Biker Chic. Ok, Just Pretending.

Will summer ever get here?

It's time to roll out the bikes! Since I'm not working at the moment I was lucky enough to travel with Harley Man to Laughlin, NV. He was there to promote Wyoming tourism at a large bike rally there called Laughlin River Run . So for a few days we got to hang out with bikers and all sorts of people from all walks of life. We met some really nice folks. But, to me this was was better than people watching in an airport. Just sayin'. I know, I'm sure people were watching me as well when I ran into a pole that was anchoring a neighboring booth to ours. It's true though. I'm not immune. This time I didn't get a bruise or fall down. Just tripped a little. 

Now as you may suspect Harley Man does indeed have a Harley. I love it. It's fun for me to pretend I'm a bad ass chick. It never works because I'm the one that is smiling and waving as we are riding down the highway collecting bugs in my teeth. People sure look at you weird, though. 


 

Anyway, sitting there this weekend, reminded me of when my dad bought my sisters and I a Honda 50 mini bike. I thought it was the coolest thing EVER! It was so clean and shiny and this middle sister couldn't wait to be the first one on it. Well all three of us ran out just as excited as ever. Until Mom called me back in the house. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I HAD to ride our new red mini bike. Not until I cleaned up my clothes and bedroom. Apparently this was something I had neglected to do. So I started bawling and ran in the house. Climbed those narrow steps and stood at the top of the landing and  looked out the window. Pressed my face right up against it. With tears streaming I watched my oldest sister Connie having the time of her life. The wind was blowing through her hair and she was smiling and waving. 

I hurriedly did my chores and ran back downstairs as it was approaching nighttime and mom and dad were going somewhere that night-probably card club. In other words the time was a tickin'. My dad was outside as one of the neighbors had stopped by to look at his tractor. At that time they were just standing around talking. Well, Connie hopped off and as I got on my dad yelled something to the effect of keeping my leg away from the hot pipe. Of course it was hot, Connie had the time of her life riding it all around the farm with the wind whipping her hair. 

Oh my gosh! That little Honda 50 was so much fun! Now the wind was whipping my hair as well and I felt freedom. Until I saw that my time was up since we had to put it away to get ready for dinner and the sitter. Well, I rode away from the house and up the little hill going out past our big red barn following the drive to the field. Apparently I had a lead foot back then. I turned around and opened the throttle. I was gaining speed and it was scary and fun at the same time. Scary because it was the first time ever driving a mini bike. I got closer to the the house and then it hit me. I didn't know how to stop. Knew how to slow down but not stop the flying red machine. Suddenly I hated the wind in my hair. I hit the side of the house with a sickening thud and fell over. It's the only way I figured to stop. The Honda mini bike fell on top of me. And of course the shiny, hot pipe. Right on my leg. My right calf to be exact.  I remember my dad and neighbor running over from the driveway asking if I was ok. 

I ended up with a large second degree burn. I'm pretty sure mom and dad still went out that night and I got to lay on the couch watching tv until they got home.  Oh my gosh it was painful. And the mini bike came out of the crash just fine. 

So I'm just fine on the back of Harley Man's bike. Smiling away. With the wind whipping my hair. 

May is Bike Month so just doing my best to remind everyone to watch out for bikers. I bet Connie still looks cute with the wind whipping her hair.



Grandma Becker's entry for this day in 1990:
May 2, 1990
"Sunny but still cool, not any wind early.  Straightened up freezer a bit. Pretty lame hip today. Tired too. Gerald working around outside.  Rested a couple of hours. Went to Osco Drug. Embers at 6:00 and "500" at Ohrts. Talked to Dorothy." 




~It's a great day to be alive-make it a great day~

xoxo

Melody

Cakes

My Birthday Cake - Yum! 

Yesterday was my 49th birthday and I celebrated it by having lunch with Governor Mead of Wyoming.  I will disclose it was with 300 other people. Oh well, I'm positive if he would have known it was Melody Day  he would have at least sat at my table. The Gov was at Cam-plex discussing his plans for the Equality State during the Chamber of Commerce's Governor's Luncheon. Makes sense then that he would be there, huh?!

Enough about that I have cake on my mind.  Harley Man made a delicious pasta dish for dinner and brought home a great couple of bottles of vino. Also that beautiful cake for dessert. I'll tell you the story about how the "cakes" nickname started another time. We had a wonderful dinner and evening. Thank you Harley Man. 

Speaking of cakes, I attempted to make the "Coca-Cola" cake a couple of weeks ago. I ran across the recipe on Recipebook....er....I mean Facebook. Not sure why all of the recipes are being posted on fb these days but whatever. It caught my attention as it reminded me of the 70's when I was first aware that Coca-Cola was more than something to wet your whistle. Did I tell you that I pretend I'm on the Food Network when working in the kitchen?  

Started out with butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, Coca-Cola and buttermilk. Who has buttermilk on hand unless you know you need it? Well, not me so I made my own by using vinegar and regular milk. 

After simmering it was added to flour, sugar and the other remaining ingredients. With a lot of love, of course. Can't forget the eggs and vanilla.

Poured the batter in the jelly roll pan and it was ready to get some lovin' from the oven. Except when I tried to put the jelly roll pan in the oven, the door to our vintage 1950's oven wouldn't shut. Apparently back then the pans were shorties. I panicked and came up with a fantastic solution! 

I tied the door to the back burner with a very long dish cloth. It didn't exactly close, but it was close enough. Set the timer for 30 minutes. 

After it cooled I whipped up the frosting and thought it looked pretty good. Even for the oven door not shutting all the way. 

Well, I tried the Coca-Cola cake that reminded me of yesteryear. It certainly didn't taste the same. At all. It was fairly dry. I was so darn mad! I forgot to adjust the baking time for the altitude known as Wyoming. Harley Man came home and was super excited to see that I actually baked something. He was very polite and told me he thought it was good. Against my better judgement he took a good portion of it to work with him the next day.

Lesson learned. Adjust the baking time when you move to Wyoming. 

Grandma Becker's entry for May Day, 1990

"A bit warmer but still very chilly. Gerald left quite early-called from Waverly and got old car fixed again. I cleaned oven, sinks, ironed an hour and worked on skirt hem. Gerald home at 5. Supper at 6. I beat Scrabble and 2 games of rummy! Lame hip. George Carrol and wife came to see Helen."

Happy May Day!!

~It's a great day to be alive-make it a great day~

Melody

xoxo