Saturday, August 22, 2009

The Return of Lebanon Bologna & The Siding Man

I've had a very relaxing two night stay in Dover at "Ruane's Inn" (a.k.a.: Mama and Papa Ru's house).



However, yesterday, it decided to thunderstorm all night (thanks to Hurricane Bill). The power went out in 3/4 of Dover this morning, so I had to eat a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast (Saturday is Pancake Day at Casa Ruane and has been since I was like two years old). Somehow I survived Hurricane Bill, but the stream behind our backyard wasn't so lucky...



The stream is usually only three feet wide and one foot deep. As you can see in the picture above, it's become a giant monster supersize stream that is threatening to take anyone and anything that dares come near it.

Eventually, the power came back on and I packed up to get ready for Jeff's arrival. While waiting, Mama Ru, Papa Ru, and I went to the Amish run Spence's Bazaar in town to pickup lunch and some snacks for the trip.



There is a lot of deliciousness going on at Spence's...





Including TRIPLE TREAT JAM...



...and Homemade Dandelion Jelly (which sounded both delicious and not-delicious at the same time).



In keeping with the "country" theme, Mama Ru got her lunch at the Dutch Country Bar-B-Q...



On the way out of Spence's, my father got very excited because "the Siding Man" was out working at a vegetable stand.



For those not in the know, "The Siding Man" is the man that put the siding on Casa Ruane, circa 1982 (when I was about four years old). I loved "The Siding Man." During his time at our house, he became my new best friend. He let me "help" and he sang "Oh My Darlin' Clementine" with me. Over and over and over again. In fact, I loved "The Siding Man" so much that I announced to anyone who would listen that I wanted to be a "Siding Man" when I grew up.

Cut to twenty-seven years later...I did not grow up to be a "Siding Man" and "The Siding Man" is no longer an actual "siding man." He is "The Fruit & Vegetable Man" now. That didn't stop my father from getting us to pose for a reunion picture.



He apparently still remembers me and I still remember him. We chatted briefly, but we didn't sing "Oh My Darlin' Clementine." Even though I was tempted to see if he would join me in a duet once again.

After "The Siding Man" run-in, Mama Ru, Papa Ru, and I drove back home and I indulged in another childhood memory: a sandwich my sister and I used to call "Lebanon Bologna with Cheese On It Cooked."



("Lebanon Bologna With Cheese On It Cooked" is just one of the many "Cheese On It Cooked" sandwiches that we'd ate regularly in the Ruane household. The others included "Turkey With Cheese On It Cooked," "Ham With Cheese On It Cooked," and "Tuna With Cheese on It Cooked." It wasn't until college that I realized that a "Tuna Melt" and "Tuna With Cheese On It Cooked" was the same thing.)

Jeff needs to get here fast if he wants a "Lebanon Bologna With Cheese On It Cooked" sandwich...



...because after staring at these pictures for the last twenty minutes, I am starting to feel the need to eat something else with "Cheese on It Cooked." And that Amish Lebanon Bologna is trying to woo me with her siren call. In fact, I think it's singing "Oh My Darlin' Clementine."

2 comments:

  1. That shop looks very nice.
    I read "Siding Man" as "Sliding Man" and was pretty puzzled throughout. A little research has now told me that (in English), you mean "The Man Who Put Cladding On My Parents House When I Was A Kid".... also... WHERE IS JEFF?

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  2. Did you ever find the elusive "turkey" Lebanon Bologna that allegedly exists at Spence's? 'Cuz I think Mom is lying to me. Plus, please tell Mom that I was never a "lebanon bologna" vegetarian. As if!

    And, I'm still convinced that "cheese on it cooked" is a way better title than "tuna melt." So much more descriptive! Tuna melt could be anything! It could be bugs melted on tuna or nuclear waste melted on tuna. At least you know EXACTLY what you're getting with "Tuna With Cheese On It Cooked"!!

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