Chimney Rock on July 4, 2018.
Back in February, I visited Chimney Rock to write a story on upcoming changes to the visitors museum and on a long-time employee’s retirement. When I got there, I was fed a lot of food. The ladies there made me take a bunch of it home. I had food for a week.
While I was there, I got to chatting about how no one remembers my birthday because it’s July 5. In America, that means everyone is off doing vacation and/or family stuff for July 4, also known as Independence Day.
Vicki Cobb and Sharon Ulbrich did not forget this. They also remembered how much I loved Vicki’s coconut cake.
Sandra Reddish, historic sites coordinator for History Nebraska, reminded me of this conversation about a week ago. Paul and I went to Chimney Rock on July 4 for my birthday. I was also going to interview Sandra for another story for the Star-Herald.
As soon as I arrived at Chimney Rock, I could smell the smoke. Sandra said she was going to be making cowboy coffee. When I walked into the visitors center and didn’t see her, my guess was she was outside. Vicki and Sharon said she was keeping an eye on the coffee.
“I thought you were supposed to be working?” I said.
“I am. I’m watching the coffee,” Sandra said. “Hi Paul.”
“Hi,” he said. “Happy Treason Day.”
They both laughed and then sat to watch the fire under the coffee together. Amidst the crackling fire, the flames, and the heat, they started talking history.
Sandra Reddish and Paul North talk history while they wait for the cowboy coffee to cook at Chimney Rock.
I sat down and watched the firewood burn, listening to the stories of Britain focusing on its Indian colonies after it lost the American colonies.
Firewood glows red as it heats cowboy coffee at Chimney Rock on July 4, 2018. Flames licked around the edges of the wood, but the red glow pulsed like the eyes of a cylon raider.
Little did I know that Vicki and Sandra had plotted against me. When Vicki offered me my own little cake, I thought that was nice of her to do for me. Vicki is already laughing as she knows what is about to happen. As I reached out to take the cake, Sandra stepped in and stole it out of my hands.
Sandra, satisfied in her thievery, eats my little cake. She and Vicki laughed heartily as I begin plotting ways to kill them.
Not even Paul cares. He just wants some cowboy coffee.
Sandra and Vicki roared with laughter. They had plotted together to and their plan was perfect.
“What? You got a bigger cake out of it,” Sandra said. “I did you a favor.”
Sandra continued laughing. She could not speak a proper sentence in that moment.
“When you…”
“Did you…”
More laughter.
I will give it to Sandra and Vicki. This was well-planned. And they are evil.
After we all had a laugh, Vicki said she had some cake for me. They had plotted all this to see my reaction and to see how much I would swear at Sandra for stealing my cake.
Vicki made me an awesome coconut cake. Vicki and Sharon – who wouldn’t let me take her picture – got me a cookbook that I look forward to using soon.
Standing inside the tipi at Chimney Rock the wind come ripping through the prairie grass. It hits the canvas and ripples along its skin. The tipi provides protection against the outside elements. Unfortunately, the rough winds over the past few weeks have damage the tipi and it is in need of repairs. Inside, however, it is warm and safe.
I’m not quite sure what it is, but there’s something not quite right about a white, British man standing inside a tipi holding a styrofoam cup full of cowboy coffee.
After I finished my interview with Sandra and Vicki, I noticed this lovely creature made a visist to Chimney Rock as well.
Back outside, Sandra hand-delivered me homemade ribs and tortillas. The tortillas had strawberries, cream cheese and habenero sauce. All the food was cooked by Sharon.
Homemade tortillas just for me from Sharon.
We sat around for a while longer. In between offering visitors some cowboy coffee, Sandra laughed at me again. The shocked look on my face is, apparently, burned in her mind.
This butterfly is small. I almost missed it. When its wings were folded up, it blended with its surroundings.
Some German tourists were enjoying their time at Chimney Rock.
The German tourists eventually took pictures of Chimney Rock.
After eating Sharon’s lunch and watching Sandra nearly hyperventilate from laughter at my shock that she stole my birthday cake, Sandra asked Paul and I if we wanted to eat a burger at Frankie’s. Of course we said yes. Sandra tried to get Sharon to call and see if they were open.
“Call them because you’re good friends with them and get me a twenty percent discount,” Sandra said. Sharon told her to call them herself. Then she told me to make sure I got a burger and the buffalo chips, and make sure I got a side of jalapeno ranch to dip them into.
My burger at Frankie’s. It doesn’t look like much, but I was stuffed when I had finished.
At least I got a discount. It’s good to know the right people.
Frankie’s Bar N Grill in Bridgeport, Nebraska.
As we walked back out to Sandra’s SUV, I said, “Holy Shit I’m stuffed. I might not even eat breakfast tomorrow.”
“Ha ha ha,” Sandra said. “I don’t believe that.”
Sandra was right. The first thing I did when I got home was eat a piece of my birthday cake.
As stuffed as I was, I had to have a piece of cake. Vicki told me the cake freezes well, but I’m afraid it won’t make it more than a few days anyway.