The Farm Road

2010 KMZU Beef Contest Winner!!!

2010-05-27T15:31:00.004-05:00

Just wrapped up another KMZU Best Beef Recipe contest. This winning recipe was submitted by Rita Wilson of Tina.

Grilled Sirloin Poppers

1 Lb Sirloin Steaks – cubed
¼ t Steak Seasoning
½ t Greek Seasoning
1 16oz bottle Italian Salad Dressing
½ Cup Jalapeno Pepper Slices
10 slices Bacon, cut in half
Toothpicks soaked in water

1. Season meat with Greek seasoning & Steak seasoning. Place in a bowl and cover with Italian dressing. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to marinate – best to marinate overnight.

2. preheat grill for medium heat. Drain the marinade from the meat and discard the marinade. Place a slice of jalapeno on top of a piece of meat, then wrap with a slice of bacon. Secure with a soaked toothpick. Repeat with remaining meat.

3. Grill the sirloin poppers for 15 to 20 minutes to brown the bacon.

Serve and enjoy!!

I just spoke with Rita a little time ago. She dropped off the recipe as a last minute thought, handwritten on the last day of the deadline. That's a spur of the moment move that just won her a new BBQ Grill!! Congratulations Rita!!

By the way, it seems like we just did the recipe contest. As I look through my previous posts it looks like it was a short time ago. That means I need to find more interesting things in my world and get to posting! That said, here's my new mid-year resolution to blog more!! I've posted today so that's one down!

Lil Red is Done

2010-05-12T15:33:00.004-05:00

So I found success in using reverse on the car. The good news I was able to slip the Lil Red Jetta into Drive one last time. Slowly creeping away from the stop sign I made a quick decision to hang a right onto a nice level street where I made the executive decision not to stop again! Luckily it was downhill most of the way to the office and that route just happened to go by an auto shop. After a couple slow and go's I pulled into a parking place at the shop where the mechanic could back out and roll down the hill into the garage if necessary. I then hoofed it up the hill to work. The next day I got the call..... "It will probably cost more to fix your car than it's worth, so if you could move it, soon, that would be great."
So how and where do you move a car that only works in reverse? You could have someone haul it for you, but strikes me as a little pricey, and no fun!! My answer... mom was in town and parked at the top of the hill next to the station. It was a short distance so I just backed the Jetta up the hill to the station parking lot. The following Monday I drafted Debbie from the office to escort me to the shop on the south side of town. As we were leaving the studio for the backwards adventure, there was a last minute joke to play. Ray needed to pick up his car from the place we were going so I volunteered to give him a lift. He climbed in the car and started chatting. As we backed out of the parking lot and he had an inquisitive look on his face, I informed him we would drive backwards to get his car. He had a fun reaction, but let's just say he said "what!!" So we proceeded to follow Debbie, backwards, through town. After a couple miles and a few odd looks from people, we arrived in one piece.
The Lil Red Jetta is done, but a new-to-me pretty Trailblazer has taken its place.

Hello Spring!!!

2010-04-05T11:02:00.000-05:00

The Farm Road is moving slow! That's in reference to my lack of posts, but also in reference to the lack of activity in farm country at this time. We enjoyed a few days of sunshine last week but last night another storm set farm activity back once again. On a positive note, this morning I noticed my tulips are blooming. That put a smile on my face because it's just a matter of time till the flowerbed is full of color!!
Before I catch you up on one of the latest adventure, note the "KMZU Facebook" link to the right. We have a challenge we are trying to meet… reach 1000 "KMZU friends" by May 5th! If we reach the goal the sales staff will supply the on air hoodlums free margaritas and nachos (maybe with cheese)!!! Help some starving radio peeps out!!
Now, onto the latest adventure, and I use that term loosely…
If you refer back to late 2008, you'll see pictures of my former Jeep. That's the Jeep that met its demise on a dark road when it collided with the hind end of a large steer. After that sad encounter I bought a 96 Jetta to get me by for a bit. The Jetta held true to those expectations, though "a bit" was a little shorter than I hoped. The transmission started slipping on week number two and I've been nursing her along since then. Now fast forward to February 2010….
I was supposed to be at the Linn Tech Campus on the 25th. I'd planned to go down the night before and visit with friends but that fell through. The morning of, I was throwing things together and packing up stuff for Chilly (more on her later). I made a call to the campus to double check something when I learned I was a month early. I needed to be there the 25th of March. Ooops. I had other things to do anyway so I directed the Jetta to KMZU corporate. I made it two blocks and could tell something wasn't right. I was driving down the next hill when I had the feeling I was coasting instead of driving. At the next stop sign on the hillside I attempted multiple gears D, 1st and 2nd. As two cars gave up and drove around me, I finally found success... in reverse.

Bursts of Color

2009-10-26T11:31:00.004-05:00

What a beautiful day! I grant that it's Monday, but the colors outside are really mood lifting. I recently found a few Fall bloomers I couldn't resist on the clearance rack of the nearby greenhouse. After a couple weekends they are actually in the ground and already sparkling with bright shades of pinks and yellows. I was going to take a few pictures of the countryside yesterday but I have apparently allowed the battery in my camera to run down. I plan to recharge the little inefficient beast today and post a few shots of the area just in case you haven't had the chance to enjoy the real life watercolor scenes of Fall yet.

Closing the 09 Vacay Book

2009-09-09T16:26:00.003-05:00

That evening I dropped Kayla off at her parent's place north of Bolivar. Her brother, Chris, would join her later that evening after a long drive from Texas. The next day the two of them would head to Columbia to visit their parents at the hospital.
After kicking Kayla out of the car I took off for south central Missouri to grab a little family time of my own.
When family time wrapped up the following day, the three of us gathered back in Humansville and spent the next couple days in late night conversations, late morning wake ups, and back roading through the landscape of Polk County… In a Jeep, with the top off!!! It was great weather to be out and about with friends and we learned a few things about the area. First, if you need to find someone and don't know where to look, plant yourself at the convenience store because they will pass through sooner or later. Second of all, we grabbed lunch at a small café in town. It was a pleasant surprise to dine on what has to be one of the best salads ever! I don't remember the name, but if you pass through Humansville, swing by the little café on Main and enjoy!!
Last but not least, backroading is still a great way to spend time. Yes, you burn a little gas but you see the good stuff when you venture off the beaten path. For example, while touring the countryside one day, we got a kick out of this sight... I love people with an entertaining sense of humor!! Do you have to be a small town kid to appreciate backroading, or do urban/suburbanites somehow learn that pastime too?
After a couple days entertaining ourselves, Saturday rolled around. Chris made another trip to Columbia to visit the family. Kayla and I ventured back to the Lake of the Ozarks for the jet ski adventure we missed earlier in the week. That evening Chris joined us at the lake for a night on the town at a little club down the road. Bright and early Sunday, he set out for the long haul back to the Lone Star state. Kayla and I returned to Columbia for another visit with the family. Her dad was feeling a little better after his week of recovery and her mom seemed to be a little more rested after the whirlwind week they had experienced. That afternoon we returned to Kansas City to do the rental car and checked luggage shuffle. We made it home and can't wait for the next vacation adventure.

Back to Vacation Past

2009-08-28T17:30:00.006-05:00

A little slow on the follow up to the stories I suppose, but there's more to come…
It just so happens we had a great vacation.
Fred and Deb, it was great to see you.. even if you did spend most of your time "hanging out" with the nurses and doctors. There's a good chance they were better company, not to mention, a lot more useful under the circumstances than the rest of us! Hope to visit with you again
We had a great visit with the family and we wanted a spontaneous spin to vacation anyway! After we left the hospital we traveled south to the Lake of the Ozarks. Thanks to my friend Nicole who did a little online search, we found a great resort for $67 a night. At least half the price of some places we checked into and it was very nice. The only downside was the regional cheerleading competition that was being held there that same week. When the guy at the desk shared that information, images of teenie boppers doing cartwheels up and down the halls while giggling and screaming cheers throughout the night passed through my mind. Thankfully that was not the case because he placed us on a floor far away from the sleep threatening spirit squads. We had an awesome balcony overlooking a wonderful scene of greenery and the lake. One evening we participated in what we refer to as "sauna golf." It's an easy game, just attend any mini or full size golf course on what would have to be the muggiest, most miserable, humidity filled day of the year. As you step onto the course, make sure you are surrounded by a number of people (dozens works best) who can slow down the process of actually finishing all 18 holes. You will honestly find yourself fighting the temptation to jump into the mucky oddly colored "water hazard" at the course.

Congratulations, you have now experienced Sauna Golf!! We managed to survive the game by cutting out a couple holes early to make it to the air conditioned theater to see "The Hangover." By the way, I thought it was hilarious!!
During our time at the lake we also enjoyed a couple days of sleeping in, swimming, and a great morning at the spa with massage, manicures, and pedicures! Wonderful!!
We were going to head out for an adventure on Jet Skii's but Mother Nature had a different idea when she sent a monsoon our way. At that point we were already planning to leave the lake for another adventure and this just bumped up the schedule.

When Things Fall into Place...

2009-07-08T15:34:00.003-05:00

Then that’s the place you're supposed to be… The next 24 hours were spent packing, doing laundry and trying to think of anything we might need for a week on the road to Colorado and who knows where. What shoes do I need, turn off the air, take out the trash, lock the doors… where are my keys!!!
I made plans to get to Kansas City early so I could tackle a couple of pre-trip tasks, including the need to arrange a rental car. The air conditioner I thought was working in my car decided to fail. That's not acceptable so a rental was a must! Uncharacteristically, I arrived in Kansas City right on time. As I pulled onto the highway toward the airport I got a call from Kayla. She had spent much of her day preparing in the same way, packing, unpacking and repacking. She was at the airport in Chicago about to board the plane for the short flight but called to let me know something had come up. Her parents had called to say that her dad was going to have surgery that evening… a long awaited major surgery… in a matter of hours… in Missouri!!
Of all the places we could have been, the numerous plans that came together to those same plans that fell apart, we were thankful to be where we were. When she arrived in KC we turned our little rental, loaded down with anything and everything, east toward Columbia. We arrived with a couple hours to visit before the operation started.
By the next morning her dad was resting comfortably, or at least as comfortably as one could after an internal overhaul. By the afternoon his color was good and he was visiting with everyone in the room.
Since things were going well they encouraged us to take off on our adventure. We did decide to oblige...

Blindfolded with Pointy Objects

2009-07-06T15:35:00.001-05:00

Like I mentioned in the previous posts, we planned for vacation to be an adventure before we even stepped on the door. This one didn't fall short of the goal. So far our vacation plans for South Carolina fell through, last minute airline deals = not so last minute, and now the 24-hour reserve we had on a cruise was dropped somewhere short of 24 hours. As of Friday evening we were officially on vacation and no place to go. Over the previous couple of months we'd tossed around ideas, one of which… throw a dart at a map then hit the road. On a side note, I'm not a dart board owner but recently I found a dart. It was in a dart board that had been thrown away. I wasn't intentionally dumpster diving, I just happened to come across it, I promise. Anyway, I grabbed the dart just in case.
Now that our latest plans had crumbled, we decided to do a little more searching/surfing then discuss our findings the following day, Saturday. That morning I ran a couple of errands and ended up back at the office where there are multiple computers for searching ease. For inspiration, I placed a map of the United States above the computer and searched flights for anywhere, Florida… beaches and theme parks… California…more beach… Colorado… Colorado, what could we do there??? White water rafting… a possibility… Finally in a fit of frustration I took out the dart, closed my eyes and tossed it. Apparently I forgot to inform the dart that anyplace chillier than Missouri was not an option, because the thing landed in the chilly tundra of Canada, yuck! My own personal theory is we wait all winter for cold to go away, so going somewhere cold during summer is ridiculous.
Curt, one of the DJ's who seemed amused by the desperate vacation search, informed me proper dart throwing procedure calls for a twirl then toss. Ahhh, good idea! Relieved there was a professional on hand to clear up the bylaws, the first throw was disqualified!
I stepped back, took a couple blinded spins and threw the dart toward what I hoped was the map …… And the winner is, Colorado! I like it.. A few moments later I shared the results with Kayla who was all for a Colorado White Water Rafting adventure. There should be plenty to do and the state is also close enough to Missouri that I could drive out and we could road trip across the countryside.
Decisions made!! The following day Kayla, who lives in Chicago, would take an affordable flight into Kansas City instead of the pricey Denver option. I would pick her up in a rental car (with an operating AC) and we would be westward bound!!

Vacation Eve and Counting

2009-07-03T13:28:00.005-05:00

When the 24-hour hold was placed on the cruise, we set to work making our travel arrangements to Miami. Kayla lives in Chicago. I'm near Kansas City. Between the two large airports we should be able to find flights to South Beach without much trouble… or one would think.
On a daily basis there is a plethora of emails bragging about these amazing "last minute deals." Most of the time those bargains are off to places that would be great to visit. I'll confess though, I don't usually read the whole thing because I don't have the time to go. During this planning adventure, I've officially read the fine print and have learned something about those "deals". It's bull!! The majority of these require a 10 to 14 day purchase prior to departure. If I can't purchase a ticket and be on the plane/boat/train/camel or water buffalo within 24 hours then it's not a last minute deal!!
Despite the false claim, we both found decent priced flights that would put us in Miami enjoying the sunshine in about 48 hours. That would be plenty of time to enjoy the beach before the cruise left port. With a little excitement as well as relief knowing when, where and what we would do, the call was made to secure the cruise…
or attempt to...

Mission Vacation...

2009-07-02T15:21:00.004-05:00

Vacation! It's a great time to get away, relax, take in sunshine and visit with old friends. You've got to love it. This year was no different in the amount of fun, but quite different in the follow through. My friend Kayla and I had been planning to take a vacation for the past couple of months and finally settled on the week of June 22nd as the time to escape. In 2008 we took a trip to Vegas where we won some and lost some, just the way Vegas should be. This time we decided vacation would be an adventure from the very beginning, long before stepping out the door. How does that happen? By making absolutely no plans! We didn't know where we wanted to go so we decided to "let the cards fall where they may" and see what happens from a last minute adventure.
A few days into June, our friend Chris in North Carolina invited us to his place on the lake. He would take off a couple days to join us but thought we could find plenty to entertain ourselves in the meantime. Lake, boats, and sunshine in a land many states away… that sounded like a great idea so we started plotting when and how to get there. As travel plans fell into place, things on the other end fell apart. Chris had unavoidable stuff come up so he wouldn't be able to amuse us girls as planned. That's ok, we've got plenty of time!
As the vacation countdown continued, we dedicated hours to the search. Four days out, Kayla found a great 4-night deal on a cruise. Sunshine, boats, beach!! Can't beat it! She put a 24 hour hold on the cabin while we tracked down flights to Miami. We don't fly out for three days, that's plenty of time...

It's What's for Dinner… And Dessert!!!

2009-06-05T13:27:00.007-05:00

During May, KMZU hosts the Best Beef Recipe Contest. We've had the contest for a few years now, five I believe. If there is a day that people get to work early, the beef cook off is the day. As promised, I'm posting the winning recipe here. We'll also have the rest of the recipes in our KMZU cook book, as soon as I finish typing it. This year's book will contain all the recipes submitted last year and this year, so there is bound to be something you'll enjoy.
This month is National Dairy Month so we've decided to continue our delicious savory summer with a Dairy Dessert contest. It's underway now. The dessert must include some type of dairy product and the deadline for entry is June 26th. We'll announce the winner for this contest on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009. Recipes can be sent to KMZU Dairy Dessert, 102 North Mason, Carrollton MO 64633.. or email it to us at farmdept@kmzu.com

The 2009 winning Best Beef recipe was submitted by Tom Ecklund of Brookfield. According to Ecklund, it's a concoction he uses for elk and has modified it for beef. His recipe helped him when this amazing Treager Grill which I'm sure he's already put to use!! The recipe is creates an elegant, delicious home cooked steak… Even our die hard grilling guys loved it. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

PAN SEARED FILLET OF BEEF
With a Cranberry Merlot Sauce

Ingredients
Steak: 1 9oz Fillet
Olive Oil
Seasoning: 1Tbsp Cracked Pepper 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Ground Pepper 1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp White Pepper 1 tsp Season Salt
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper 2 Tbsp Salt

Sauce: 1 Cup Water ½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Dried Cranberries
1 1/3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2/3 Cup Merlot (Does not have to be expensive)
¼ Cup Butter

Preheat your Oven to 450 Degrees

Preparation
Seasoning: Place all ingredients into a small plastic container with a lid, Shake until combined. Stir with a fork before using, because oregano will sift to the top when you shake it.
Sauce: Using a 12” Skillet on high heat, bring the water & sugar to a soft boil. Add Cranberries to the water and let them boil for one minute. Then add the merlot and Worcestershire, let it reduce for 7 to 8 minutes. Turn heat to low, stir in the butter, you are finished when the sauce coats the back of a spoon. (You do not what it to be syrupy but if it is really translucent just let it reduce longer.)
Steak: In a 10” Stainless Steal skillet, sear all sides of your fillet.
1. Get your pan hot
2. Dust all sides of the fillet with the seasoning
3. Drizzle just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan
4. Sear all sides of the fillet (including edges), roughly 10 to 15 seconds per side
5. Place in 450 degree oven for 6 to 10 min depending on your oven. You want it to be Medium Rare for best results, but you can go to medium if you must. I wouldn’t go over that because then the steak will become tuff

Put it all together: Cut the fillet against the grain into four to five equal strips. Fan the strips out on a plate and spoon some cranberries and a little extra sauce over the strips. You will have extra cranberries and sauce left but if you cut the recipe down too far it doesn’t work out as nicely.

Tip: While your water comes to a boil for your sauce, sear your steak. While your steak is in the oven, finish your sauce. This way you should be done at the same time. Otherwise make your sauce first and take it off the heat and just bring it back to temperature before you top the steak with it.
*********
Hope you enjoy the recipe and don't forget to send in your favorite Dairy Dessert by June 26th. We're building a great prize package for the winner!!

Get to Typing!!!

2009-05-29T13:02:00.008-05:00

That's what I've been telling myself, and others have told me, for the last few weeks. I've typed up a few notes here and there but didn't feel there was much excitement to share. At least that's what I thought until I took a stroll through some random pictures from the last couple months where I discovered a few points of inspiration.
First, this is a shot of the mess in the office during National Ag week. Why do we have a mess at that time (or more of a mess, my coworkers would ask)? During National Ag week we work to educate kids throughout the area about agriculture. This year I visited about 10 different schools and spoke to more than 400 elementary students about agriculture. The students usually enjoy the program but really get excited when I tell them they get a free KMZU t-shirt for listening so well. That means a lot of shirts pass through the farm department over the two week period. This is just a sample of the cotton headache that was in the office before the school visits got started.
This photo.... it's a shot of the car after the schools visits came to an end. It takes a lot of energy to talk to 400+ enthusiastic kids. This is how I build up the energy to survive the week. In hindsight, it appears I may have a dew problem.

2009-05-07T14:00:00.001-05:00

I have a new toy in the world of blogging!! Maybe I should say a new feature...

Ahhh Spring...Please don't go!!

2009-04-20T17:45:00.011-05:00

It's been an eventful few weeks in Farm country. There are plenty of things to keep you busy... Springtime is typically no exception, although it seems to rain every time you turn around. There's been enough rain that the majority of spring planting is delayed. The pattern is a couple days of precipitation followed by a day or two of sun. When the ground is close to where it needs to be…. along comes another rain to postpone action once again.
The Missouri Ag Statistics Service reported last Monday that 4% of the Missouri corn crop was planted… the report that came out this afternoon?... it's up to a whoppin 7% complete. That means a few folks have made it to the field, but the majority of that is in the Bootheel. Typically for this time of year 42% of the states corn crop is in the ground. We've started our spring soil temps now so we'll keep our fingers crossed that will bring along positive spring planting vibes. Good. Luck!!
Speaking of spring planting, I personally don't have any fields to take care of, but I do have a couple small flower beds in need of a little color. With the sunny/cold pattern followed by the rain/frost/sunshine pattern, there hasn’t been much outdoor activity for me. During Easter I made it home to visit mom for the weekend, and we were very productive. We did a little flower shopping for the flower beds then did a little plant digging for the same reason. Mom has a nice selection of Iris' and thought she would share a few with me. We spent the afternoon digging up and separating a few bulbs (by few I mean store bags full). Later we made the trek to the "back 40" to find the horses. My gelding has the tendency to enjoy the lush Spring grass a little more than he should so we brought them up for some dry lot time, though it wasn't easy. The neighbors mare has been with them for a while and… to be honest, she's a little to friendly. It's handy if you want to catch her, but geezzz girl, back off, give me some space… get outta my way!
It took some work because King was torn between the two mares… "Who do I follow? Mom or trouble maker.... mom or trouble maker".... In horse speak I'm sure he doesn't refer to either of them like that but you get the picture. As he stood in the middle of the pasture I could see his dilemma, he called out to one, then turned to call out to the other. Usually mom (my mare Ginger who I was riding), wins the battle hands down, but this year the fella was torn. After making a few adjustments to our plans, and the neighbor showing up to help on his 4-wheeler, everyone was where they were supposed to be. By the way, I'll take this opportunity to brag up Ginger. Sure, I suppose she's no spring chicken, but when your riding a horse who hasn't been around 4-wheelers and she still does what you need her to do... you've got yourself a good one.
By the end of the adventure, my rear was dirty from bareback riding, my legs were a little wobbly from the chase and the horses, well I sure they would have preferred to have been left alone. However no complaints here. Any day horseback riding, pain or no pain, means a great day has been had... by me at least.

On the Go...

2009-03-27T13:58:00.005-05:00

Things have been a little hectic at The Farm recently. As a little side note, The Farm is KMZU, my home away from home. You can also refer it as KMZU World Headquarters. Think big = be big so having world headquarters is a great place to start. Now if they could just build that airport, that would put us one step closer. Something to think about.
Back to what I mentioned, about things being a little hectic. A couple weeks ago I had a road trip to Grapevine, Texas for Commodity Classic. That's the annual convention for the American Soybean Association, the National Corn Growers Association and the National Association of Wheat Growers. This year the National Sorghum Producers Association also joined the mix. I'm always amazed to see so many people with similar interests gathered together for an event like The Classic. I compare the feeling to the National FFA Convention during my high school years. Unlike the FFA convention, there's no sea of blue FFA jackets. Instead you spend your time scanning more than 4,000 name tags trying to learn where people are from. Some of those tags are nicely pinned to the coat. The tricky part is reading the tags that are on a lanyard dangling from someone's neck. Either way the writing is much smaller than the ol FFA Jacket, but you get used to it.
Something else that's a little different between the two events: no chaperon! You can stay out as late as you want! Not that I do would do that of course, but I could if I wanted to.
I failed to grab any pictures from the convention but I did grab a shot of the Golden Arch landmark when I was driving south. As a kid many a holiday hours were spent on the road to Texas to visit my mom's brother and family in Arlington or traveling further south to San Antonyah (as grandma would say) to see my grandparents. Needless to say, Christmas in Texas is a lot warmer than Missouri, so I always enjoyed the trip but dreaded the drive. One thing I remember most is I always wanted to stop here. It was the largest Golden Arches I'd ever seen and it was built over the Interstate. It was on the way but mom would never stop. On this trip, I was behind the wheel and operating on my own schedule… I still didn't stop. I suppose my priorities have changed and I wanted to get where I was going. Hindsight however, stopping would have been a good idea. Turns out the toll road dudes only take cash… Turns out they can be a little grumpy too…

Will They Melt in Your Mouth or in Your Hands?

2009-03-20T12:08:00.000-05:00

So I've been trying to think of something interesting over the last few weeks. There have been a few things, including a trip to the Commodity Classic conference in Texas. However, when something comes to mind, I forget to blog until I'm away from the computer (a vicious cycle of "what was I going to do?") Yesterday I was sorting pictures on the cell phone and I came across a shot that made me smile and think of a story.
First, a little background: when I travel and have time to pick up gifts, I put a lot of energy in to one shopping point. I always try to find something from that area. Art is my favorite find, but not always available or affordable. When that fails then it needs to be something that will represent the region. An example: in Mexico I found a colorful clay tortilla warmer which I liked so much I got one for myself too.
Now, the photo I came across is of the gift I picked up in France for my nephew Caleb last year. France is well known for olive production. In fact we visited an olive farm where I purchased a couple bottles of olive oil for the family. Caleb likes olives but I didn't think he'd like his own bottle of olive oil. Finally, during the last day in France I came across a colorful candy store full of goodies. While scanning the aisles I found this package of chocolate covered olives! First thought…ewwwww disgusting. That however was quickly followed by an evil little chuckle and the second thought of, absolutely perfect!! Chocolate and olives!! He loves both of those, maybe not necessarily together but I couldn't resist! I couldn't do better and the look on his face would be priceless!!
Now fast forward to Christmas. There were several nice gifts in the mix, but it was this little package of chocolate covered olives that I was looking forward to the most. When he opened the gift the response was, gee… thanks Aunt Janet…. What is it? The label was in French so I explained what was inside the pretty green little package. Despite the concern, he was game to give it a try… With a little hesitation he opened it up pulled out one of the colorful olives and took a bite… as he slowly chewed the unusual treat, there was no ewww. In fact he gave me a curious look and said it tasted like almonds.
That's odd. He tossed me a green one and I took a bite.
After thousands of miles and months of waiting for the fun reaction, my ornery surprise was in fact chocolate covered almonds made to look like olives!
Guess I should have learned to read a little French while I was there. I wonder what the chocolate covered bacon really was?

Knock, Knock?...

2009-02-05T21:29:00.000-06:00

When I realized I was locked out of the house that evening, I tried to come up with another option. After circling the house, I finally determined it was going to be harder than I'd hoped. With that I called it a night and crashed at a friend's house.
The following morning I admitted my latest dilemma to my loving coworkers. After laughing and poking fun at the predicament, my boss decided he could probably help.
When we made it to the house that afternoon I followed along as he pretty much did the same as I had the night before. Our final stop was the front door where he tried the door knob. I know you're thinking it was probably open all along, but you'd be wrong! At that point he admitted it was going to be more of a challenge than he thought too.
After the little Ring-around the house-Rosy, I made a couple more calls and a neighbor came to help. I just happen to know all the windows are locked tight with the exception of one which happens to be on the upper level of course.
Now, how do you reach a window on the second floor? The ladder was locked in the house along with tools and anything else that might be useful. Thank goodness for my neighbor who came to the rescue with a very tall ladder and a full toolbox. When we finally reached the window, I was able to climb through but my life was at risk. To move from the ladder through the window, I had to balance on the table under the window. At the same time I had to move lamps and stuff off the table so I could get safely away from the ladder and the window, not fall off the table or out of the window then place my feet on the floor. Thankfully, I made it. Nothing broken, including me, and I was standing in my house. I immediately unlocked the door then started searching for the spare key. Not only did I quickly locate the key, but I also found the garage door opener…. the one I thought I threw away.

I'm SURE it has happened to others...

2009-01-18T19:53:00.000-06:00

In the last post I mentioned the fact that my garage door remote disappeared in October when I wrecked the Jeep. I possibly threw the thing away. It hadn't worked for two years, why keep the visor decoration for another two?
Another problem relating back to the wreck, I used a rental car for a couple weeks. Handy at the time, but when I returned the rental to Kansas City, I left my house key on the key ring (yes, absent minded move).
Shortly after the family visited, I left the house one morning through the garage. You know, the useful way of hitting the button and rushing out the door without getting knocked in the head while stepping over the laser thing at the bottom... After a long day at the office followed by a fun night of volleyball and a late night trip to the grocery store I finally realized, 15 hours earlier I made a mistake. I arrived home that evening without a door opener or a key…… I was locked out.
Man it's gonna be tough to put these groceries in the fridge.

A New Home for Me, kind of…

2009-01-07T13:39:00.000-06:00

So while the family was here for Thanksgiving, they had to entertain themselves. What's a brother to do…. fix stuff, and fix things they did. David installed a new garbage disposal. After that he kind of wandered around the house looking for other things to fix.
My washing machine quit about the same time in 2006 that the dishwasher and garbage disposal went on strike. I had a part that I purchased to repair it, but wasn't quite sure how. Luckily, I was able to locate the part and he repaired the washing machine. The garage door opener worked for two weeks when I first moved into my house, but nothing since. Amy tinkered with it and got it up and running again. The downside, when I wrecked the Jeep a couple months ago I think I finally threw the remote control opener away (remember this point it will come up again next time).
I also have a gas grill that's attached to the house gas line. I never did get it to work, but David discovered the well hidden switch where the gas line turns on the grill…. Yheaaaaa!!
After the busy day, we decided to lay back and enjoy a movie. While watching the film Brody (who will be 2 soon) woke up from a nap in Amy's arms. He smiled, then got sick……. on the couch, on his mom, on the pillows and on a blanket. At this point I'll take a moment to testify having a washing machine back in operation ROCKS!! I'll also say that Resolve worked great for cleaning everything, the floor, the couch, the pillows….each is clean and now carpet cleaner fresh!
So how do you reward your family for all their helpful accomplishments? Apparently you watch the kids while they get sick. That's right. Brody was feeling better Saturday, but that evening, halfway through another movie, David and Amy both got sick. Thankfully the rest of us were ok, so we kept our distance and let mom and dad get the bug out of their systems. By Sunday morning they were a little better and ready to hit the road. Mom, who planned to stay for another day or two decided to head home too. This is a picture of a "calm between the storms" of sickness. L to R is Caleb, Brody and David enjoying one of the movies.
So the rundown from the weekend, a huge feast, a new way to cook vegetables, a couple movies, a sick baby, a sick mom and dad, a working garbage disposal / washing machine / grill / and dish washer!
I call that a weekend to remember. I wonder if they'll ever come back?

Holidays, Where Memories are Made…

2008-12-22T18:37:00.000-06:00

What an eventful weekend Thanksgiving turned into. I had to work Friday so the family made the trip to Carrollton for the big day. I found it funny that within five minutes of each other both my mom and brother called to see if I had coffee. Not being a coffee drinker I don't keep the stuff on hand, but apparently it's visit or no visit to them.
Another call from David a few days before Thanksgiving. He wanted to make sure I had taken the turkey out of the freezer to thaw…… ha ha funny joke big brother. But on the other hand, I'm pretty sure it was a serious question on his part.
He knows I don't cook, at least not very often. What he fails to acknowledge is not that I can't cook, but the fact I choose not to. For one reason, this time of year when you get home it's already dark and I don't want to mess with it. The biggest reason is that the dishwasher and garbage disposal quit last year around the same time the washing machine went kaput. I don't like doing dishes so willingly making a stack of dirty dishes is just crazy talk.
So why have the family over for a big holiday feast when dishes will be everywhere? That's an easy answer, mom. She loves it. Why else would she have cleaned up after us all those year? She must enjoy it, she's a mom and besides that she does a spectacular job!
Well, that's not really true but I know she would expect me to say it so why let her down. The fact is I had an electrician out for an outlet problem recently. While he was there I asked him about the dishwasher.
Now I consider myself kind of handy. I can usually fix things, or at least rig'em up to work for the time being. In this instance however, maybe I'm not so handy. Apparently there's a trip switch located near the dishwasher that I missed, completely! I didn't even notice the button was there… above the counter… at eye level. All the electrician did was push the reset button… then holy cow, I have a dishwasher!!! Agghhh, It's been a year without one and that's all I had to do!!!!
Despite feeling like a fool, turns out having a dishwasher (that operates) is a bonus for Thanksgiving. Turkey, spiral honey ham, roasted vegetables, potato casserole, rolls and mom's pecan pie with chocolate chips… mmmmm…delicious, now toss the dishes in the washer.. and take a turkey induced nap, yeah!!!

It's Meeting Season...

2008-12-18T20:50:00.000-06:00

So the mouse issue has not been the only thing going on. In late November we had our annual National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention in Kansas City. For the broadcasters I've had the chance to work with over the years, it's a great chance to catch up, visit and see what's taking place in farm shops around the country. This year I got the chance to take a more active step in the NAFB organization. For the next year I'll be serving as the Southern Region Vice President. Who knows what I may have just gotten myself into, but I'm looking forward to it.
Another part of the annual event is Trade Talk. It's a trade show with a mass confusion of company reps and broadcasters doing a million product interviews in a matter of 4 hours. I got several of those edited last night, then found another dozen to tackle tomorrow. I'm working with Scott to get those posted online so listeners can check out some of the new farm equipment and products available for the 2009 growing season.
The NAFB conference was in November. Since then we've already attended the Livestock Marketing Associations Regional Auctioneer Championship at the Kingsville Livestock Auction, the Missouri Farm Bureau Convention at Lake of the Ozarks and Missouri Cattlemen's Convention in Springfield. I love Meeting Season!!

As for other excitement, I guess I can share pictures of the Jeep, my poor, poor Jeep. Here's a shot of the damage from when we met a dark steer on a dark night in the middle of the road!

Grocery List..... get peanut butter...

2008-12-17T13:20:00.000-06:00

The next morning wasn't like a Christmas but it was like a homeowner, frustrated with the small rodent intrusion and looking for answers. I check the trap and … success!!!!! I've finally caught the tricky little rascal who's been invading my home, startling my peaceful world and leaving footprints across the top of my feet (see the post from Nov 11). For those of you pulling for the mouse, don't worry, your entertainment could continue. I hear they travel together, pairs, packs, gaggles…who the heck knows but let's hope that it's only pairs. I don't have enough traps or peanut butter to feed herds.

The Hunt Goes On...

2008-12-15T13:24:00.000-06:00

When I returned home that afternoon, the first stop was the curtain. Hopefully the mouse hunting persistence has paid off… after pulling the drape out of the way; I notice the trap was still sprung. The rascal must be full from the last smorgasbord I set out. Before heading off to another task, I decided to get a closer look, just in case! I pick up the trap and there is nothing, absolutely nothing! The contraption is completely empty. No mouse and even worse, no peanut butter. The beast not only dined on the peanut butter dish, but the tiny little mouse tongue licked the thing clean. Eeewwww!!
With a shiver of disgust I grabbed the, now, half empty peanut butter jar. With great determination I place a spoonful on the trap. Before placing the trap back in the mouse dining hall I make a quick change. If this rascal is so sure of himself to spend the extra time to lick this thing clean, he's going to have to work a little harder. With a twist of the spoon, a good portion of the gooey peanut butter has now been stuck to the underside of the trigger. My thought, now the ferocious rodent has to contort itself to get to the last little icky drop!
Now we wait….

Sometimes there should be a witness…

2008-11-11T14:07:00.000-06:00

I have a mouse in my house again. I dealt with this a year ago too. When I resolved it that time I disposed of the intruder in the yard and thought, let this be a warning to the rest of you!! Apparently this mouse is a young adventurer who hasn't heard of my wrath. He's most active during the evening, which is when I decided to politely share a favorite snack, honey roasted peanuts. I allowed the quiet little mouse one peanut, free and clear placed on the floor. Enjoy it you little rascal because the next one, in the trap, will be your last!
The next morning I hear the usually nocturnal beast quietly munching away on something across the room. I'm busy so I decide not to hunt but instead try to shoo him away by stomping my feet. The chewing came to a halt, but I didn't see the perpetrator leave the scene. A few moments later the chewing resumes. Agghhhh… Since I know it's not long till he find the peanut buffet I can tolerate a little noise but geezzz, cut it out! In a fit of aggravation I grab the closest thing and chuck it across the room. With a very soft brush of the curtains the violently thrown finger nail file falls near the intended target who apparently took enough time to chuckle. Finally I've had enough and leap across the room where my first stop is the peanut meal I laid out the night before. I lift the curtain to find the peanut buffet gone. I could only imagine this was a Mission Impossible peanut extraction operation. Both the appetizer and the main course that had been delicately placed in the contraption have been removed with expert precision, leaving the jaws of the mouse trap wide open and clueless of their failure to act.
That's it! With a greater sense of determination I place one new peanut back in the trap with the alluring stickiness of peanut butter holding it on. No appetizer this time buddy!
In a continued effort to find the perpetrator I throw the curtains back to the left, no mouse. I climb on top of the chest and peer behind, no mouse. I step back on the floor and sweep the rest of the curtains off to the right and still no mouse! As I continue to ponder the whereabouts of the rodent I lightly brush a plastic bag on the floor. Suddenly the ferocious beast that's been lying in wait leaps forward in a fierce and threatening manner and darts across my barefoot as if to say "ha you foolish giant, where's the rest of my food!!"
I don't startle easily, but I will say someone in that room screamed like a little girl.

I'm OK With It...

2008-10-30T17:10:00.001-05:00

Over the years we learn to accept things about ourselves. For me there are a couple things that come to mind... for example, my hair. I've tried to straighten it and it doesn't work so well. I've tried perms and those were never good for anyone involved. What I know is this, I do have a lot of hair (thanks dad), I also have a lot of waves, not curls, just waves which are really just cowlicks gone wild (again, thanks dad!). So the answer to the problem, I try to work with my hair, not against it. It wants to part to the left on Thursdays and Tuesdays, and down the middle on Friday, that's ok, I can work with it!
Secondly, many times, I can be a lot more emotional than I'd prefer. When my feelings get hurt, I get very frustrated, or something sad happens.. I've been known to shed a tear or twenty. Something funny happens, you'll know it 5 counties away. For the sad stuff it can be kind of easy, just avoid them. You can tell when a movie is a tearjerker, so why pay money to see something that's going to make you feed like crap two hours later. As for the funny stuff I've learned to work with it too. Some people are known for their great hair, legs, clothes.... blah blah blah. Turns out none of that works well for radio anyway!! But a laugh, apparently people get a kick out of it on occasion. Silly and loud, yes, but I'm ok with it.
What brings me to this blog is that I'm also not so good with pain. If someone else cuts a finger or breaks a leg, I can at least be useful. This week, Debbie, our office manager had two wisdom teeth pulled then came to work. Crazy woman! If that was me, not only would I not be at work, but neither would she because she may need to take care of me. I I know this because of previous experience. While working in Little Rock, I learned I had two wisdom teeth coming in. The doctor set the appointment to pull one of them for the following week which gave me 7 days to anticipate the tooth extraction fun. On appointment day I'm sitting in the chair. As the assistant gives me the shots I decide it's a good idea to let her know these things (surgeries) don't always go well for me.
"Hon, I'm glad you said so, how are you doing now?"
With a shallow breath I answer.. "Not so well"
The next thing I know, I'm in a horizontal position with an oxygen mask on my face. First thought "they knocked me out and pulled it already, hot dog!" I soon realized the tooth was, sadly, still intact.
In an effort to return color to my face the dentist says "just keep breathing, and relax. We can take it out next week just as easy as we could this week so don't worry."
Don't worry? Don't worry?! Hah you crazy man. If you think I'm coming back here willingly you really are crazy.
I have extra wisdom in my head, and yes, I'm ok with it.

A New Mode of Transportation….

2008-10-21T13:06:00.000-05:00

I found a car. Yes, a car instead of another Jeep. I'll be back in the Jeep world sometime in the future, but for the time being I'll drive a little red Jetta and keep some gas money in my own pocket. The Jetta has a few extra rattles and years, but so far so good. Let's hope she keeps on ticking. To make that happen I'm afraid I will have to adjust my driving a little. You see, I believe you drive a car the way it wants to be driven and I believe most cars want to be 4-wheel drive. In college it was the Topaz, a white bolt of gas efficient lightening who met a few curbs, hills and gullies in its day (one curb my friends seem to remember all to well). There was also the Thunderbird. Turns out the ol' bird could seat more than five, but couldn't fly over railroad tracks...General Lee, she was not. So you see, my move to taller vehicles was sensible, and a leading reason was to get further away from the ground. Hopefully the little red Jetta is up to the challenge, though maybe the challenge won't be as extreme.
In other transportation excitement, sunny weather and a Sunday created the perfect day for horseback riding this weekend. Luckily some friends around here have a few equine on hand and allowed me to borrow a steed and tag along.
During life in Texas County, I spent many a day on horseback. Sometimes I'd even come in for lunch then change horses for the afternoon. That was pre-college of course. In college the apartment people frowned at the idea of a horse in the courtyard.
This weekend, we met in Waverly Sunday morning and hauled the herd to an area around Marshall. We had a great ride and enjoyed the Missouri scenery. By the end of the day, we'd been riding for around 6 hours. I'm ready to go again, but don't let me forget the Aspirin and Icy Hot!

Dear Mr. Corner Lot Car Guy...

2008-10-14T13:19:00.000-05:00

I won't be back to south KC to look at that other hunk of metal you call a great deal. You keep it and have a fun with the spring sticking through the seat!

By the way, just a tip from me to you... shower!

The Search is Underway....

2008-10-09T13:33:00.000-05:00

Vehicle shopping can be a lot of fun. Test drive anything and everything, wish big, then look in the purse to see very little funds to get the next big toy. Made a trip to Kansas City last night to do a little shopping for a car and found one I really liked but is more than I want to spend at this time of course. Oh well, that's the way it goes so the search will continue. In the meantime, this is another wedding weekend. A college friend is getting married then heading to a beach in a far off place to spend time with her betrothed. I wonder if she needs a car sitter...

It's 2008, do you know where you are?

2008-10-02T23:39:00.000-05:00

It was a fun weekend visiting with the girls. We gathered at a winery near Rolla for Amy's personal wedding shower. Those are interesting because the bride receives gifts that are more for the honeymoon than the blissful life of love and roses.
That evening -- bachlorette party! I've been to a few of those and that's always a good time. This party was too. We had a great time. However, during our girl chat on the drive to dinner, I realized something.... we're in a minivan.........
WE ARE IN A FREAKIN MINIVAN!!!
Holy crap! Where did the last decade go?

Hurry Up and Wait!

2008-10-01T19:42:00.000-05:00

"We'll have more information for you tomorrow.... or the day after" Aggghhhhh!! Not knowing what's going to happen regarding the Jeep is very frustrating. I received word yesterday that they, I'm sad to say, totaled the Jeep. I'm pretty attached to that little 4-wheel drive, sometimes topless, show me the road not to take and we'll go there, piece of driving technology. I'm sure my world and driving experience will never be the same! I guess the delay from insurance is giving me time to just get over it and move on. However, my heart is sad and without wheels. Well not really, I have a rental for now, but it sounds more dramatic in my mind.
I've spent the last few days searching the www seeking out the next wonder of the automotive world that will work within my nonexistent budget. I'll keep you posted.... I did see an ol' 90's Mercury Topaz.... haven't I seen one of those before? Ahh college.... On the upside I could drive that thing for 3 days after the low fuel light came on!!

No Use Crying Over Spilt Radiator Fluid

2008-09-24T21:55:00.000-05:00

So my commitment to the two weeks hasn't gone so well huh? I do have a huge and bad excuse.
As many of you know I've had a Jeep Wrangler for several years, 2001 to be specific. I got her just under 11,000 miles and this Saturday night we were cruising past 140,000 miles until... sigh...... until we topped a hill and our headlights fell on a beast in the middle of the road. A four-weight black steer in the middle of the road on a dark night. Despite my best efforts to stop I'm afraid it was not to be. We hit with a large thud and the drive came to an end in total blackness in the cool of the night in the middle of a country road. ahhhh the adventure that is my world.
Thankfully we were not hurt and the state patrolman who helped us out was not only courteous, but handsome too! Thankfully my friend who was with me is from this area so we were able to get a ride home and call it a night about 3am. Not the adventure we were looking for, but another adventure just the same.
This week I'm waiting to hear from the insurance company and praying for enough cash to get the Jeep fixed or to get something that will work for the time being. To get past my Jeep sorrows this weekend I have a bachelorette party to look forward to and maybe a little automotive shopping. In the meantime, if you know anyone looking for a "blemished" Jeep with a lot of lovely memories, you know where to find me. I'll be the brunette with a microphone hitchhiking to the next meeting!

Earth Shattering News

2008-09-16T17:05:00.000-05:00

This just in from the AP, a toilet paper researcher has determined that 3-ply toilet paper is even better than 2 ply. Yes that's right, I'm talking about toilet paper again (see the July Blog "Roughin It"). It's also apparently correct that there is such a thing as a toilet paper researcher.
Clear your schedules & find a sitter for the kids, the new 3 ply quilted product hits the store shelves Monday, but ladies, please don't squeeze the charmin!

New Goals

2008-09-15T13:09:00.000-05:00

Another season and another flip of the calendar means a great opportunity/excuse to tackle some of the things I should do on a daily basis. The first is to blog on a regular schedule. For the next two weeks it's going to happen everyday!!! Yhea, two weeks is not much time, but it's a great place to start.
More good news, I'm going to give up coffee..... te he he
Ok, I'll really work on giving up soda or at least cutting back to a couple a week. I don't like to support a billion dollar company so reliably so I'm going to take that change elsewhere.... probably to another large business who likes my money too.
So it's not been as busy since the fair wrapped up. There have been a few events that we'll try and recap, but The fair was another busy experience and fun too. Aubrey, who's made an appearance here before stopped by the fair to take in the Bud tent while KMZU intern Carah Hart, on the left, stopped by to be the sensible voice of reason. Carah was also busy showing hogs at the fair this year while helping us out in the Red Radio. Carah was our guest host during the annual Sale of Champions this year. The sale was another exciting experience and broke several sale records again. Great event to attend and support if you get the chance. Money from the sale goes to the kids exhibiting the animals and a percentage of the sale price also goes to the State Fair Foundation where the funds will benefit the fair and give scholarships to other students who exhibited at this years fair. We did have more technical issues at the beginning of the sale but it seemed to iron out after that. Carah did a great job with the interviews. I think she'd also like to have her own market animal in the sale next year. Good luck Miss Cara!!

Dear Pillow, I've missed you so...

2008-08-28T22:53:00.000-05:00

The fair wrapped up almost a couple weeks ago, but Monday I had a dream that scared the thunder out of me. I worked the early morning shift so I could leave that afternoon and head north to the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. The alarm went off just after 5am and I reach over like I always do to hit snooze. Suddenly it occurs to me that I have an hour drive from Sedalia to get back to the office and can't believe I didn't think of that when I set the alarm Sunday night. Aghhhh!!! I leap out of bed in a rush to throw on my clothes when I realize I'm in my own bed, in my house and not camping in a trailer in Sedalia. Whew!!! What a startling way to start a Monday...

Snap, Crackle and aghhhhhh!

2008-08-11T16:55:00.000-05:00

The day is winding down and we survived a Monday but I will tell you it seems the start to this day was days ago. This morning, around 6am, when Nathan and I arrived at the Red Radio our signal was terrible!! Popping, static, and cracks. Those sounds don't work so well in the radio business. So we pulled out a new piece of equipment for backup. It didn't want to work. Finally after a lot of struggles and dropped reports we had a solid signal. The first two hours of the day were very frustrating but we survived and I'm sure we are all the wiser for it.
This afternoon, also very frustrating.. The Super Farmer Contest was today. My partner and I have been very competitive in the last couple years. We took 2nd the first year (though we still believe we earned first). We got 3rd the second year (what we deserved). The upside this year, the emergency crew was not needed. As for the contest, we got a 2nd place in only one event! Not even close enough to see a glimmer of the prize or smell a blue ribbon. Speaking of smell, after carrying hay bales, climbing through pipes, hanging gates, post hole digging and crawling through dirt, stink has reached so many levels!

Day 4!

2008-08-10T13:41:00.000-05:00

It's the first Sunday of the fair and I don't remember any year when the weather has been more perfect. Yesterday there was some cloud cover which cooled things off but this is great!!
One big change this year, they have a new midway. You wouldn't believe some of the rides they've got. The midway is also very clean too, not something you usually notice at a state fair, but its really worth mentioning.
All the troubles from day 1have started to iron themselves out for the time. We are still having a few computer issues but the golf cart is working again and people seem to be enjoying themselves. The only golf cart trouble is the fact, everywhere we go we are in a hurry. On the grounds you can't get in a hurry because someone is going to get in trouble. I've seen the golf cart Nazi this year. He still looks like he's in a bad mood.

Need rank, file and SS# and your first born

2008-08-08T06:46:00.000-05:00

It's the Missouri State Fair!! One of the busiest times of year for the radio station and a lot of other people through central Missouri. Yesterday we kicked off the event from the Red Roving Radio in front of the Pepsi grandstand. That's where the radio has been for more than 20 years during August. It's a little bit rough around the edges, but with a working air conditioner there's little that I'll complain about regarding the radio.
As for the rest of the fair, we have been working out bugs in the mechanical equipment. Yesterday all the broadcast equipment worked like a dream, two hours later the phone system did not. The rest of the day was spent trying to nail down the problem. This morning the phone was working great, an hour later, not so much. It's inconvienient yes, but it's also the state fair so you know problems are going to happen. Expect, know it and fix it and move on.
What's been the bigger challenge this year are the guards at the gates. You'd almost expect them to be dressed in military uniform firing warning shots in case someone should breach security. From the red zone to the side gate, don't get any idea that things are going to be easy if you misplace, forget or drop any form of ID or verification that you are working at the fair, never mind the golf cart, the logo shirt, the beads of sweat, or the worn drained, look of mechanical frustration accounting for the fact you've been here ALL DAY LONG.

When in Rome…

2008-07-23T20:42:00.000-05:00

Roam and roam and roam. That's been the last 64 hours or so. On Sunday morning our group of more than two dozen traveled together one last time to the airport where we parted ways. The majority headed back to the States while five of us ventured to Italy!
We had a busy time of trying to see all the sights and we didn't get to all of them. Italy is certainly on the list of places to go again. We saw the highlights and this shot is one that caused several hours of roaming yesterday. We stopped to see the ruins, which is bigger than you could have imagined. Not just the stones, but just the park in general is also rather large. I slipped up to a hilltop to grab this shot through a chain link fence. After that I zigged when I should have zagged and lost the rest of the crew. After a long day of roaming around Rome, we all met back at the hotel within 15 minutes of each other.
Today is my first day to post in what really feels like ages. No internet access for me in Italy so I'm typing this after a long day of wandering airports. It's after 10pm in Washington DC, and it sounds like my flight may be delayed due to more rain.
It's back to work tomorrow. I'll have some follow up stories to pass along over the next few days too, so the adventure is not over.

Say it isn't so!!!

2008-07-18T16:31:00.001-05:00

Caffeine is the friend of many, especially while traveling. We have early mornings, late nights, travel and meetings in between. That means caffeine is a necessity. I put away my fair share of caffeinated, carbonated drinks, though I promise I'm cutting back when I return. My caffeine drug of choice includes the wonderful little carbonated bubbles that tickle when you drink..ahhhh.. Great, now I really am thirsty.... Over the past couple of weeks I've encountered a problem in Europe. I prefer a fountain soda with over a chilled can or a bottle. Why, I'm not sure, but ice seems to be an under appreciated addition to beverages. You order a soda and receive a bottle and glass. Sounds nice yes, but I need ice too, something to slide down the glass while I take a drink and bop me in the nose. Without it, it's just not the same.
Aside from the lack of ice, on occasion there has also been a lack of beverage, with the exception of coffee. I don't drink coffee and I don't count pumped up hot chocolate, aka, cappuccino as coffee. However, I had no choice this week.

An early morning drive preceded by a late night and followed by a morning meeting means drowsy Janet.

My ALOT co-adventure taker Aubrey was in the same predicament so we made the leap. That's right; our first ever real cup of coffee, doctored up just a bit. You might notice the remnants of added ingredients. You should also know two sugar cubes and a chocolate cookie were sacrificed to this new creation of wonderfulness. Yhea, I'll admit it was tasty, but so was the saturated cookie that I added for a hint of chocolate. Years ago mom said you'll drink coffee when you're a grownup. I think that statement has led me to avoid the stuff out of denial. Now that I've made that step, geezz I already feel the pressure building.... Thank goodness I only drank half!!
So the journey that has led to so many adventures over the past couple weeks is sadly drawing to a close. Tomorrow we will enjoy a little time of relaxation before flying out on Sunday. Most of the group is heading back home, but a few of us will take a couple vacay days to head to another country....No meetings, no lessons, no "homework," no schedule and lots of fun! I'm so excited!!

Roughin It!!!

2008-07-18T02:26:00.000-05:00

On the road you never know what kind of adventure you'll encounter, even where or who. That's the best part of adventures but when you don't plan ahead for some adventures, things can be less pleasant. For this trip abroad, something I didn't plan for… toilet paper.. That's right, I said it and now the world knows we've been roughin it for a few days. So what exactly do I mean… In the Czech Republic, it's not 2-ply, there's no aloe for soft skin, there's not even a hint of softness to a half ply. What there is.... brown colored hand paper towels on small roll disguised as a roll of toilet paper. A little bit of texture has been crimped into the paper, but there is not denying the course, rough, brown paper truth.
I realize it's not a dramatic adjustment, but it does make me feel very spoiled to know how special that roll at home is…

Guest Blogger Jesse

2008-07-16T23:35:00.000-05:00

This morning ALOT Class XII member Jesse Heimer put some thoughts together about one of our daily adventures this week. Jesse is an agribusiness owner and pork producer from Taylor, Missouri.
When we departed the University I was expecting to arrive at a Czech farm that commercially produced rabbits for meat consumption. On this day, the surprise when our bus arrived was definitely for the good. Within our first 20 minutes at Rabbit, it was very obvious that we were bellied up to the table in a corporate boardroom where big decisions have been made to completely “close the cycle” in several sectors of Czech Agriculture. Rabbit is the second largest Agriculture Company in the Czech Republic that counts pork, poultry, layer, rabbit, dairy and crop production as sources of income in a company with four primary shareholders. Crops such as clover, wheat, barley, corn, and poppy seed dot the landscape of thousands of hectares and much of their production is used as feedstuffs for large-scale livestock production. While the fluid milk produced from 3,500 cows is sold to the market before bottling, 50% of the pork, chicken and rabbit products are sold direct in more than 150 retail stores – owned by Rabbit – across the State.

Our visit began with a quick video orientation of the company and was followed by an up-close and personal tour of one of their chicken slaughter facilities. Like many of our experiences in Europe, there were stark contrasts between our tour of this facility and our tour last year of PSF in Milan…and the contrasts don’t begin and end with one slaughtering pork and the other poultry. For starters, I’m referring to loose reigns on security and safety as we meandered through the shackles of chicken. For the first time in all my experiences of touring slaughter facilities, we were allowed to take photos and many occasions we didn’t need zoom. At PSF, every square foot was occupied by assembly lines, processed meat, packaged good or at the very least, employees. During our tour today I was amazed at the amount of unused space in all facets of the facility. In addition, a large percentage of the chicken was finished for retail sale at this facility which resulted in several meat products we don’t see in America.

We didn’t stop at poultry. Our next stop was at one of several dairy farms within the company where a DeLaval milking ‘robot’ is used to milk cows with precision. We observed what many feel is the future of milking as the laser lined up each cup I was impressed. More was to be learned about dairying at another stop so we stepped into the adjacent wheat field and fired questions at Rabbit’s director of crops. When asked about GMO’s he replied, “If everything is perfect with regard to fertilizer, etc, we don’t think we need GMO’s” but in the same breath he stated he would like to use GMO’s but cannot. Perhaps the starkest contrast to America with regard to crop production is their disregard for soil conservation. We haven’t seen a terrace since arriving in Europe and its very obvious when looking at the direction they’ve planted corn, the average farmer here isn’t concerned.

After several kilometers of poppy seed fields, potatoes and of course wheat, we arrived at the largest dairy farm within the Rabbit system where more than 1,000 cows are milked. This particular farm has a new free-stall barn which resembles an American barn in type and nearly in size. The stalls are bedded with recycled manure that is generated by an on farm separator. All manure on the farm ends up at the separator which sends the liquid to an enormous storage tank and the solids are left to heat naturally until the bacteria is killed and is ready to be used as bedding. Arguably the most impressive sighting on the farm was the silage pile. This wasn’t an ordinary silage pile and everyone who touched it agreed…it was the most packed pile of silage we’d ever seen. A true farm boy enjoys the aroma of silage and this group from Missouri spent plenty of time admiring this work of art.

Our tour ended back where we started and we were treated to a delicious lunch which included Czech beer. In fact, all meals here include Czech beer and the calorie overload continues. The centerpiece of lunch was a chicken kabob that is sold in Rabbit retail stores and in this writer’s opinion, its worth buying for another meal. After lunch another question and answer session ensued with none other than the Director – or equivalent to CEO – Mr. Jandejsek. He spent his entire day with our group and we were treated like royalty. With the translation help of PhD student Jan Hucko, our appointed translator and tour guide, we asked questions until we were too full of food and information to ask anymore. He explained that Rabbit was acquired because rabbit meat, the only animals grown and processed then, was a way to reach Western markets and take advantage of higher currency. In the first year, the company employed 23 people and had gross sales of $1.5 million. Today, twenty years later, the company employs 2,000 people with gross sales over $350 million. Sitting around the table many of us listened and watched with admiration as a humble man explained his vision for Czech Agriculture, yet I couldn’t help but realize we’ve seen this before. In America, we’ve seen integration in all facets of agriculture and most often it’s ridiculed, downgraded and beat up at the coffee shop and in the press. But here in Czech land, Rabbit is prospering with a ‘closed cycle’ and their future looks bright.

This day was the perfect experience for a group of agriculture enthusiasts from Missouri. We were exposed to all aspects of Czech agriculture, all under one roof as we’d say in America and it was truly enjoyable. We all left with something learned and for this writer, it was exactly what I hoped to see half way around the world.

2008-07-15T16:06:00.000-05:00

We had a little free time over the weekend to take in the sights and sounds of Prague. Aubrey Famuliner, a farmer from Carrollton, and I felt it our duty to help the local economy with a little shopping. Part of our group left the dorms for another adventure and we decided that a couple independent girls can figure things out in a country where we don't speak, read or write the language. We took off for the bus stop with a little bit of drizzle coming down. With the bus stop quickly in view, the drizzle became a heavy sprinkle. During a 15 minute wait we decide it's a good time to document our adventure. When the bus arrives, we consider that it may be on the wrong side of the street but it's raining, it's the right number, the bus is dry! We agree the passing scenery does not look familiar but the bus turns into a loop to head back the other direction.
What a relief… that is until the bus driver motions us to get off with the rest of the passengers…. Looking at each other with a little concern we stay put until the bus driver turns off the engine.

Janet: "It'll all work out"

Aubrey: "We're screwed!"

Aubrey hustles to the front to have a conversation with the very nice Czech-only speaking driver who appears to chuckle. You can't help but hear his thoughts of crazy American girls! Through the global gesture of tapping his watch we realize it's break time.
Whew! So, about one mile away from where we started we wait for the break to end. Finally more people board, the bus starts and off we go down the road past the bus stop where it all started.

Go East ALOT Crew

2008-07-14T15:37:00.000-05:00

So now we are in catch up mode because Friday we spent in the airport jetting off to another land, that land…. The Czech Republic. That's right, due east of France on the other side of Germany is where we woke up Saturday morning. We are staying in the university dorms in Prague. Not the fanciest digs we've seen but a pillow and a shower so no reason to complain. The university works a lot with the University of Missouri. In fact, we've seen several students from MU here on the college exchange program. Seems like a great opportunity for the young folks to expand their horizons. In hind sight, would have been an intelligent move while I was in college. I didn't take the opportunity then, but thankfully I've had the chance to experience other cultures through my career in broadcasting.
Saturday we spent the day on campus visiting with university professors about the Czech Republic and the country's ag industry. We pulled together some interesting details too. As you can tell, Jeremy Hayward, an agronomist with MFA, Tim Coppage with Cargill Grain and Glenn Cope, a cattle producer from Southwest Missouri were all paying close attention.
According to Professor Cibulka, there are several interesting differences between the US and the CR. For example, in Czech pork is the number one product on dinner tables and coming in second is poultry. It also turns out that fresh water fish production is very popular. According to Cibulka the top fresh water fish in the country is actually Carp.
Another example, sheep are not used for wool production in the CR because wool is a cheap import from New Zealand and Australia. Instead Czech farmers use sheep primarily for milk production which is then used for cheese. So the next big question, where's the beef? Apparently the cost of beef is so high it's not on the top list for dinner plates in the country.
We did get to tour around the city a little over the weekend. Like France, the place is full of history and amazing architecture. My camera pooped out on me but I did get a couple shots in beforehand.

Now for other comparisons.. In France last week the cost of food seemed crazy high. Of course the US dollar is weak compared with the Euro. That has some impact on food prices, but the food in France just in general is more expensive. If you were just paying for the food in US dollars without any conversion it was still much higher than the US. In the Czech Republic, although they are a member of the European Union but they don't use the Euro. Instead they still use their own currency which is referred to as Crown. The dollar is stronger than the Crown and, for many of us, our exchange rate was about 13 Crown to 1 US dollar. That sounds good when you get a large number of bills to fill your wallet, but over the weekend we noticed the cost of food and some other items in the Czech Republic are still more expensive than the United States. For example, yesterday we wanted a little taste of home so we had a quick stop at a fast food chain found that can also be found in the United States.
Two pieces of chicken, two sodas, and two fries, averaged about $17 US dollars. In addition, they wanted an additional 60 cents to add ketchup for the fries.

We chose not to have ketchup just because it's wrong.

A Day on the Farm...

2008-07-13T16:14:00.000-05:00

From Marsaille we traveled up to the Aix-en-Provence to visit with representatives of the Agriculture industry including President of the National Farmers Union. In the meeting they shared information of how the country deals with farm subsidies. Our first speaker was Claude Rossignol is the Vice President of the Chamber of Agriculture and President of the Regional Farmers Union.

According to some notes from the meeting here are a few things jotted down…
Farmers in France receive 17 Euro's per cubic meter for water. By some rough calculations that's about 201 gallons.
On average, it's about 20,000 Euros for a hectare of tillable farmland with no improvements to the land.
The average farm subsidy is 300 Euro's per hectare.
The average income for farmers in Provence is 29,000 Euros, and 5000 of that is subsidy payment.
Another point made, in the United States, a large portion of consumers can purchase food by choice, i.e. a family who only eats organic products. In France the food purchase is based on price.
Following the meeting we climbed aboard the bus and traveled out of town to an olive farm/winery. Prior to this visit I knew very little about olives except that I don't like to eat them, but we had a very interesting tour and now I even know what an olive tree looks like.
Turns out the olive tree is pretty common in landscaping throughout the area. According to Haccuria, on average an olive tree will produce 180 kilo of olives and generate about 30 liters of olive oil. In 1996 when they created their own olive mill they were converting 100 lbs of olives to 10,000 liters of olive oil. In 2008 the farm will convert 1000 lbs of olives into 100,000 liters of oil through the olive mill you see here.
It takes about one hour to extract the oil from the olive and the by product of seed hull and olive skin is reapplied to the farm acreage to use as fertilizer.
On the Château Virant farm they also produce wine. Like the olive trees the grape vines are located only steps away from their processing facility. Christine attempted to give some insider grape production tips to ALOT members Jay Chism with the University Missouri Extension and Dan Devlin, a row crop producer from Edina, Missouri.
Another little note about wine production, grape harvest begins around August 10th with the same crew they employ for olive harvest. The grapes are slowly squeezed to the juiced can be extracted from the fruit. Once the grape has gone through the necessary process, the product will be in a vat for 10 to 12 hours. For red wine the time in the vat is three weeks. That allows the color of the grape skin to affect the color of the wine.
When you're on a farm, no matter what the commodity, John Crawford with Hamilton State Bank proved farmers still like to check out the farm "toys".

You can take the farm boy out of the "country," but you can't take the country out of the farm boy!!

I'll be back...

2008-07-12T15:41:00.000-05:00

Since it's a weekend I'm trying to play catch up. We've jetted off to another location but there's still more to share from France before I reveal too much about today.
On Wednesday morning we hopped aboard the 125mph Bullet train to head south. Train travel is very common throughout Europe and with the view and the comfortable roomy ride I can understand why. Our trip to Marseille, along the southern coast of France, was another brief visit. When we arrived I had 10 minutes to send in a report and change clothes so that explains why there were no pictures. Right away we enjoyed an hour long guided tour around the city. OOhhhhh and what a city it is! Before I get started on pictures, I'm using two different cameras and I seem to keep forgetting which camera I used on which shot. The problem with that, one is digital and the other is 35mm. There are more images that I'd like to share, but I guess not until they are developed.
Just along the coast the group bailed out of the bus to enjoy the breath taking view.
What appears to be the city's highest point is home to another beautiful church. We climbed the zillion steps to enjoy the view and hear the history of the landmark from our tour guide.

The church has been through extensive renovation in recent years. After several million dollars, it's beauty is comparable to the scenery that surrounds it. Inside the church you'll find detail in every inch with gold plated features and mosaic tile everywhere. By the way, every piece of mosaic tile used on the floor, walls and ceiling was no more than a half inch each. It's so finely detailed it didn't even look like mosaic.

And we all soaked in as much of the view as possible. Here's Janine Darby, a grain and hay producer from Madison, Missouri.

I would say, "Mom, send me money, I'm not leaving," but they've already hauled me to another location and it's a long walk back. Following our tour of the city we visited the Marseille Chamber of Commerce, the first Chamber created in the world. It's very active organization that strives to increase the awareness and success of this gorgeous region. The chamber is located in a large beautiful building overlooking one of the main city streets and it's just a block from the marina. In 2013 they will host the cultural center of Europe, so they have a great location to welcome guests.

This is one of the beautiful rooms on the top floor where we enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres (some were delicious, others had anchovies…. Need I say more?).
The gentleman on the right is Charles Goemaere with the Chamber. I don't have her name, but the young lady is an International Attaché for the US Embassy and standing to her right is William Peterson, an International Lawyer and President of the Mediterranean Business Network. Taking in the conversation is ALOT member Rebecca Townsend who works for Dow Jones Newswires.

Oh, Sweet Paree'

2008-07-11T16:49:00.000-05:00

France, what a beautiful region. It's been an amazing week experiencing the French countryside, agriculture industry, interesting people and gaining knowledge of a region I know little about. As I type this I'm sitting in the airport in Marseille, France along the Mediterranean coast. Time has been tight the last couple days so I still have photos to post of Paris!!! We had a very short time in the city of romance and fashion, but it was a neat place to swing through. This is just one of the many amazing Cathedrals that are located throughout France.

In the media we hear quite often that the European countries are environmentally friendly and the rumor appears to carry some weight. There are a lot of roofs that have trees and plants growing on them… not in pots but as a roof. The front of building had just about every plant you could imagine covering the wall all the way to the top. Not only environmentally friendly, but it gave the building an unusual texture and color with flowers and shades of greene.

Just down the street was the giant piece of architecture we were looking for. The Eiffel Tower proved to be even more massive than I ever imagined.

I would guess at least four large town squares could fit in the base of the tower. We chose the less ambitious route for getting to the top. They have a large tram like thing that about 40 people could fit in. You have the choice to go to the first deck or the top deck. I went to the top deck to soak in the sunset...

You know Paris is a big city, but when you are that high above the sky and can't see the city limits, you know they're lot of people. To prove it, here's a look to the east...

And when we finally came down, it was getting dark...

As I have previously mentioned, the blue lights on the tower are reported to be in honor of France taking over the Presidential position in the European Union.
I love to take pictures and when I travel I also like to catch a shot of the hotel rooms I stay in. I failed to do that the last couple of times, but I did take this picture outside the window of our magnificent room in Paris…

And looking the other direction...

That's Carroll County farmer Aubrey Famuliner who was in the room next door. We didn't lean out the window too far. It's the fourth floor!
The following morning we packed up again and left town on a Bullet Train to southern France. Everywhere you look, what a view!! I'm a little behind on the pictures, but we've relocated to another country where I should have regular internet access. I can't wait to share pictures of some of the meals we've had. Yes, David I know you'll appreciate that!!

By the way, thanks so much for your comments. I apologize for not sending notes back but please know I love to hear your thoughts!!

Heading South

2008-07-10T02:05:00.000-05:00

We've covered thousands of miles already and it's only day 3. Of course many of those miles were on a plane to get here in the first place. Tuesday we made the trek back to Paris and had the unique opportunity to visit the US Embassy in Paris, but we were not allowed to take any pictures. I saw a lady get in trouble for taking pictures across the street, so between that and the guns the guards were carrying, I decided not to risk taking a photo.
During out visit we me with Elizabeth Berry, Administrative Counselor for Ag Affairs at the US Embassy. We had an interesting discussion with her about trade between the United States and France. For example, each year the United States imports $2.3 billion in goods from France. On the flip side, France only imports about $700,000 in goods from the US each year. Quite a difference that I'm sure France does not mind. According to Berry France has come up with several reasons to keep our products out of the country, but of course none grounded on scientific basis, but lame excuses and delays. The prospect for change does not seem ideal because France just took over Presidency of the European Union July 1st. Needless to say, that gives the country and little more muscle to flex.
Moving on to more fun topics, Tuesday night we had the chance to do what everyone in Paris should do…. Climb the Eiffel Tower. Well, we didn't climb so much as ride the tram to the top, thank goodness. The pictures do not do it justice but I'll try anyway.

Following our trip to the top, many in the group took a boat ride on the Seine River around many parts of the city. While they did that, the rest of us took a hike to the Arch De Triumph. According to ALOT class member/tour guide Johnny Veibrock, Napolean built the massive piece of beautiful architecture for his wife.

It rains ALOT here too,

2008-07-08T18:49:00.000-05:00

The ALOT Class XII adventure continues in France. Yesterday we were on Omaha Beach. This is another photo of La pointe du Hoc where the bomb craters and German bunkers were located. Several ALOT class members have gathered in a bunker out of the rain to listen to our guide.

By the way, thanks for the notes. It's great to know someone is reading and checking out whats going on. Keep me posted and I'll do the same!!

Over the edge of the cliff is Utah beach where soldiers first landed on D-day. Those cliffs were only one of many obstacles they had to overcome.

And many of those who lost their life in the battle were laid to rest here in France. Following the war, the land for the cemetery was donated to the United States.

One thing we have learned for travel sake, bring your umbrella. On each tour the sun was out until we were a hundred yards away from the bus. That's when Mother Nature would cut loose with a little rain and wind. As you can see Garrett Hawkins and Dan Devlin were looking very fresh following our rainy hike.

Later in the day we traveled east to Reams, France located northeast of Paris. We learned a little about the Champaign Industry in France and how they are trying to protect the Champaign name. I'll work on posting the audio so you can take a listen to the report instead of writing everything out.
Following Monday's lesson, today we visited one of the well known Champaign companies for a tour of the Champaign Caves where they age 100's of thousands (if not millions) of bottles of their delicious product. I say delicious because they insisted that we try their Champaign. Being the grateful and obedient guests that we are, we were happy to oblige. Te he he…hiccup hiccup..

This is ALOT Class member Vance Keaton. As Vance was holding the bottle we learned its value is somewhere around $15,000. They were preparing several of these large bottles to be shipped to the purchaser located somewhere in Dubai. That's Jeff Case overseeing things and trying to figure out how to get that thing home before they notice.

A New Adventure

2008-07-07T18:08:00.000-05:00

As I type this message, we are driving down the road taking in more of the French countryside. I'll first say the buses are not too easy to type on, due to lack of legroom and the fact we're driving down the highway. We spent this morning on Utah beach, where US troops landed on D-Day at the start of World War II. Following that stopped we moved over to the cemetery where soldiers who lost their lives during the battle are buried. There's about 175 acres that France turned over to the United States Including the Cemetery memorial and the memorial that has been erected at Omaha Beach. I'll try and post additional photos later. My computer does not seem to speak French either so we are having issues. This is a photo of Utah beach. The German soldiers used these bunkers for protection and firing weapons. The lumps in the ground you see are where bombs fell around them.

Now for a couple observations I've made, starting with the flight into Paris. The farmland from the coast into France appears to be in very small plots and that appear rather choppy. Most of the acres were not squared off either. However, as we flew close to Paris, each field dedicated to agriculture production was larger and a little more similar to the U.S. Midwest. Another observation of the countryside, it really is kind of what you might expect. Many of the homes are stone with red roofs. Not all of them are red, but many of them are and it's kind of an interesting sight. They also appear to love flowers and tree. Along many roadsides there are young trees lining the shoulder. Every house is surrounds by beautiful flowering bushes in the yard with window boxes draped in pink red or white flowers too.

Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-03T23:58:00.000-05:00

Every family has traditions, most often surrounding the Winter months but something I remember as a child may be a little different. In the Ozarks this time of year, combines are usually rolling. Not for corn or soybeans, but fescue, the perennial crop that a lot of people use as grass seed for their yard. My dad and brother logged many hours in the combine taking in another fescue crop. Each bin would be dumped into Greeny, the ol dump truck. At the end of the day we'd drive Greeny to town to unload and wait in line for our turn. From the top of the hill I could see the fireworks from the fairgrounds 5 or 6 miles away north. Every 4^th of July I think of those days. I also think of mom's lemon tea, a mixture of lemonade and iced tea, which, come to think of, I've not had in years. I know what I'm going to drink tomorrow!!

And the fair tries to draw to a close… Sunday August 19th

Rise and shine, it’s time to load things up. While packing I call Mike just to confirm that he has the missing golf cart. That's a no. I look around the trailer, another no. Now what do I do about my missing, borrowed golf cart?

While my friend Brad and I drive around the campground in search of the cart I realize this is not going to be easy. Do you know how many white two seater golf carts exist? Exactly! I don't usually get too worried but its time to call in the professionals. For cryin out load the thing could be on the way to Mexico!

As the State Patrol pulls up, Mike calls. He’s at the Red Radio and there’s an abandoned golf cart 20 feet away that could be ours. My first thought, I know that I didn't spend much time in the Bud Tent, so I DID NOT leave it behind.

Mike checks it out and thankfully it is our golf cart. Now who played this little prank? While racking my memory, I continue loading my stuff. On the last bundle, my neighbors (who helped put the awning down) ask if my golf cart was stolen. They were enjoying the evening of fresh air around midnight when a couple guys zipped by on another golf cart. Ten minutes later the two walk (stagger) back, heading back to the fairgrounds, intoxicated and whispering about their search for another cart. When the two notice my neighbors they try to casually walk away. Within minutes one of them comes from the other side of my trailer jumps on the golf cart and zooms away. Not very subtle huh?

So did my neighbors see who it was? Do I know who they were? No!

According to my friendly neighbor, "it was a cowboy and a midget cowboy!” (I'm sorry, it's not politically correct)

Just to confirm I understand things, you mean a tall guy and a short guy, or a tall guy and………Wizard of Oz size guy?

Friendly Neighbor: "Seriously, Wizard of Oz” No Way!!

That sums it up, I don’t know who did it. Later that day I visited with my friend Stacy at the Gerken Dairy Center. When I told her the story she laughed and told me the bandits had been in the dairy center the day before getting ice cream and were part of the set up crew for the concert the previous night!

So here is what my deductive reasoning tells me… thankfully, bandits eat ice cream. Also as part of the set up crew, they entertain themselves during the concert by "borrowing" a golf cart from the fairgrounds and dump it in the campground. Instead of walking back they "borrow" a cart from the campground (ours) and take it back to the concert grandstand when they are ready to call it a night. Just so happens, that's where the radio is parked. Whew, it's time to go home!

So in 2007 State Fair Summary…

A saturated Jeep

An uncooperative Air conditioner

1 written warning on the golf cart

Mike’s car towed -- twice

Mike’s new cell phone… flattened

Janet’s keys, locked up -- twice

Two golf carts -- one busted, one stolen

Two sets of neighbors coming to the rescue

Two cowboys, one average and one vertically challenged

And 11 days of good ol fun you won’t find anywhere but at the state fair….. Priceless!

It's raining, what a surprise...

2008-07-02T21:08:00.000-05:00

Another day which means another morning, afternoon, and evening of rain lightening and thunder. Glad I had the fun of fixing the gutter yesterday. Did it work? I don't see buckets of water pouring down in front of the window, but its wet and I'm not stepping out to check it out...

Back to the fair...

Saturday, August 18th

By now, we’ve had several experiences. The past couple days have been surprisingly calm. As I sat in the radio that morning I had a feeling. Somewhere deep inside there is another story in this 2007 State Fair. When, what, who, I have no idea but there is a sneaking suspicion.

It's Saturday night and the last night of the fair. I decide to leave the golf cart at the camper for the evening and enjoy the grounds on foot. By 1 a.m. I'm back at the camper and I realize the golf cart is gone. It has to be one of two options.

a. Mike and his family took it for the evening.

b. Someone is playing a joke and moved it a short distance just to hide it for the night.

Holy House!

2008-07-01T22:24:00.000-05:00

That’s how I feel tonight after spending time closer to the skyline. My mom and nephew are here visiting this week. Mom does a pretty good job of keeping busy so that means a lot of things get accomplished around here. My spare bedroom now has a fresh coat of paint on it. I came home from work yesterday and finished up the top part. Mom had an unfortunate encounter with a ladder a few years ago so she avoids those these days.

Tonight I came home to another home prepared meal. After that we stepped outside to tackle another chore. With all the rain my gutters are working overtime and have started pulling away from the house in revolt. When it rains, water pours down from the gutter and it’s found a way into the dark depths of my basement…. Blah!!!

I’ve been trying to sweep the water out each day and hope for things to dry, but before you know it there’s more rain. Tonight, while mom is here to break my fall or call for an ambulance if necessary, I climbed on the house to fix the gutters. After scooting all the way around the house and replacing a few things, we are back in business!! Hopefully that will hold for a while.

The countdown is on for the next big adventure which means I need to wrap up the state fair. Stay tuned and we’ll finish things before we start the next adventure.

Back to the fair…

Thursday, August 16^th

We are back in business now that we have a golf cart again. As we travel the grounds interviewing people attending the event, one of us will be in the Red Radio while the other is on the grounds doing the interviews. We use our cell phones to keep in touch and know when an interview is ready to begin. During one such report Mike is ready to do an interview but realizes his cell phone is gone. After backtracking to where he has been on the golf cart he finds the phone in the road where its been crushed by a truck and trailer. It doesn’t work any more.

Survey Says...

2008-06-24T19:12:00.000-05:00

On TV tonight is the Celebrity Family Fued. That really has nothing to do with this other than I thought about it after I typed the title. The survey I speak of is the Blog survey. Recently I sent this blog link to several friends to ask their opinion of this blog vs another blog that I set up through another site. This blog was the winner by several votes, so here we are and here I guess we will be.
When I came home this evening I started playing with the digital camera mom gave me. She's upgraded so she didn't need this one anymore. I have shopped around for a new one, but I may try and make this one work to save the cash, I need it for the gas tank. I set out this evening with the intent of learning how to post pictures and it appears I may be on the right track. This is a photo of an Iris from home. Beautiful isn't it?

Another day at the 2007 fair. Wednesday continued……

Later that morning I stop by Don’s Trucking and Towing (DTT) about the golf cart situation. Within minutes a huge, giant, bright yellow tow truck arrives with a very tiny golf cart on top. The cart is not really that small, just in comparison to the truck it’s a midget. The guys ~~help~~ hook up the broadcast equipment and everything is good to go!

Now for a little information on DTT. These guys have worked the state fair for over two decades towing vehicles (Mike’s included, and my own truck a few years ago). They don’t decide what goes, but they do as the parking attendants direct. On the grounds they have a tent set up where they host a couple gatherings throughout the fair.

During one of the events home fried Rocky Mountain Oysters are on the menu. Some people refer to them as calf fries. Let me just say, I’m a farm girl. I was around cattle before I could utter the word moo. Over the years I was there during several “Oyster Collecting” events but I’ve NEVER tried the… delicacy. With a leap of culinary faith I find that… they’re not too bad, tastes like chicken, honestly! I probably won’t go out of my way to try again, but seriously, not too bad!

I’m glad I had the chance to meet Don’s crew and I’m looking forward to more adventures with them. By the way, I asked Don about the 2004 state fair when it rained the entire week and it was muddy everywhere. So, how many vehicles did they have to pull out of the mud? Thousands. Probably didn’t get to have much fun that year.

An Adventure Ahead, and Behind...

2008-06-23T22:50:00.000-05:00

A friend yelled at me this weekend, well, not so much yelled but sent me a strongly worded message that I’m behind and I need to update things. She’s right because there is a lot of stuff going on. The 2008 State Fair is less than a couple months away and there are things that need to be finalized. In addition, in less then two weeks I’ll hit the road to regions far away. The plan is to file back reports in a Where in the World kind of way. Now there are a few who already know the adventure, but most of our listeners don’t. I thought it might be fun to share the adventure in the Matt Lauer style of globe hopping. With that said, stay tuned… I leave on July 5^th and will be back in the office on July 24^th. Lots of miles traveled in between. The reason for the trip is my participation in the Missouri ALOT (Agriculture Leaders of Tomorrow) program. To learn more go to www.alotmissouri.com. We have spent the last several months getting to know one another and traveling across the state learning what the Show Me State ag industry has to offer. There have been some great adventures, late nights, enlightening discussions and a several events that we can look back over the years and smile about. Good people I tell you, good people!! Anyway, they’re 26 of us that will set out on the journey and for once, I’m already trying to plan my suitcase. That never happens! Usually I throw a bunch of stuff in that should work then hit the road. With a 2 week adventure I’ve gotten in touch with my planning gene. Now, shall we take bets on what I’ll forget?

Back to the fair…

Tuesday, August 14th

I’m on the trail of a replacement golf cart. A friend who works with the Department of Agriculture has introduced me to Don’s Trucking and Towing (DTT) who agree to loan us a golf cart but it won’t make it in until Wednesday.

Wednesday, the 15th

Shortly after 6am Mike calls from the Red Radio. There’s no audio coming from the Radio and he’s feeding the reports through the phone line because he can’t hear the station. Because he’s doing reports he can’t investigate further. I rush over to see if there’s something I can do. While he's doing the markets, I wiggle wires, pick things up, move things around and finally borrow a screw driver from the Shriners Cook Shack. I take the equipment out of the base unit, wiggle more wires and still can’t find the answer. Finally it dawns on me that there is no audio coming from the headphones which means the problem is not the speakers. In my foggy, delayed, deductive reasoning I look at the front of the stereo. It's set to AM. With a simple push of the button, it’s changed back to FM and we have sound. Whew!! By the way, we’re 100.7 on the FM dial when you pass through north Missouri…. Wednesday to be continued…..

Another Lovely Day!

2008-06-16T18:27:00.000-05:00

I love Spring and Summer. The sun comes out and it's warm enough that you can get out and enjoy it. The problem this year..... it's not going to be long enough! While scanning through the calendar over the weekend, things are pretty well booked through the end of August. It's great to have things to do, but when I make it out of the fog of activities this summer, it's going to be Fall. That my friend is only a sneeze away from Winter. I guess that's a good reason to enjoy the day you're in and live it up!! So here's another day from the 2007 State Fair. Plenty of headaches and heat, but it wouldn't be right any other way!

Monday, August 13^th

After letting the golf cart rest for the night, It’s time to get another day at the fair underway. I made it to the street that leads into the campgrounds. Things weren’t sounding any better so I turn around and head back to the camper. Halfway there, she’s done! A couple nice people help me push it back to the trailer where she puttered her last backfire to an untimely and majorly inconvenient end.

During the fair we use the cart so we can broadcast reports from every corner of the fair. Knowing the cart is a necessity, I’ll spend the next 24 hours doing reports on foot and trying to find a way to replace the cart.

That same day, Mike worked the morning shift again. At three in the afternoon when it’s time to leave, there is Déjà vu. His car is gone, towed away, again. It took another couple of hours to get it fixed, but relax, it doesn’t happen again through the rest of the fair.

Hello Sunshine!

2008-06-11T13:06:00.000-05:00

What a lovely day we have. A little bit of sunshine, breeze and the threat of more rain. Right now it might be a little warmer than some prefer, but I love it. When visiting with Scott this week we chatted about the weather and how muggy hot it’s been on a few days. I’ll tell you what I told him.. I complain all winter because it’s too cold so I will not bellyache about the summer. All my weather irritability must be reserved for anytime the temperature falls below 70!

Now back to the State Fair…. we’ll make it through sooner or later. The 2008 fair is only a couple months away.

Sunday, August 12.... Day 4

The weekend was pretty uneventful until Sunday night. The girls are gone and a couple other friends (Mark and Aubrey) have come by to visit and go to the Dirks Bentley concert. Following the concert there was a quick but mighty wind storm that blew over trashcans and ripped items away from a vendor’s tent across the street.

After it was finally over we spent a little more quality time at a couple State Fair “establishments” then rode the golf cart back to the campground.

About halfway back the golf cart backfires then there's a loud ker-thud and pop. Hoping/praying it was just a fluke, we drive it back to the trailer to let it rest for the evening.. a good 5 hours will really bring a golf cart back to life…. I hope!!

At the trailer I realize I left my keys in the Red Radio on the fairgrounds. The golf cart is retired for the night so the neighbors to the north who are enjoying an evening of fireside conversation, give me a lift back to the radio…. When we make it back, Aubrey and I sit down for a fireside chat with our new friends. During the discussion I learn that these new friends came to my rescue
once before. The windstorm that came up earlier was whipping the awning on my trailer. Afraid it would tear the thing up they rolled it up for me. That’s the awning I had no idea how to roll up from a couple days ago.

Thanks for the help x2

Back at it

2008-06-02T22:45:00.000-05:00

I made my first venture on the golf course this year playing in a scramble tournament with my brother. To be honest, we're not that good, but between the two of us we can come up with something that works on each hole. I started playing a few years ago and have only played three or four times a year since then. Last year at this tournament I won the women’s longest drive off the tee. A had a pretty good run on the drive again this year, but I would have preferred the ball stayed a little more center green.

This was the first game David and I played this year. Because of that, we were both feeling it on Sunday. Golf seems to be a low impact sport, but two days later my right hand is still a little stiff from the game. We were both sore yesterday but after loading up on pain medication and icy hot, we survived and I’m ready to go again.

Sunday was another beautiful day, so not having soaked up enough summer yet, I ventured to the barn and grabbed the saddle. King and I took off on a solo trail ride enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of nature. It’s been a couple months since I had a nice ride so this was long overdue. There's nothing more relaxing than a leisurely stroll through the fields away from the world. Usually we spot a few turkey and deer, but this time, just a couple quail and a worried terrapin.

Now back to the State Fair.

Friday the 10^th was day two.

After starting his day at 6 that morning, Mike finally heads to his car around 3 to go home. Once he arrives at the parking lot, he soon realizes that his car is nowhere to be seen.

So what happened? When you work the morning shift, you get there before the parking attendant. On this morning, when the attendant arrived, they assumed his car had been there all night so they had it towed. It takes a couple of hours, but the issue is finally resolved and he’s able to put the day behind him.

That evening I have some friends coming to the fair for a visit. During the afternoon these three decide my trailer is hot and that unrolling the awning will make it cooler. Knowing that I’ll be stuck putting the canopy away, which I don’t know how to do, I discourage the effort but the girls promise to put it away before they leave.

With the determination of a herd of stubborn goats they set about their mission.

I remain inside trying to clean up some after a sweaty day at the fair. After a few moments I stick my head outside and realize one of my friends is missing, and two others have been added to the mix. Turns out she’s on the roof of the trailer because the sunshade wasn’t coming down as easily as expected. While she’s on the roof, our camping neighbors take pity on us and come over to help. In a few moments the thing is down and we have shade.

We thank our helpful neighbors then turn to go back in the trailer and quickly discover the door is locked. Luckily I have my cell phone. I call the RV dealerships we work with and they quickly come to our rescue. Within 15 minutes, our hero arrives on a golf cart to save the day.

It's Day One

2008-05-21T22:31:00.000-05:00

Thursday the 9^th

5:50am

First day of the fair and morning after the monsoon!! I’m at the Jeep ready to head to the Red Radio. Again, the soft windows were off the Jeep during the night. The doors had to windows rolled up and top was enclosed. That means the back seat was open and the drivers seat should have been dry, but NO!! The seat was soaked and the floor board had at least an inch of water!

9am

I take the golf cart back to the camper to grab something. At the entry one of the “gate keepers” stops me for not having an ID number on the cart. I grab the tag from the administration building then head back to the Red Radio. (the ID was something the engineer used to take care of so I’m learning as I go)

When I make it back to the Radio, it’s time for our first remote report from the fair. I zip over to the Floriculture building to do an interview. When that’s done, I’m on the golf cart ready to leave when a man who I will refer to as the Golf Cart Nazi stops me for not having the ID sticker on the cart.

Me: I’m sorry I just picked it up and it’s at the Radio. I’ll go get it

He reluctantly allows me to retrieve the tag from the Red Radio, but wants me to come back so I can prove I have it. A couple minutes later I return. He “thanks” me for putting the ID on then hands me a written warning for the mistake!!.

This is day one, BEFORE 11am and I’ve already been in trouble!!

Over the Technology Cliff

2008-05-20T23:55:00.001-05:00

MySpace, Facebook, a blog and a work website.. Holy Internet Batman! It would seem I’ve grabbed a spot everywhere, each linking back to my adventures over the radio airwaves. I’m happy to report that not only do I have online access at work, I now have it within these four walls where I sleep, eat and create a disastrous mess. But that’s not all! I have a new cell phone that’s sent me over the edge of technology into a pile of tech toys and gadgets. Among other things, this phone remains charged for more than 5 minutes, a calendar, a great contact program, serves as an internet modem for my computer and most importantly I have internet access anywhere I have phone service right there on the phone itself. For some that may be too much of everything, but after years of working in radio I confess I’m a news/internet/communication junkie! Now I can feed that addiction anywhere!!!

So, as I swim through the world of gadgets and hope not to erase, destroy or lose the new toy, I move on to the promised state fair. The 2008 state fair runs August 7-17^th, so plans are coming together now and we’ll have some concert information to share next week.

As for last year, the KMZU Farm Department spends the entire 10 days at the fair in Sedalia, MO. Mike and I will each have a camper on the grounds so we don’t have to make the drive everyday. I pretty much move into my trailer as if it’s an apartment. For me that means things tossed all over the place, but that’s just to make it feel homey. Mike will alternate a couple days so he can see his family (and keep himself out of trouble). Last year the fair officially started on the 9^th, so from the beginning …..

August

6^th For the fair in 2006 we had an engineer at the radio station who took care of setting things up for the annual event. In 2007, we didn’t have an engineer so I took the Red Roving Radio to Sedalia for set up. Miles, da boss, arrives climbs on top of the grandstand a few times, engineers a few things and to make a long story short, 9 hours later things are pretty well ready to go. That afternoon our trailers arrive (homes away from home). We set those up and turn on the air conditioner so it’s cool when I come back in a couple days.

Wednesday the 8^th

6pm I arrive at the fairgrounds in the evening so I can make sure the printers, computers, audio equipment are hooked up and I know what I’m doing. 2 hours later, printers work, computers work…. Audio….. it’ll work somehow.

10pm I head to the trailer and find the air conditioner is NOT WORKING. Call the RV folks and it’s just the breaker. While the trailer cools down, I’ll make a late night run for groceries. When I get back, no AC.

Get it running again and I’m in bed by 11:30.

12:30am Air conditioner quits again. First thought…. It’s going to be a long, hot 10 days! I check the breaker but that’s not the problem this time. I look outside and notice the wind is really picking up and other campers are scrambling to get the trailer awnings rolled up. Gee, I’m glad I don’t have to mess with that, I wouldn’t know where to start.

I open the windows and go back to the sauna/bed.

3am The wind is really blowing, it’s pouring down rain and lightning and thunder is rumbling through the skies. I try to go back to sleep when I remember the windows on the Jeep are off (the soft top is on but no windows.) With a full blown storm outside, I decide, it’s a Jeep, she's tough, it’ll be ok.

Stay tuned for day two..

Daddy's Girl

2008-05-19T23:55:00.001-05:00

A sad time for the world, that’s how I would describe the past few weeks. I say that because two weeks ago my dad passed away. He’d been fighting cancer since early last year when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. The following months included several weeks of radiation, chemo, major surgery, an infection, an “all clear,” a “there’s more,” additional treatments, and a different cancer treatment center at the beginning of this year with more tests and aggressive treatments.

Dad continued receiving treatments this Spring and really liked the cancer treatment center where he started receiving his medical care this year. Throughout the months dad maintained a positive outlook, but after a physically exhausting year dad’s battle against the disease came to an end. It’s been a rough time for my family however we were all with him. All I can say is losing him is one of the hardest things I’ve been through, but at the same time there’s a sense of calm knowing that he does not have to experience that unbearable pain any longer and can finally rest.

We all had a great weekend together beforehand, and the following week was the expected emotional rollercoaster but filled with wonderful people. I could be wrong, but I truly believe relationships are where rural America is far above and beyond what urban dwellers could imagine. Not only did family and friends call, write and email condolences, but so many traveled so far just to show their support for us and their love for dad. In addition, some of the smallest gestures mean so much…. Family and friends dropped by with loads of food and love but one afternoon when some friends were leaving, mom, my brother and I were so touched when we saw three neighbors (they actually live about 6miles away) in the yard unloading lawn equipment. The three family friends then spent the next hour mowing and weed eating the overgrown yard for mom. So many gestures, and it still brings tears to my eyes to know so many wonderful, caring people. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. Dad was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed. He would be so touched to know that so many people cared so much about him and his family.

Tomorrow I’ll get back to the schedule I promised, sharing some of the events from the fair, but also over the next few weeks I may bring up a few dad stories too. I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I will enjoy remembering them.

With love,

Janet

Heading to Springtown

2008-05-02T08:09:00.000-05:00

I finally spilled the beans about this blog to a few friends who may be checking it out for the first time. Thanks for stopping by!!
Today is Friday, TGIF once again. I hate to wish the week away, but some weeks need an earlier weekend. We had another monsoon last night. I’m not sure what the forecast is for the weekend, but if this continues I may add flippers to my shopping list.

Tonight I’m Springfield bound. Missouri State University’s Dr. Anson Elliott, the Dean of Agriculture, called a couple weeks ago to see if I could moderate the MSU Collegiate Farm Bureau’s 2008 Agriculture Forum.
Absolutely! The panel this year will be small, but informative with Missouri Farm Bureau President Charlie Kruse and Congressman Roy Blunt. I know there will be a number of issues discussed so I’ve been trying to brush up on issues and will continue to do so for the next 10 hours! You can attend the dinner and forum for $20. Dinner starts at 6:30 with the forum to follow around 7pm. If you just want to attend the forum, that’s free of charge and should start around 7. The event will be at the Bass Pro Museum. This will be my first experience in the museum, so I’m looking forward to a peak inside.

I mentioned I would recap the 2007 State Fair. I think my memory is tapped so I’ll be posting the events that inspired this blog next week.
Have a great weekend!

Happy Monday!

2008-04-28T17:37:00.001-05:00

I’m officially a couple weeks into the blogging world and I must confess it’s harder to keep up with than I expected. Maybe it’s not so hard to keep up with as it is easy to put off. Sounds like a similar story to other things.

Example #1 “I’m going to get up early and start walking everyday… starting tomorrow”
Example #2 “I’m going to eat a salad for lunch everyday… starting tomorrow”
Example #3 “I’m going to blog everyday”

Remember the saying do as I say and not as I do, I guess that applies here.

We’re heading into the great month of MAY and what a great month it is. First of all, I’m pretty sure we can finally declare that Winter is over! Also, May is a great celebration month…. my brother, couple cousins, Farm Boy, Farm Boss, a couple of other friends and yours truly all celebrate birthdays during the 5th month of the year. Some people, when they get to a certain age, don’t like acknowledge birthdays anymore. Personally I love to. In fact I like to claim the whole month of May as Janet Birthday Season and sometimes, the whole summer! So, here’s to the 4th annual 30th birthday float trip!! By the way, I accept gifts and cash donations for birthday celebrating!!

May is also National Beef Month. Many people don’t always remember the event, but as a farm broadcaster, it’s at the top of the The Farm agenda. During National Beef Month, KMZU again will host the Best Beef Recipe Contest. We’ll accept recipes for about 3 weeks. We’ll choose 10 recipes that seem the most appetizing, cook’em up a have a little taste test at the office. The winner will receive a new grill from Vaughn Pool and Spa in Sedalia. At the end, all the recipes are put into a KMZU cook book and we will hand those out at KMZU events over the next year. So, send in your recipe and keep a look out for the KMZU Beef Cookbook 2008 edition!!

Free Pizza!!

2008-04-20T21:16:00.001-05:00

I’ve been attending the National Ag Marketing conference in Kansas City over the past few days. It was my first NAMA experience so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Turns out it’s a great place to build the contact list. Several companies represented and I tried to meet everyone but there were a lot of people.

The convention wrapped up Friday but I just made it back to town this evening (Sunday). Spending time in KC is always fun and I had the chance to catch up with some friends who I don’t see very often. They were attending the convention too so we had lots of bonding time over the last few days. On Saturday night we checked out the new Power and Light District. That’s quite an experience with plenty of clubs and restaurants on two levels. We spent our Saturday night taking in a country band at one of the venues, dancing the night away and people watching. Now that it’s Sunday I remember why I don’t do that very often, but its important to remind yourself every now and then.

Oh… why the Free Pizza line? I stopped by the office this evening to see what I missed over the last few days. Thankfully it doesn’t look like I missed much. Bruce is on air tonight and stuck his head in the door to declare his hunger. To fix that, He’s buying pizza and I’ll serve as the delivery gal. That means I’ll be helping myself to the free Italian pie!

Dipping a Toe in Technology

2008-04-15T18:26:00.000-05:00

So my adventure online this week has been interesting. Not only is this blog officially up and running, I’ve ventured into other online experiences. After years and years of thinking those online people are crazy, I’ve now joined the crazy ranks and have a Myspace account. To be honest, the Myspace account was actually established 2 years ago while I lived in Kansas. A friend from Arkansas encouraged me to give it a go so I could easily keep up to date with friends who are scattered across the country. I gave it a try, signed up for the account, decided the thing looked complicated and that’s where I stopped.
Now fast forward to this week…. While loading up on the internet experience, I remembered the Myspace log-in two years ago and wondered if it might still work and it did!! Still no information on my page, but it worked!! While tinkering with it I discovered there’s a mailbox which has been receiving messages for 2 years. Apparently there are a whole bunch of “naughty” networks looking for another member (it’s not just me, it’s the spam stuff I promise). As I’m deleting 6 pages of spam I come across a picture of a lady with a baby. I almost delete it but realize there’s a real message, not just some crazy baby mamma with a naughty message. It’s my friend from Arkansas who talked me into this online craziness 2 years ago. She apparently left me a few messages, and by the fourth one she wasn’t very happy with me. Well never fear, I’ve now replied to Crazy Jane.. She’s not sending out naughty spam messages, just threatening thoughts to an old friend who’s not very tech savvy.
Don’t worry Jane, I’m learning more with each letter I type!!

April showers bring.....more rain!

2008-04-13T14:52:00.000-05:00

Well it’s a weekend of relaxation in MO. The clouds are still hanging over the state, and the snowfall we experienced yesterday still has many of us amazed…. It’s April right?
I know each year it feels like the winter we are escaping seems much longer than any winter before. I’m sure it may be a matter of perspective. I know I’ve thought this before, but gee whiz, can Spring please shine some light on to the countryside so the temperatures can go up and the Jeep can go naked. However, I suppose it’s just as well. If you’ve ever seen a vehicle I drive, you know that I live out of it. With that said, the top off the Jeep, driving down the highway in 80+ temperatures would be an easy way to clean house!!

A Broadcaster in the Making

2008-04-10T15:19:00.000-05:00

Today we had a special guest at “The Farm.” Courtney, a member of the Wellington Napolean FFA Chapter, spent a few hours job-shadowing the farm department. She’ll be and attending the University of Missouri this Fall, majoring in Ag journalism or Ag Education. I tried hard to sway her vote toward broadcasting but suggested she pick up her Ed degree. Scott tossed in a great point, "pick up as much business and computer knowledge as you can too!" Courtney did a great job on a story that will air during the noon hour Farm News file tomorrow. If I figure out how, I'll post the audio here too.
I’m going to date myself a little here, but when I graduated from Houston, Mo, computers were useful, but not something 110% necessary for me. I had an electronic typewriter with magic tape to banish typos so I was set! Fast forward a couple years when I pulled an all nighter on a technical writing project. You can’t use the computer lab that late so I spent the entire night at my friends house on their computer. Thinking back on things, they (you know who you are) weren’t the best people to try and write A+ literature around but they were entertaining. Oh the fun of college….. Courtney.. actually it was no fun at all… keep your nose in the books and stay away from boys!!

It's a Wednesday

2008-04-09T16:33:00.000-05:00

So the Blog has been active for a few days now although, very little activity from my end. As I mentioned previously, I was inspired to blog from the experiences that happened at the 2007 state fair. I’ll go over those in a couple days after refresh my memory. But let’s say in the world of radio sometimes there are a few things that go wrong. Come to think of it though, it may not be the world of radio… just my world!

Anyway, around here we’ve actually had another pretty day. I know everyone is ready for some sunshine. I’ve already bought a few plants to put in the ground to add some color to the house, but that hasn’t happened yet. I’m not a big fan of chilly weather so I’m waiting for Mother Nature to bring some sunshine then I’ll go outside and play in the dirt a little.

Finally started...

2008-04-07T15:25:00.000-05:00

So it’s taken a while to get the thought of having a place on the web from my mind to the computer. It was several months ago the idea came to mind followed by several months of wondering where would be the best place to have a page. I hope to keep listeners, family and friends informed of things taking place in my world, a.k.a. what’s taking place at The Farm, KMZU. Someday I’ll have a picture of a farm road to match the title. In the meantime, let’s enjoy the idea of a nice warm beach instead of what the reality has been here for the last few weeks. If you have any thoughts you’d like to share, please send them my way!

Starting the engine

2008-04-03T14:22:00.000-05:00

First true venture into blogging. It will be interesting to see where the farm road leads to. We'll consider this first trip just a test.