About O Fallon's Scott Air Force Base

A Pleasant Day in O'Fallon, Illinois

It's hard to believe that here we are, almost mid-June, and the weather is perfectly pleasant today. We've had searing heat in the high 90s and high humidity for the last two weeks. The kind of temperature that saps your energy when you're outside and makes you feel like you're in a sauna. It's typical here in O'Fallon, Illinois but one can't get used to it. When you're showing homes in high heat and humidity, it makes you want to go through the home fast without going outside to check the backyard.

(Tip for new Realtors®: when your listed home is being shown, turn down the air conditioning a few hours prior. In the spring and fall, open windows to air out the stale smell.)

But today is wondrous. Perfect 76°, low humidity, a little cloudy, nice cool breeze coming through our open windows. Yes, it's that nice--open windows in the middle of June in O'Fallon! How cool is that? I don't have any open house today, no showings, my hubby is taking a nap, and here I am blogging with my home office window open to let the cool breeze in. I can hear the birds singing, neighbors' children having fun, I couldn't ask for a more pleasant day! :)

If you would like to live in an area where you get the four seasons, perfectly beautiful green spring, colorful and beautiful fall, mild snowy winters, and hot and pleasant summers full of events and activities for all... come to Southwestern Illinois, and let me help you find a home!

I have never been on a riding lawn mower, much less ridden one while mowing, but I heard that it makes mowing much easier. I am not a beer drinker, but I heard that it tastes great, and less filling, especially on a hot day. I imagine after mowing the lawn in the O'Fallon, Illinois summer heat, like today's weather of 94° a cold beer has to be very refreshing.

Now we all know that if you shake a can of soda, or beer for that matter, funny things happen. I heard that if you are mowing on a riding lawn mower and put your beer in the cup holder, the beer gets shaken up and when you drink it, it tastes flat in no time at all, with all the shaking and engine vibration. Oh no!

If you ask me about beer and riding lawnmowers, I don't have any firsthand experience. But if you are interested in homes with beautiful lots to mow with your shiny riding lawn mower with a beer holder in the O'Fallon, Illinois area, let me help you!

For buying and selling homes in the O'Fallon, Illinois area including Scott Air Force Base military relocation just call Yolanda, 618-407-9195. Have a great weekend!

Memorial Day Sunday Dinner

It was 89 degrees outside, but the sun has gone down. We just had our Memorial Day Sunday dinner here at home, with my daughter and her husband... barbecued steak, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and fruit salad. Not a feast, but it was close to it. It's the only time when hubby will fix something resembling cooking... and it has to be on either Memorial Day weekend, or Veterans Day, or July 4th holiday. But before you get the wrong idea, he barbecued the steak only, he didn't fix anything else!

I have a very simple and quick fix fruit salad recipe that you might want to try for tomorrow:

2 cans (15 oz) of Chunky Fruit Cocktail, drained

8 oz Cream Cheese with Pineapple, or if you don't have it use 1/2 a tub (4 oz) of Whipped Cream

1/2 jar (6 oz) of Coconut sport (in the Oriental food section)

Drain the fruit cocktail, mix it with the coconut sport, and fold in cream cheese/whipped cream. That's it!

It's good for six people.

Now if you want more punch to it, add chopped walnuts unless you don't have it. Or add drained Mandarin oranges, unless you don't have it. Or add one cubed Granny Smith apple, unless you don't have it.

If you have all of the above, mix them in, but it won't be simple and easy any more. :)

I can't believe I'm blogging a recipe. LOL

05-29-2011

Reflection On Memorial Day

I'd be remiss if I didn't post at least once about Memorial Day. It's more to me than just a three day weekend, because my husband was a career officer in the Air Force, his brother served for four years when he was fresh from high school many years ago, my other ex-brother-in-law was a career NCO, and my recently deceased father-in-law was a fighter pilot in World War II.

With a family like mine, one can't help but be proud that these men served in the military, along with countless others, to make this country a beacon for democracy. But don't expect them to brag about what they did, because to most of them they were just doing their jobs.

I would like to recognize Pop, my husband's dad, for the coming Memorial Day. From what I've read about "the Greatest Generation," those humble men and women who served in WWII, Pop was typical. He didn't brag about how many successful missions he flew, but mused about how many targets he missed instead. It seems to be an unspoken oath among those who served in that war that they didn't talk about the heroic acts that happened. It was enough that they served the country when badly needed, did their jobs, fed their families, and went back home when they were able.

To Pop, my husband, my brothers-in-law, and to those who served, active and retired, alive and departed, thank you.

05-24-2010

The Scott Air Force Base Thrift Shop Moves to New Location

The Scott AFB Thrift Shop, currently located in the former Main Exchange at Scott AFB, Illinois will move to Building 700 on Perimeter Road early in July 2011. (Store opening date to be announced later.)

The store is jointly run by private organizations: the Scott AFB Officers' Spouses' and Enlisted Spouses' Clubs volunteers. Proceeds from the store operation go to several charitable concerns like The Air Force Village, Airman's Attic, USO Lambert Airport, O'Fallon Illinois Food Pantry, and others, to help the military and civilian communities.

In preparation for the move, the Thrift Shop provides the following schedule of important dates and events:

From Tuesday 24 April - Friday 20 May, any items that are consigned will expire at 1:45 on Friday 20 May. We will continue to take consignments up until the 20th of May; however, they will expire and become Thrift Shop Property that afternoon unless you pay the withdraw fee to take them out.

Tuesday 24 May - Thursday 26 May, our office manager will have your May check ready for pickup. We will NOT mail them and if you do not pick it up by 26 May at 2, then you will have to wait until we reopen in July to pick up your check.

Tuesday 24 May - Thursday 26 May, we will have a huge sale of everything left in the store, so from 10-2 you could pick up some really great deals.

Friday 27 May - ??, we are not sure how long it will take to get the new store set up, so please call our   number (618-744-9441) starting 1 July to see when our exact opening date will be. We will be closed the entire month of June. If you are on our email list we will send out updates when we can."

The store is open to anyone who can get on Scott AFB. Support this charitable organization by donating, consigning, buying, or volunteering. Call 618-744-9441 for more information.

The Scott AFB Officers' Spouses' and Enlisted Spouses' Clubs are private and volunteer organizations devoted to helping the military service members and their families and the community, local and nationwide. They have no affiliation with the Department of Defense or the U. S. Government.

Disclosure: Yolanda Hoversten is a long time member of the Scott Officers' Spouses' Club.

05-14-2011