My Kentucky Adventure: All Together Now

How in heaven's name, i asked myself, do you get all of the way up here and into the middle of making gumbo and forget the green onion!?!?!

That was the question as i got back to it.  At the resort cottage on Thursday, i worked on making roux and chopping veggies and making stock.  The rental people say the kitchens are fully outfitted, and for the most part they are if you don't need a really sharp knife or any type of measuring cup or spoon or pot holders.  While i do travel with my good knives when i bring the cast iron, i didn't have measuring utensils or pot holders, and had to guess at some stuff that needed measuring and wing it to work with hot pots.  It worked out.  Then Fivecat and Little_Ninja came back and we went into Louisville.

Fivecat was born and raised in this area, and actually lived in Louisville at one time, so we got a nice tour of areas i wouldn't have known to look for, with a bit of history thrown in.  We were heading for the science museum, which was to have an exhibit about beer, complete with tastings of the work of local breweries.  No, i don't drink, but i went along to be with my friends.

Eagle was in the area, stuck in traffic, so we met up with her and decided to get some dinner before going to the museum.  There was a very nice place that had a lovely vegetable stir fry.  Funny how i manage to always find something i can have!  After dinner, because i just don't drink (half a beer and i'm asleep) and Eagle was staying at the resort and was tired from her drive, she and i went back and Fivecat and Little_Ninja stayed for the museum.

It was nice to have a late hour to just sit with Eagle and talk over a cup of Sleepytime tea, after we got all of her stuff in.

The next morning, bleary-eyed, i got up to finish the gumbo so it would be ready for dinner.  We had a busy day planned, and i stood there sipping a very strong cup of my favorite dark roast asking myself how you forget the green onion.  Then  i just added it to the list of stuff to get, and made what had been a beautiful, clean resort cottage kitchen into a mimi-mess.  (Yes, i've earned my screen name honestly, even if i do clean stuff up well.)

Little_Ninja came over, while i was cooking, to bake pecan pies for dessert.  There were no measuring cups, and she hadn't been able to buy any at the store, so she bought funnels that had ounce marks on them, and made it work.  She is a great cook and can bake!  She stayed behind to tend to them while they were in the oven, while Fivecat, Eagle and i went to meet up with Mr. Fivecat and go into Shelby.

Once there, we walked through some of the shops.  The place reminded me of Jennifer's in Pensacola, before it closed.  Tons and tons of booths with old and new and amazing things for sale by individual dealers.  There was even a green marble rolling pin, just like the one my kids broke.  For a split second i thought of buying it, but then i realized, why should i do that?  They'll just break another one!

By this time we all wanted lunch, and Little_Ninja had finished her pies and was in.  Script got there just in time for lunch.  It was so good to finally see her again!

At lunch we discussed what we want to do over the next couple of days, and got in touch with Grace and Blossoming.  We agreed to meet up at the farmer's market, which is actually a local farm that sells a lot of their own produce, and produce from other farms in the vicinity.  They had apple butter, which Sweetie loves, so i got some for him.

While there, i heard from Dayeanu, who couldn't come on this trip even though she wanted to, because her mother had just passed away.  She was asking if i could drive through on my way home and visit her.  That took a few phone calls, but i arranged to get back home a day later than originally planned.

Speaking of calls, by the end of Friday it was official!  Every member of my family had called me at least once!  Over the phone i had given instructions for locating postage stamps, a formal jacket, and birth certificates, explained to Sweetie how to get a copy of a check that someone is claiming we never gave him but which the man cashed, reassured Bigger Girl that Jalopy's dash lights don't mean a thing, and told Little Girl how to package the food for the event that evening.

No wonder i need time away.

After the market/farm, with all of us in one place at one time finally, we called and finished making reservations for the rest of our activities, and we went to Kroger for groceries.

Going to the store with this many people can be like herding cats, so we simply set a rule -- meet back at the door with the pumpkin display in 45 minutes, no exceptions.  We did so, amazingly, and went back to the resort cottage for gumbo and pumpkin pie and a film of Fivecat's stand up comedy routine, which had me laughing harder than anything i've seen in a long time.  She loves being in entertainment, and she has talent.



Today is:

Albuquerque International Balloon Festival -- Albuquerque, NM, US ("Spirit of the Winds" is the theme for 9 days of fun)

Buttering-Up Final -- Fairy Calendar

Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival -- Cohocton, NY, US (with the world famous tree-sitting contest; through tomorrow)

Durga Puja -- Hindu (celebration of the goddess Durga, final and biggest day of celebration)

Eid al-Adha -- Islam (Festival of Sacrifice, a three day commemoration of Abraham's obedience and willingness to sacrifice his son; began at sunset yesterday, local customs of date and official government days off in many places will vary)

Fall Astronomy Day -- Bringing Astronomy to the People (local astronomical societies, planetariums, museums and observatories sponsor public viewings, presentation, workshops, etc., to increase public awareness of astronomy and our amazing universe)

Feast of the Hunters' Moon -- Fort Ouiatenon Historic Park, West Lafayette, IN, US (a re-creation of French and Native American life of the mid-1700s at a fur trading outpost; through tomorrow)

Festival of Hathor -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Golf Lovers' Day -- internet generated, enjoy if you love golf

Ieiunium Cereris -- Ancient Roman Calendar (fast for the goddess Ceres)

Improve Your Office Day -- and water that plant while you are at it!

Independence Day -- Lesotho(1966)

Inter-American Water Day -- begun in 1992 by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Inter-American Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (AIDIS) and the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA)

International Frugal Fun Day -- created by Shel Horowitz, author of The Penny-Pinching Hedonist; some of his ideas for how to celebrate are here

International Toot Your Flute Day -- an internet generated day for shameless self promotion

Issaquah Salmon Days Festival -- Issaquah, WA, US (celebrates the return of the spawning salmon to the hatchery; through tomorrow)

Johnny Appleseed Days -- Lake City, MN, US (two days of apples and fun)

Kanelbullens Dag -- Sweden (cinnamon roll day)

Knox County Scenic Drive -- Knox County, IL, US (drive through up to 100 miles of scenic rural Spoon River Valley, with attractions at every stop; this weekend and next)

Morro Bay Harbor Festival -- Morro Bay, CA, US (a working waterfront at play; through tomorrow)

National Apple Harvest Festival -- Gettysburg, PA, US (this weekend and next)

National Ship in a Bottle Day -- another one i can't find a source for, but it's listed everywhere

National Taco Day

Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival -- Nihonmatsu, Japan (one of Japan's 3 largest lantern festivals; through the 6th)

Peace and National Reconciliation Day -- Mozambique

Pumpkin and Apple Celebration -- Woodstock, VT, US (lots of hands on fun with apples and pumpkins; through tomorrow)

Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive -- Fulton County, IL, US (15 villages participate in arts and crafts, antiques, collectibles, demonstrations, and showing off the beauty of the fall foliage; through tomorrow and again next Saturday and Sunday)

St. Francis of Assisi's Day (Patron of animal welfare societies, animals, birds, ecologists, ecology, environment and environmentalists, families, lace makers/lace workers, merchants, needle workers, peace, tapestry workers, zoos; Italy, especially Assisi, as well as several other cities around the world; against dying alone, fire)
     Blessing of the Animals Day -- at many Catholic Churches, in honor of the Saint

St. Petronius' Day (Patron of Bologna, Italy)

10-4 Day (C.B. 'ers) -- fourth day of the tenth month, ten-four, good buddy, etc.

Tewa Deer Dance -- Tewa Native Americans (celebrating the cosmic duality of the feminine and masculine, and honoring male and female ancestors; through the 7th)

Vodka Day -- internet generated

Woofstock -- Wichita, KS, US (celebrate peace, love and pets; bring your pup and participate as all proceeds go to the Kansas Humane Society)

World Animal Day -- International
     "If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow man." ~ St Francis of Assisi  

World Card Making Day -- Paper Crafts Magazine suggests you have fun and make a card today

World Space Week begins -- International

Yom Kippur -- Judaism (began sundown yesterday, ends sundown today)


Anniversaries Today

The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, 1957
The Soviet Union launches Luna 3, 1959 (first satellite to photograph the moon's distant side)


Birthdays Today:

Rachael Leigh Cook, 1979
Alicia Silverstone, 1976
Abraham Benrubi, 1969
Christoph Waltz, 1956
Anita DeFrantz, 1952
Armand Assante, 1949
Susan Sarandon, 1946
Clifton Davis, 1945
Anne Rice, 1941
Jackie Collins, 1937
Alvin Toffler, 1928
Charlton Heston, 1924
Buster Keaton, 1895
Damon Runyon, 1884
Edward Stratemeyer, 1862
Frederic S. Remington, 1861
Rutherford B. Hayes, 1822
Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, 1807


Debuting/Premiering Today

"The Alvin Show"(TV), 1961
"Leave It To Beaver"(TV), 1957
Snoopy, in the Peanuts Comic strip, 1950
Dick Tracy(Comic strip), 1931



Today in History:

One of the largest naval battles in history, the Battle of Lake Poyang, ends when the Chinese rebel forces of Zhu Yuanzhang defeat Chen Youliang, 1363
The first full English translation of the Bible, sometimes called the Matthew Bible, which contained the work of translators William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale, is printed in Switzerland, 1537
Pope Gregory XIII's calendar adjustment that bears his name takes effect, with tomorrow being not Oct. 5, but Oct. 15, 1582
Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts drafts its first code of law, 1636
Peter Stuyvesant establishes America's first volunteer fire department, 1648
Christian Huygens patents the pocket watch, 1675
The state of Belgium is created after separation from the Netherlands, 1830
The New Orleans Tribune becomes the first black daily newspaper, 1864
The Orient Express, linking Turkey to Europe by rail, makes its first run, 1883
Norman Rockwell's Willie Gillis character debuts on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post, 1941
The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty is opened for signature, 1991
The Rome General Peace Accords ends a 16 year civil war in Mozambique, 1992
NATO confirms invocation of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, 2001
SpaceShipOne wins Ansari X Prize for private spaceflight, by being the first private craft to fly into space, 2004
What is believed to be the oldest high-altitude human settlement is found in Kokoda, Papua New Guinea, 2010