RECIPES AND MEMORIES OF THE OLD LUMBERYARD RESTAURANT
(PART 4)
Mineral Point, WI
As the WI weather began to warm a bit more each day and the snows melted - the Crowley's emerged from their plastic house. (We did always have to come out of there to go to the bathroom, kitchen and to go to work). Life is not only becoming more beautiful outside, but inside also. The big wooden sliding doors were being taken down and disassembled. The now open spaces were framed in, and windows and regular sized doors placed in those spaces. The wonderful old wood from those large sliding doors, was saved and stored to be used as the siding on the exterior, around the new windows and doors. Ahhh - something normal size. Each and every morning - there were new plans and ideas. Poor Mort, the second he opens his eyes, Laura is already talking about the day and plans and ideas, and, and, and....Mort's mind is busy also, he builds things during his sleeping hours. He wakes up with a plan and the blueprints already drawn up in his head - he just doesn't talk about them the very first thing in the morning.
While the giant sliding doors were being removed and replaced by windows, doors and drywall, a kitchen was also starting to come together. The joy of reuniting with your stove and refrigerator - I've missed them so. When Mr. Compton had his office in the Old Lumberyard Office, he built a bathroom in this building that is now transitioning into our home. He not only built one bathroom, he built two - male and female. We don't know what his future plans were for this building, but looked like a business venture of some sort where you were required to have male and female bathrooms. We made the male bathroom into our laundry room, and I allowed Mort to use 'the female' bathroom - kidding. A bathtub/shower was installed awhile back and an electric wall heater so that the toilet seat wasn't ice and one could step out of a hot shower and droplets would not start to freeze. Things were definitely shaping up.
Our bedroom was still on the 1st floor in what would eventually be the dining room. It's not that we needed a dining room - it's just that there was so much open space in this lumber shed that we needed to name all of the spaces something. This large space would also allow us to have a library, an atrium (full of plants and canaries/finches and all kinds of caged birds) and a music room. So - lots of space, lots of names...We are avid readers and had a large collection of books waiting to be released from their cardboard boxes and out into the light. And we are both music lovers (listening to and playing (I play the flute and Mort plays a pretend trombone) Before we installed a washer and dryer - we were at the local laundromat very often. I would bring a book or two to read, but eventually, the sound of the dryer's thump, thump, thumping would get to me and I'd have to get up and move around. So, I would get up and do leg and arm exercises. We found that the acoustics were pretty good in there so, Mort would accompany my workout with trombone (singing/noises). Not exactly video/tic toc material.
I do believe that we actually did eat at the dining room table, in our dining room a few times - probably when we would have company. And, eventually we had a big table and lots of chairs out in the atrium (for our future Tourist Cottage guests - another blog). It was much more pleasant in the atrium, eating breakfast in a bright room, lots of windows, plants from floor to ceiling, canaries singing and our favorite music playing. We had a class reunion at our Old Lumberyard house (complex) - it was for my 8th grade class from Niles Elementary School in IL. (A story for a future blog). For that wonderful reunion, we definitely used both the dining room and the atrium - and for that reunion, Mort set up a makeshift pub in the back part of the lumber shed that ran along Commerce St.(behind the bookstore and the barber shoppe (for a future blog).
The task of drywalling the 18 ft. ceilings was a bit much! But, we needed to insulate, so drywall and beams to blend in with all of the other wooden beam structures that were holding up the extensive roof were installed by Mort and crew. It was looking so much lighter, brighter and more like a home to us.
A short story. While the big wooden doors were still in place, we would occasionally leave our dog Ted (an Australian Shepherd) in this large, open space. (He rode to work with Mort and crew everyday - he was so agile that he would actually climb construction ladders up to wherever his daddy Mort was). Anyway, one evening, we decided to have dinner at the Old Chesterfield Restaurant, which was located right next door. It was a beautiful night, so we had our dinner in their outside seating. Here comes our dog Ted and he actually walks right past us, without any recognition or acknowledgement. We called to him, and he turned around, as if to say - "What are you guys doing here?" Apparently according to others, Ted was a regular visitor to several businesses in town. Down the road, we would also have kitties and when they were older they became known for their travels also. (Everyone apparently knew them) Al, our long-haired black cat could often be found in Foundry Books (an open door - okay I'll go in) and he was also known to sit on the wood burner at the Brew Pub (not when there was a fire in there of course), but, when the door was open - an invitation to Al. I would watch him cross Commerce St. He knew by the sound of the car/truck tires how fast the oncoming vehicle was moving, and he would base the speed of his cat pace on that. Sometimes a quick step - sometimes a, I've got time step.
I am actually writing a book about Al & Sadie (Sadie is Al's pal, a Calico cat). The story is in their voices, about their daily walk in Mineral Point. They are aging, but in denial. (Aren't we all) Their desire is still to be known as tough, outdoor cats, but gladly return home to their cushy pillows and food dishes each night. The book is called "We are Definitely Outdoor Cats". And, maybe with this ambition to write these blogs - I will dedicate the time to finish the book and go to publish. I have one published book already (The View from My Swing) about growing up in the wonderful ethnic neighborhood of Oak Park, IL in the 50's. It's my story about being raised by two generations - my grandma & grandpa who immigrated through Ellis Island, from Italy, and my 1st generation parents in a big old two-family Brownstone in Oak Park, IL.
After our restaurant was built and open, these two savvy felines quickly learned the art of getting fed by customers. We had outdoor seating so that patrons could enjoy the beautiful weather. Mineral Point is very much a 'walking town". So, when our customers were out walking their dogs, they could stop and each have a drink and a treat in our outside seating. We would set out bowls of water and a treat or two for each dog patron. They would tie their pal's leash around the bottom of the table and enjoy a meal together. Sadie & Al learned how to camouflage themselves in the nearby bushes until 'the coast was clear' and the dogs were gone. They would stroll out like homeless felines and put on their saddest faces. We would often see customers, looking around and then dropping bits of food for these two. I'm sure Al & Sadie had pitiful looks on their faces like, no one feeds us, we're starving. Please feed us. One day, I walked outside because I noticed one of our cats sitting in a chair at a table with two guys that had just come off of the Cheese Trail on their four-wheelers. I apologized and said I'd get the cat out of there - they said "Oh No, please don't, it's fine. I noticed a little pile of food in front of the cat - they were definitely savvy cats.
EGG SALAD SUPREME
Served on a large & lovely Croissant, fresh Spring Mix, Slices of fresh fruit and a side of Marinated Vegetable Salad
1 pkg. 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 teas. prepared mustard
1/2 teas. salt
1/2 teas. dill weed
pinch pepper
6 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1/2 cup choppy celery
1 can (2 1/4 oz.) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 Tab chopped onion
1 Tab chopped pimientos
Combine 1st 6 ingredients, mix well. Add eggs, celery, olives, onion & pimientos, mix well. Cover and chill for at least 1 hr. 1/2 cup each serving yield 6 servings
MARINATED VEGETABLE SALAD
2 cups of small cauliflower flowerets
2 cups of broccoli flowerets
1 cup of thinly sliced carrots
1 cup of coarsely chopped green pepper
1 med. onion, sliced & separated into rings
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced (1 cup)
1/4 cup halved pitted ripe olives
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup salad oil
1 Tab. sugar
1 teas dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teas salt 1/4 teas pepper
Cook cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, sweet peppers & onion in small amount of boiling water for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain, transfer to a bowl. Stir in zucchini and if desired, olives.
For Marinade - in a screw top jar, combine vinegar, oil, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover and shake well. Pour marinade over vegetables - stir lightly. Cover and chill 4 - 24 hrs. Serve with slotted spoon - makes 8 side dish servings.
I decided to post these blogs a few times a week (memories are flowing) - the next one will have our Handmade Danish (cherry and cheese) and our Salted Caramel Brownies
HAVE A GREAT DAY!
