Things 26, 27, and 28

Did I totally forget to blog about meeting Hippie Tom??  I'm so behind!


26.  Meet a celebrity.

I met Hippie Tom from 'American Pickers'.  I can't believe that I didn't blog about that!  I may have to do a make-up post purely about that adventure.


27.  Enter a writing contest or sweepstakes.

I entered a 'Memory Contest' for a local restaurant.  I submitted my childhood memories of eating there and I WON!  I won a $100 gift certificate to that eatery!  Guess who didn't need to buy groceries that week?  hee hee hee


28.  Visit the Peshtigo Fire Site.

 

If you grew up in the Midwest chances are that you've at least heard of the Peshtigo Fire.  My friends and I learned all about it in school.  It was clear as the years passed though that the Peshtigo Fire was just a small murmur in the shadow of "The Great Chicago Fire".  And that's sad.

The Peshtigo fire occured on the same day as the fire in Chicago.  Odds are that you've probably heard of the Chicago fire and not the Peshtigo fire.  That's crazy to me.  Here are a few facts for you:

     -   The Chicago Fire killed about 250 people.

     -   The Peshtigo fire killed between 1,200 to 2,400 people.

     -   Extreme drought along with clearing of fields caused the fire in Peshtigo.  The death toll is untotalled and so broad because many undocumented people had just arrived in Peshtigo to help clear the land for the railroad.

     -   Within about an hour the entire city of Peshtigo (seen on the map below) was wiped out.  Winds of up to 150 miles per hour created a cyclone of fire and carried that fire quickly throughout the town.

     -   Chicago is more talked about simply because it's a big city and was at that time.  Peshtigo was a frontier settlement with only one telegraph line.  That line burned in the fire.

     -   The Peshtigo fire was put out naturally.  They were not prepared for a fire of that magnitude so it burned it's way to the waters of Green Bay.

     -   The survivors of the Peshtigo Fire were those who jumped into the river.  They spent the entire night in the icy waters as fire burned on every side of them.


Enough history for today.  All that to say that I was at my Family Reunion this weekend and passed the sign for Peshtigo.  I couldn't believe it.  I wasn't expecting to really get there this year - mostly because there is no way that I'd have a car that could make that trip!  I mean, I desperately need new tires so going out of the city I live in is a stretch for me most days. 

At the end of Reunion it was decided that we could make the 30 minute detour to the site; and I'm so glad that we did!  I got to cross another thing off the list.



Almost Back in the Saddle, Again

Gee, I've really fallen off the horse here; the Blogger horse!

I should probably get back to updating more often.

Excuse Me While I Attend AA

This Summer has murdered my hair.  I don't really even try to understand the ins and outs of the makeup of my hair but I do know it's dry.  When I wash it it feels like straw.  When I brush it I am in agony from knots.  What is a girl to do?

Several months ago I did the mayo-mask on my hair.  It worked like a champ. I also smelled like a deli sandwich for almost a week straight.

I was desperate for a deep conditioning that wouldn't leave my hair greasy.  I did what any normal person would do, I went down the list of home remedies and settled on "beering" (I just made that term up) my hair. 

Last night I cracked open the lonely bottle of Fat Tire that I had in the back of the fridge and I let it sit for an hour or so in order for it to go flat.  I drew myself a warm bath, got halfway through my latest read; The War of Art before washing my hair and prepping for the beer.  Midway through my soak I laughed out loud while sipping my glass of moscato; who sips wine before pouring beer in their hair?  The thought of the scents coming from my body, coupled with the week long mayo smell last time, convinced me that tomorrow my co-workers would be staging an alcohol intervention for me.

Back to the task at hand: beer is so gross to me.  You may remember my dislike of it from earlier posts.  Just the scent of it last night almost made me gag. 

After washing and rinsing my hair I poured an entire bottle of beer over my head and soaked and massaged it through my hair while waiting for the tub to drain.  It honestly didn't smell during this process.  Thank GOD!

A few moments later I rinsed it out and was ready for the results.

MY HAIR WAS SUPER SOFT!!!!!!  It brushed so easily.  Beer actually worked!

Weird.

Things 22, 23, 24 and 25

I am so behind!!!!


Road trip to "small town" USA

A group of friends and I drove to Waterford, WI, where we met and spent the day with Hippie Tom from American Pickers.  We spent the afternoon "picking" for treasures on Tom's huge property.  I left with a thrown pottery vase, a horseshoe, and paper mache cat head.  Oh yeah, baby!

Make 3 new friends.

That's just weird to write about, and I'm not going to identify them in a blog, but I have made three new lovely friends in life already this year.  And for that I am grateful.

Create an artistic journal

For a few weeks now I have maintained a "sketch a day" journal.  It's been difficult, annoying, fun, and rewarding.  It's incredible how much even just a scribbled doodle, when looked back on, can remind me of everything that I was thinking, feeling, and going through that day!

Get a pedicure with a friend.

My sissy and I got our toes done together last weekend!  I didn't even realize it was a "thing" till today!  Yay!


Sorry for the shortness, but it's either this or stay behind in my blogging!  This is all you get for now.

I miss you guys though!!!

Love, h

How YOU doin'?

I like to think of myself as somewhat of a hippie.  Maybe that's because I grew up on Vietnam War music from Peter, Paul, and Mary.  Or maybe it's because my family was too poor to buy more than one Cabbage Patch Kid, so we got the less popular Flower Patch Kids.

Don't worry, I had a real Cabbage Patch Kid, she was a baby with only a tiny tuft of yarn-like hair.  Her name was Jessica.  But Flower Patch Kids, I had two.  Oh yes, two.  Opie and Kelly.  They were awesome.  We also had the Flower Patch Kid pets, I think.  In my memory they were just like the "kids" only they had ears and a tail. 

I hope that's a real memory and I didn't just make that up.  Sounds like something someone on drugs would say.  I assure you, that is not the case.  I have never tried drugs, nor am I on any at this moment in time.  Girl Scouts honor.  *raises hand in the air*

Anyway, I'm sort of a hippie.  I like growing things.  My joy is making things and caring for my home.  I'm a free spirit. But I do wear deoderant.

Hippie took a whole new meaning today when I was sitting at my desk and my bra broke.

For some reason "break on through to the other side" started blasted through my brain as panic set in.  See, I work with all men.  How the heck do you say "Excuse me, my bra just broke, I have to leave for a minute." 

Answer:  you don't.  It would be just as awkward as saying "Hey, I'm surfing the crimson wave this week guys.  Anyone have any extra tampons in their desk?"

A quick trip to Walmart, with an even quicker selection of a replacement bra, and I was on my way back to work before anyone even knew I'd left.

Only me.

Thing 21 -

 Run a 5k.

I'd love to stay, but I really mustache.

Boom!  Done.

Smack in the middle of my stress filled and busy weekend, I did a 5k.  At four stations throughout the "run" there were people set up to throw powdered color at you.  Fear not, it was basically corn starch, it was easy to dust off; other than the bit that is still stained onto my forehead.  So that's awesome.  I look like I have an extra set of red "joker" eyebrows.  I wear them well.  Through out the race we were hit with yellow, then green, then pink, then purple powders, all ending with the color fest at the end.  What's the "color fest" you may wonder?  Every racer was given their own packet of color: blues, reds, oranges, you name it.  At the end of the race every 15 minutes they would count down and everyone would chuck their colors up into the air.  It was, just as they dubbed it, "the happiest 5k on the planet"!

Beautiful Blogger

After having a pretty rough start to this week, I was entirely too happy to find out that I'd received the "Beautiful Blogger Award" from a fellow writer; the Literary_Lily_Cate ! 

I feel like I should not only thank her but thank all the Little People as well.  Sadly, I don't remember their names, but I *do* know that they live in the heating ducts of our houses.  I suppose I could thank Thumbelina, the Smurfs, and those little Lego people... 

It appears that it is now my turn to dish out 7 facts about myself and award 7 new peeps the same honor of which was bestowed upon me!  Here goes!

1. I've never smoked a cigarette in my life.  Cigars, yes.  Cigarettes, no.

2. I have never owned a "new" car.  I probably never will either, and I'm fine with that.

3. The amount of times I was almost kidnapped, was pursued by men (with intent of marriage), was a bridesmaid in weddings, and spoke at funerals are all just about even in number. I think the last wedding I was in, however, bumped "Bridesmaid" up to the Number 1 spot though, at a total of four weddings. 

4. I always dreamed of having 8 children.

5. I've driven a train.  Yes, you read that right, I drove it.

6. I have never been in love.  Incredibly sad, yes, but absolutely true.

7. I met Chris Farley on my 17th birthday while in Chicago, IL.  It was one of the best days of my life.


And now it's time to pass on the award and to let you guys check out some new blogs!

Congrats goes out to:

Alesa

BeeKay

Mutzie

Allison

Bethany

Elizabeth

Sarah

Happy blogging!