Catch-Up

The last week or so has been rather full.  You may be tired of reading about chickens, canning, and gardening, so today I'm going to show you some fun we have been having around here lately.

Have you ever heard of the World's Longest Yardsale?  It stretches all the way from Gadsden, Alabama to 5 miles north of Addison, Michigan.  Technically, it follows Highway 127 through Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan.  Several years ago Alabama and Georgia decided that they wanted in on the fun, so a spur was added along Highways 157 and 176 (roughly). 

When Mr. Marvelous and I lived on Signal Mountain, Tennessee, we discovered the sale.  We had fun trying to follow the little piece of it that runs along the mountain.  We got frustrated with not being able to go anywhere on the mountain that weekend.  We learned to use the W Road exclusively that weekend. 

When we moved to Alabama I started perusing the Happenings websites to find fun stuff to do on weekends and I found the sale again.  It was a little like meeting an old friend.  The first year we lived in our house we began what has become a tradition for us.  We drove to the start in Gadsden (or the finish if you are from Michigan.  Bless your heart) and followed it all the way up to Mentone.  I've posted some of our first year fun here. 

After that first year we learned to take the Interstate up to Ft. Payne, drive to Mentone through DeSoto Park (one of my favorite drives in Alabama), and then turn around and follow the sale back to Gadsden. 

The yardsale comes at one of the worst possible times in the south.  August?  What were these people thinking!  Heat, humidity, pop-up thunderstorms, stop and go traffic; yuck!  Most years we look at each other as we are driving home and say, "Let's not do this next year!".  We weren't sure we were going to carry on the tradition this year.  However it has been a cool summer, so we decided to carry on.  After all, I was raised in the Presbyterian Church; we stand proudly on tradition.  When we aren't melting in a puddle of sweat.

We rolled out of bed at 5 am, grabbed a biscuit at the drive-through and took off.  We have some favorite stops along the way.  There are some crossroads where the vendors are thick and the prices are reasonable.  We always meet the most fascinating people, like that nice young man on the Harley outside the convenience store.  That seems like a cliche, doesn't it?  But he really was and he and I really did have a nice conversation.  I didn't ask him if he was military but I'm pretty sure he is.  I thought about my own motorcycle nephew!

We did find some great stuff this year.

Can you imagine getting a small Lodge cast-iron skillet for $4??  I know it looks awful, but girls, these things can be cleaned up!

Our coffee maker was dying and we were thinking about having to replace it soon.  We found this and decided to go Old School.  We are sure glad we did; this makes a great cup of coffee!

If you put your glass measuring cup in the dishwasher too often, the lines and numbers begin to wear off in 26 or so years.  Glad to have this replacement!

 If you are one of my mother's daughters or grand-daughters (or if you make banana pudding and custard from scratch) then you will appreciate my excitement at finding an EIGHT CUP double boiler
 

Calvin and Hobbes?  For $1?  Yes, please!!

I do not like non-stick cookware.  It gets scratched and once it does it isn't really safe to use.  These are cake pans.  You grease them, you turn the little lever to spread the grease around, you bake your cake, after it cools you turn the little lever, and the cake pops right out.  Wonderful inventions and I have no idea why they aren't being used anymore. 

So there you have it.  Now if you will excuse me, I think I will go have a cup of coffee, scramble one egg, make some cake and ice cream and read some Calvin and Hobbes.  Perfect day!