Ma and Pa's Blog

Keim Lumber — wow!   This place has anything a woodworker could want  – from inexpensive hardwood remnants to exotic woods and veneers.  Everything is displayed for hands-on examination and selection.   I need to go back soon with a project in mind.   Oh, and we had a very nice drive through Amish country — Heini and Guggisburg cheese shops, an apple orchard, lunch and Keim Lumber.

Today we harvested the grapes. I’d mentioned that the yield didn’t look too good, but we ended up with about 13 pounds — just 2 pounds short of what we needed for three batches of jelly. So we supplemented with two pounds from our Sunday drive to Geneva. By dinner time, we had 25 jars of grape jelly (20 8-ounce jars, and 5 pints) plus a small storage container. Not bad for half a day’s work.

Harvest Before

Harvest After

We had an enjoyable afternoon at Viking Vineyards with Jean and Bob. It was another perfect day in Akron — sunny and neither too warm nor too cool. They were out of Ma’s favorite wine, but we enjoyed the recommended alternative with our veggies, cheese, crackers, hummus and fruit.

Ma at Viking Vineyard

Whole wheat penne pasta+kale, leeks, cannelini & garbanzo beans, fennel and raisins cooked in white wine and chicken stock = delicious dinner!  We’ll be making this dish again!

Paska

Ma’s been busy!

With Daniel still in town for spring break, we were finally able to take him out to lunch at the Vegiterranean today, after talking about it forever.  It did not disappoint–we were all very, very happy with our lunch selections.  As we were paying and preparing to leave, who should walk in but Vegiterranean owner and Pretenders lead singer, Chryssie Hynde, resplendent in a Rubber City Clothing hoodie, skinny jeans, and punk rock scowl.  Seriously, she looked like quite the cranky individual.  And she was a mere ten feet from our table.  Dan, with all the smoothness and suavity acquired from his position as talent wrangler for the OSU student board, whipped out his phone and prepared to take a surreptitious picture of our local rock star.  As he was pointing his snowy-white phone that looked remarkably like a camera, the diva turned and directed a disdainful glare at Dan.   He very coolly lowered the phone, feigned a continued conversation with us, and we all slunk out the door, tails tucked.  I was glad to leave the place unscathed.  That bitch has ATTITUDE.

Now I don’t fee bad about  not taking the camera out on Thanksgiving.   Steph’s pics are sooo much better than what I take.

Today we celebrate the election of a new president (hopefully of our choosing, but a positive either way), and we celebrate not spending today in a vehicle.   The trip to Wisconsin was great, as were the various family gatherings while we were there.   Only the drive home was less than wonderful — mostly due to our impatience, variations in our blood sugar levels, and some other biological incompatibilities with our navigational coordinates (e.g. need toilet NOW).

The Wisconsin clan is thriving, and the next generation is amazing both for their energy and for how fast they’re growing.

We enjoyed hanging out at Kevin and Shelby’s and at Tom and Jeri’s and our visit to the Miller Brewery (all except that Italian brew).   I enjoyed touring the Harley-Davidson museum with Ben, Eric and Bob.    And we all agreed we had the best pizza ever in Cedarburg — not to mention the excellent chocolate truffles.

Thanks to all for putting up with us.