Dutch Days - Part 4 - Series 2

So today is the last day of Dutch Days which I am not there to enjoy! The big parade was long from what I heard, hopefully my hubby taped some of it for me.

The things that I learned yesterday at Dutch Days....people like Rice Pudding - so much so that they serve it in waffle cones - I am not joking - my father in law made me try it - I just don't like the mixing of those textures.

I also learned that every year it rains at least one night - that it did last night. We were very tired so when the soda stand closed we went home instead of staying for the evening drawing and guess what - the night we put our names in and leave early - they pick my name to win a prize!!!

So my first year of Dutch Days as an official member are gone! It was fun and I am glad I now know the rules.

Dutch Days - Part 3 - Series 2 2009

So this is my third post - I don't think it will be as excited as the past ones since my evening was filled mostly with working too long in the soda stand then having to come home because I couldn't stand any longer - what a bummer I couldn't even get my Mr. Sticky that I was so excited about....however Joel knew that I wanted one so he brought one home for me to enjoy for breakfast this morning. Thanks Babycakes! And speaking of Babycakes - you always know who his football players are at Dutch Days because they always walk by and refer to him as Babycakes - the name that they call him as their coach!

Another thing that I have learned about Dutch Days for Joel - he sees the event as a big reunion - which for him I am sure is very exciting - he actually counts each night the number of people that he talks to that he hasn't seen since last year.... the first night it was 28 and last night 13 - he gets very excited when he sees someone - yes I am married to a social butterfly.

Now - there is one thing that I am not sure I am a big fan of when it comes to Dutch Days, maybe it was because I was tired and had little patience....but the guy that talks on the mic all night long is a bit over the top - he doesn't stop talking and it is really loud - it is hard to hear the customers that are standing right next to you. My other pet peeve....you can't bring pets or scooters to the park, but you can smoke cigarettes and throw them on the ground and blow the smoke in people's faces. I can't tell you how many people came up to the soda stand and blew smoke in my face....if you need to smoke - okay - maybe they should have a smoking area - but don't smoke while in line at a stand - have some care for the people around you!

So that is my little rant and rave about the Talking Man and the Smoking. My last note for today is about what I woke up to yesterday - I was laying in bed sleeping when I woke up to hear the sound of a shovel outside....little did I know that while I was sleeping my In Laws decided to come and clean the stones off the road in front of our house. Joel did go out to help once he knew that they were there, and later he went out and hosed it all down. He has really gotten into the Dutch Days mood. I also was able to get a second coat of paint on our chairs so they are ready for the porch today.

That is all I have for yesterday and Dutch Days - lots to do today as I get ready to fly to NC tomorrow for Workcamp! Hope I get everything done!

Dutch Days - Part 2 - Series 2

So much has been learned in less than 24 hours since my last Dutch Days post.... I must say that I got more comments on that post than maybe any other I have ever written - so maybe I need to write about these types of events more often or maybe it was just because I may have unintentionally frustrated some people with my lack of understanding - regardless - I do have some fun facts that I learned at Dutch Days as well as some new rules. I also am proud to say that I can check off a few things on my Spruce the house for Dutch Days List - thanks to a lot of hard work and great In Laws who as a wedding gift wanted to paint our porch - today.

First I can check off painting the chairs for the porch, trimming the hedges, and painting and sweeping the porch. I still have to get those pesky rocks off the road - too bad the township or the state doesn't do that for us - because after all they are the ones that put them there - maybe they could be a little bit green and recycle them.

New Rules that I learned today - I learned that good Richfieldians go to Dutch Days every night. I am sad to say that I will have to fail on this one since I will be in North Carolina on Saturday - I am really bummed that I am missing the parade! I love parades and since my house looks so good I wish I could be here to listen to people talk about how clean it is on my porch. I am also sad that I can't see the float that I helped make as well as the bands that my nieces are in and best yet - the Grand Marshalls of the parade are Wade and Eleanor Snyder - my favorite in laws! Wade says he is going to smoke his pipe through the parade and Eleanor is wearing yellow - that is all I know at this point - she asked me what I would wear if I was doing that and honestly I said - well it would depend on what color car I was riding in - and that is the honest truth.

The second rule that I learned tonight was from my nieces - however several other girls did confirm it tonight - you must get new outfits for Dutch Days and wear them each night of the event. I did well I did wear a new shirt tonight - so I can check that off my list. And Bria would like it known that she started this trend - however Andrea said that she used to do it so you might have to argue this one out.

Lastly - I learned tonight that you must wear a shirt at all times at Dutch Days - true story at the end of the night they announced that someone had lost their shirt and it was found in the eating area - someone was not following the rules!!!!

Fun Facts about Dutch Days - It is the 41st year of Dutch Days. Some lady was a good citizen and saved Dutch Days because she called the Fire Department when she saw smoke in one of the stands this summer. Favorite Quote of the night - "Good Luck dying" No joke that was really said and I can confirm it because it was Joel that said it....you will have to ask him about it. And the last fun fact - you must be a Strawser or an Aucker to be a lucky winner tonight (for those of you who don't know they do a drawing at the end of each night but you must be there to win).

I do have a fun picture of a huge bug that was found - however my phone doesn't have service at our house so it may have to wait until later.

So there you have it - fun times at Dutch Days - met some new people - will try to remember their names, but will probably forget.....oh I thought of one more thing - you have to get to Mr. Sticky before 9pm or they may run out - I missed out tonight but tomorrow I will go at 6pm and get my Mr. Sticky with walnuts!!!

Dutch Day Rules - Part 1 - Series number 2

So little did I know before moving to the beloved town of Richfield that there was a hidden book of rules that exist when it is mid-july. It seems as though maybe there should be a welcome booklet or basket when you move to town to let you know "the rules of being a good citizen". Actually I did get a basket last night from the church ladies which was very nice, but there was no book of rules, just a devotional, which I don't think will help me with knowing the Dutch Days Rules.

Here are the rules that I have learned so far, and since Dutch Days starts tomorrow, I have many things still to do to gain good citizen status in the community. Rule number one - you must paint or at least spend several hours sprucing up your porch - no lie - our porch has been painted this week! Rule number two - if your porch is already in good paint condition - you must sweep it several times and remove any and all cobwebs and signs of dirt. Rule number three - you must also hose down your porch (notice a pattern - porches are really important). Rule number 4 - you must sweep the stones off the road in front of your house! No I wish I was kidding - this is really an expectation! I didn't even know there were stones on the road in front of my house until I went out to look and there they are stones that I have to sweep up and remove them before tomorrow afternoon or at least most definately before the parade! Rule number 5 - do not call Dutch Days a fair or a carnival - it is not - it is simply Dutch Days.

I am sure that there are other rules that I have yet to learn - I am just scared to find out those rules because I have unintentionally broken one or more of them. I am just going to tell those people - no one gave me the Dutch Days Instruction Manual.....I am not sure that will work, especially since I am married to the man that some refer to as the "mayor of Richfield" - you would think as mayor he would know these rules....maybe he knows them and just thinks they are silly!

So now I am ending my little rant about the rules - since I am a rule follower - I will do all of the above - I might just have to complain a little bit in the process. There will be more to follow in my second annual series on Dutch Days - to find out more check out my archives from last summer! But this year I am a resident and a Snyder - so that changes everything!!!!