfortunately, we had to send Nike up to summer with Grandma and Grandpa while we tried to get the house back under control. But TonyDanza went in for his first haircut. We didn't know what to expect. When I let him out of the carrier, I did have a "what have I done?" moment....but we are getting used to it and we actually think he love it. He's been purring more, been rubbing us more, overall more affectionate. This may become an annual thing. Makes me wonder if he just plain feels better.

On the other front, the girls are up to their usual funny antics.

ALR: How did he get his collar off?

MJR: I took it off.

ALR: Why? You can see it well right now.

MJR: He's been rubbing up on my legs so much the collar was hurting them. 

ALR: I think he likes it.
MJR: Look at him...his head looks so big...like it's matched with the wrong body.

How to keep growing...

The days were hot while we were gone to KS which made for good growing for tomatoes and the garden. We had green tomatoes all over the place and everything else had risen to the occasion. This includes the bean plants that come along nicely with a few hear and there covering the ground.

It also included the cucumbers that were starting to have teeny tiny plants on them. The tomatoes, even the ones that I had been question had blooms on them and were filling their cages.

The cabbage was filling it's space. The dill was shooting up. The chives were thick. AND the pumpkins have begun their escape! Everything was looking so good.

We even managed to harvest a few things. We had some radish issues to which we say, "It's a learning year." Matt did manage to get two radishes from the ground. One was wonderful and the other was in his words, "Not Good! Blyuck"

ALR: Hey show me the bean you just picked, I want to take a picture.

MJR: I can't.

ALR: WHY?

MJR: I ate it.

ALR: Already?

MJR: It was one bean!

ALR: It was our first harvest. Fine, look at the camera, say "bean."

MJR: Bean!

Roadtrip to KS: How to find your way home...again...

On Sunday morning, we woke up too early. We had to drive the entire way back in one shot. It was too bad we weren't joining the remainder of the family at Wendy's house, but we needed to both be at work on Monday morning.

We got on the road at 8:00 and when we hit the Nebraska border we actually thought we were doing pretty good. We stopped in Ansley, Nebraska for lunch. There weren't many options but the Main Street Cafe was open and the special wasn't too bad; fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, a bun, and dessert, which was bread pudding for $9.50. Matt decided to go with the Philly Cheese Steak, which was "new" on the menu, he thought he'd be bold with their progressive add.

We filled up before we left town at Custer's Last Stop, which made us both raise a eyebrow, especially after driving through Montana the week before. Maybe it wasn't the same Custer that we had in mind?

It was a little after noon when we came through South Dakota. I finally got my sign picture. South Dakota wasn't much to see or drive through on the two-lane highway. I think I slept, ate sunflower seeds, and looked randomly out the window. Matt drove. Unlike the last trip, he did take 100% of the wheel this time. He handled South Dakota better than he did Kansas as Kansas irritated him...the two lane roads, the slow drivers, the lack of radio stations in specific relation to baseball games, and the amount of anti-choice billboards that peppered the side of the road.

We hit North Dakota around suppertime. We'd previously ate in Pierre which was a horrible experience and we'd never go back there. Taco Bell has better standards than that or at least I thought they did.

We only had one hiccup with the GPS in the car. It happened around Linton, ND. Sean (the voice of the car) wanted us to make a right, we decided to book it straight for 94. Sean turned down the road and went without us. All the way to the University of Mary at 79 miles per hour.

We got home before sundown, which allowed us to see the kitties, look at the garden and take a deep breath. As of now, there are no other big official trips planned. Talks...but no plans. And I'm good on road trips for awhile.

somewhere in the middle of South Dakota on Day 1:
MJR: Did you take the Rand McNally off the roof?
ALR: No, I didn't know you put it on there.
MJR: Do you think it's still up there?
ALR: Are you serious right now? You just bought that thing. You hadn't even used it.
MJR: Well, maybe it had enough weight that it stayed there.
It didn't.

Day 2:
MJR: We need to stop off somewhere and grab a Nebraska map.
ALR: Why don't you check out your Rand.

MJR: Ohhh! A Kansas Visitor Center, I bet they have a map.
ALR opens mouth.
MJR: I know, I know, Where's my Rand McNally...blahblah

Day 4: On the way home.
MJR: I think we'll fill with gas here.
ALR looks over: You have over half a tank.
ALR: You just want to get a map don't you.
MJR: Yes.
ALR: Had to leave the Rand on the roof of the car.

When we returned home. It wasn't in the driveway on the streets, we think we may have seen it on Expressway, but we didn't want to stop to verify for sure.

Roadtrip to KS: How to have a Western KS Wedding...

Saturday was the wedding...and true to form, the best way to start off a wedding in Matt's eyes is by playing a round of golf! So off Matt went with some of my family to the Larned Country Club, which was across the street from the hotel. I was happy to see him excited to go and glad that he had a good time with my uncles. 

We had to be at the church by 12:35 for pictures of the family. So 42+2 all got into the picture! Glad to have the photographer organize us a bit. Maybe we'll get those that couldn't make it photoshopped in! After the big one, they also took a few siblings pictures and one or two with Grandma and Grandpa. I snapped a few of Mom and Dad but the lighting was a bit rough for my liking.

After the 2:00 Catholic service, we headed over the Larned Community Center for the reception. There was some downtime before the bride and groom arrived. So we visited with friends and family and enjoyed the snack bar. We even took a picture of our own. 

The interesting part started when the dance began. The DJ announced to have your partner ready for the Grand March. Matt and I thought that was such a silly statement... as the bride and groom need to be paired as does the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Well, that's when things got interesting. See everyone takes part in the Grand March. You start off by following the wedding party while holding hands with your dance partner...like a bi-person congo line. You eventually get trailed outdoors where upon reentering the building/hall you make a hallway/tunnel with your hands and EVERYONE crawls through the tunnel. You also get your butt smacked or pinched at this time. the next step is that as you come through, you become a human whiplash and make noises. This eventually becomes a giant circle around the bride and groom.

The most interesting part was watching my cousin Jaden and his wife Sam go through. Because when they went by they had the "WHY AREN'T YOU DOING THIS FACE?"

I also watched my cousin's daughter, Marley, who was super excited to wave and clap her hands at the shenanigans that happened on the dance floor. She was waving so much that she managed to smack both her Great Aunt Di and her Great Uncle Mark in the head. I laughed so hard.

When Grand March music starts.
Mosers around the table: What's going on?
ALR: Is this a Kansas wedding thing?
Wendy: I've never seen this before in my life!

P.S. The temperature was around 98 and 100 both days we were in Kansas.

Roadtrip to KS: How to get to Larned.....

On the second day of the road trip, we woke up still a little bitter about the previous night's meal. We missed the hotel breakfast, which we'd grown a bit leery of the location's food options. We went to further into Omaha to Jimmy's Egg. Not a bad selection but not too out of this world. I had the Angry Burrito, which had chorizo, and a side of chocolate chip pancakes.

We got on the road and blew through Nebraska and hit Kansas. I was heartbroken I missed taking a picture of the world's largest covered wagon. We made a lunch stop in Salina at Taco Master, a great dive Mexican restaurant. We had a few tostados as well as a few tacos.

After driving 5 hours, we made it to Larned. Checked into the hotel and it didn't take long to find family. We caught the bride before going to rehearsal and also my grandparents and a few aunts and uncles. We waited for Mom and Dad to finally make it down and after a quick drive through town, headed for Rozel, where the dinner was. Only two cousins (Alaina and Kate) weren't able to make it from the Moser family, hard to believe when you consider that 42 of the remainder of the family made it and those 42 went to the hotel lobby after the dinner, only to be kicked out after 45 minutes due to noise and the size of the group!

MJR: Larned.....say it. It doesn't sound like a fun town.
ALR: They do have a Sonic.

MJR: Larn-ed. Lar-ned.