Now I Remember Why I Haven’t Rented From Avis Lately…

18. May 2011 · Comments Off on Now I Remember Why I Haven’t Rented From Avis Lately… · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , ,
This is what happens when I rent from Avis for the first time in over 10 years!

Greetings from yet another soon-to-be-fun-filled week of Reserve duty 🙂

Today has to have been the best flying experience I’ve had in a very long time.  Perhaps since the trip TO Disneyworld in late 2009.

0.) I fly in my uniform (that’s for another blog post) so Delta didn’t charge me for a checked suitcase.
1.) Free WiFi at Pensacola Airport.  Worked on my first-ever guest blog post for a friend, which is coming soon!
2.) Despite arriving staring at a 45 minute delay when I arrived at the gate for my Pensacola-to-Memphis leg of my trip, for the first time in my life I experienced an “un-delay” of 30 minutes of that!
3.) I arrived in Memphis at Gate A6, the next leg of my trip was at Gate A7!
4.) I arrived in Omaha 20 minutes early.

So by about 3:30pm I had my suitcase from baggage claim and was at the Avis desk to pick up my rental car.  Everything was as I reserved, but then I was asked to initial this “Fast Fuel” charge clause in my rental contract.

I read the clause.  I don’t have the contract with me as I’m writing this (it’s in the rental car out in the parking lot), but it reads something like this:

“If you drive fewer than 75 miles, save time and do not refill the tank. Avis will automatically add a $13.99 charge to the rental for fuel.”

To NOT get that charge added to your rental costs, you have to present a receipt showing that you filled the car so that the fuel gauge needle isn’t at the bottom of “F”, it’s at the top of the “F” or something like that.

I vented at the poor Avis clerk for a few minutes about the principle of assessing a charge that the customer has to work at to not have charged, i.e. making sure said customer obtains and presents the fuel receipt.  I called the charge “pure evil” and was on my way.  It wasn’t her fault.

Apparently this charge started up in September 2007 (back when it was only $10.50), and I know I haven’t rented from Avis since then.

I’m sure for those who have rented from Avis routinely, this is old news.  Perhaps you know the routine and present the receipt every time…or you always drive more than 75 miles just to ease the hassle.

Chances are, I won’t be driving more than 75 miles, although a trip or two to Trader Joe’s might do the trick to put me over the edge…

The American Civil War — 150 Years Later…

13. April 2011 · 4 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,
My dear husband and me at the 135th anniversary Battle of Antietam Reenactment, September 1997.  Can you spot the one anachronism in the photo?  We joined about 35,000 fellow reenactors in the largest ever American Civil War reenactment to date.  Don’t expect a 150th Anniversary Antietam — no one stepped up to lead the planning efforts.

On April 12, 1861, 150 years ago today, the first shots were fired at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, as the state militia attempted to take the fort from Federal troops.  While this “battle” itself didn’t result in any casualties — only two accidental deaths due to a Confederate cannon misfire and Union a 100-gun salute, the 2-day incident was the green flag for 4 years of intense fighting and strife that reshaped our nation.

Many of you know this already, but Dave and I are Civil War reenactors.  Perhaps I’m more accurate if I said “My husband and I WERE Civil War reenactors,” but I’m not ready to give it all up yet.  Let’s just say we’ve taken an 8 1/2 year hiatus since we’ve had our two sons.  We did one reenactment in spring 2004 when Jacob was about 18 months old.  Just a day trip, where we usually do weekend encampments.  I enjoy sewing the costumes, and we both really enjoyed a unique way to enjoy a weekend of camping and camaraderie with fellow American history fans.  I don’t know how many times the guys would be sitting around the campfire after a day of “battle”, passing around a flask of moonshine, discussing not sport scores or the federal budget, but rather whose historians’ interpretations of the battle diagrams of the skirmishes between Atlanta and Savannah are most accurate.

But with the war’s 150th anniversary coming up, and my husband being stationed east of the Mississippi River these next 2 years (if not longer!), there’s going to be plenty of opportunity to get back into the hobby, and we’re excited about the prospect.  We’ve been hauling around about 200 lbs. of uniforms, hoop skirts, tents, leather goods, and a replica Springfield Model 1861 musket from home to home all these years.

We’re even more excited about introducing our kids to the wonderful world of Civil War reenacting!  I have sewing patterns at the ready to make some handsome circa 1860s costumes for my boys.

I won’t go into Civil War history here, but I would like to bring to your attention some of the commemorative reenactment events on the calendar over the next four years.  The first significant combat action, the First Battle of Manassas or Bull Run*, will be reenacted July 23-24, 2011 in Prince William County, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.).  Word on the street is that the current economic and political climate is contributing to a lower-key approach to the celebrations, with lectures and walking tours leading the list of commemorative activities, more so than the all-out reenactments.

*Many of these battles are known by two separate names.  The Union Army leans towards geographical features for names, such as Bull Run, the creek that ran through the battlefield.  The Confederates used the names of nearby towns and cities, such as Manassas.  You’ll see other examples of this with Antietam Creek v. Sharpsburg (Maryland), Pittsburg Hills v. Shiloh (Tennessee), and Sabine Crossroads v. Mansfield (Louisiana).

12th Connecticut Volunteers at a reenactment in Narcoossee, Florida, Spring 2004.

I don’t think the First Battle of Manassas will be on our summer travel itinerary this year, but we are looking at other 150th anniversary events during our two years on the Florida Panhandle that might fit our travel schedules.  Shiloh is definitely a finalist (late March 2012)!  It’s easy to do web searches for smaller reenactments near you.  Websites such as the Camp Chase Gazette and Civil War Traveler have extensive information on reenactments, and the Civil War Traveler webpage even has special designators on the 150th anniversary events.  Here are some other key reenactments that will probably do something special for their 150th anniversaries:

Events are also being planned for western and even the Pacific theaters and the calendar links above can tell you more about that.

Hi Honey, We’re HOME!!!!

28. November 2010 · Comments Off on Hi Honey, We’re HOME!!!! · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

We made it! We had a nice uneventful trip, with about 22 hours worth of driving spread over 4 days, 1200 miles, and 10 different states!

This afternoon we went straight over to the house to empty out the trailer into the new house’s garage, although we aren’t officially moving in until Wednesday.

More pictures will come a little later, for now we’re in a sea of address changes, insurance changes, school supply purchases, and utility installations.  Today we went over to Pensacola and chose a new living room set and boy is it different from what we have had for the past 15 years!  Ironic how we opted for the red couch after we left Nebraska, huh?

Timmy’s happy to be back in Moe’s country, that’s for sure!  We stopped there tonight for dinner after our furniture shopping.  The one in Bellevue had closed just 6 months after we had moved there, so poor Timmy had been in a two-year-long Moe’s drought!  Relief, finally!

Moving 101 — Keeping it Fun for the Kids!

24. November 2010 · Comments Off on Moving 101 — Keeping it Fun for the Kids! · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , ,
From 2010 11 11 PCS2010

I saw these at Target while I was shopping for gift cards for the boys’ teachers. CUTE! It’s a small Lego set that you get when you put money on the gift card! So I put $5 each on two of these and just now gave them to the boys when we got to our hotel tonight. It took them no time to assemble them.

From 2010 11 11 PCS2010
From 2010 11 11 PCS2010

Weigh Too Much Stuff!

23. November 2010 · Comments Off on Weigh Too Much Stuff! · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

When you drive some of your belongings during a military move, you can file to have the government reimburse you at 95% of what the government would have had to pay a shipping company.
To do this, you have to weigh your vehicles before and after loading. Here’s our completely loaded Pilot with trailer (the trailer was weighed separately) at a scale at our local nursery this afternoon. Trees, Shrubs and More on the corner of 36th and Cornhusker, for our local readers. We probably have about 2000 lbs of stuff we’re hand carrying.

Bovril Beef Gravy

10. September 2010 · 2 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

I have to introduce this to the masses. I just have to!

When Dave and I were visiting Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, we enjoyed visiting the little grocery store up the street from our hotel. With the continental breakfast being $13.50 CD per person, per day, just picking up a loaf of bread, a block of butter (Canadian butter, yum!), and a small bunch of bananas at about $8 total took care of breakfast all 3 days we were there.

From 2010 07 06 Anchor Bar & Niagara on the Lake

We also picked up souvenirs at this same little grocery store. Little stuffed moose for the boys, maple cream candies and cookies…mmmm….

And that’s also where I came across a blast from my past: Bovril.

My Mom used to keep this stuff on hand. I guess she incorporated in a lot of our cooking, but I couldn’t tell you exactly what. I think I might have had it in broth beverage form as a kid, but I don’t remember. What I do remember is the distinctive beef flavor Bovril has, and when I saw it in this Canadian grocery store for the first time in several years, I decided to pick up a bottle.

When we visited my parents the following week, I showed them my purchases and they were intrigued that I got Bovril with beef in it.

Huh? Why would it NOT have beef?

My parents showed me the bottle of “British” Bovril they bought at a gourmet grocery store recently, and lo and behold, there was no beef in it. Mine was made in Canada, and there it is in the ingredient list, “BEEF EXTRACT”:

From 2010 09 09 Bovril
From 2010 09 09 Bovril

Want some Bovril of your own — with the beef? You can get it here.

Okay, enough exposition. Time for the meat and potatoes of this blog post. Except we aren’t discussing meat or potatoes — we’re discussing GRAVY!

Jacob LOVES gravy. His favorite dinners are the ones that include some sort of gravy. And it could be just about any gravy. Chicken etouffee — served over rice with gravy! Beef curry — served over rice with gravy!

Not long after we got back from our Canada/Penn State trip, we were having steak and potatoes for dinner, and I wanted to put together an easy beef gravy. I figured I’d hop online and find a “Bovril Gravy” recipe, but I didn’t. Nothing. All the recipes were for how to make the broth drink.

(Why does that even need to be a “recipe?” It’s Bovril in hot water.)

So I made one up — butter and flour in a roux, then I poured in the Bovril broth in the concentration recommended on the bottle (2 teaspoons per cup of boiling water). I messed up the proportions (too much butter and flour), so I had to add extra water and I ended up with a yummy buttery gravy, with just a hint of Bovril flavor. It was popular with the family, so I’ve attempted it a couple more times with higher concentrations of Bovril.

Tonight, I made this again with meatloaf and I think I perfected it! And I even measured the ingredients. We all wanted to lick the gravy off our plates!!!

Homemade Bovril Gravy
Makes 6 servings (1 1/2 cups)

3 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 Tbsp. Bovril Liquid Bouillion (from the 250ml bottle…not the concentrated paste in a jar)
1 1/2 c. boiling water

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour.  Ta da!  Now you have a roux!  Heat the roux over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until it just starts to brown. 5-7 minutes.

(The darker this roux gets, the less thick your gravy will be…different people have different tastes…experiment and come up with what you like).

Add the Bovril to the boiling water, then slowly whisk it into the roux. Allow to come to a gentle boil (you shouldn’t have to raise the heat at all, the heat of the roux will bring it to a boil quickly). Boil for 1 minute or until thickened.

The beefy-buttery flavor is so rich and delicious! A little goes a long way, but you won’t want just a little.  I’ll now close with a gallery of fun retro Bovril posters:

Iowa Discoveries: The Iowa State Fair…or…What Did They Try to Fry THIS Year?

24. August 2010 · Comments Off on Iowa Discoveries: The Iowa State Fair…or…What Did They Try to Fry THIS Year? · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

This past weekend we paid a visit to the Iowa State Fair. In 2008 and 2009 we drove right down the road to Lincoln for the Nebraska State Fair, which was fun when it was nice and close. This year, the state fair will open up on August 27th at their new home at Fonner Park in Grand Island, NE, which is about 2 1/2 hours away from here.

The former State Fairgrounds in Lincoln will become the Nebraska Innovation Campus, a university-private industry research center. Similar to N.C. State’s Centennial Campus, and Penn State’s Innovation Park.

Since Nebraska’s State Fair moved relatively far away, we decided to check out Iowa’s State Fair, near downtown Des Moines, about 130 miles east of us.

I think this might be the biggest state fair I’ve ever attended. I’ve only been to 4 of them: Ohio, North Carolina, Nebraska and now Iowa’s. The old buildings reminded me of the historic buildings at the NC State Fairgrounds. There were numerous midways, and we had trouble finding the little-kid-friendly rides. Unfortunately, it was incredibly hot, and I think were all that much crankier from it.

Enjoy some pictures from our day at the fair!

Timmy did a leaf rubbing and taped it to a display area:

From 2010 08 21 Iowa State Fair
From 2010 08 21 Iowa State Fair

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Rocky Mountain National Park Flowers

23. August 2010 · Comments Off on Rocky Mountain National Park Flowers · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

I copied the flower pictures into a new slide show. Enjoy!

Colorado Discoveries 4 — Rocky Mountain National Park

23. August 2010 · Comments Off on Colorado Discoveries 4 — Rocky Mountain National Park · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

The reason we went up to Estes Park was to visit Rocky Mountain National Park. We spent 2 days at the park enjoying hikes and scenic drives.

We took a somewhat advanced trail near the Bear Lake trailhead on the first day, I think some of the rangers were surprised that we were considering taking our young boys, but they did really well. Yep, we were going way up there!

From 2010 08 09 Rocky Mtn Natl Park Day 1
From 2010 08 09 Rocky Mtn Natl Park Day 1

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Colorado Discoveries: Part 3 — YMCA of the Rockies and Dunraven Inn

23. August 2010 · Comments Off on Colorado Discoveries: Part 3 — YMCA of the Rockies and Dunraven Inn · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

After our day in Golden, we made our way up into the mountains towards our next stop: Estes Park!

Dave had been to the mountains in Colorado before, but I never had. I’d only been TDY to Boulder and Louisville, CO for a meeting. And there was no sightseeing on that trip!

Anyway, the drive from Golden to Estes Park was magnificent. North to Boulder, then northwest into Estes Park. So beautiful!

We had booked a “Military Getaway” package at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park. Two nights in their newest lodge plus meals at their dining hall for $179. Considering all the other things in Estes Park, from cabins to beds and breakfasts to lodges, were $150+ per night, this was a welcome deal. I knew that the Y’s lodge rooms were “simple” and the dining hall was on the order of a college dining hall. When we entered the compound, we were in awe of how beautiful it all was!

From 2010 08 08 YMCA of the Rockies
From 2010 08 08 YMCA of the Rockies

We stayed in the Longs Peak Lodge:

From 2010 08 08 YMCA of the Rockies

I’m going to include some other pictures from the Y visit here, even though they’re appearing in another blog post. We enjoyed seeing grazing elk on the compound:

From 2010 08 11 Colorado Trip Last 2 days
From 2010 08 11 Colorado Trip Last 2 days
From 2010 08 11 Colorado Trip Last 2 days

And we also enjoyed the arts and crafts center at the Y, Timmy and I did tie-dyeing and some mosaic art:

From 2010 08 11 Colorado Trip Last 2 days
From 2010 08 11 Colorado Trip Last 2 days
From 2010 08 11 Colorado Trip Last 2 days
From 2010 08 11 Colorado Trip Last 2 days
From 2010 08 11 Colorado Trip Last 2 days

For dinner on the first night we left the compound and tried out a restaurant our friend Adam had recommended, the Dunraven Inn right up the street. There was a wait for a table so we checked out a creek across the street:

From 2010 08 08 YMCA of the Rockies
From 2010 08 08 YMCA of the Rockies
From 2010 08 08 YMCA of the Rockies

The Dunraven Inn was so much fun! When you walk in, this is what greets you:

From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn
From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn
From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn
From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn

All we have to do is decorate a dollar bill with the markers they provide you, and the maître d’ hands you a stapler to tack it to the wall. The boys wasted no time!

From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn

I wrote the date and “Bellevue, Nebraska”, and the boys did the rest:

From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn
From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn
From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn

After dinner (which was really really good and had HUGE portions), Dave worked on one:

From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn
From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn

He stapled it to a primo location just above the maître d’s station.  And in typical Penn State Alumni fashion — a party of 5 PSU alumni were the very next guests coming in and noticed Dave’s bill right away.  I am NOT making this up!

From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn
From 2010 08 08 Dunnraven Inn
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