Spring Break

Spring Break

For Spring Break this year, I visited my children in the East. We had a wonderful time going to the zoo and the Children's Museum. My daughter and her family live on a working farm and as we all know, spring brings new life so there were piglets, kids, lambs and four calves are expected in a few days. They also have chickens. I was allowed to help gather eggs one day and we collected 113. The eggs are rich in flavor and bring $3 a dozen for the large size. I prepared meals for the family and farm workers three of the six nights we were there.

Conducting business on Spring Break is never fun but this was the exception. My son-in-law had found me a right-hand drive vehicle that I could drive for my job. I am a rural carrier associate which means I deliver mail on routes when the regular carrier is sick or on vacation. Having a right-hand drive makes it much easier to reach the mail boxes. The car he found for me is a Honda Element with 4-wheel drive and sunroof. My son and I drove it home Thursday night. Saturday, I delivered mail in it for the first time. It performed beautifully!

With Spring Break past, we have only a few weeks left in this semester and then GRADUATION! No traditional student could be any happier than I that my degree is so close at hand. I might invent a title for people who receive a bachelor's degree. It is a milestone not everyone attains so congrats to all of us nearing ours.

Revised dining review

El Charro

Authentic Mexican Restaurant

1779 S. Glenstone Ave.

Springfield, Missouri

417-886-1444

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Except Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Martha Smith

El Charro is located on the corner of Glenstone and Sunshine Streets, and has plenty of parking.  Rochelle, Alex and I were there Thursday evening, March 8 about 5 p.m. There were only a few diners already eating and we received immediate attention. The dining area has two levels; the lower level is not as brightly lit which makes for a more intimate setting. The upper level has a selection of window booths or tables for the dining enjoyment. We chose a booth and were seated in the corner with windows overlooking the parking lot. I like to be seated by windows since I do not feel so closed in.  Traditional Mexican music was playing over the speakers. A large overhead television screen showed a soccer game in progress. I thought the music was a bit loud but there was no sound to the soccer game. 

The restaurant has a large selection of foods including seafood, pork and beef. There is even a section in the menu for vegetarians. Specials include child’s plates, lunch, and express lunch selections. Catering is available and they did have to-go menus.

Our first waiter’s name was Poncho (we had three in all). He understood very little English, so Alex conversed with him in Spanish and did very well with his command of the Spanish language. I have taken two years and barely remember how to say “Gracias.” Since Mexican restaurants are family owned businesses, the waiters all share in the duties and there seemed to be no competition among the three men that served us. They were attentive, replenishing our drinks in a timely manner and asking if we needed anything. Courtesy was the norm and knowing Alex could interpret for us, I did not feel the usual apprehension when I am in a situation where a common language is not spoken or understood.

For drinks, the restaurant must have had a separate menu which was not made available to us. There were no drinks listed on the to-go menu. I asked if they had sweet tea and they did. It was not the unsweetened kind where you had t add sugar after the ice is added, either. This tea was not too strong and yet sweet enough to satisfy the most dyed-in-the-wool Southerner. For an appetizer, we chose the guacamole dip. It was freshly made with ripe avocadoes and tomatoes and was not too spicy. Chips and salsa were served to everyone. The chips were warm and salty. Very tasty! The salsa was chunky and made with fresh tomatoes. The waiter asked if we wanted hot or mild salsa and we said “Both.” I had to be careful not to fill up on these.

My main dish was the Carne Asada, served with rice, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, guacamole and shredded cheese. Carne Asada is thin strips of beef, stripped, marinated in a special blend of spices for several hours and then cooked over an open flame. It is only about ¼” thick so it is very easily overcooked. This meat was a little stringy but it had been marinated correctly. I enjoyed every bite. The rice, beans, lettuce and tomatoes seemed to be served with many of the dishes and the servings were sufficient. These foods must be common among the Mexican people. I would have liked more lettuce and tomatoes but I noticed other diners did not even touch their tomatoes so it made sense to limit the servings. The food was hot and fresh. The to-go menu I received pointed out that “Mexican food is good only when prepared to order and served hot. So, please allow us ample time to prepare your food right.” And they did that in my opinion.

For dessert, I ordered Fried Ice Cream. Ohhhhhhh! It was delicious. This was a large scoop of butter pecan ice cream, rolled in a crunchy exterior, placed in a warm, flaky crust, topped with whipped cream which was drizzled with chocolate sauce. A maraschino cherry on top made for an appetizing and aesthetically appealing picture! I shared with Rochelle and Alex and there was still some left. This dessert would easily feed several people. I tried a bite of Alex’s Flan which was like custard and covered with a sauce. It was really good, also.

My order of Carne Asada, sweet tea and Fried Ice Cream totaled $15.41. Most of the dinners ranged from $10 to $12 a meal. The child’s plate was $3-$4.

Spring Break

For Spring Break this year, I visited my children in the East. We had a wonderful time going to the zoo and the Children's Museum. My daughter and her family live on a working farm and as we all know, spring brings new life so there were piglets, kids, lambs and four calves are expected in a few days. They also have chickens. I was allowed to help gather eggs one day and we collected 113. The eggs are rich in flavor and bring $3 a dozen for the large size. I prepared meals for the family and farm workers three of the six nights we were there.

Conducting business on Spring Break is never fun but this was the exception. My son-in-law had found me a right-hand drive vehicle that I could drive for my job. I am a rural carrier associate which means I deliver mail on routes when the regular carrier is sick or on vacation. Having a right-hand drive makes it much easier to reach the mail boxes. The car he found for me is a Honda Element with 4-wheel drive and sunroof. My son and I drove it home Thursday night. Saturday, I delivered mail in it for the first time. It performed beautifully!

With Spring Break past, we have only a few weeks left in this semester and then GRADUATION! No traditional student could be any happier than I that my degree is so close at hand. I might invent a title for people who receive a bachelor's degree. It is a milestone not everyone attains so congrats to all of us nearing ours.

Keds vs. Nike Shoes

KEDS vs. NIKE SHOES

·               

history

In 1916, Keds created the original sneaker - or as they like to say, the first ever "feel-like-everyday's-a-Saturday" shoe. But that was a bit of a mouthful...so instead they called it the Champion. With silent rubber soles (superb for sneaking up!), and a featherweight feel, the Champion more than lived up to its playfully confident name. On legends and icons, it danced through the decades to become a true-blue American go-to. http://www.keds.com/store/SiteController/keds/home

Keds makes many different types of shoes for men, women and children, depending on whether a person wants comfort on Saturday or training in gym, to a day at the beach.

·         Keds children’s shoes

·         Keds women’s zippy sneakers (featuring a zipper closure)

·         Keds glides (no heel)

·         Keds champion surfer (for a day at the beach)

·         Keds boots (for those snowy days)

·         Keds 69er Hi (for ankle support)

Keds tennis shoes are light-weight, comfortable and have great support for the instep. The canvas material allows the feet to breathe, so it is cool on hot days. The price range is between $30 and $40. The shoes tend to wear out faster than the Nike shoes but even though they are not as durable as the Nike, the Ked tennis shoe is still my favorite casual shoe.

Ked shoes are not available in many stores. A shopper must be knowledgeable to the few department stores that sell Keds shoes. If a person is certain of his/her shoe size, online shopping is the best way to buy a pair of Keds shoes.

Nike Shoe

This running shoe offers comfort and confidence from heel to toe with its ultra-cushioned design.

Running Shoe:

  technical single layer mesh and synthetic upper

  dynamic midfoot fit system provides the optimal blend of comfort and superior fit

  Reax mechanical heel cushioning system provides excellent cushioning and a smooth heel-to-toe transition

  BRS 1000 carbon rubber heel provides maximum durability

http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/XGN.aspx?DeptID=70734&CatID=81747&cm_mmc=MSN-_-M_BN_Nike-_-M_Athletic_Nike_Shoes_1202-_-nike%20shoes

The Nike shoe has a heavy sole and is usually made of leather. While this heaviness would be good for training for a runner, the Ked shoe would be better for an actual race as the extra weight would hinder speed. The leather turns water but it does not allow the feet to breathe and this makes the Nike shoe hot. The price range for this shoe is about $80 to $100.

This company is truly sports minded. Among the shoe types, they have special shoes for running, soccer, football, basketball, baseball, golf, skateboarding and snowboarding. They have studied the pressure points for where the feet need the most support in all these fields of activity and made their shoes to fit the need.  Of course shoes are not all the Nike logo stands for. They make clothing for all these sports as well.

Nike is the #1 choice for the U.S. Olympic teams. Nike sponsors teams around the world for training, also. The Nike brand is available anywhere sportswear is sold.