Finally...a Faucet

I don't guess I am in any big hurry to do the kitchen project.  I seem to have gotten stuck on choosing a faucet and sink.  Today, I finally ordered a faucet, and here it is!  Pfister Ashfield in Tuscan Bronze.  Sure hope it was the right choice!

Weekends in the Ozarks

We had a great weekend last weekend.  The weather was so much nicer and cooler than it has been.  Saturday morning we headed to the fairgrounds to check out the Ozarks Antique Auto Club's annual swap meet.  

Someday if we have a little land, we'd like an old truck like one of these at the top of our driveway.  It could be a flower bed in the summer, hold pumpkins in the fall, and a Christmas tree in the winter.  Yes, we're weird, but I think it would be neat. :)

I'm pretty sure that there were more people at this swap meet than there were at the fair just a few weeks ago.  The people watching was well worth the price of admission...which was free. :)

Sadly, my favorite car had already sold.  Would I be cute driving this boat?  Wearing my Jackie O sunglasses and headscarf with a Springer Spaniel leaning out the passenger side? :)

After the swap meet, we celebrated my dad's birthday with bacon burgers and chocolate cake.  Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of our birthday party.  I take lots of pictures of silly stuff, but always seem to miss the important stuff!  Gotta work on that.

Sunday we spent the day putting the new lettering on David's trash dumpsters.  We've done 4 and have one to go!

Grandad

We went to see my Grandad over the weekend.  He has always reminded me a little of Andy Griffith, both in personality and appearance.  He's been ill this summer, but he's getting along.  His daughters, son and daughter-in-law are doing a great job of taking care of him.

Pixie Dust Spreader on the Tilt-A-Whirl

Bonus points if you can name the movie referenced by the post title!  

It is unbearably hot, so it must be time for the fair!  We nearly let it get by us this year, but the day before the last day of the fair, we headed out in search of fried foods on a stick and some people watching.

 The people watching did not disappoint - it never does - but the food this year was not quite to the usual standard.  The corn dogs and root beer was delicious as always, but there were several food vendors missing this year. The place with the best cherry Coke and fried green tomatoes wasn't there, nor was the place with the delicious cajun fried pickles.  We didn't see any fried candy bars or even chocolate covered bacon.  We thought the tornado taters were gone, but finally found they'd moved.  David still enjoyed the best deal at the fair - the Hiland Dairy building with a big ol' pile of ice crem for only $4.

There was a miniature rose competition, which was kind of neat.  So many perfect little roses!

I like this guy's approach to eating.  No reason to get up to eat.  Too hot anyway! ;)  We were there during a pig auction.  I wanted to take a little video of it, but I was afraid to get my hands up that far.  Didn't want to  accidentally bid on a pig!

 We watched the miniature mules pulling carts for a little while.

We definitely did not ride the Tilt-A-Whirl, or anything else for that matter.  We did enjoy walking though the mid-way.  It's a colorful place, in more ways than one!  

And that was it for the fair this year!

Harvest

 Our little garden got a late start, and it isn't much, but it has grown two things we can actually eat!

The cucumber plant has gone crazy and is shading the tomatoes now, but the tomatoes are still ripening so I guess it's working.  Most of the cucumbers get to be about an inch and a half, then shrivel up and turn brown.  But this one grew...and grew...and grew!

 I picked it today and the reddest of the tomatoes.  It was so much fun to bring in food from our very own backyard that it makes me want to try again next year.

Pictures of the garden on the day it was planted can be found here:  http://www.fremontgarden.blogspot.com/2012/07/container-garden.html

Dumpster Divin'

David and a friend have a new side business.  It's a roll-off trash service for people who are moving or remodeling or otherwise have need of disposing more trash than your trash cart will allow, but not enough for one of those huge construction dumpsters.  The cart is brought to you and left, then picked up whenever you are ready.  Today one was used by an auction company.  We picked it up after the auction, and Nosy Rosy (me) was just dying to see what was in that dumpster.

When we got home, I donned the appropriate dumpster diving apparel and started poking around.  There were some dishes right on the top that I thought could be donated to Goodwill.  I just hate to waste perfectly good stuff.  Just beside the dishes though was the treasure of the day.  An egg beater!  With a red handle!  I think I actually shouted "Score!".  One of many moments when David might have reason to question my sanity.

 But look!  Isn't it cute!  It's currently hanging out with my rolling pins and Mason jars, under a picture of my great-grandma and her chickens.

I find auctions depressing.  All the stuff that someone held dear or used, just laying out there in the yard.  And then an entire dumpster of stuff that no one wanted, even a bargain auction rate.  Among those cast off items, I found a little treasure.  And when I see this egg beater hanging out with my other tools of the American woman's kitchen, I will think of the lady who lived in the country house that the city has swallowed up.  A little farm hold-out in a faster paced world.  

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

My Aunt Connie really likes chicken livers.  I know - this is weird, right?  I can't honestly say that I've tried them, but I admit the thought doesn't do much for me.  Sorry Con!  For her birthday this year, my mom found a great place that also happens to have chicken livers!  

 Here's the before picture.  Think she can tackle that plate of fried goodness?  This is not a place to go if you aren't hungry.  My own plate was piled high with chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, and green beans.  It was delicious!

And here's the after.  She gave it a good effort, but in the end, the chicken livers proved to be too much for this birthday girl.  Good thing for that to-go box!

This place also had huge cakes that were about a foot tall, pies with giant mounds of meringue, and cinnamon rolls as big as my head.  We certainly didn't have any room for one of those delicacies this time!