Where are you from?- * Gypsy

[Guest guest]

Hi, Nicki-Gypsy!

Good to hear from you!

 

It's gotten hot here in Illinois; I didn't think it ever would! Even

last week, it got cool again, after one of those nasty storms (some tornadoes in

a few places) roared thru with rain, rain, & more rain! My sis in Indiana says

the south-west part of the state is almost all a fed. disaster area from

flooding--how awful!! Sis lives north of Indianapolis, so not so bad there.

 

I've been to King's Island just once--long time ago when I was expecting

my younger DD, who is now 23! My older DD went with us and I remember we took

some pictures of her and me on some of the " tamer " rides. She was only about 2

1/2 then. I also remember (I know, I know!--it isn't veggie!) the " Cincinnati

chili " (was it " Skyline Chili " ???) that had such a great flavor! Is there a

veggie version of THAT! It has a unique flavor that isn't like other regional

chili flavors.

 

That " Jungle Jim's " sounds like MY kind of place! My idea of a fun time

in a strange city is to find and to check out a) any large " Whole Foods " type of

grocery or health-foods store. I don't as much care for the little-bitty health

food store that mainly has shelves of supplements & vitamins, some dry organic

cereals, canned foods and homeopathic remedies--and little else. I like to look

for really NICE organic produce and especially love finding dried things lke

bulk or bagged beans (unusual ones) or different kinds of grains, rice, pasta or

similar. --Or teas or hand-crafted (home-made) soaps. I think I'd LOVE

" Jungle Jim's " !

 

Your school kids will start school after Labor Day?! Yeah, I remember

doing that, too--and I think I may be quite a bit older than you are! LOL! I

grew up in Indiana. We stayed in school until early June and started right

after Labor Day. It still seems WAY too early to start in August, and in

Illinois that's what our daughters have always done.

 

I did like it one year, though, when they were going for their report

cards on (I think it was) May 22nd. That was the earliest. I liked it that

their summer started so soon, but then they paid for it by starting as early as

August 18th or 20th. YUCK! Our family would take vacation at the beginning of

August and the girls would have to get up for the first day of school almost as

soon as we got home! (And the schools were not air-conditioned, so when it got

above a certain temp, they sent the kids home just after lunch, anyway!)

 

Yes, salads are what we eat a lot of here. I made a salad of marinated

cooked brown rice, some veggies (pulled some out of the freezer and the marinade

made up for some freezer-drying they had gone thru), and then I plop the stuff

on my lettuce bed and add stuff like shaved carrot, thinly-sliced

cauliflower...at noon today I did almost the same thing and had a few slices of

seasoned, " fried " tofu with the lettuce--that time, it was in a wheat pita

pocket with a little bit of mayo and a blob of the tangy marinated rice stuff.

(DH won't eat the rice--something about it bugs him, but I like it a lot.)

 

Nice to hear from you! Keep cool!!! Yes, sweltering it is here, too!

:-)

 

--Laura B., in Illinois

 

Hi Laura B.!

 

Well, you know how it feels to live here. I would use the word sweltering

here as well. During the summer months we usually get a season's pass to

King's Island. It is fun, but it is usually very hot and humid at the same

time. So, the pass allows us to concentrate on certain areas at a time

without wearing ourselves out in the heat. My youngest has it easy. She

chills in a covered wagon in style. She has one of those HUGE Radio Flyers

with the canopy. LUCKY!

 

This year for the first time since I left school in the 80's they are having

the kids report in September after Labor Day. It used to be like

that for us, I never understood having them suffer in the heat of August

because they were afraid of snow days. Yeesh!

 

I have not been to my Farmer's Market yet. I find myself in Jungle Jim's

mostly. It is an international store that covers 6 acres. It has literally

EVERYTHING in there. I hang out in the natural foods, Asian, Spanish,

Italian, and Middle East areas. It is a shopper's dream store. I try to

get there about every couple weeks and stock up. They are very reasonable

as well.

 

With all that talk about salads, you have me hungry for them. I am looking

up good dressing to make. We eat more salads, sandwiches, fruits, and

simple foods during these hotter months. We try to keep it light too.

 

Have a great day!

-Gypsy