Rob's Ramblings "Reflections"

I made a blog post very similar to this one, on my birthday. Birthdays and the New Year always cause one to think about the past, and look to the future. This blog will look back on the things that meant the most to me in 2014, and what I'm hoping 2015 will bring. Feel free to jump on the path to memory lane with me.....

For those who know me pretty well, you will probably know what event in 2014 had the biggest impact on me. My trip to Tijuana, Mexico was a life-changing experience for me. It has changed me in every aspect of my life. I look at things differently now. I was told that this trip would change my life, but I never expected just how much. For months, I wrestled with the thought of going back on a more permanent basis (something that I still am praying about), but for now God has called me to just take mission trips in the meantime. Few conversations take place where I don't share something about my trip, which I think drive people nuts. Yet, it's pretty hard to resist, when part of my heart is still there. Another trip is coming up in the Summer of 2015, and God willing, I will be Tijuana-bound once again! 

Another pivotal event came right on the heels of my trip. I had my car in the shop over the course of my trip for an oil-change and annual check-up. The mechanic noticed that pretty much everything under the hood was shot, and quoted almost $3,000 in repairs. It was time to replace the car, as it was on it's last legs...er...wheels. I was a bit stressed at first, but then I remembered the many times in Tijuana (see, another Tijuana story...told you it comes up a lot, LOL) that God provided in amazing and miraculous ways. I knew that God works miracles in the USA as well, and I turned it over to God. That same day that I received the fateful news of my car and sent out a Facebook S.O.S, a friend of mine just so happened to have a daughter that was selling her car. He, her daughter, and I talked and came up with an amount and a plan, and I had a new (new to me) set of wheels! God is good, and provided just what I needed! It was kind of sad to say goodbye to my Ford Contour, the car which had hauled us around for 12 years, but this new vehicle has been even better!  

The most difficult thing to swallow this past year was my diabetes diagnosis. I am one who loves my junk-food, and with diabetes, sugary snacks in too much excess can be dangerous for me. My sugar was in the 400's, and the normal range is between 100 and 150.  I started with an oral medication called Metformin, but that wasn't doing the job. The doctor then prescribed Lantus, an insulin administered by way of injection. Ouch! In the time since, it has become easier, but not at all pleasant. However, I realize that giving myself regular injections and taking my meds is keeping me alive. I kind of enjoy living, LOL. The only drawback is that the combination of Metformin and Lantus can cause weight gain. Much of the weight I had worked so hard to lose came back, much to my dismay. That creates my project for 2015, getting this weight off.

In 2014, I was able to welcome a great-niece into the world. She was, and still is, healthy and growing every day. I began my 13th year working in the Hutchinson School district, and my 4th with Kindergarten. Love those kiddos!! I am also actively involved with my church, in my 23rd year teaching Sunday School, and my 26th year in AWANA. I really enjoy my Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. I also said farewell to my job at Dillons, and took a job with Boys & Girls club, a job that I really love. This job is more up my alley than Dillons was. They are some great kids! 

Now that I have reflected, allow me to project. I have already mentioned that Tijuana is in the plans, and that I'm hoping to shave off a few pounds. I also made a Facebook pledge that I have made every year since I first logged on. My commitment is to not post anything that is rude, crude, and anything that would make anyone question that I am a Christian. On the day that I do such a thing is the day I delete my Facebook. However, that does not exclude the occasional corny joke or comment. LOL. (But it will be clean!) I also have a top-secret plan in the works, a plan that I'm expecting to come to fruition in the next few months. I can't say too much more about it now, but will announce it when it comes to be. I sum this paragraph up with this disclaimer: These are my penciled-in plans. It is good to make plans and be prepared, but I also understand that God may have different ideas. I have ideas, thoughts, and am ready, but God may bring something else into my agenda, or change my plans altogether. I am OK with that.

And the memory-lane train comes to a stop. Thanks for sharing this time with me. I truly hope that your 2015 is your best yet. I appreciate your friendship and your readership to this blog. Your likes and comments mean the world to me, and tell me that you are reading. I so enjoy writing for you. I pray God's blessing upon you. Also...I can't resist...see you next year!  :-)   LOL

Rob's Ramblings "The Greatest Gift"

Another Christmas has come and gone. I love Christmas with all of its music, sounds, smells, family, and so much more. I had the pleasure of celebrating Christmas Eve services, and having dinner with my family. We ate, talked, played games, and laughed so much! I scored some new Hawaiian-style shirts, and a new piece for my Christmas town. It was from the Rudolph movie, of the giant Bumble putting the star on the tree with Yukon Cornelius looking on. I was also blessed with some special gifts from the staff and some students from school.

Possibly the best gift I received this Christmas come in the form of a phone call I was able to have with my oldest son, whom I have not seen or heard from in over a year and a half. It was so good to hear his voice. He is doing well, is engaged, working, and has a house to live in. He is healthy, and seems very happy. He facebooked his number to me and I called him Monday evening. He called again on Christmas Day, and he got to chat with the rest of the family. It is by far the best gift I received. I have worried about him for a long time, and to receive this call was such a relief. The call was 100% positive, and we talked for almost an hour, laughing about memories, and the stuff they pulled.

We had some out-of-town relatives visiting us, and they had never been to Strataca, the underground salt museum, so we treated them to a day 600 feet underground. We walked the exhibits, rode the train, and took the tram into the darker parts of the mine, which is called the "Dark Ride." I have been a few times, and am accustomed to what is down there. This time, it felt like the first time, because I was able to see it though their eyes, and see their faces as they got to pick up salt from a giant pile, or look at costumes worn by celebrities in movies. Did you know that original film reels are stored down there for safe-keeping? "The Wizard of Oz" is down there, safe from the elements on the surface, and far, far away from tornadoes!

Today will be a fun day, as my nephew turns 8. We will be gathering together as a family to celebrate his fun day. It has been a great Christmas break so far, and it's only half-over. It has been so nice to just relax and enjoy the Christmas season. I hope that the events of this season have been a blessing to you.

Speaking of birthday parties, we're starting shortly, so need to jump off of here and get ready to go. Thanks for reading, and God bless you!! 

Rob's Ramblings

I plan on spending a quiet Christmas with family in town this year. I love the Christmas season. I pray that this day will find you well and that you will be able to experience all that Christmas brings to us.

I always enjoy sharing this story with readers on Christmas Eve. It truly brings home the true meaning of Christmas. What gift would we be able to give to Jesus? I believe this blog post answers that question. I hope it touches your heart as it did mine.   

It was Christmas Eve, and the father wanted to impress upon his 2 sons the importance of what Christmas was all about. The boys had experienced a very tough life in the few years they had been alive, and this was their first Christmas in foster care. How could he help them understand that Jesus was the Reason for the season? While he was listening to the radio later that day, a listener called into the station talking about baking a birthday cake for Jesus with her kids. That was the ticket! He gathered the ingredients together, rounded up the boys, and began mixing. As you might imagine, when you are cooking with kids, things can get messy, and this experience was no different. There was plenty of batter and flour coating the countertops, cabinets, and bodies. As they mixed, the father explained the birth of Jesus, the visits from the Wise Men, the shepherds, and how Mary & Joseph took care of Jesus. The dad also went on to explain how Jesus grew up, taught many multitudes about God, and was eventually crucified and killed. However, on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead, ascended into Heaven 40 days later, and one day will return again for His people. The boys wanted to know, "Who are His people?"   The father told them that those who believe in Him, and accept Him as Savior are His people. The boys had never done this, and wanted to do so right away. The father led them in a prayer while the cake was baking. Even before the cake was ready to taken out, 2 new souls had received God's blessed gift of salvation.

This story took place about 15 years ago, and this story is my own. I was a foster parent, and had the privilege of leading these two boys to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. They knew that the day we set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus was also their "spiritual birthday," or the day they received Christ. Have you given yourself to Jesus? Are you trying to win His love by giving in the offering, attending church, or being good? If that is what you are relying on to receive eternal life in Heaven, let me warn you that this is simply not enough. Multiple Biblical passages stress the importance of confessing your sins to God, believing that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and accepting Him as your Lord and Saviour. That right there is the only way to Heaven. My 2 foster boys were able to understand that message, and although I do not know where they are today, or what they are doing, I will always remember that blessed Christmas Eve when I was able to pray with them. I often wonder if they remember that night. I think that deep in the backs of their minds, they remember. That night, as we set out cookies and milk for Santa, the boys asked me if Santa believed in Jesus. I showed the boys a picture similar to the one at the beginning of this post. Santa wrote them a letter that night, congratulating them on their decision, and told them that although he himself was a fun part of Christmas, they should put their focus on Jesus' birth. That impressed the boys!

Not long after that, the boys left my home and were adopted by a family. I never saw them again. I do not know if the boys are living for The Lord today or not, but I know that because of the trust they put in God that night, they have a place in Heaven. I hope that you have a place in Heaven as well. Have you given yourself to Jesus? In case you've ever wondered what kind of gift Jesus would want, there's the answer. He wants you. Merry Christmas!   

Rob's Ramblings

So happy to see this weekend! One more week until Christmas break! All across the country, kids are gradually going bananas in anticipation of the oncoming Christmas holiday, and parents and teachers alike are very ready for a respite, to recharge and relax a bit. People employ the assistance of the "Elf On The Shelf," "Santa is watching," or the ever-menacing phrase mentioned to unruly children, "I've got Santa's phone number!" Even then, it seems to do no good sometimes. I often wonder how Christmas would be celebrated if it were merely the celebration of Jesus' birth? No Santa, trees, gifts, candy, stockings, etc. Would there still be the pomp and circumstance of the amazing event of His birth? Sadly, it would probably be just another religious holiday for most people. Even Easter is overshadowed by candy and bunnies. Sure, those people who understand the true meanings of these holidays will give praise to Whom praise is due. I guess I'm just sad that Jesus gets swept under the rug during these blessed times of the year. Let me re-introduce this phrase back into the mix: "Jesus is the reason for the season." In my house, I have Christmas trees, an awesome Christmas village, a cool Santa collection, I listen to Christmas music, and I love Christmas! However, I have to stop and remember what it's all about. No, nothing is wrong with these things. I enjoy looking at lights, watching Christmas movies, and the occasional glass of eggnog. (Occasional..thanks, diabetes. LOL) However, if these things overshadow the true meaning, then we have a problem. During the Christmases that I have shared with kids, whether it be legal or foster kids, we kept the real meaning in the forefront. When my boys left letters and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, they always asked Santa to remember it was Jesus birthday. Santa (aka dad) always praised them for remembering this. They understood it. What has really awakened this emotion in me this year stems from the financial wipeout this past Fall, when every penny was stolen from my account, which included my Christmas savings. Christmas this year will be very meager, with only small things being given to family and close friends. To be honest, that doesn't bother me at all. I have a home, family, great friends, a wonderful job (2 of them), and kids who give me hugs every day. I have all that I need. God sent me that financial catastrophe to help me realize that. I worried about Christmas when that happened, and now that it is here, God's grace is sufficient, and He has made me content. This post was not intended to be an editorial on how Christmas should be celebrated, but I guess that's what happened. LOL. Is anyone with me on this one?  OK, I'm getting down off of my soapbox and I'll proceed with the news of the week:

I think I have recovered from my 2-month stint as Santa in the play that wrapped up last Sunday. We received sooo many compliments on the singing, dancing, acting, and how the sets were moved and changed with such fluidity. Some said that it was the best show they had ever seen at that theater. I have been tired somewhat this week, but I took extra time to sleep in this morning, and it has helped immensely. I miss my cast members who became like family, and we hope to meet again sometime on stage in another show, whichever and whenever that may be. As tiring as it was, I'm glad that I was able to participate in the musical rendition of my favorite Christmas movie of all time. It was a thrill!

I came home from work a few nights ago, and we received a visit from our former neighbor, who lived next to me on Main Street. She is an awesome person, and the best neighbor I ever had. We have kept in touch. Anyway....She came to visit. Her mom is getting older, and is no longer going to use her little Christmas village set pieces, and did she know someone who might like them? My neighbor boxed them up and brought them over to my house. I now have about 12 new buildings for my village (which is quickly turning into a metropolis), some light-up Christmas trees, a small stretch of cobblestone streets, and figurines. I was on cloud nine! I thanked her about a hundred times. After she left, I was in a quandary. Where would I put them? The tables I use for the village are already at capacity. I have no funds to buy a new one. So, I dragged over one of the big radios that still sits in my living room. It has a good-sized tabletop. It sits higher than the village tables. I stacked some small boxes and draped a Christmas blanket over them so that my city now has a hill with lighted houses occupying it. I'll try to get pictures up soon so that you can see. I'm so thrilled with it.  

I have some things that I need to get done today, and I need to get off of this contraption. I want to thank you for reading. If you got this far, and survived past my sermon, you deserve an award! LOL. I pray God's blessings on you this weekend throughout this CHRISTmas season!  

Rob's Ramblings

 

Just a couple of hours ago, the final curtain came down on "A Christmas Story: The Musical." OK, there wasn't a curtain, but you get the point. 2 months of hard work, commitment, memorization, and dancing all culminated in the best reception we could ask for. The first 2 nights saw attendance in the low-to-mid 200's, while Saturday and Sunday saw numbers close to 300! People came, and people talked the show up. Many said it was the best show they had ever seen at that theater. Some theater-goers had seen the broadway version of this show, and said that we were comparable to them! That's quite an accomplishment. As I gathered up my stuff this evening, I felt a mixture of happiness, accompanied by a sense of sorrow. I have formed many great friendships through this show, and I will miss seeing them on a regular basis. I had forgotten how close the actors can become. On the other side, I am glad to be able to have my evenings (and life) back. The past few weeks have been jam-packed with rehearsals, some being quite late. I don't think I'll quite know what to do with the time I re-discover. One thing I DO know, is that I'm going to relax and enjoy the Christmas season.   The next show they are doing is Shrek. I will not be participating in this show for 2 reasons. First, I don't particularly care for Shrek. Secondly, the practices for this show are clear across town at Prairie Hills Middle School, which is about as far as you can get from Avenue A. Too much travel and gas. I think I'll stick with the smaller shows closer by, and opt out of the big shows unless it's a show I'm really, really excited about. For those of you who either came to the show, or supported me in other ways, I thank you. Despite the heavy commitment, I've had the time of my life.

 

I hope you'll understand if this blog is on the short side. I am utterly exhausted, and am going to take the opportunity to turn in really early and get some much-needed extra sleep tonight. I'm hoping to post a full-scale post either later in the week or next weekend. Thanks for reading, and for your support. You are a blessing to me!

Rob's Ramblings

 

 

If you have ever been involved in theater, you know what tech week means. It means a full week of intense rehearsals, late nights, and practically no life. My days will begin by waking up early to go to school, followed by my shift at B & G club, then on to the theater, and then home by approximately 10:00 or 10:30.  However, tech week also means 4 (hopefully) awesome performances, happy audiences, and lifelong memories with a cast of people who become like family. I would really appreciate your prayers this week. Tech week officially begins at 1:00 pm tomorrow, and will end the following Sunday evening.

 

Thanksgiving was a real blessing. It all started on Wednesday with the open house at my house. The hours were from 2-6, but we had people at our house all evening long, up until 10:30! It was a great day, and I so enjoyed having people come and visit, eat, and laugh. I really love hosting, and especially at the holiday season. My visitors enjoyed my Christmas décor, and seemed to enjoy the goodies as well. 

 

On Thursday, we went to visit family in Wichita, and had a great time. The food was off the chain!!  It's been a few years since I had the opportunity to spend time with these cousins, and we were glad to be there. On Friday, we went to visit some family in Salina, and had a good time there as well. On the down side, I was feeling really run-down and unwell, and spent a few hours sleeping it off. By the time I woke up, everybody was leaving, so that was a bummer. However, Christmas is coming soon, so hopefully I'll be back to 100% by then, and we can have more time to enjoy ourselves. My blood sugar levels spiked a little high, and that may have been what contributed to my feeling sick. However, I've gotten myself back on track, and am feeling better already.

 

I have much to do today, including getting groceries for next week, as I will not have time to do that over the next week. As much as I am thrilled to be a part of this play, I'm not looking forward to the late nights. I'm typically a 9:30-in-bed person. Again, your prayers are deeply appreciated. Pray for endurance, strength, and patience. I thank you for those prayers. I also thank you for taking the time from your day to read my sometimes-drab blog posts. Maybe I should be grateful that my life is uneventful....?  God bless you!! 

 

  

Rob's Ramblings

I am officially on Thanksgiving break as of last Friday. There are 2 days of inservice for certified personnel today and tomorrow, but since I am a para, I am not required to attend. Today and tomorrow are good days for collecting the last of my supplies for my Wednesday baking day. I believe I have everything I need, but I will be double-checking today to make sure it is all there, and there are a lot of ingredients that I need, considering all of the things that I am making. There is nothing worse than getting halfway through the mixing process and realizing that the needed ingredient is not there. Ugh! Been there. I live a few blocks from a Dillon's store, but still...not wanting to have to make that mad dash. I am starting the chocolate-covered cherries, peanut butter balls, and peanut clusters tomorrow, as they are the most time-consuming project. I'll prepare the remaining dishes on Wednesday.

I'd like to offer my open house one last time. On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, I'm opening my home to people that would like to come by and sample the goodies I am making. The time is from 2-6. Originally, the time was from 2-5, but I am tacking an extra hour on the end to accommodate those who do not get off of work until 5. There have been several who requested this, and I am happy to help. I live at 721 East Avenue A in Hutch. Please feel free to come on out. Visitors will also be able to see my entryway room, which is all set up for Christmas. You'll get to see my Christmas trees, Santa collection, Nativity scenes, and my ever-growing Christmas village. I've never decorated like this before, so I'm excited for you to see it. I love Christmas, don't judge :-) 

I'm going to keep this post short, because I have much to do today, and I don't believe I'll have the chance to post again until after Thanksgiving. I'd like to take a second and ask that you consider stopping to write down (and count) your blessings. I have taken the time to do so. I am thankful for my family, home, church, friends, Tijuana, job, my church and school kiddos, car, and the list goes on and on. We never realize how fortunate we are until we stop to appreciate all that we DO have.  

I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving, full of fun and family. Thanks for reading, and God bless!

  

Rob's Ramblings

Let me begin by saying "Brrrr!" It totally snapped last Monday night, and it hasn't let up since. We actually received out first measurable snow last night. We had a dusting yesterday, but I actually had to shovel it this afternoon. I picked up a few bags of salt the other day, and I was glad I had it on hand to spread over the area I had shoveled.

Play rehearsals have become more intense as we draw closer to our December 4 opening curtain date. I was blessed with another part to play, that of a bad guy. It's one of Ralphie's fantasies where he saves the day. Everything has to be choreographed to the letter, or the scene won't work. I also have some dance moves to perform as well. Just for the record, I am NOT a dancer. I guess I don't have the mentality for it. I'm sure I look like a clumsy baboon on stage, but I'm having a fun time with it! I am now pretty comfortable with my Santa role, as I've had multiple times to rehearse it, and I have it down pretty good. My Santa role is that of an inebriated Santa, unlike the Santa portrayed in the movie. There is still much to work on, but it's coming together. I'm excited to see what we will look like at final dress. Pray and cross your fingers!

I have almost all that I need for my day of baking on the 26th of this month, the day before Thanksgiving. The only things that I have left is the flour, and items that spoil quickly, such as buttermilk, etc.  I like my flour to be bought fresh. I don't like it to sit out too long. I also use bread flour for all of my baking. It's just so much better. My open house is still on from 2pm until 5pm on the 26th. I'll have things out to eat, plus maybe some eggnog and hot chocolate. I am only announcing this on my blog, so if you read the blog, you'll know about it. Those that skip over it will miss it. It pays to read Rob's Ramblings!  :-)

 

Visitors to the open house will get to see my festively decorated front room. I will have my Christmas trees displayed, as well as my famous Christmas village. My village has grown into more of a metropolis! I have had to add an extra table this year to hold everything. I scored a few small buildings this past Fall at a garage sale. Last year's village was at the breaking point, so I will be glad to add some more acreage to the city limits. I will start bringing stuff downstairs and setting it up this Saturday after the downtown Christmas parade. The parade really gets me into the Christmas spirit. To those who say I'm putting it up too early, I don't care. :-)  Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and I like it to last as long as I can. So there! :-) I sure hope I have plenty of visitors and their families coming by. I love company.

 

I'm going to close out now. Play practice takes so much of my time, I'm using my spare evening to get stuff done. I plan to turn in early and get plenty of rest. After the play is over, I will be able to take full advantage and fully enjoy the Christmas season. God bless you, and thanks so much for reading!!

 



Rob's Ramblings: An invitation

I'll get to the invitation in a sec.

I haven't posted since my birthday, so I think it's high time I make myself know, and to let you all know that I'm alive and well, for the most part. Most of my time has been consumed with "A Christmas Story: The Musical," a show that I'll be a part of during the first weekend of December. I play the obnoxious Santa Claus at Higbee's. I have been working on my singing and speaking parts extensively. However, this evening, when I got onto stage to run my part, I totally blanked out. I'm not sure why, maybe it was doing this on stage for the first time. I know that I could not hear the lines of the other actors, so I know that's why I missed some cues. All in all, there is a lot of work to be done here. On a positive note, it's coming along, and it's going to be a great show! Are you coming? I'll be posting info on my Facebook page occasionally, so check that out.

I've also been struggling with a severe cough the past week. I can't seem to shake it. Although I think it is subsiding, it keeps me up at night, which can make for a pretty grumpy Rob in the morning. Despite medicine, medicine, and more medicine, the cough will not let go, and it's driving me totally out of my mind. Could I ask you to pray about that? It's also impeding my progress in the play.

It's coming down to crunch time as far as Thanksgiving is concerned. The day before Thanksgiving, I bake up a storm in the kitchen. On the menu are peanut butter balls, chocolate covered cherries, peppernuts, ooey gooey chocolate butter cake, black bottom (cappuccino-style) cupcakes, magic cookie bars, and peanut clusters. It's going to be a busy morning and afternoon, but I love it! Here's where that invitation comes in: On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, I'll be having an open house from 2-5 for people to come by and sample the fare. I'll have the entire front room decorated for Christmas. My trees will be set up, as will my Christmas village. I love to entertain guests, so this is my personal invitation for you to visit my home at 721 East Avenue A and get some sweet treats. Please come by! :-)

I took some cough medicine a while ago, and it's starting to kick my tail, so I'm going to close out for now. Sorry it's such a short posting, but I hope you enjoyed the update! God bless!

Rob's Ramblings "Reflections"

I thought it appropriate to make a post on the final day of my 43rd year. Can it be possible that tomorrow I will be 44? I remember back in my early twenties, when the thought of turning 30 seemed inconceivable. Wow. In 6 years, I will be 50! However, I'm not going to dwell on that. I enjoy my birthdays. I like to celebrate it and share it with others. I have yet to hit a birthday age that affects me terribly, or that brings me to tears at being that old. Maybe because I'm  happy with my life, and I feel that I am at the center of God's plan for me. Whatever the reason, it's cause to party!

I was thinking earlier today about what has happened to me during this past year. Admit it, you have done so as well. There are the not-so-good things, such as the onset of diabetes, which will be a life-long issue for me. However, God has brought me through it, and I'm doing well with it. There was the bank raid in June, which left me penniless. Again, God provided and came through in that emergency. Then, there was my car. It bit the big one and needed to be replaced quickly. God quickly came through with another car within only a few days.  I also look at the positives that have happened this past year. I was able to toss my Dillon's job aside and acquire a job that was in my field of interest. Perhaps the biggest life-changing event of the past year (and perhaps my life) was...here it comes, you know...my mission trip to Tijuana. Words cannot explain what God did to me on that trip, and how ready I am to jump on a plane and go hang with those kids again. The hardest part is that will have to wait until next Summer! :-(  Also on the up-side are the facts that I have 2 jobs I love, working with little kids. The most rewarding thing in life is to see the light come on when you are trying to convey learning to them.  Then there are those little hugs. They say that hugs make you live longer, right? Well, my legs are going to live forever! LOL. I love to walk down the hallways and see those kids. The hallway rules say to "pinkie-wave" to people passing by. However, most of those kids forget that, and lunge at me with hugs. I don't help much by reminding them of the pinkie-wave, I indulge them. I think I annoy the teachers with that! :-)  Then I get to hang with K-4th graders at Boys & Girls club after school, and play games with them. I've developed pretty close bonds with some of those kiddos. They are some pretty great kids! On Sundays and Wednesday nights, I get to spend time some of the most awesome kids on earth: My Sunday School and AWANA kids. I don't get to see them as often, so the time I get to spend with them is pretty special. I actually get to spend my birthday with them tomorrow!

I have a home to live in, air to breathe, an awesome family, and tomatoes STILL coming up! I get the privilege to have both my parents still living, and living with me. That would drive most people over the edge, but for me, it's a blessing to share that house with them. I have a wide variety of friends that care genuinely about me, and are interested in what happens in my little world. There are those people that ask habitually, "Hi, how are ya?" and walk on by, even if you say "terrible."  And then there are those that are really asking, and ready to listen, good or bad. I'm not the most popular person on earth, and I can't afford to wear the most stylish clothes. But, I thank God every day for the true friends I have that can look past what the eye can see, and care about who I am.

On a cool note, I get the honor of sharing my birthday with some of the most awesome people alive! My good friend Peggy Renfro, who has inspired me, and inspired me to keep on blogging! Ginger Millermon,  although I don't remember much about those teen years, I have been told you were a true friend! Micah and Tyler, my buddies from church, whom I get to party with tomorrow! My bud from school, Christian, the day is finally here! To you guys, I wish you the best of birthdays!

On an interesting note, there are several celebrities that share the same birthday. Seth MacFarlane, who is a director of many shows, mostly cartoons,(and a lot of them are not family-friendly). Former first lady Hillary Clinton. Country music legend Keith Urban. Pat Sajak of Wheel Of Fortune fame also has the same birthday. Also partying on the 26th of October is Jon Heder, aka Napoleon Dynamite. What's he doing for his birthday? Whatever he feels like!! Gosh!!  Maybe I should hit these folks up for birthday money, LOL.

Thanks for indulging me for a few minutes as I reflect. I know that some of these posts are not the most interesting, but you click, read, and humor me. For that, I thank you. I wish I could have you all over for cake and ice cream, but the house is not big enough. :-) 
Tomorrow after church,  I'll work a few hours at Fun Valley, and then about 6pm, we'll be eating at my fave restaurant establishment, Sirloin Stockade! Buffet, babay!! LOL  If you happen to be there at that time, please come by and say "hello!" It will be a fun day, I am sure.

I pray that God will bless you and your family. Good night, all. I'll see you on the flipside. 44? Bring it!!

Rob's Ramblings, Getting ready for Christmas

Before you turn off this page because Christmas is still over 2 months away, you need to understand why I have to be in the Christmas spirit now. Last week, I went up to the Flag Theater to audition for the play "A Christmas Story, The Musical." This is the stage version of the movie where the kid wants a BB gun for Christmas, and is consistently met with the phrase, "You'll shoot your eye out!" There are also many songs worked into this show. The Christmas Story movie has been my all-time favorite Christmas movie for many years, so I could not resist going up to at least try out for it. I requested to read dialogue for Jean Shepherd, and the father, aka "The Old Man." I had to dance, something I'm not accustomed to doing, and I had to sing. They had me sing the part of the infamous mean Santa from the Higbee's segment. When the cast list went up, I saw that I had scored the part of Santa! It is a small part, and I have to sing, but it is a fun part. The cast looks like a fun one to work with, and they are ready to put on a good show for our community. Be sure to check my Facebook page, as I'll be posting all of the info such as the dates, times, prices, etc. I guess it's good that the part is small, seeing that I'm so busy. However, the joke is that regardless of the part I got, it would not take me long to get it all memorized, because I can pretty much quote the entire movie! LOL. Now you have an idea as to why I have to get myself into the Christmas spirit a bit earlier than the average American, and I have no problem with that. I love Christmas! However, I'm not going overboard yet. I haven't put up my tree or started listening to Christmas music yet. :-) At a garage sale a few weeks ago, I spotted an assortment of light-up houses that would be perfect for my Christmas village. My Christmas village is quickly becoming a metropolis. The table I use to display it is too small now. I was pushing it last year. Now that I'm adding buildings, I'll have to get another table. Wonder how big it will end up? By the way, if you happen to see some little buildings, at a sale or something, can you let me know, or buy them and let me pay you? Enough about Christmas for now.

                                
I had my 6-month diabetic check-up on Friday. My doctor was very happy with my progress. At my diagnosis, my a1c was over 12. The a1c is an account of how much sugar is in the blood, and anything over 12 is pretty serious. At my 3-month checkup, my a1c was a 5.9, which is in the healthy normal range. On Friday, my a1c had stayed at 5.9, which thrilled my doctor. His only concerns were that of a slightly high cholesterol level, and I am a few pounds heavier than he would like me to be. He also informed me that the meds that I take can cause weight gain. He wants me to drink more water and be more active. I am planning another meeting with my nutritionist to make a diet and exercise plan that will be diabetic-friendly. I am optimistic.

It's getting late, and I have church tomorrow. I need to close this out and get some sleep. Sorry for such a short post.  I hope that the rest of your weekend is blessed. Thanks so much for reading!

Rob's Ramblings 10/4/14

Once again, we have made it to another weekend, not to mention another month! I've had the past few days off from school for parent-teacher conferences. Instead of sitting at home doing nothing and not getting paid for it, the Boys & Girls Club offered me some hours at the main unit. That was an experience! After working in the school unit with my 25 or so kids, I was suddenly surrounded by over 100! Thankfully, they were broken up into grade levels with leaders for each level, so it was OK, but still surprising. I was assigned K thru 1st, so I felt right at home. I'm thankful for 12 hours of work, as opposed to nothing at all! :-)  They are really some great kids, and I enjoyed the 2 days I got to spend with them.

October holds many exciting things for me. The first one happens today. I'll be traveling to Buhler for their annual "Frolic Day" festivities, which include a big parade, snack booths, entertainment, and other fun stuff! Kind of like a mini-state fair. Very mini. Buhler, Kansas is the small town where I grew up. I remember the frolic days of my youth, and thinking that the frolic was about the only exciting thing that happened every year. We still go back every year to touch base and re-connect with the many people who we know that still live there. In many ways, I still miss that small-town feel, but Hutchinson is the more practical option for the directions our lives have taken.

October is when Autumn really shows her stuff. The trees give in and burst forth with beautiful colors. The days get cooler. There's something about the Fall. It's a time for nature to go to sleep and rejuvenate for the not-too-distant Spring, dreaming about what they'll try to surprise us with when that wonderful Spring gives them the wake-up call. I think about the upcoming Thanksgiving season, and after that, decorating my house for the holidays. I don't particularly care for the cold weather, but when you think about it, it really adds to the feel. People in other states where it doesn't get very cold would probably not understand that. I've lived in Kansas my whole life, and have never experienced a hot or warm Fall and Winter season. Soon, the frosts and freezes will descend upon us, and my garden will become a memory until the next Spring. I still have lots of green and red tomatoes, so if you want some, this next week would probably be the best. I can't guarantee how much longer they can hold out.

Of course, October is also my birthday month. I'm like a little kid when it's my birthday. I love to celebrate it. I bake goodies for everyone, and make it last as long as I can. My birthday will land on a Sunday this year, so I have a lot of fun stuff planned for my kiddos at church. I turn the big 44 this year. I have several other friends who celebrate the same birthday (October 26) as mine. That makes it so much more fun! I hope that they have as much fun celebrating as I do.

It's almost time for me to get ready to start my day and head out to wonderful "Buhler-land." Maybe I'll see some of you out there? Be sure to say "hey!"  Have a wonderful weekend and God bless you!!
    

Rob's Ramblings

It's been a while since I have posted, I figured you might be weary of my ramblings after 12 uninterrupted days of state fair musings. :-)

Life continues as usual, with a few bumps in the road. The much-anticipated trip to Tijuana in December has been cancelled, due to happenings in San Diego. The church there, Ocean View Church, is in the midst of a massive expansion project. After being in one of their services, I can understand why they need to grow. The church stands at about 1,400 members, with 3 services, one of them being in Spanish. It is an incredible church with a powerful outreach to the people of San Diego. Due to this, they are constantly growing, and they need to make room. The pastors of that church are very involved with this project, and are unable to break away for a trip to Tijuana. However, I have been assured that there will be a trip next Summer with my name on it. I am dampened at not being able to go love on those kids in December, but God has a plan. I have to trust it. It will make next Summer's trip even more special. Yet, I don't know if I can wait that long! I could always just go on my own, but I really don't have peace about doing that. To venture alone into an unknown country with only one previous trip under my belt is madness. Maybe one day, but today is not that day.

I have also become wrapped up in the latest Jan Karon novel. Jan Karon is a noted author, mainly of the Mitford series. The Mitford series is comprised of about 12 books following the life of a minister and his family in a small community called Mitford. In Mitford, everyone knows everyone else, and people care about each other. There is a very colorful cast of characters in this series, and Jan Karon's pen causes the characters to jump off the page and endear themselves to you. If you love to read, and enjoy novels about life in a small town, The Mitford series might be a good fit. You WILL want to read them in order, as the books sequence as time goes by. The first book is called "At Home in Mitford." Jan Karon releases a new Mitford book every few years, and people jump on them quickly. Those of us who are fans will read them at high speed, finish, and want more. I hope that Jan Karon does not plan to retire anytime soon. I am almost done with the current one, "Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good."  That is one main reason why the blog has been neglected. I've had my nose in a book.

As September draws to a close, and October draws near, I start think about Fall activities. In the Fall, I will celebrate a double number birthday at 44. October 26 is about the greatest day of the year. I love to celebrate my birthday. I don't bemoan growing older, or the few strands of gray that are slowly creeping in. It's a reason to celebrate another year of life that God has so graciously given us. I also look forward to Thanksgiving. The day before Thanksgiving is a major holiday for me, as it's my annual "day of baking." I go into the kitchen and whip up a colossal amount of all kinds of goodies that I take along to Thanksgiving get-togethers. In the next few weeks, I will make up an ingredient list, scour the cupboards to see what I have, and begin collecting what I need. In the past few years, I have added an extra bonus to this day of baking, and invite the people who read my blog to stop by the house for a sample of what I have. More info to come on that soon.

Speaking of giving things away, does anyone need some red home-grown tomatoes? We are nearing the end of the season, and the tomatoes will not last much longer. Every year at the end of the growing season, I declare a garden winner. What veggie in Rob's garden gets the gold medal for being productive? This year it goes to the tomatoes, with sunflowers 2nd and corn 3rd. I have several cantaloupes, but they are small and wither before they are big enough to benefit from. That pathetic honeydew melon has never gotten bigger than an acorn in the 2 months since it's appearance. The same goes to my pumpkin vine that had a few tiny pumpkins on it that finally died out. I never saw a trace of anything from my watermelon or cucumber plants. It was a first-year garden, so I have a better idea of how I'm going to go about it next Spring.  

I've rambled long enough. I have much to accomplish today, and it won't get done by staring at a computer screen. I wish you a blessed weekend! Until next time.......

***Rob***

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Final Thoughts

That's a wrap, so they say in the movie business. I drove by the fairgrounds this afternoon, and the people of the fair have obviously pulled an all-nighter. All of the portable horse barns are gone, the skyride has been dismantled, and only one ride remains on the fairgrounds, and they are almost done disassembling it. It's the Crazy Mouse, and I can understand how complex it must be to take it apart and put it back together again. It would take a much smarter man than me to do that. Large trucks were pulling out of the grounds, some pulling concession stands, and some large trucks were there for display or for sale. It's all over, except for the clean-up.

When I got off work at Boys & Girls Club, it felt weird to not head directly for the fair. Supper tonight will not be something fried. It will be something normal (not sure what I'm making yet). I will be taking a night of rest and relaxation. This past fair has been the most exhausting that I can remember. I guess at 43, it becomes more tiring to do so much walking. I'll need to get myself in better shape for next year. I'm also attributing my weariness to that darn foot-stimulator thing I tried on the first Friday. That made my calves cramp and sore for a few days. And, of course, I rode rides this year. I have never ridden so many rides in my life! We're not talking idyllic Ferris wheel rides, we're taking rides that go fast, and spin a lot! I had a blast with the kid I went with, but not sure I'll be able to do too much riding next year.

I was pondering what my favorite foods this year were. This year I did not do the Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger, the fried alligator on a stick, or fried pickles. Those were good, but I was on a smaller budget this year, and some of that had to be pared out. In no particular order: I really liked the mini-donuts that my friend Tammi told me about. They were $1.50 for a half dozen, and $3.00 for a dozen. $.50 extra if you wanted a dipping sauce. I thought they were good plain! Those would definitely go in one of my top three. I'm also going to nominate the bierock (yes, it's a word, spellcheck!) from the Pride of Kansas building. They were $6.75 and came with chips. They were hot and good. Hmmmm....I think number 3 would have to be the deep-fried cookie dough. Honorable mentions go to the cinnamon crunchers, the BBQ parfait, and the Pronto Pup. These are different from last year, which were BBQ parfait, fried veggies, and....can't remember #3.

In a normal 10-day period, my total steps average about 170,000. During the fair's run, I took 193,000 steps. That's 23,000 steps above average. That's a lot of walking. A lot of you have been wondering, "Did Rob gain weight from this?" Actually, the answer is....yes, I did. I weighed myself before the fair began, and after the fair was over, and I gained...drumroll please..... 1/5 of a pound. One-fifth of a pound! Imagine if I had not forced myself to do so much walking after I ate. I was sure that if I walked a lot after I ate, I could burn it off. I'm not even sure if we can qualify that as a weight gain, but there it is. During the 10-day run, my blood sugar levels stayed safe. People were fearful that my sugar levels would go through the roof, and I'd end up in serious shape, but the only lasting side effect of the fair is tiredness. I think that's a pretty good way to end up my first fair as a diabetic.

As much as I love the fair, and wish it could last longer, I know that people would eventually tire of it, and it would lose it's charm. Even I would grow weary of it after a while, and stop attending. With the fair coming to town only 10 days out of the year, it makes it more special. It's more unique. I will miss the fair. I will miss the excitement, the fun, the seeing of people I see often, and the ones I haven't seen in ages. I love the smiles of parents as they either ride the rides with their little ones, or take pictures of their older ones getting their insides scrambled by some crazy ride, LOL. I enjoyed seeing my church and school kiddos out there.

Now that the fair has come to a close, life returns to normal. In the meantime, I'll begin again saving some money here and there for next year's big celebration. I'll check the news to see if any interesting acts will be coming (Weird Al?). Funny story: While I was riding the spider on one of the many times we rode it, a couple of guys were singing Weird Al songs the entire ride. I joined in, and we had a great time. That's the fun part of the fair. The randomness.  The fair will arrive again in 2015 Lord willing, and I'll make plans to be there to document as much as I can for you.

I hope you have enjoyed the blog this year as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you. I hope that you'll leave a like or a comment to give me a good idea of how many of you have been reading. Thanks for your reading, kind words, and encouragement. I pray God will bless you greatly in the days to come. 

***Rob***

Rob's State Fair Rambling, Day 10

Today, the final day was "Last Chance Day." That's original. My mom and I hit the fairgrounds today, in keeping with our annual tradition of doing the fair every year. I'm just thankful that she was able to do it, considering she's still only 2 and 1/2 weeks out from hernia surgery. We had a great time! One of the first things we did was watch the high-dive show. We had a while to wait, so I ran to the Pride of Kansas building's little café, and ordered 2 bierocks with an apple dumpling on the side. Bierocks are $6.75, and are served with a bag of chips. I believe the dumplings were $3.50. When I got back to the bleachers where the high-divers were going to perform, we opened the boxes to discover that there were no chips in the box! I was pretty steamed, thinking about the low grade I was going to give the service part of our experience. I went back to get them. They told me at the window that they had run out of chips the day before, and that they had discounted me $1.00. OK. It's not their fault that they ran out of chips. I'm an understanding guy. Mom and I gave the bierock and the apple dumpling an A. And there goes my spell-check again, telling me that bierock is not a word. Sheesh! (But it lets "sheesh" get by?)

We walked through a couple of buildings then we headed to Ron Diamond for his final show. He announced that he will be back next year! Smart move on the fair's part. Ron Diamond is wildly popular, and every one of his shows is packed out. People would mutiny the fair if they ever ended Ron Diamond's contract. He put on a good show, and I got some good video. I'm not sure if we were allowed to take video, but didn't say we couldn't for this show, so I took it. My mom and I have made Ron Diamond a tradition for many years. 

Following Ron Diamond, we walked through a few more buildings. It was nearing 6pm, and by then many booths were closing down. As we were passing from the Sunflower North to the Pride of Kansas building, I stopped for a plate of BBQ nachos, the same place that makes the BBQ parfait. This big plate of nachos is covered with melted cheese, BBQ sauce, BBQ beef, and jalapenos upon request. (I requested no jalapenos) This dish is $8.00, and I give it all an A. They were so good! This was the last food I ate at the Kansas State Fair this year. My stomach told me that this was it. I listened. Once inside the Pride building, we admired the large pumpkins, as well as the butter sculpture.

I walked over to pick up my cookie info, and checked the notes they had made. They noted that the cookies were good, but that they were dry. DRY! Really?? I can't imagine them being dry, unless they opened the bag, checked the other cookies before mine, and by the time they got to mine, they were dry. That's all I can figure. To top it all off, I didn't even get a measly participation ribbon! I'll try again next year. It's a quest now. I'm bound and determined to enter something and win a ribbon. Just wait till next year. It's ON!

We stopped to get my mom a roasted corn, ($4.00) and she gave it a B. It wasn't very hot, she said, and maybe it's because they were getting ready to close. While she was eating her corn, we stopped at the Guadalupe Express, where I got my cinnamon crunchies earlier this week. I gave them an A. They thanked me, because one of my readers visited their booth because they heard about it on my blog! They also told me that their booth was voted number #1! However, the fair could not give them the award....you know why?....here it comes....because their food wasn't on a stick! Can you believe that? I can't believe it myself! The food at Guadalupe Express is not made to be served on a stick. Bad move, state fair. After visiting for a while, my mom got a Pronto Pup. ($3.50) She said that the Pronto Pup isn't the same as it used to be, and she gave it a B.  However, at both the Roasted Corn and Pronto Pup booth, service was an A. On the way out, she stopped for an ice cream at the Grandstand. (Cost unknown) She gave the service and taste an A as well. At that point, we had to leave due to a family situation. Not an emergency, everything  is fine.

My friends, I have some final thoughts, numbers, and other stats to give you, but the hour is late, and I do not want to be tired for school tomorrow morning. I'm going to make one final post tomorrow night. What was my favorite food? Did I lose or gain weight this week? How many total steps did I take during the 10 days of the fair? It's all coming tomorrow night.

Thanks for reading this past 10 days, and I hope you have enjoyed it. Stay tuned Monday night for a bonus posting!! God bless you!! 

   

Rob's State Fair Scramblings, Day 8

That's not a typo, it says "scramblings." That's how I'm feeling after a wonderful day at the fair. I was glad that the predicted rain did not fall, but it was quite chilly today. Heavy jacket weather, to be exact. My friend Matt and I went to the fair today to ride rides. Let me tell you that I have not ridden on rides in many, many years, except for the big Ferris Wheel. I ride that every year because it's pretty tame, and you get a spectacular view of the Hutchinson skyline. But it did not stop there. We got onto rides that I had never thought I would get on again. The Sizzler, Crazy Mouse, The Spider (don't get me started on that ride), Pharoah's Fury, Avalanche, Rainbow Starship 3000, and assorted funhouses. We rode many of these rides multiple times. My inner child was released full-force today! You would be proud of the way I manned up and boarded those rides. I pretty much screamed the entire time (again, the spider ride, LOL) and Matt was having fun watching me freak out. By the way, we did NOT ride the Freak Out, but I freaked out on many of the other rides. By about 4:30 pm, I had learned two things: 1) I am not in my teens or early twenties anymore, and 2) I shouldn't be riding these rides in my forties. Matt noticed my shakiness and queasy stomach, and we agreed that this would be a good time to take a break. We went to watch the hypnotist and then the high-dive show. On the way there, we stopped to get an elephant ear. They had none left! We were disappointed, but we settled for a funnel cake instead. I could only eat small bites, for fear of upsetting my stomach. Rob didn't want to eat at the fair! There's a new one! Matt and I gave the funnel cake an A, and he also rated the caramel apple he had earlier as an A.

Following the high-dive show, Matt was ready to ride more rides. We headed back to the midway for more rides, but this time I took on a different role: That of a mere observer. My body had told me "That's enough," and I obeyed. I enjoyed watching Matt enjoy himself on the rides. I did ride the Ferris Wheel again, but I don't count that, because it doesn't involve spinning at high rates of speed, it's just a leisurely ride around.

All in all it was a great day. It was fun to have Matt with me to buddy around with, and ride rides with. I am so exhausted right now, so please forgive any typos I might have missed. I'm going to head for bed. Tomorrow's fair trip is still up in the air. We are traveling to Salina to see some family from the east coast. Should be a fun day! If we get back at a fairly decent hour, I might make a trip out there. If not, it's all OK. Family is most important.

Real quickly: Yesterday I was at the Granny's Mustard booth, and they were telling me that they supply Granny's Mustard at all 5 of the State Fair Pronto Pup booths. "There are 5 of them?" I asked. "Yep," the man said. So, the correct answer is 5! I had only 2 people attempt to guess, and both of them are named Laura! LOL. I'm giving both of you a prize for playing! For the record, Laura S. was closest with her guess of 6.  Here's the trivia for today: What ride formerly occupied Crazy Mouse's current location? I'll let you know tomorrow. Good luck!

Thanks for reading and supporting me! I pray God's blessings upon you!! Good night, all!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings Day 7

My age is starting to catch up to me. This is my 43rd state fair, and this one has been more exhausting than any I can remember. Oh, I still have a blast, but it's getting more tiring at the same time. My pedometer this evening is at about 30,000 steps. About 10,000 of them were taken at school, about 5,000 at Boys & Girls Club, and the remaining 15,000 took place this evening at the fair. On average, 10,000 steps in a day is considered healthy. That means that at the fair alone today, I walked a day-and-a-half's worth of steps in a couple of hours. I kind of had to, as I didn't behave myself very well. Yeah, I'll come out and admit it. I started out with one of last year's favorites, the BBQ parfait. Served in a tall plastic sundae cup, it's layered with BBQ beef, mashed potatoes, BBQ sauce, and baked beans. It's barely spicy. I don't handle spicy at all, and it didn't bother me any. The cost is $7.00, and everything gets an A. If I had waited any longer to be waited on, it would have gone down to a B for service.   When I went over to explore Camperland, there were people standing there handing out ice cream sandwiches. Judge not lest ye be judged, people. LOL. I enjoy looking around Camperland, checking out different campers and RV's, imagining life in one of them. Some of them are huge, as are the prices, 6 figures for some. I think I could endure it for a while, but cabin fever might set in after a time. I took a couple of laps around the grounds to work off what I ate, and then did further damage by ordering deep-fried cookie dough. The cookie dough was $5.00. I gave it an A. (These vendors must know I have a blog, LOL). It took several minutes to get mine, but they were busy, and they were making mine up fresh and hot. They are wonderfully gooey and quite rich. They also sell fried Nutella, and fried fruit. These guys are in a big yellow tent just to the right of the Channel 12 booth. After the fried cookie dough, I knew I had to do some serious walking!

I started my walking by going through the buildings, where I ran into my friends Eric and Lorraine. We stopped for photo ops. They gave me a good idea for next year. I'll call it "Rob sightings." If you see me, you get a prize, kind of like a "Where's Waldo?" type of thing. Just come up to me and tell me you read my blog, and I'll have something for you. If you'd like to see the pic Lorraine took of me, check my homepage. I'm sure she'll post it soon. :-)  After walking the buildings, I decided to take to the midway. I love the lights and sounds of the midway, and I also get to see a lot of my church and school kids there. I also wanted to get a look at some of the rides. You see, tomorrow I'll be heading out with my buddy Matt to so some serious ride riding. (As long as it doesn't rain, I hope not!!) I noticed a lot of them involve spinning in various ways. I have not ridden rides in many years, so I hope I hold out. I definitely will not be partaking in any insane crazy rides, aka Ring Of Fire, Freak-Out, Speed, etc. I'll venture the Crazy Mouse, Avalanche, Phaorah's Fury, Rainbow, etc. Hopefully tomorrow's Rob's Ramblings will not be coming from the hospital! LOL. Anyway, back to the subject at hand. I took quite a few laps around the grounds, trying to burn off the sugar. Ironically, as I was walking, I saw a diabetic glucose test strip lying on the ground. Some soul at the fair was testing their blood sugar levels, maybe seeing if what they ate was harming them, or seeing if they could afford to allow a sweet treat. It will be interesting to check my weight after the fair is over. I weighed myself before the fair started, so I will check afterwards to see if I gained or lost. I will see if the amount of walking I did at the fair was enough to counteract the food I ate at the fair. 

Before I close for the night, I have trivia for you. All the Pronto Pup stands stock Granny's mustard at their stands for your condiment convenience. How many Pronto Pup stands are there at the fair? The Granny's people told me the answer. I'll post the answer tomorrow. I'll have a small prize for all correct answers. Good luck!

Thanks for taking time out of your evening (or day) to stop and read. I pray that you will have a blessed day. See you tomorrow for Day 8's report. It's almost over!   :-(    

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 6

After a busy day of school, Boys & Girls Club, and then AWANA, I still had enough steam in me to make a quick dash out to the fair. I already have a season pass, so I might as well take full advantage of it, anyway! To be honest, I was torn this evening. Matthew West was playing at the fairgrounds this evening, and I was hoping to attend that concert, However, my first priority is to my kiddos at the church. I feel I made the right choice. Keep reading to see what solidified that for me.....Anyway, my first destination was to the Pride of Kansas building for one of their big bierocks! A bierock is basically a roll filled with fried onion, cabbage ground beef, seasonings, and sometimes cheese. This is a relatively healthy food, so back off!! LOL.  I give everything an A! The cashier was friendly and conversational, and the bierock was served quickly and hot. The cost is $6.75, but they are big bierocks, and you get a bag of chips with it as well. It was very good! By the way, my spell-check is highlighting the word "bierock." There IS such a word!  :-)

 From there, I had a few minutes to make a mad dash through the buildings. I grabbed a few pencils, and as I came to one booth to grab a pencil, the lady said, "Take as many as you want." I was tempted, very tempted, but didn't want to appear to be a hog, so I left them be. I then quickly sprinted to where they have samples of different breads. I was going to buy some of those mixes, when she told me to mix the package with one can of beer. Hmm. I told her I didn't buy beer. She looked up and saw my AWANA shirt and knew why. I told her that I was a children's ministry worker in my church, and that purchasing beer went against what I believed. Besides, what if one of my church kiddos saw me buying beer? Since the beer cooks out during the baking process, I'll just have to enjoy the samples at the fair. The garlic & herb bread is the best!!

As I left the building and headed onto the midway, I heard music. Familiar music, like someone had just turned on K-Love. It was Matthew West! The concert was still going on! I hurried toward the south side of the grandstand, and from a distance, I could see him on the big screen singing "Hello, My Name is." As I came closer to the gate, I noticed one of the boards in the fence was missing, and no one was at that spot. I walked up to that gap in that fence, and I had a clear view of Matthew West on stage! I stood there until the concert was over, about half an hour. He didn't simply sing, he's also a talented speaker. He can preach! I stood there and was ministered to in an amazing way. I think this was God's little way of showing me I made the right choice by not skipping out on AWANA to attend the concert. God allowed me to experience the last part of the Matthew West concert, and I walked away blessed!

As I left the fairgrounds, I met up with one of my former AWANA kids from years past. We chatted for a while, and he recalled fond memories of his days with us, and how it made him feel good inside. As we chatted, a girl walked by, saw my shirt, and said "Yay, AWANA!" with her thumbs way up. "My folks do AWANA, it's a great program!"  I called back, "Glad to hear it!" I shared with my young friend, Jessy, that it was my 26th year in the program. He was glad that I was still involved. I invited him to come visit us sometime.

I have rambled late, and I need to get myself to bed so that I won't be a sleepy mess at school tomorrow. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you back here tomorrow night! God bless!!    

Rob's State Fair Ramblings Day 5

Well, we've reached the half-way mark of the 2014 Kansas State Fair, and boy, was it a windy day in Kansas! I had to hold my hat onto my head quite a bit while I traversed the fairgrounds. I was also deathly afraid that the wind might rip the food items I had bought right out of my hands! I began the adventure with an order of cheese curds. I give the taste an A. Many years ago, I bought an order of them, and they were disgusting! It was the only cheese curds I had ever tried, and, being a true Garrison Keillor fan, I gave them a shot. Ick! I was under the impression that cheese curds were disgusting. However, several years ago, I saw a friend from our church at the fair, and he offered me one. I didn't want to be rude, so I took one. It was great! I told him about my bad experience with them, and he told me that maybe I had just gotten a bad batch. Now I order them every year! However, the portion size this year was pitiful. The chunks were smaller, too. I give value a C. The cost of the cheese curds is $6.00, and an extra $1.00 of you want a side of ranch dressing for dipping. I give cost a B. I had originally planned to eat just cheese curds and be done, but the serving size had me craving more. So, I headed to the Elephant Ear stand. There are 2 elephant ear stands there. One is located across from the Swine building (Thanks for the heads-up on that, Lorraine!), and the other one is on the midway by the Freak-Out ride. Since I was closer to the Freak-Out, I picked that one. There is a reason they call it an elephant ear! They are huge! An elephant ear is a large slab of flat bread dough that is deep-fried, and then topped with butter, cinnamon, and sugar. They gave it to me on 2 paper plates, it was that big! They are $6.00, and an extra $1.00 if you want a fruit topping on it. I give everything an A. They were really nice, and they made it up hot and fresh right there. For the record, I have been checking my blood sugar levels every night, and they are coming up normal. I make it point to eat early on in my visit, and walk it all off during the remainder of my time there. So far, so good!

I decided the visit the animal birthing center and check out what was going on there. There were a few baby calves and lambs, but not much else. They had an interactive display, a type of calf-pulling simulator. Calf-pulling is where the person reaches into the...er....and pulls the calf out. They asked me if I'd like to try. One of the vets even volunteered to hold the camera while I did this. I had the option of a simple procedure, or on that was more complicated. I figured I'd better stick with simple. This isn't something I do every day. It's not something I've done ever! I slipped my big glove on, and went to work. The calf came out easily. "It's a boy," I declared to the listening audience. It was certainly a different experience!

I had an interesting chat with a gentleman who was wearing a KU shirt. Not entirely out of the ordinary, except that he was standing at the KSU booth (which was giving away notepads....yes, I took one). I told him he was asking for trouble, wearing KU at the KSU booth. He looked a bit awkward, and said, "I know." It turns out that their home is a divided one. His wife was chatting with the KSU people and picking up literature. She had done the same for him, standing in her KSU while he frequented the KU booth. I thought it was a sweet gesture on both of their parts.

If you are in the mood for a small snack, but don't want to shell out the cash, here are some helpful tips: In the Meadowlark Building (the big commercial one), there is a stand that offers free samples of flavored dips. Just grab a pretzel and sample a crab dip, onion, jalapeno, or a dozen other options. It's really pretty good! If you have time for a sales pitch, some of the cookware demonstrators will offer a small snack cooked right there in their pots and pans. In the 2 smaller buildings next to it, there are samplings of chili, Granny's Mustard, flavored coffees (wonderful), and breads (even better!).

Tomorrow is Wednesday, and the jury is still out on whether or not I will make a fair visit. Since I will be going from job...to job....to AWANA....I don't know if I'll have to energy to visit. A lot of it will depend on how I feel, and the weather. If I don't visit, I hope you'll understand and won't feel cheated. Another iffy day is Saturday. We have family coming into Salina, and we'll be enjoying family time on Salina that day. I may be able to squeeze an evening fair visit in that day, but we'll have to see.

Thanks for reading this evening, and I'll talk to you soon!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings Day 4

I had a good time at the fair this evening. After I got off of work at Boys & Girls Club, I met my friend Christy and we hung out for a while. When you plan to meet someone at the fair, where is your meeting spot? I always like to meet at the Channel 12 booth.  It seems that everyone knows where that booth is, and there's a park area full of benches right next to it. However, before hitting that booth, I had some time, so I went to the Meadowlark Building and got some mini-donuts. The booth is called Grandma J's, and they sell a variety of things, but the mini-donuts were all I was thinking about. Grandma J's is right at the very front of the building. A half-dozen donuts is $1.50, and a dozen is $3.00. I give everything an A. I opted for the half-dozen. I feel like $1.50 is a great bargain. The cook makes the donuts fresh right in front of you, and they give them to you piping hot! They were so good, and the people were friendly. Thanks, Tammi, for the heads-up!

My friend and I went through the buildings looking for the best free stuff. I noticed that the knows a LOT of people. We had a good time chatting and browsing through the different booths. Afterwards, we were hungry, so we headed for the state fair's most famous food: The Pronto Pup! I've already had one this week, but one more is even better! Pronto Pups are $3.50, and as always, I give them an A.  As usual, I slathered it up with ketchup and mustard. The local people that work the booth are always so friendly, and the Pronto Pups are hot!  One disappointing thing I have noticed missing this year is the "No Taste Like Home" booth. They are the ones that sell the "Picnic On A Stick" that I enjoyed last year. I was hoping to get one of those this year. Christy and I enjoyed our Pronto Pups while watching the Ron Diamond hypnotist show. A good one as always!

It was a short trip to the fair, only a couple of hours, but we had a really great time! Christy and I have been good friends for several years, and just walking around was a lot of fun! It's so much more fun when you have someone to walk around with.

This was a short report tonight, but we kept it low-key tonight. I am planning on going back tomorrow night again. I have an inkling of what I may be enjoying tomorrow, but I'll keep you on edge until then. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow night!

Rob's State Fair Ranblings Day 3

After church this morning, I headed for Day 3 at the Kansas State Fair! The first thing I did was grab a Tacone from a stand called "Rotten Rodney's." Tacones are anything but rotten. It's a flour tortilla shell fried into a cone shape, and filled with all the good stuff that comes in a taco. They are $6.00. I give it an A for taste, service, and price. For $6.00, they really loaded it. Maybe they know by now that I blog, and wanted a really good shout out. You got it!!

I really wanted to see the pig races today, and similar to Ron Diamond and the high-dive show, you need to get there 30 minutes early to get a good seat. 45 minutes for a shady spot on the bleachers. However, I wanted to get some gater taters to snack on while I waited. I found them just east of the Old Mill in a big red trailer. They also sell fried alligator on a stick. Gater taters are deep-fried potatoes that are sliced up into a flower-like blossom. They were $7.00 I gave it an A for taste. They were good, but I couldn't eat all of them because you can only handle so much grease. I give it a B for cost. $7.00 for a potato? I give it a C for service. They were pretty nice, but it took 15 minutes for me to get it! I think they had to grow the potato right there! Needless to say, it put me behind getting to the pig races, and I had to sit in the sun. I'm glad it wasn't too hot today. The pig races were a blast! The emcee was hilarious, as was her assistant in the pig pen. The pig races are sponsored by Hedrick's Exotic Animal Farm in Nickerson. The pigs had funny names like Lindsey Loham and Oprah Swinefrey. I got some good video. Check my facebook page. It's a must-see!!

I stopped and chatted with my friend Tammi and her little boy, and she shared with me that the Barney Fife impersonator from last year died not too long ago. I remember that he was as one of the food booths last year, and I thought he was a security officer. I remember thinking, "He looks like Barney Fife." Turns out, he was a Barney Fife impersonator. He was kind of goofy, and ready to pose for a photo op, as you can see in one of last year's pictures I posted. I'm not sure what his real name is, but I know him as Barney Fife. RIP, Barney.

I'll bet you're all waiting with bated breath to hear how my cookies fared in the judging. The results are in. I went in to check them out, and guess what!!!!! Yep. Nothing. In fact, you can't even tell which cookie is mine, because there is another plate covering the slip with my name on it. I know which one it is. I thought I had some pretty good cookies, too. I'm not sure what I need to do to get a ribbon. It's pretty discouraging to lose 6 years in a row. When I pick up my paperwork next Sunday, they'll have comments about my cookies. We'll just see what they have to say.... 

During the day, I took a break in the park next to the Channel 12 building, and watched Merrill Teller and Cindy Klose sign autographs. I was also staking out a man named Bandaloni, the one-man band! I knew he had a gig at 4:30, and I wanted to see it and get some video. This guy was great! He sure knows how to work an audience! At one point during the song I recorded, he came right up and put his face into my camera while he was singing. Bandaloni has performed on NBC's morning show with Al Roker, and has also appeared on America's Got Talent. If you see him performing, treat yourself to some of his act. He is very talented and very funny. Another talented man is Steve Trash. (It's a nick name, he uses trash and other recyclables in his act.) He is a street magician, and he's pretty neat. One of his tricks is causing a hard metal key to bend in someone's hand. Pretty amazing! I might add that while I was waiting, a large man in a big hurry came barreling through, and nearly knocked me to the ground. "My bad," he called, as I tried to get my balance back. Several people asked if I was OK, and seemed bothered by the fact that the guy didn't even stop.

During my building walk-through, I noticed a commotion and activity at the KU booth. Sitting there were Bob and Elizabeth Dole! Also there, were several armed security officers. I'm curious about the security. Our governor, Sam Brownback, was at the fair yesterday, and he didn't have security like the Doles.  I managed to get a semi-blurry picture in, the best I could do in all of the madness. Bob Dole is a hero in our home. A number of years ago, the Bob Dole foundation sponsored a trailer/clinic on the fairgrounds offering free mammograms. My mom took advantage of this opportunity, and the scan showed lumps. They turned out to be breast cancer. Fortunately, they caught it early, mom was treated, and she's been cancer-free ever since. Had it not been for Bob Dole's mammogram booth, my mom's breast cancer may have gone undetected to the point where it would have been too late.

I'll make my trek out to the fair tomorrow, and tomorrow is Dollar Day. Admission is only $1.00 all day, but if you have a Dillons Plus Card, you get in free! All midway rides are one ticket only, and those tickets are $1.25 (based on last year's prices, not sure if they'll be the same price again this year). I have an inkling as to what I might try this time around, and it's something I've never tried before. Tammi, you know what it is, you told me about it! :-)
Thanks for reading this evening, and to one couple I talked to, thanks for reading it aloud to your hubby every evening. Yeah, you know who you are, and you made it into the blog. Now you're a celebrity!  :-)  See you all tomorrow for Day 4's report!!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings Day 2!

Today was Father's Day at the fair, the day that I take my dad to see whatever his heart desires. He enjoys this day out, even though he tires easily. This was also the day that I spent and ate too much! More about that in a sec....  My dad loves to look at livestock, particularly the horses. Maybe it's because his mom loved horses SO much. There were some beautiful breeds of horses there to see. We walked through the barns and walked the rows of stalls just enjoying them. I have a pic of my dad looking at the horses. It's on my Facebook homepage. When dad needed a breather, we stopped and watched a cattle judging...I have question for those of you who may be farmers: The people showing the cattle were using long sticks to pat the flab of skin that hung down between the cows' front 2 legs. Why do they do that? Does it calm them? My dad and I both wondered about that. I'm no farmhand, so I'm a bit in the dark about that. Following the livestock tour, we took a ride on the Sky Ride, a ski-lift type ride that gives you a great view of the fairgrounds. I posted a few pics of the view on my homepage. By then, my dad was hungry, so we enjoyed the most famous food at the fair. The Pronto Pup! We both slathered it with ketchup and mustard. How do you like YOUR Pronto Pup? I'd be interested to know. Pronto Pups are $3.50 this year, and I've never given them any less that an A for service and quality. Then dad wanted to see Ron Diamond, comic hypnotist, who is celebrating 10 years at the KSF. After 10 years, his shows are still wildly popular. His contract is actually up for renewal this year, and I don't think there will be any problem getting renewed for several more years. The people would revolt if the fair chose to not renew him! Ron put on a great show, it was hilarious. The funniest part was when he made a guy forget the number 5. Then Ron had the guy count his fingers. 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,11....11 fingers? The guy was sooo confused. LOL!!   By show's end, my dad was hungry again! :-)  So this time we went to Cottonwood Court (the indoor food court) and selected an establishment called "Porky's." They sell pork burgers. (Hence the name, LOL) I give the place a B for taste because the burgers were pretty bland. I give it a C for price, because it was $16 for 2 burgers, 2 drinks, and a dish of fries. However, I give it an A for service. All that I had left was $16, and the cost was $16.50. I told her to take the fries off. The lady at the counter waived that extra 50 cents and sent me on my way with the fries. Nice! :-)  That pretty much caused me to give it an overall B+. There are still nice people out there. By this time, my dad was spent. I took him home so he could rest, but was that the end of the fair for me? By no means! :-)

On my second trip, I parked on 17th Street. I hate parking in the main lots, they are a nightmare. It's a bit longer of a walk to park on 17th, but it's worth it to escape the traffic headaches on Plum Street. On the way, I passed a lady who had fallen and scraped her knee up pretty bad. 2 men were attending to her. I asked if I could offer assistance or call someone. The man attending her told me he was a doctor. He had just happened to be near when she had fallen, and he jumped in to help. They had it all under control. I felt good about that.  As I was entering the gate, a friend of mine pulled up and asked me to deliver some cookies to the Adrian's booth. I did just that, and then hit the buildings looking for free stuff. The best place to get the most unique stuff is the Union booth in Sunflower North. Check them out. The items change daily. Today I got a cup and a pencil. I've also gotten Frisbees and a nice coffee cup that I use every day for my hot cocoa. (Sugar-free, OK? :-) ) I also went to some of the political booths and voiced my support for them. I'll omit the names of the people I endorse, because I don't want this blog to be a political forum. After capturing the images at the diving show, (see my homepage) I visited a little booth called "Guadalupe Express." This building is just next-door east of the Beer Garden. My niece had family operating this booth, and she encouraged me to go try the Cinnamon Crunchers. It's a dough-ball with cheese, deep-fried, and coated in cinnamon and sugar. There were 4 decent-sized chunks on the plate. These cost $6.00. I give it an A for everything. They were very good! They also offer other kinds of Mexican goodies, including Queso Crunchers, which is a little spicier and cheesier, with a side of ranch for dipping. I did not order this, but wanted to let you know about it. I liked that they even had a shaded eating area right there, so you could eat without the sun beating on your head. After that, it was time to walk! I love running into people I know, but my favorite meetings are when I see my kiddos from church and school out there. I enjoy chatting with them and their parents. I don't know a lot of parents from school, so it's a nice chance to get to know them. I know pretty much all the parents from church. Seeing them reminds me that I am out in public, and I have to make sure that what I say and do are not dishonoring or disrespectful to God.  By 7:30, it was time to head home. I have church tomorrow, and I did not want to stay out too late and be a tired mess at church. I'll head back out to the fair after church services tomorrow.

Are you enjoying the blog? Anything you want me to try or look at? Post your suggestions and I'll see what I can do! I'll see you tomorrow night for night 3!! God bless!!