Busy hands are happy hands.

[glockmail]

Didn't know you were that old, Kate. That puts you around 132.

[Kathianne]

Didn't know you were that old, Kate. That puts you around 132.

LOL! I was referring to the county, before suburbia explosion, (Yep, this town is mostly old). Which brings to mind some history. Amazingly The Great Chicago Fire comes into play:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheaton,_Illinois

Wheaton is a community located in DuPage County, Illinois, approximately 25 miles (40 km) west of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Wheaton is the county seat of DuPage County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 52,894.^[2] In 2010 it was listed by Money Magazine as one of the 25 highest earning towns in the United States.^[3] The town is regularly noted for its outstanding school system, New England style community, and more recently as a financial center for investment management companies.

Founding

The city dates its founding to the period between 1831 and 1837, following the Indian Removal Act, when Erastus Gary laid claim to 790 acres (3.2 km²) of land near present-day Warrenville.^[4][5] The Wheaton brothers arrived from Connecticut, and in 1837 Warren Wheaton laid claim to 640 acres (2.6 km²) of land in the center of town. Jesse Wheaton later made claim to 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land just west of Warren's.^[5][6] It was not long before other settlers from New England joined them in the community. In 1848, they gave the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad three miles (5 km) of right-of-way, upon which railroad officials named the depot Wheaton.^[4][6] In 1850, ten blocks of land were platted and anyone who was willing to build immediately was granted free land. In 1853, the lots were surveyed and a formal plat for the city was filed with the county. The city was then incorporated in 1859 with Warren serving as its first President.^[6] The city was re-incorporated on March 1, 1890, when the first mayor of the city was selected, Judge Elbert Gary, son of Erastus Gary and founder of Gary, Indiana.


Establishment as county seat

In 1857, the Illinois state legislature authorized an election to be held to decide the question of whether the DuPage county seat should remain in Naperville or be moved to the more centrally located Wheaton, which was on the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad. Naperville won the election by a vote of 1,542 to 762. Hostility between the two towns continued for the next decade and another election was held in 1867, that Wheaton narrowly won by a vote of 1,686 to 1,635. At a cost of $20,000, the City of Wheaton quickly built a courthouse to house a courtroom, county offices and a county jail. The building was dedicated on July 4, 1868.^[7]



However, animosity between the two towns continued, and in 1868, as records were moved from the old Naperville courthouse to the new one in Wheaton, Naperville refused to turn over remaining county records, prompting a band of Civil War veterans from Wheaton to conduct what came to be known as the Midnight Raid on the Naperville courthouse. As Wheatonites fled back on Wheaton-Naperville Road, Napervillians were able to secure some last remaining records, which were taken to the Cook County Recorder in Chicago for safekeeping. During this time, Naperville was mounting a lawsuit against Wheaton accusing election judges of leaving their posts during the vote. As the courts deliberated the fate of the county seat, the records were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Shortly thereafter, Wheaton was officially proclaimed the county seat.^[8]



As demand for space increased, the courthouse was rebuilt in 1887 at a cost of $69,390, modeled after the courthouse in Aledo. This structure was used for the next 94 years until the county's rapid growth prompted the building of a brand new complex.^[9] The old courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and was formerly used by National–Louis University until National–Louis moved to Lisle in 2004. It is currently being developed into luxury condominiums.


On November 2, 1990, the courthouse moved to a building about two miles (3 km) west in a new 57-acre (230,000 m²) complex at the corner of County Farm Road and Manchester Road. It was built at a cost of $52,500,000 and includes a 300,000-square-foot (30,000 m²) judicial building. In 1992, the county sued the architect and contractor for $4 million after several employees became ill from the ventilation system.^[10] In the end, however, the county received only $120,000 for minor repairs and the jury sided with the defendants, finding that the alleged problems were caused, primarily, by the county's negligent operation and maintenance of the ventilation system.

[Binky]

^Roasted tomato basil soup, yum.

well, I have a load of my tomato mix just waitin' to be used in something. Yummmm.

[Binky]

I'm thinking Dexter...

I love that show. Terrific. I'd say his hands are happiest when he's slaying someone.

[Kathianne]

No one hearts my history lesson. I'm shocked. Did I mention the Chicago Fire, not soccer, but heat?

[fj1200]

well, I have a load of my tomato mix just waitin' to be used in something. Yummmm.

It is good and I don't like raw tomatoes at all. I was going to link to the recipe but I can't find it. I thought it was an Alton Brown recipe but... Here it is, Tyler Florence on the Food Channel.

• 2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum tomatoes)
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 small yellow onions, sliced
• Vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, optional
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. If using vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, add them as well, leaving them whole and on the vine. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.
Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot (set aside the roasted vine tomatoes for later). Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Wash and dry basil leaves, if using, and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish in bowl with 3 or 4 roasted vine cherry tomatoes and a splash of heavy cream.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/...MATTER,00.html

[Binky]

Yesterday, I made four guarts of apple pie filling with raisins, walnuts, cranberries and dates added in. It tastes great. Now I'm going to make some great smelling homemade bread. About four loaves. Haven't made it in years and am sooooo tired of that frozen stuff or buying it from the bakery. I want to make my own. So todays the day.

[Binky]

Well, I've just finished making a huge batch of bread dough which is rising now and for the next couple of hours. Then I'll have to knead it again and put it into loaf pans where it'll spend time rising again before I get to pop it into the oven. Man, I can't wait for that scent to begin floating around the house. Wonderful. I enjoyed making it so much I think I'll whip up another big batch within the next few days. Yummy.