A Full Week At Haribo, A Weekend With Cheryl, and A Fridge Full Of Mushrooms!

 My first full week on the floor at Haribo is complete!  And I survived!  

I won't lie...  It is a challenge.   Navigating the fork truck in those narrow spaces is tough...  Especially for someone like me, who lacks the years of experience that many of the folks in warehouses have.   But by Friday evening,  I started to get a feel for things and  I'm feeling a little more comfortable now. 

I'm getting a feel for the landscape as well.   The times of breaks,  the people to talk to, the tech and the Machinery that requires attention and the things it takes to get them back online.  I believe there is an opportunity to grow and remain challenged here.  (As apposed to becoming bored and complacent...) With a little luck, a bit of skill, and a willingness to learn, This could be a great fit and place to grow.  That being said,   I will continue to pray for guidance and help along the way.   Gaining confidence has an uncanny ability to turn into arrogance and that is when accidents happen.  

So.... Take is slow.   Take it easy!   And always remain cautious when moving a 3 ton vehicle in close proximity to robots, equipment, and most of all:   Other people!  Safety first!

After that week,  Cheryl called and mentioned that she would like to drop in for a visit.   I was more than thrilled!   But working the late shift now, I  would not be there Friday night for her. So She agreed to arrive early Saturday Morning.  That way I could get a good nights sleep and had  time  in the morning to clean the place up a little.

With time being so precious for the weekend,  we headed right to the beach and enjoyed the cool air, cool water, and the sounds of the crashing waves.   It was raining in Kenosha on Saturday, so we headed north to avoid the turbulent weather.... and had a nice talk on the way.   Turns out  talking about your troubles helps you get the bad Chi out of your system and allows you to actually enjoy the weekend.... And the weather and  the waves along Lake Michigan.  

Cooler weather in the Summer is always welcome...   And it was nice.   Sure, the sun came out for a few moments and got us sweaty, but overall it was a pleasant day.

We dropped in to the Beer Garden in Racine.   And enjoyed  a sundae.  

Then headed to the Beer garden At Parkside and enjoyed another beer and some pretzels.  The live music at Parkside is always an added level of fun.   To bad we missed the movie that they were playing on Friday night.   ( Come to think about it, I will be missing ALL of the Friday night movies... And all of the Music in the parks around here!   Bummer!) Ah well,   sometimes you only get 80% of what you want.   And that is not always bad. 

 We decided to go for a walk in the woods after our pretzels were gone and discovered that the rains have triggered the mushrooms all through the forest!   It was like walking in a mushroom wonderland!  

And the Mushrooms were HUGE!    The Forest Floor was VERY happy.   Cheryl found a "rare" Old Man of the Woods. ( A black Bolete!)  And I found a Green Laces Russula!  Both are edible... But!   We had no basket and there is more....

You see,  I have been collecting Mushrooms all week.    And I literally have no more room in my fridge for anymore.   The Chanterelles are fully out and HUGE!  

Along with a vast number of other species of mushrooms.   

Huge Amanitas!  (Poison!) 

And HUGE Saffron Milk caps.  Edible, but Sharp and spicy!) 

And Boletes!  Edible, but HUGE!  Where would I put them?   

Boletes also have the problem of not lasting long.   In fact, I was "forced" to eat the Summer Boletes ahead of schedule because they were going bad.  So I have been leaving them in place of the Chenterelles. 

Ah!  The Chanterelles!   They are all over.   I stumbled upon a Fairy Ring of  them and filled my basket so quickly, i had to leave over half of them there!  ( A terrible feeling!)   I apologized to them for not being able to bring them home with me.   But after two days of full baskets... and a FULL FRIDGE!  I simply have no place else to go with them.  Hopefully  those "Other" mushroom hunters will find them and save them from the bugs and slime molds that will eventually consume them if they stay in the woods.  

And I have harvested enough of the brittle gills now so I feel nature can have the rest.   Even though they have proven most tasty on a burger with Swiss cheese.   I'm not 100%, but I do feel like I found at least a couple Bare Tooth Russulas in my mix.   ( At least according to the Mushroom ID app.) They definitely have a delicious flavor  ( similar to almonds at least.)   But not quite like the cherries of Amaretto flavor I remember.   Then again, they are mixed with the swamp russulas and other ones.  

I use the Mushroom ID app as a guide... not a sure fire rule.   Because it has suggested that several of the russulas I have harvested were the "Toxic" ones.   But after tasting them myself, and EATING them!   I discovered that either it was NOT that specific Russula  OR it is not as Toxic as the book suggests.  Remember,  Mom used to feed us Toxic  mushrooms all the time!  (Gyromitra esculenta)  Mostly because they were fairly easy to identify and find near Grandpa's Cabin.  (Not because she was trying to kill us... intentionally...) 

I have developed a certain theory of the Toxicity of mushrooms and the book's definition of toxicity.  If there is EVER a documented case of someone getting so much as a tummy ache or diarrhea from eating a specific mushroom,   the post a warning... regardless of the source or evidence.  Better to error on the side of caution, I guess.    And with food allergies running rampant in this new generation... it makes sense that wild, foraged food might end up KILLING a fragile Gen Z or Millennial.  (That is my "Old Man Jab" at the younger generations.....)  

Honestly,  there are so many mushrooms out there where the edibility of them is unknown... So you have to take a risk sometimes.   That being said... best to do a bit of research. 

Well,   Before this post ends up being another post about Mushrooms... I should end it now and prepare for Tomorrow.   Monday begins a new week at Haribo.   And a new moment in time in my life.    So... Keep reading!  This Chapter is just beginning!

And Make every second count.  

Oh!      And a small end note:   Today was our anniversary.   Had we stayed married, it would have been 29 years today!  Ah, Nostalgia.