Adventures of a Latter Day Coosie # 4

Well, I strayed away form the subject again but I smelled something burning and noticed Sully dumping the contents of a pan into the trash.  yep, you guessed it...he burned his biscuits.  His wagon, Poverty Flats, is the host wagon and is camped next to us.  I didn't say much to him cause he was really busy cooking for the celebrities.  It wasn't until 45 minutes later he was repeating the same maneuver as before;  dumping a Dutch oven full of burnt biscuits into the trash.  He was sure hoping no one saw him dumping the New Orleans
 "blackened bread" , but I caught him both times.  Yes twice, back to back, TWO batches of hockey pucks...I mean biscuits in the trash.

John, just prior to burning the biscuits

Sort of in defense of the rest of the meal, they eventually did serve biscuits (maybe frozen from Sam's) along with gravy, and beans.  Sure took the edge off the hunger pangs we were having.  The Sullivan's helper, Randy "Hawk" Hawkins from Pima, Arizona seemed to be cooking all the time trying to keep the dignitaries happy.  During the course of the event they served stuffed quail, stuffed duck, and a couple of desserts and a whole slew of BS.

Randy Hawkins and Pepper's crew getting ready for cameras

John Sullivan preparing some gourmet food for the entertainers

The wagon judges have now come and gone and hopefully we put on a good show for them.  The camp looked really good if I do say so myself and we received many compliments on the setup and on Skip roasting the green coffee beans.  I think the unusual display of the wagon tongue, being partially finished with some rivets and a few final touches with the draw knife while the judges were doing their critique, maybe had some impact on their judging.

Now we can take a little breather.  Whew, nothing more to do 'till 4:30 in the morning.  We are going to take in some of the vendors.  These folks have really got it going here.Many various types of leather goods, stuff  for re-enactors, clothing, knives, guns, swords, hats, cooking utensils, music of all kinds, and poetry.

Re-enacting couple

She was too pretty to miss having a picture made with her

 We got to sit down and listen to some exceptionally high quality entertainers.  We saw several entertainers on stage and looked at many interesting things the vendors had for sale.  Later that evening many of the entertainers were out at the central campsite which was just a few yards from our wagon.  They had a blast taking turns picking and singing.

Opps!  we have a hiccup in the schedule.  Silky has just about passed out from dehydration.  She has been hustling around getting everything an organizer has to do and hasn't taken car of her own needs.  We got her water and wet towels to cool her off.  Doc Lawrence (one of the wagon participants) came over and offered his assistance.  He had all the right things to say and had Silky put her hands in ice and made her lie down on the ground to improve circulation.  She is going to be alright.  Right now she has gone to her motor home for a rest.

It is a real good thing Silky is disabled right now because the Gila Indian Reservation Health Inspector has come to the camp.  Silky told everyone in a letter prior to our arriving that she wasn't going to have us take the test for the food handler's license.  She would probably be on a pretty good warpath herself righ now.  I think everyone really doesn't mind taking the test.  The inspector gave her spiel and then out came the tests.  Skip and I went to the table and picked up our test and promptly failed it.  Then, we found out they have the study brochure for us which just happens to have all the answers.  I think Skip aced it and I missed a couple.  I wonder what they would have done if we didn't pass the little food skills test?  Hummmm?  Well, no matter.  It is all behind us and Silky didn't even have to deal with the inspector.

I was wrong earlier when I said there was nothing to do until early morning.  There are two things that need to happen before the morning cooking starts.  One, go to the store and pick up a few special ingredients and some things we will need to complete the assigned menu.  I will also pick up a little something for breakfast that we can prepare quickly.  Two, tenderize the meat for chick fried steaks.  That should be real interesting since the central campfire is real close by.  Maybe we can do it in time with the music. Ha. ha!!!

Entertainers were at the bonfire in the eventing

The clock went off like a fire alarm,  very loud!!  Actually it didn't wake up up because the maintenance folks came by to pump the porta potties at 3:45 am.  They are located only about 50 feet from our teepee.  And before the pumps started, the big draft horses from Bison Homes kicked and pawed their stalls all night long.

 keeping everyone awake.  They aren't to blame, but there is certainly and amount of blame that could be placed on their trainer for not correcting that bad habit.

Now it is up and attum.  Stoke the fire.  Get the coffee on.  Move everything out from underneath the fly.  We had to put it "inside" because there was an expectation of rain and/or dew for early morning.  Wrong!  Moving everything under the wagon fly was better than getting up with everything wet.  We soaked the beans overnight which was probably a bad idea since it usually doesn't take that long to cook beans.  We're just not sure how things cook here in Arizona.  We are just getting going real good and now this will be continued .........................

Dave McDowell , a fellow competitor from Arizona