Devin and Sandra Greenwald of Brookport, Ill., do.
On the morning of Sept. 14 as the winds picked up, they decided to walk outside their aging Brookport, Ill., home to pick up limbs from the remnants of Hurricane Ike. Sandra Greenwald heard a crackling noise and looked up only to see a large oak branch smash into their house and shift it off the foundation.
The Greenwalds estimate the winds blew 70 mph that morning. That wind destroyed their home and forced them to live in a hotel for three months. Insurance has helped pay the hotel bills but not enough to cover the cost of a new home.
Last summer, they had looked at manufactured homes from Clayton Homes in Paducah and delayed making a purchase. But once that tree smashed into their home, they had no choice.
While at Clayton Homes, they entered a drawing for a new television set. As luck would have it, they actually won the drawing, but yet they didn't have a home in which to put it. The Greenwalds have now bought a home from Clayton and hope to move in by New Year's Day.
Just in time for Devin to watch all those bowl games on the 32-inch TV.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Cookie cheater
Last year I had the bright idea of making homemade gingerbread dough with my son that we would put out for Santa. After finding flour in the cracks and crevices of my kitchen at my old house three months after that experiment, I decided this year that I would simplify my life. Mommy turned to her elves at Nestle Toll House to simplify matters and hopefully, also not to make a horrific flour mess in the kitchen. Less mess, right?
Wrong. I'm typing this with flour on my countertop and on just about everywhere else in the kitchen. I think the black cat now looks like a skunk because she strolled under the counter in the middle of rolling out the dough.
Still, my son and I are having a blast rolling out the dough and cutting it with our gingerbread boy cutter. He doesn't know I've cheated this year and not mixed the dough from scratch. We won't tell Santa, will we?
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
You Don't Say
The most popular story on the New York Times' Web site Wednesday dealt with the use of butter in cookies. Really?
All sarcasm aside as anyone who bakes (and eats) cookies knows that the secret indeed is butter (lots of it) to make the cookies yummy. The article talked about the care required with the handling of butter for making cookies. For instance, how many of us have popped a stick of butter in the microwave and ended up melting it instead of "softening"? The trick, the article says, is to cream the butter and keep the butter dough cold.
Apparently once butter melts, it's finito. Who knew?
The colder the butter, the better the structure of the cookie.
I learned more about butter in five minutes than I knew in all the years of fiddling around in the kitchen. It's well worth the time to click over to the nytimes.com and click on the top article of the day.
Anyone have any other thoughts on cookies and baking?
All sarcasm aside as anyone who bakes (and eats) cookies knows that the secret indeed is butter (lots of it) to make the cookies yummy. The article talked about the care required with the handling of butter for making cookies. For instance, how many of us have popped a stick of butter in the microwave and ended up melting it instead of "softening"? The trick, the article says, is to cream the butter and keep the butter dough cold.
Apparently once butter melts, it's finito. Who knew?
The colder the butter, the better the structure of the cookie.
I learned more about butter in five minutes than I knew in all the years of fiddling around in the kitchen. It's well worth the time to click over to the nytimes.com and click on the top article of the day.
Anyone have any other thoughts on cookies and baking?
A Dog Named Beau
How can you not love a face like this?
Reader reaction to my story about Beau, a special-needs rescue dog from Metropolis, Ill., has been positive. Several readers have called to request Beau's address so that their dog can send him a Christmas card. How sweet! A few others have called to thank us for running an uplifting story about a dog.
Willodean Berkley of Reidland said had she known about Beau's story, she would have suggested that her pooch, Lilly Bell, a 2 1/2-year-old Pomeranian, relinquish her spot on the cover and let Beau have his day in the sun.
I'm sure that all the pets in the calendar have their own story.
Beau appears to be doing well with physical therapy in St. Louis. Christina Lewis sent along other photos of a happy pooch during water therapy. He's now able to walk on the underwater treadmill for 10 minutes, and his prognosis looks good, she said.
"I am a little sad that Beau will not be coming home this weekend, but when I pick him up on Tuesday, he will be home a full five days before we return," Lewis said. "With any luck, he will be able to walk on his own next week."
Anyone who would like to send Beau a card, mail to Eric and Christina Lewis, 7243 Riepe Ridge Road, Metropolis, IL 62960.
Several readers have asked about donations. Lewis said any donations may be mailed to the rehab clinic.
The address is:
Veterinary Specialty Solutions
"Beau" Taylor-Lewis
1021 Howard George Drive
Manchester, MO 63021.
Beau's e-mail is beau0507@yahoo.com.
Proceeds from the sale of the Precious Pet calendar benefit the McCracken County Humane Society and the Paducah Sun's Newspapers in Education program. In a tough economic year like this one, forking out $5 for a calendar can go a long way to making a difference in the life of a cat or a dog at the shelter. Anyone who has a pet knows that the cost of food has risen dramatically in the past year. Consider that the shelter must supply food for kittens and puppies and adult cats and dogs.
The calendar is available at the Sun's office.
Reader reaction to my story about Beau, a special-needs rescue dog from Metropolis, Ill., has been positive. Several readers have called to request Beau's address so that their dog can send him a Christmas card. How sweet! A few others have called to thank us for running an uplifting story about a dog.
Willodean Berkley of Reidland said had she known about Beau's story, she would have suggested that her pooch, Lilly Bell, a 2 1/2-year-old Pomeranian, relinquish her spot on the cover and let Beau have his day in the sun.
I'm sure that all the pets in the calendar have their own story.
Beau appears to be doing well with physical therapy in St. Louis. Christina Lewis sent along other photos of a happy pooch during water therapy. He's now able to walk on the underwater treadmill for 10 minutes, and his prognosis looks good, she said.
"I am a little sad that Beau will not be coming home this weekend, but when I pick him up on Tuesday, he will be home a full five days before we return," Lewis said. "With any luck, he will be able to walk on his own next week."
Anyone who would like to send Beau a card, mail to Eric and Christina Lewis, 7243 Riepe Ridge Road, Metropolis, IL 62960.
Several readers have asked about donations. Lewis said any donations may be mailed to the rehab clinic.
The address is:
Veterinary Specialty Solutions
"Beau" Taylor-Lewis
1021 Howard George Drive
Manchester, MO 63021.
Beau's e-mail is beau0507@yahoo.com.
Proceeds from the sale of the Precious Pet calendar benefit the McCracken County Humane Society and the Paducah Sun's Newspapers in Education program. In a tough economic year like this one, forking out $5 for a calendar can go a long way to making a difference in the life of a cat or a dog at the shelter. Anyone who has a pet knows that the cost of food has risen dramatically in the past year. Consider that the shelter must supply food for kittens and puppies and adult cats and dogs.
The calendar is available at the Sun's office.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
What is Royal Icing?
Sun Managing Editor Duke Conover questioned me about Royal Icing as he edited the story on Wednesday's Taste page about gingerbread houses. Since he didn't know, I figured quite a few people probably want to know the back-story on this form of icing and why exactly is it "royal" or "Royal," depending on the usage and context.
According to Betty Crocker, the icing has a smooth, matte finish suitable for making lasting decorations like gingerbread houses and cookies. Traditional Royal Icing contains powdered sugar, egg whites or meringue powder, lemon juice and varying amounts of water. It's also known as glace and originated in England after being used on Queen Victoria's wedding cake.
The queen's chef published a book in 1862 about how to use the icing on wedding cakes, which were, believe it or not, fruitcakes (yes, the much maligned holiday food). The white icing signified the purity of the bride. The icing also sealed in the freshness. No snide jokes about fruitcakes, please.
In modern times, the icing is used as a "glue" for holding decorations together, particularly on gingerbread houses.
And that's the rest of the story.
According to Betty Crocker, the icing has a smooth, matte finish suitable for making lasting decorations like gingerbread houses and cookies. Traditional Royal Icing contains powdered sugar, egg whites or meringue powder, lemon juice and varying amounts of water. It's also known as glace and originated in England after being used on Queen Victoria's wedding cake.
The queen's chef published a book in 1862 about how to use the icing on wedding cakes, which were, believe it or not, fruitcakes (yes, the much maligned holiday food). The white icing signified the purity of the bride. The icing also sealed in the freshness. No snide jokes about fruitcakes, please.
In modern times, the icing is used as a "glue" for holding decorations together, particularly on gingerbread houses.
And that's the rest of the story.
Monday, December 15, 2008
15th anniversary passes quietly in Cadiz
People say that time will heal all wounds. Perhaps that's true, but some people will always remember the night of Dec. 15, 1993.
Seven Trigg County boys were killed in a one-car crash on U.S. 68. It was one of the most horrific wrecks local reporters and police remember.
Dale Garner, Jeremy Gordon, David Lawrence, Jesse Lawrence, Patric Perry, Joey Rogers and Steven Wallace had piled into a red 1988 Honda Civic to drive about a mile up U.S. 68 to the Hilltop Market for their dinner break. The Trigg County teens worked at Knight and Hale, a game call manufacturer, part time. A few minutes after the boys left that evening, Hilltop employee Ruth Bridges saw an ambulance pass by.
Steven Wallace lost control of the Honda on U.S. 68, crossed the center line and hit an oncoming truck driven by Stephen Richardson, Wallace's girlfriend's father.
The scene that night was surreal. Seven teens' lives snuffed out 10 days before Christmas. I was a young reporter back then and covered the wreck. All Sun photographer Elizabeth Courtney and I knew was that a wreck near Cadiz had fatalities. We didn't know how bad it was until we arrived at the scene, and Kentucky State Police spokesman Chuck Robertson held us back for a few minutes and then took us to the site.
The bodies were removed by the time we arrived, but we could still see their books and cassette tapes strewn along the highway.
Fifteen years later, no public observances were planned. Former Cadiz Record sports editor Scott Brown, who drove then-Cadiz Record Editor Matt Sanders to the scene, said the families of the boys have had their own turmoil in the days since that fateful night. The families initially had formed the Seven Friends Foundation, but Brown said he doesn't believe the foundation still functions.
"They may do something on their own, but I don't think they have had any type of organized event since either the second or fifth anniversary," Brown said.
Still, it's a day many people in western Kentucky will remember.
Seven Trigg County boys were killed in a one-car crash on U.S. 68. It was one of the most horrific wrecks local reporters and police remember.
Dale Garner, Jeremy Gordon, David Lawrence, Jesse Lawrence, Patric Perry, Joey Rogers and Steven Wallace had piled into a red 1988 Honda Civic to drive about a mile up U.S. 68 to the Hilltop Market for their dinner break. The Trigg County teens worked at Knight and Hale, a game call manufacturer, part time. A few minutes after the boys left that evening, Hilltop employee Ruth Bridges saw an ambulance pass by.
Steven Wallace lost control of the Honda on U.S. 68, crossed the center line and hit an oncoming truck driven by Stephen Richardson, Wallace's girlfriend's father.
The scene that night was surreal. Seven teens' lives snuffed out 10 days before Christmas. I was a young reporter back then and covered the wreck. All Sun photographer Elizabeth Courtney and I knew was that a wreck near Cadiz had fatalities. We didn't know how bad it was until we arrived at the scene, and Kentucky State Police spokesman Chuck Robertson held us back for a few minutes and then took us to the site.
The bodies were removed by the time we arrived, but we could still see their books and cassette tapes strewn along the highway.
Fifteen years later, no public observances were planned. Former Cadiz Record sports editor Scott Brown, who drove then-Cadiz Record Editor Matt Sanders to the scene, said the families of the boys have had their own turmoil in the days since that fateful night. The families initially had formed the Seven Friends Foundation, but Brown said he doesn't believe the foundation still functions.
"They may do something on their own, but I don't think they have had any type of organized event since either the second or fifth anniversary," Brown said.
Still, it's a day many people in western Kentucky will remember.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
A Fun New Year's Eve Activity
Looking for something fun to do on New Year's Eve besides stay home and watch Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve for the thousandth time? Check out the must-see, must-dance party of the season -- The Charity League's 81st annual Snowball. For a donation of $40 a person, you can dance the night away with your friends and other party-goers on stage at the Carson Center.
It's a great community event, and I'm not just saying that because I have to sell tickets, either. In past years, it's been a treat to watch some of Paducah's most talented ballroom dancers twirl the night away with ease and elegance. And then there's the rest of us who have two left feet.
And if you're out in blogland and decide you want to go, drop me a line at llandini@paducahsun.com.
It's a great community event, and I'm not just saying that because I have to sell tickets, either. In past years, it's been a treat to watch some of Paducah's most talented ballroom dancers twirl the night away with ease and elegance. And then there's the rest of us who have two left feet.
And if you're out in blogland and decide you want to go, drop me a line at llandini@paducahsun.com.
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