How To Discover A New Favourite YouTube Channel

I actually discovered this channel last year but I thought I should share this so others might enjoy their channel as well. Back in 2023 (that was, what? 3... 4 years ago? My oldest and I, along with my daughters, had gone to The Home Show in Saratoga Springs to get ideas for my son's new house - and maybe a few for mine. We had a great day and then headed home. 

Just a side note on the weather. When we headed up it was a pleasant Spring day. Temperatures were around the low 50's. So it was light jacket weather. A few miles up the road, in the Adirondack Mountains it was cold. There was still feet of snow and no sign of it melting.

Back to my story. 

As we were cruising along we played leapfrog with this 4-Runner. 

Should I be showing their license plate?
Well, they don't hide it on their channel.
Besides, they sold that 4-Runner anyway.

We were laughing about the fact that we passed them, they passed us, we passed them, until I saw it... See the sticker on the back window? It has a YouTube logo. As we continued playing leapfrog we got close enough to read their channel name - 4runningaround. I immediately looked them up and after realizing they are a camping channel I followed them. In fact, I later learned in a chat that Josh was coming back from an overnight camping trip in the Adirondacks (now do you see why I mentioned that?). He posted that video a week or so later. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5VRvRR3Y30&t=253s

They are local to me so that makes their channel more interesting. I can honestly say I have seen all of their videos and shorts. From watching, I have gathered that at least one works in my oldest son's profession and they work for the same overall employer as my youngest son. Even more interesting. Okay, that sounds stalker-ish but to me it's just things that connect us and give me reason to get out there and do what they do. Stop living through them and start living. 

They go on great camping trips and give me ideas for simple meals. In case you don't know, I have a cooking blog at www.cookwithhoney.blogspot.com. No, it isn't about honey it is based on my former last name and my children's last name and was suggested by one of my sons.

Since selling the 4Runner, and buying a truck and truck camper they changed their channel name to Josh and Kate. Kate also has a channel that she doesn't share on much and has a slightly different subject line. It's more about the behind the scenes of truck camping. Still very interesting. 

Follow them at:

            https://www.youtube.com/@kateandjosh

                            and

            https://www.youtube.com/@WanderingKate

Give them some love.

 

Until Next Time!

    Ingrid

Celebrating Cream Cheese

 Over the weekend we went up to our former hometown of Lowville New York for one of those events that had been a well-kept secret for many years. For 13 years now this small town has been the location for what is basically a street fair.  I remember when I was volunteering at the Chamber of Commerce and we were discussing fundraisers. It was mentioned that the local Kraft plant had expressed an interest in sponsoring an activity that might showcase Philadelphia Cream Cheese. The Lowville plant happens to be the largest Cream Cheese Plant.  Contrary to what people think about Wisconsin, New York State also happens to be a dairy state. In fact, Northern New York, where Lowville is, happens to be predominantly dairy farms. 

The first year of the event we shut down the street for almost a block to allow foot traffic for the various booths and stands.  On a side street we closed the area to the park in order for children to safely attend activities there. About 500 people attended.  Each year the event grew to what is now a block and a half closed, plus the entire side street. There are two stages for performers and two areas for various cream cheese related games. I'm guessing that the turn-out in this county of almost 30,000 now seems to be closer to 5000 or more, with many coming from the nearby Fort Drum. We try to drive up for it every year.

The feature of the Cream Cheese Festival is, of course, cheesecake. Not just any cheesecake but the World's Largest Cheesecake lovingly made and served by Kraft employees. 

You know you have reached Lewis County when you pass the vast Marks' Farms.  This dairy farm currently has about 9000 head of Holstein cattle and produces about 340,000 pounds of milk daily (I got this from their website). 

Crystal Pond is located in New Bremen, just east of Lowville. It's a man-made lake that is a local swimming hole in the summer and provides fundraising for the local fire department in the winter, through the harvesting of its ice.

My alma mater, Lowville Academy and Central school, is a Preschool - 12th grade school that in 2016 had 1306 students. We used to have a grass turf surrounded by a gently sloping hill, where people sat to watch the games.  Above the hill was grass and a playground. Now it is turf, several tennis courts and two gravel playgrounds. Gone are the hill and grassy areas.  I'm not sure this is progress.

Up until a few years ago this entrance to a lobby between the high school, middle school and elementary wings was an awesome wind tunnel. You stepped into an area tucked into the buildings and the wind would whip your hair in a cyclone and the swirling leaves tried to be woven in.  So, I guess this is progress. 

Looking from the wind tunnel toward the elementary wing. This brings back so many memories.

I'm sharing this because this is the same saying that I showed a few posts ago from the entrance of my son's high school.

The front of the school, looking at the high school. Aside from the new windows, it looks the same as when I graduated so long ago.

From in front of the school, looking down the street at the Cream Cheese Festival. 

After half an hour they were slowly making their way through handing out the cheesecake. 

The slices weren't pretty, but they were so delicious!

Looking toward the crowd gathered to watch one of the bands.

Freemen's Taffy is the best taffy ever!  They are only available at the Lewis County Fair and at special events. Maybe that what makes them so good.

One of the many odd cream cheese-related games. This one is called Cream Cheese Shuffle Board. The goal is to get the cream cheese tubs through the legs of the goalie.

My son is a huge fan of the local meteorologist. She is a hometown girl and was emceeing the festival.

The son of my neighbour from here in the capital region is the drummer for the band Under Cover. The lead singer is from Lowville.  They drove up to play. If you are ever in the Capital District look them up.  They play classic rock and are really good!

Several songs later and they are still talking. 

A friend of ours caught on camera. 

A New Year With An Old Love

I can't believe another year has gone by so quickly and my life has changed so much in that time. After giving up on love and believing those who had claimed to love me, but would tell me that no one ever would, I am back with my first love.  Happier than I ever thought I could be and more in love than I thought was possible. We had lost one another for 35 years but found each other, and could only think of how we would manage to be reunited.  It took several months to figure out the logistics.

I owned my own rather large home, but was on year five of a never-ending battle to keep it, while my ex wanted it sold. My children were in a school that they loved.  But most of all, my church family meant the world to me. My entire family was heavily into volunteering there; my oldest was even their Tech Director.  However, I was never able to find a permanent job and worked a series of short term jobs. But we were happy.

My Sweetie was living a life of loneliness and working at a job he loved with the same company for almost three decades, and told me he often dreamed of one day finding me. Then I found him.

I gave up the fight for the house,  found homes for my dog, cats and remaining chicken. We packed everything we owned into storage, sent my minivan to my neighbour's home, until we get transmission work done. Two of my sons opted to live in the country with their Dad and my four remaining children traveled with us and our remaining cats, cockatiel, and dinner plate-sized red-eared slider. We downsized to an apartment in the city. Quite different from our almost 3000 square foot home and five acre property in the country.

We found a church we love; where my oldest is already involved in the tech department. Two of my kids have jobs, another changed her college plans and the younger one is loving his new school that has almost as many kids in his grade as his former school had in K-12 grades. My remaining children and I are closer than ever. We've had many  laughs and fun adventures and are taking part in all sorts of new activities.  But the best part for me is that I am back with the first boy I ever loved. My first serious relationship.  And for the first time in my life I feel like someone really loves me (besides my parents and my children).

I don't know how 2015 can be better than 2014. I can't wait to see what is next.

Road Trip!

It was a simple quest.

Andrew and I were going to take a relatively quick 5 1/2 hour road trip to the Capital District so we could get India from college for the summer. 

But someone had decided her van wouldn't make the 30° grade of the Driveway From Hell over the winter and parked it. Not in the barn on the hill, where it would be protected. Nooo.  I parked her in the driveway and let her sit - under 3 feet of snow - untouched.  Now we were facing the consequences. 

India's last class was on May 7th and so we were going to head out on the 8th and spend the night in Amsterdam but the van needed a front brake rebuild. So, off she went for repairs. Then I took her for inspection and she failed!! The back brakes needed a rebuild too. The mechanic who did the inspection offered to fix it for merely the cost of my first-born son. 

I took her back to the mechanic who did the front brakes. They told me it should make the trip but turned my rotors and returned her to me on the new departure date, promising to repair the back brakes when I returned from the trip. Next I went back to a different, non-shady, garage for a new inspection. 

One week and two hours late, we headed out on our great adventure. Braving Buffalo's rush hour traffic, singing happily to the stereo with my beloved Bose speakers and amazing bass - so the van vibrates as she rolls down the road.
.
.
until
.
.
She started making noises. Quiet at first. I had to roll down the window to hear it. But we kept rolling.

.
.
then
.
.
something clunked!

I pulled over and was almost instantly followed by a state trooper. He checked her out but we saw nothing wrong so he told me to drive on the shoulder slowly. He followed me as I did. Once I pulled back into traffic, he did a u-turn on the thruway and headed back to Syracuse. 

And she clunked again!

I called the number given me by the trooper and the state police sent me a flatbed.   They took my van to a shop in Mattydale and dropped us off at a hotel under the over-pass to Route 81. So much for sleep. 

The next day at around noon, they finished the rear brake rebuild (for half what I was quoted by the local mechanic).  Andrew and I headed back out on the road. Once we relaxed, we went back to singing and laughing. 

We finally got to India, where she almost knocked me off my feet when she jumped into my arms. I took India, Andrew and India's friend Samara to the mall in Rotterdam while I popped into my dear friend, Ken's office in Albany to say visit for a while.  I had lost touch with him for 30 years and it was so good to see him again!

Back to the hill they call Amsterdam and we went to meet up with Samara's family and loaded the van with India's futon and other items before heading to the hotel.

The next day we headed back home.  

Our return trip was uneventful. Aside from India driving me crazy with her kicking my seat as she tried to use it for leverage in her attempt to push past the cargo and recline her seat. 

And she kept getting text messages that interrupted the playlist on the cell phone. I could only take having my singing stopped a few times before I beat her at a rest stop. I have to say, the fear in her eyes when I threw the door open was beautiful!

In payment for all we went through to get India, we went grocery shopping a few miles from home and finished packing her in.  She was just over-joyed by the time we got home. 

But at least she was home.

Something To Be Thankful For

I got such wonderful news today. With everything that has been going wrong with my life, it's a welcome break.  

My oldest daughter.  My fellow redhead.  My Mini-Me (her 5 feet-even to my towering 5 feet 2 inches).  Winnie. Bugs.  My beautiful India Sierra will be coming home for Christmas Break.

We didn't think it would happen. Money is too tight and my cars are just not reliable enough to drive the six hours to her college home in the Albany area. Her boyfriend's mom drove across the state to pick her up and when her cell phone minutes ran out we began relying on her using the library computer to chat almost daily.  

I barely remember the sound of her voice but I will never forget the feel of her hug.  She loves to hug.  She loves to talk too - non-stop (she is a mini me after all)-  but hugging is her favourite thing to do. She would talk to Matthew for hours.  She calls him her best friend.  It isn't often that siblings love each other as much as they do.  They share a special bond, a special closeness.  

We had chatted about her, maybe, coming home for mid-winter break.  She should have a job by then so it would depend on her schedule.  I haven't seen her since she left in August.  Even with five of my children still at home, it feels like part of me is missing.   I miss her so much.

On Sunday our church's office manager was asking about her when I said India can't come home for the Holidays, there is no money.   This lovely lady said she would pray about it.  Yesterday she tried to call me but I was resting.  Today I called her back at the church office and she told me they are paying for India's bus fare. 

I don't know how to thank them enough.  I have something special to be thankful for - my little girl is coming home. 

I Love You, India.

I found this video and it just seemed to fit my mood so well right now.

Oudoe,

Ingrid

If I Hear One More Person Say "Get Your Head In The Game" I'll Scream!

Seriously. I'm glad to know they all watched "High School Musical" but did they manage to find all the flaws or did they just learn the songs?  Matthew and I used to go through and pick the movies apart - that's how we roll. 

For the second year in a row, the Clymer Pirates made it to the Division DD Title Championship.  This meant FIELD TRIP!  Yes, indeedy. We loaded up the school buses at 7:30am after 1/2 hour of practice for the girls and shuffled off to Buffalo.  The spectators and cheerleaders rode on my kids' normal bus with my kids' normal driver - who seemed amused when they took attendance and called me by my previous married name and I said out loud "I always hated that name."

Anyway, apparently we aren't as well behaved as my kids because we had to sit in the front of the bus.  That's where Norville seats the little kids and those who misbehave. I swear I was on my best behaviour.  Of course I was sitting with the cheerleaders and you never know what they will do, so I guess I understand. 

Amanda and I on the bus

Amanda has decided that she really loves Westfield.  As we passed through it, she fell in love with the older homes and the beauty of the town. Victorian houses surrounded by vineyards with a view of Lake Erie.  How could you not love it?

At one point Norville was trying to ask Coach a question but she was listening to Flo-Ri-Da and mouthing along with it.

Really, the girls had to get off the bus as soon as it stopped so they could run into the stadium. What stadium, you ask?  Why the Buffalo Bills Ralph Wilson Stadium, of course!

I admit it - I was in complete awe!!  I mean this is "The Ralph"!  I'm not a big Bills fan. I'm a Broncos fan since way back - oh, hush up! I am!  But still, this was really cool.

I came waltzing in with two pairs of socks, regular jeans over my skinny jeans, Amanda's cheer hoodie from last year under my heavy coat - with a Dutch Bros hoodie for back-up.  I had an umbrella plus a heavy fleece blanket for whatever the weather would bring us. What I lacked was my sneakers - somebody borrowed them and I could only find one on the dryer and my gloves - I only had one in my purse.  I wore my ballet flats and left the lone glove at home.

I just can't get over how awesome this place is!  I'm sure I looked like tourist, stopping to take photos, but I didn't care.

The last time I was in an stadium-type was in the much smaller HemisFair Arena in San Antonio to watch a Spurs basketball game back in 1990.  Three years before they moved to the Alamodome. 

Welcome to the 2012 High School Football Play-offs!!
Class DD Championship Game
Clymer Pirates (7-1) vs. Ellicottville/West Valley Eagles (6-2)

 The weather forecast on the screen showed the temperature to be 37 with a wind chill of 29 degrees. Yet, the girls once again insisted on wearing their skirts.  We don't want them to look fat, after all. This is where I would be shaking my head.

The girls put on brave faces despite their freezing to death as they posed for many pictures from their adoring public.

Amanda was a bit down-in-the-dumps after a major snub by her fellow cheerleaders that left their coach shocked by the other girls' behaviour and Amanda hurt by their cruelty. But you know, if you are a sweet and quiet person and you get involved with the ultimate in self-involvement then you need to learn to duck their blows and go on with your life. I am proud of my daughter.  I know she cares about others and would never hurt anyone the way they hurt her.  That makes her the better person.

Back to the pre-game warm-ups. Okay, this was a bit different.  Some people stretch or do exercises.  The girls wrapped themselves in blankets.  It's still warming up - right?

It is time - The boys were introduced and they were ready to charge the sign.  Go Pirates!  They were so excited to be able to stand mid-field.

At what point in time did the rules on the national anthem change?  Are we really supposed to put our hands on our hearts for this? All my life that was reserved for the pledge or men with hats.

More posing. If they had moved around a bit more and done a few more cheers during the first half they might have stayed warmer.  Or maybe if they had worn clothes. I was cold just looking at them.

Well, that and when Amanda would keep taking my blanket away from me. When it came time to getting warm all feelings were put aside and they used everyone's body heat. They were about to perform their fantastic half-time dance and needed to warm up a bit so they could move.  A football dad came down and told me he didn't approve and a football mom lectured Coach about letting the girls huddle for five minutes before half-time. They were allowed to huddle. After all, it's easy to complain when you are bundled from the cold.  Did I mention 29 degrees wind chill?  Poor girls...

Funny story: 

The couple sitting across the aisle from me arrived late and were friends of Coach.  As the ball was passed and the player ran for a touchdown, the man yelled "That's what I'm talking about!" I looked over at him.  The player ran the 15 yards to the endzone while the man yelled "Yah! Yah! Yah!" I turned around at the rest of the spectators (I was in the front row playing Mary Poppins with Amanda's bag for her).  The other spectators were watching the man. The player scored a touchdown and the man cheered!!  Coach walked up to the wall and said "Both schools have the same colours. Clymer is wearing white today."

Half-time dance. The girls did an amazing job!
The beginning and end are a bit shaky because I was just learning how to use Matthew's android and was looking at buttons - I never did find the zoom until the dance was over.  I think they are called smart phones to describe the intelligence of the user.

 Second half and the girls who remembered their warm-up pants put them on. Notice Amanda on the far left didn't. Dingy. Amanda did find one of my gloves in the pocket of her jacket.  hmmm... I wonder who it was that borrowed my gloves last?  And why did I end up with one?  Ariel had her hoodie for the game personalized to memorialize our beloved Superintendent Keith Reed who was murdered in September.

The girls did a lot more cheering during the second half. It might have been because some of them were better dressed. It may have been to stay warm. Or it may have been that the boys were getting their mojo back and after ending the first half at 34-0, they stopped any further touch-downs by Ellicottville and got some points themselves. Thank God, because I was tired of parents yelling "Get your head in the game!"

 Amanda noticed the same thing I did: whenever the boys did badly it was dark and overcast, when they did well the sun would pop out.  Amanda said she felt that instead of God watching us, Mr. Reed was watching. She said when the boys didn't do well Mr. Reed would cover his eyes and when the boys kicked butt Mr. Reed would uncover his eyes and watch.

Coach was given some shirts to throw to the spectators.  The crowd went wild for this.  There was a group of boys who kept cheering when the girls weren't and they managed to get a shirt to them.

Time to head home.  The score was 34-17. Clymer lost. My toes were numb.  I longed for the bus.  As we were driving down the Thruway we saw the snow clouds rolling in.  Thankfully they weren't further south at home.

Amanda was deep in thought. So many of the kids were sad.  Cheerleaders were crying.  They shouldn't be.  The Pirates made it to The Ralph TWO YEARS IN A ROW!  Plus this year they got on the board.  Ellicottville was a tough team. Clymer fought hard.  They did an amazing job.

They should be proud of themselves.

I am proud of them.

I know Mr. Reed is proud of them.

Amanda appeased me and stood on the footbridge over the Thruway on the way to Mickey D's. Really she was thinking "We have 31 minutes to get back to the bus. I'm cold. I'm starving. Now take the picture and let's go!"

This was cool.  A player piano was serenading everyone that walked into the building.  Coach called it "Creepy."

I told Amanda I would blog about this: she was dumping sugar packets into her coffee and when she got to the last packet she tore it open and dumped it into the bag of trash.  (I choked on my burger *still giggling*)

Another thing I have to point out: we had hamburgers with cheese in Hamburg (NY).  

I find that amusing. But then, I am easily amused. 

It's hard to tell in this photo but the grapevines were brown and drying up for the winter.  Winter is right around the corner.

One of the interesting things about riding in a bus for a total of four hours with three older women and a man who drives fro a living, I now know gossip about so many people. I hope I don't end up all gossipy when I finally grow up. 

Welcome home. The garage light was on at Mr. Reed's empty house as we neared Clymer.  It was as if he was welcoming us home. (His memorial in the foreground is still maintained by students and teachers alike.)

Day three of this month of gratitude

I am grateful for furry pets to snuggle with.

Oudoe,

Ingrid

Into The (Red)Woods

I'm sure most people have a "Bucket List".  You know, that list of things that you want to do before you kick the bucket.  Well, one of those on my list was to visit the Redwood Forest of California.  This year I was lucky enough to get to do that with my Sweetheart, Johannes. 

 The trees were amazing!  I have never seen anything so majestic before.

 We felt so small standing under them.

 I felt as though I would be lost if I were to step off of a trail.

 We spent the night in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.  Specifically the Redwoods KOA.  We stayed in this adorable Kabin nestled among the redwoods.

 There was something so amazing about the primitiveness of the forest.

 Something about it made everything else seem so insignificant.

 Except for this little bug, who chose to be the focus of this camera shot.

 It felt like we were walking into a time long forgotten.

 Standing on this stump, I could have jumped inside of the center.  The depth and size was unbelievable.

The way the forest replenished itself was fascinating.  This tree had long ago fallen but new life sprung from it as a tree grew out of the roots.  

I was in awe of this beautiful forest and hope that it is protected for future generations to explore it's wonders.  There is so much to see in the redwoods and I feel like I only scratched the surface.  I know that I will be back with Johannes.  Hopefully the rest of my family will get to experience it's beauty with us.