Food Expo, Day 2

Wow, day 2 of the food expo and we are charged up.
We had signed up for 3 workshops but only two were offered after all; e-mail 101 and advanced e-mail. I wasn’t sure how e-mail would be involved with business but decided that these were necessary workshops.
The speaker owns a business that organizes e-mail clubs for large businesses. You may ask what an e-mail club is. This is a “club” or group that one may sign up for and receive special coupons or information on new products via e-mail. I get e-mails for specials from Rubio’s and Dave’s BBQ.
The 101 class was to introduce us to the basics and Dale and I were amazed at the possibilities for Nate and me. Here we learned how to start an e-mail club and the basics on how to run it. In the advanced class we learned more details on what we need with the startup and what the site should look like.
Between classes we ran into the speaker in the hall and started talking. I told him how we could apply his ideas to the cookies and almonds. He immediately took an interest in our business and gave more tips. He gave me his card and said to call with any questions. I in turn told him I’d send some cookies.

1st Day of the Food Expo

Today was the 1st day of the Western Food Expo. OMG!!!
I left Bakersfield at 7am, picked up Dale and headed down to San Diego. After a stop to drop stuff off for Nate at the farmers market we got on our way.
I was not entirely happy to be driving the Mazda with no AC in 100+ but lack of $$ this week made this a necessity. As it turned out we could not have made a better choice. The parking structure was very tight and we were able to park close to where we wanted to be with the Mazda. The truck would have been impossible.
As for the food expo: there are 100’s of exhibitors there. For those of you who have never been to an expo the point is for exhibitors to sell their wares. They exhibit all or many of the items they sell but only one of each item. Buyers come and place orders for the items. At this expo many exhibitors are selling food products, hence the food expo, so they give samples of the foods they produce.
When Dale and I walked into the expo we came into the Mexican Food area. We didn’t really know what to expect but found people picking up food at nearly every booth. We got immediately into a line and picked up food then went on to have every type of Mexican food that is made.
After walking to the end of the expo we started back the other way sampling every flavor of smoothie, beers, wines, martinis, yogurts, beef from Canada and Montana, BBQ and an incredible salmon salad.
I’m stuffed. Like Julia Child said, “I’m growing right before your eyes”.
For 5 hours we sampled food but did manage to find some containers for the cookies. We have a ton of samples being shipped to our house in all shapes and sizes.
Tomorrow we will attend our workshops after 2 hours of eating. The expo opens at 11 and our workshops start at 1. We wouldn’t want to attend a workshop with our stomach growing now would we?

Hot, hot, hot

It has been hot here, over 100F, but thank goodness it does cool off at night.

We belong to a special program with our power company PG&E. On very hot week days PG&E may call a Smart Day and then we must turn off our AC from 2-7pm. We try not to use the washer/dryer, electrical appliances and leave the computers unplugged. If we use much electricity then we pay a very high price for usage.

Yesterday was a Smart Day. I knew that it was near 2pm but was busy working on the computer. Before I knew it the time was just after 2pm. I quickly turned off the AC but by the time it shut down the time was 2:06. Then both laptops ran out of battery so we had to plug them in. Then I needed to get Dale off to work so I had to heat up some food in the microwave.

Fortunately on Sept. 4, PG&E is installing a free programmable thermostat. The hitch is that they can remotely turn off the AC during a smart day but will only turn if off for 15 min increments. With PG&E having control over the thermostat then we will not be penalized for going over.

Last month we paid $140.00 while our neighbors paid over $700. Good reason for us to stay on the program.

Organizing my life

I’d planned to go to Clayton’s yesterday and help with their new house. I think that Jen and I were going to paint the great room and I was to paint the deck.

Unfortunately I was not able to go at the last minute and was really disappointed. Worse I had to miss a BBQ at Skywalker Ranch with Clayton.

I’ve been gone so much that I’m actually glad to get back home. Weeds are back in the landscaping so that needs to be worked on early in the morning when it is cool. The house needs some attention but really I need to start organizing all of the businesses that I have going: Petits fours made Easy, Petits Fours Cut Easy, Siemens Family Farm and the newest Christine’s Almond Delights.

I’m supposed to get everything out of my head on what I have to do with these businesses and put it on paper. I’ve started to do this but it is easier said than done. I’m really overwhelmed with all of this stuff.

Siemens Family Reunion Day 3

Since Dale and I were not going to attend the family church stuff we were nominated to take our nephew Paul to the airport in the morning. We visited with him on the way as it was too busy to talk much during the reunion.

Paul is an incredibly great looking and smart guy working in Colorado. (Nothing to do with the fact that he is my nephew) He is also a marathon runner and planning to run in the New York marathon. I’ll be in Chicago the day before the race and am going to see how much extra it will cost to go on to New York. I’d love to see him race and shoot some photos.

We arrived back in Dinuba in time to meet the family for lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. After lunch it was back to Carolyn’s where the remaining people sat around eating more food and visiting. We finished packing our RV and left; actually we really wanted to go see Julia & Julie in the evening.

We left on the high note, while every one was having a good time. That’s the best time to make an exit.

Siemens Family Reunion Day 2

So we have finished our 2^nd day of the reunion.

Yesterday we arrived early evening as we had other things going on during the day. We did eat dinner with the family and visit for a little while then everyone wanted to go off to bed.

Carolyn was making breakfast and coffee was made by the time we got up this morning. She had cut up some fresh peaches which were so good and juicy.

Nate and Bekki arrived late morning and the grand kids were able to meet their 2^nd cousins. Sunny had already gotten reacquainted last night so she set out to help Elias and Christabel. Elias finally had some other boys to play with.

Clayton and Jen made it here around noon and the 1^st cousins looked like they were having fun. There was lots of talking and laughing. Elias announced that the younger talking cousins were talking too much!

After a lunch of Jiazoi and dinner of pie and ice cream the festivities died down although we did have a small party in the RV at one time. We filled our fridge with wine and beer before leaving home so some came in for a little drink between visiting.

Now all is quiet. Apparently people must go to bed early in order to be ready for their church stuff. We will sleep in!

The Siemens Family Reunion

It has been just over two years since we hosted our turn in the Siemens Family Reunion. We had decided to host ours over a weekend as the last two were several days and they were simply too long for our liking.

Now it is Carolyn’s turn and she has scaled hers way back. It is only a weekend but will take place at her house with the focus on food. We will have Veranika/Sausage tomorrow night and Jiaozi (like pot stickers) on Sat. Unfortunately I can’t eat much of either as Veranika has wheat and the sausage grease gets to me. Then the Jiaozi has wheat so I’ll skip most of that as well.

Given the relationships between the siblings and Dale and I, we are always a little on edge for these things. But we will take this one moment at a time. And as a good friend told me this is a good time to write as family times are full of great fodder.

Apparently the rest of the family will go to the coast for several days but as we learned of these plans too little too late we will skip that part. Going for the weekend will be enough for us and we should have fun.

We will take our RV and stay in it. I’ll have my laptop and will be writing lots of notes.

A tribute to a Neighbor Family

Some time ago I wrote a couple of blogs to give tribute to a person. A couple of days ago I realized that I should write about our neighbors the Nickerson’s, a family who live across the street.
The Nickerson’s are a family of 5, 2 boys and 1 girl, the girl as the youngest. One son is in a local community college and 1 son in high school while the girl is about 1 year from high school.

When the Nickerson’s moved into the house several years ago we did not get to know them. At least a year or two went by before we actually spoke much to them. I initially got to know the mom and how I don’t even remember.

They are some of the nicest people that we know. When Dale has come to visit me while I’m working it is their sons who take him to the airport or pick him up. When Dale came to NM recently and left the front door unlocked it was the mom who came over, found the key and locked up the door. On Sunday morning we were leaving for Clayton’s but needed to load up the washer and dryer we were going to take to them; the dad and a son came to help. They even loaned us their dolly to use at Clayton’s. All of this but yet the mom doesn’t like for us to pay the kids for their help. We do give the kids some money anyway.

How do we pay them back?

Julie & Julia & Chris

Dale had bought me the set of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” probably in the mid to late ’70’s. What I have is a two volume set in a case.

I just referred to Volume 1 last week, lifting it gently from its case as the spine is breaking off. I found some notes that I’d written in the book on a food stained page. I remembered modifying that recipe to use in the crockpot.

Jan and I were talking about food something or another and at the same time decided that it would be fun to go see the new movie Julie & Julia. We had put a cheesecake in the oven, mostly to test using the leftover crunchy cookies as a crust, so then couldn’t leave until the last second possible. But we took the cake out of the oven a few minutes early and ran out the door.

The theater was packed and the only seats for us were in the front so we sat about 4 rows back. I usually don’t like to sit that close but this time we were so close to the food in the movie that we felt like we could reach out and take a taste.

Watching the movie was amazing; I’ve prepared many recipes from the 2 books, modifying some to fit the ingredients I had or the method of cooking. I also am writing a cooking blog and can identify with that.

The shock in the movie was when Julia Child received a copy of the book from the publisher. The book was so nice and so new! I thought of my poor old, faded, food stained, tattered book and knew that it had been so nice and new so long ago.

The food looked so good that we could taste it, especially those recipes I’d made before. I simply wanted to go home and thumb thru my books and then cook.

A Normal Day?

I’d like a day that would be normal, but then what is normal? I wouldn’t have a clue.

My sister-in-law Jan, the one who was married to Dale’s brother Mark who passed away, was coming to town and wanted to spend one or two nights at our house. She was to arrive yesterday afternoon.

After the grandkids trip Elias stayed with us for another week but Sunny and Taylor had gone home. I then had one week all alone but unfortunately had the cough problem. Now Sunshine wanted to come back so I had to pick her up. My quiet weekend with Jan was slipping away.

Nate and Bekki were planning to come by last night and visit with Jan so I thought that I’d smoke some Salmon and veggies. Well Nate called and told me that they had sent Christabel and Elias with their other grandmother and she would be dropping them off here then Nate and Bekki would arrive later.

Jan had some work to do and I had almonds to smoke and kids were running in and out but I did get the salmon on and we did eat. Nate and Bekki decided to wait until morning to arrive and by 11:30 pm kids were demanding more ice cream and almonds still were not in the smoker. We did an ice cream run, put the almonds in and by 3a.m, a few more glasses of wine and sorbet we were done.

So is this the normal day? I’m beginning to believe it is.