Out and About – Week of April 27

     I must start out by clearing the air. Several people have asked me if I plan to retire from the column. I reassured them that I have no desire to cease authoring “Out and About”. The enjoyment I receive from putting this column together is beyond measure. The relationship I have with the Commercial News couldn’t be better. I am planning to put this column together for as long as it remains a desired feature. I even have a column prepared for publication, should I get hit by a train or pass away in my sleep. I enjoy doing it that much. Once again, I thank you all for your support and kind words. Now, back to work.

      Here’s a final mention of the 46^th Annual Old Car Dust Off at the Mendon High School parking lot, North Nottawa Street at Kirby Road, Mendon, on Sunday, May 3, from 8 A.M. to 3 P.M. There’s free spectator parking, arts and crafts and even a flea market, plus much more. Admission is a $3 donation at the gate; children 12 and under are free. Proceeds from the “Dust Off” will be used for community service. Organizers guarantee a funday for the whole family. If you are a vendor interested in renting space, send your request, along with a $15 check payable to the Three Rivers C.A.R. Club, to that organization, 22460 Kline’s Resort, Lot 272, Three Rivers, MI 49093. Special Interest Cars must be at least three years old. If you need more information or have specific questions, call Jerry and Mary Bennett at 649-1335.

     The St. Joe Valley Old Engine Association announces their 25^th Annual Michiana Antique Engine and Tractor Swap Meet. This annual event runs this Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2 at Boot Hill Ranch, 1 and ½ miles east on Bair Lake Street in Jones, Michigan. Northeast Indiana Steam and Gas Association, Scotts Olde Tyme Power and Equipment Association, St. Joe Valley Old Engine Association, and Kalamazoo Valley Antique Engine and Machinery Club sponsor the event. The vendor set-up fee of $15  includes primitive camping with no electricity. Commercial camping is available next door. The gates will open Wednesday, April 29 at noon. You can’t have a swap meet without food, so, of course, food will be plentiful. Admission to the swap meet is a $1 donation. More information is available from Brian Boerman at (269)646-0525 or Daisy Wagner at (269)435-7241. This is another opportunity to take the family out. Make sure you have hearty appetites and plenty of room to take home all the treasures you’ll find at the swap meet.

     Welcome home to all the members of the Three Rivers High School Music Department. The Music Department brought home nine of twelve available awards given out to the competitors. It seems that whenever the Wildcats travel to Florida, they bring   home plenty of hardware to make us all proud. This is just another example of the fact that they are truly youth ambassadors from this fine community. Accolades to all and a special thank you to the chaperones who went along.

     I don’t know how many still use a deep fryer. What to do with the leftover frying oil need not be a problem. How about recycling it? After frying some chicken or onion rings, strain the oil through a sieve lined with, you guessed it, a coffee filter. Please discard the coffee filter after doing this. It’s served another purpose, other than filtering your morning coffee. I hope you’ve been keeping notes on these coffee filter ideas over the past several weeks, because there might be a test later.

     Enjoy this spring weather, and I’ll see you as we get Out and About.

Submitted by Norm Stutesman