AtomicZebra7

Miss Sunshine becomes Mrs. Skeeter

2011-09-17T05:43:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is completely official now! Miss Sunshine and I are married. I love her very much. Life is very good indeed.

Duck a l'Orange for grins

2011-09-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

Duck a l'Orange is a favorite treat here and there's none better than Julia Child's take on the classic French recipe. It's not hard to make, but it does take a long time to prepare correctly. If you get good ingredients, a nice duck and plump, sweet oranges, you'll do just fine. There are some special things you will need like some cooking twine, spices, liquer, etc., but they aren't expensive or troublesome. It's a great meal and the kids love it too! A little expensive, but every once in awhile, SPLURGE!

It's just too HOT this summer!

2011-07-03T00:08:00.000-07:00

It's way too hot this summer. Even the animals at the Zoo have to take a breather in this this weather. When was the last time you went to the zoo? It's fun ... but be prepared to sweat!

Some days ...

2011-06-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

Good grief! Have you evr had one of THESE sorts of days?

Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, Texas

2011-06-08T07:33:00.000-07:00

This is the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, Texas. It doesn't look lik much on the outside ... or the insde ... but this where Dr. Pepper was bottled when the concern went commercial way back when. Of course times have moved on, machinery become more sophisticated, and corporate realities require FAR bigger building, BUT this is still something to stop by and see. The best part of the museum tour may be the ice cream and soda parlor on the first floor. Ask fo a Dr. Pepper milk shake. They'll put heaps of ice cream into a metal cup. Then they'll add a spalsh of milk. Next will come a super big shot of Dr. Pepper syrup - yep, the same stuff the add soda water to make Dr. Pepper that everyone knows and loves. Then they'll put all the ingredients into a mixer and blend until it's creamy and smooth. They'll put it into a large cup and hand you a straw, but it's best to scoop it up with a spoon. It's THAT good!

They'll let ANYONE drive these days!

2011-06-06T22:54:00.000-07:00

Hey! Share the road buddy!!!

Sheba in the Storm Shelter

2011-06-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

Yes, Sheba Kitty, that WAS a tornado!

Schilo's Delicatessen in San Antonio

2011-06-03T05:54:00.001-07:00

After hearing so much GOOD being spoken about Schilo's Delicatessen in San Antonio, I decided to give it a try. Schilo's is a little place just off the fabuluous Riverwalk. It's famous for it's ham-heavy split-pea soup. I'm told that the best way to sample the split soup is with a "Polish neighbor" which is deli-speak for a side order of polish sausage. The waitress came took my order and sat a big frosty German beer down beside the silverware. A little while later the food came ...

Yes, an underwhelming presentation. Are looks deceiving??? NO!!! Maybe if my "Polish neighbor" wasn't required to swim for its life ... maybe if even a crumble of ham was visible ... maybe if it didn't vibrate like that when it hit the table ...

I had to ask the waitress what happened. Was someone new in the kitchen? Tears came to her eyes. Yes, the kitchen staff was new and she was a bakery person drafted into waiting tables. I told her that the beer was good and tipped as I left - vowing not to come back until the kitchen staff had actually learned the recipe that I'd heard so much about.

In Lotus land and loving it!

2011-05-31T20:34:00.000-07:00

Just one of those kinds of days!

Dog Taunting

2011-05-18T10:01:00.001-07:00

Sheba, my naughty kitty has a new hobby ...

Bread al-Carbon

2011-05-16T12:03:00.001-07:00

Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Top of the World!

2010-10-25T19:52:00.001-07:00

I'm back!

To My Newest & Most Avid Reader ...

2010-07-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, you're a douchebag for all the ridiculous and stupid, red-neck things you do, say and profess to be true. So, just in case you aren't familiar with what a Douchebag REALLY is ... enjoy this ...

Really Good Beans?

2010-06-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen a pack of something at the store and bought it just to see how it would taste? Here is the experiment of the day ... the Anasazi Bean.

It appears that this colorful, brown and white bean has been around for a very long time. Some say that it has a richer flavor and creamier texture than other beans. One of my favorite beans is the Pinto Bean which makes great refried beans. Also, the pinto tastes great when cooked with some pork, especially ham hocks. Can't wait to get the "ancient heirloom" Anasazi Beans into the pot!

Anyone care for a dish?

Somedays Are This Good

2010-06-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

~Magickal Graphics~

I love you, Miss Sunshine!

Rain, Rain ... More Rain

2010-06-15T04:53:00.001-07:00

So much rain came ... and more is on the way. Do you have enough where you are?

Thought For The Day

2010-06-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

A New Path

2010-06-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

It's a good thing. Really :-)

Turning Points

2010-05-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Turning points. Interesting things, these “turning points” are. They seek to define the single moment or the one pivotal event which made the eventual outcome of something, well, inevitable. I'm at one now, and it sure as Hell didn't show up on my radar until I got some bad news that really shook me right down to my roots. The worst of it is yet to come though. In a few hours from now, the other shoe will fall.

Turning points. They should go by another name, the Lords of Cruelty. When you experience a realization of just how horrible a situation has become, that's when you know you're at a turning point. That's when it's time for you to wipe the slate clean so you aren't limited by yesterday's plans ... because they just didn't work.

I'm told that now is the time to exert a higher level of self-determination over the weeks ahead if you are willing to make a decision today. But choosing which road to take isn't enough; you must also commit to giving one hundred percent until you accomplish your goal. Sound like good advice? A plan?

I've been away from this blog for quite a while and much has changed in my life in the mean time. I will try to post more often. Thanks for visiting.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

2010-04-15T22:10:00.000-07:00

Wow! If you haven't been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, you seriously need to visit this place. It's an awesome way to spend an afternoon. While you're there, see the U2 concert. It was fantastic.

I don't have any pictures of the inside of the place because they prohibit photography inside the building.

2010-04-10T01:03:00.000-07:00

Hiya! Had to take some time off. A little R&R and a little recovery time too. Thanks for visiting. I appreciate it.

Happy Birthday Courtney

2010-04-10T00:58:00.000-07:00

Happy 21st Courtney!

Many Happy Returns.

"Hell" by Robert Olen Butler

2010-03-13T21:25:00.001-08:00

It's been a very long time since I reviewed a book on this blog, but there are times when something absolutely MUST be said, wrongs MUST be righted, goodness upheld and a flying drop kick MUST land right on some guy's beezer.

We went to a local bookstore. Pulitzer Prize winning author, Robert Olen Butler, was giving a talk on his newest book, "Hell". These sorts of engagements are almost always fun, if not for the anecdotes, then for the fellowship with another writer. One or both of those is enough to get me to buy the book and give it a try.

One of the things we learned about the story was that Mr. Butler's fourth wife had just ran off with Ted Turner. Yes, THAT Ted Turner. That's why Hell is set in Atlanta. Now, I've been to Atlanta a few times, so I can say with some certainty that Butler's version of Hell is a little different than Dante's or John Milton's - although the sex is the same. It would appear that nowhere is one to actually enjoy it, even by yourself.

Another thing we learned about the book is that there are lots of people in Butler's "Hell" that one would expect to see in Hell. Dick Nixon, Anne Boleyn, and Bill Shakespeare to name a few. There are plenty that one wouldn't as well. The most important thing, it seems, isn't who, but why. Answering the question "Why are you in Hell?" is so important that it appears as a regular segment on the evening news in Hell.

We also learned that Mr. Butler had uncovered some very interesting connections that have occurred in History. Allow me to quote, "There is only one degree of coital separation between JFK and Adolph Hitler." The link? Party girl and Nazi sympathizer/spy, Inga Arvad. The source? Al Gore's unfailingly accurate invention, the Internet. THAT bold statement turned some heads!

Well, with information like that between the covers of "Hell", how could I resist? I bought the book. Had it signed by the author, took it back to my hotel room, and mortgaged an evening reading it.

Have you ever heard the expression "Christ on a bike!"? Have you ever meant it? How about "Christ on Rocket ship escaping Hell with Richard Milhaus Nixon!"? Before you think that "Hell" is SciFi or something, it should be said that they don't actually make it. Turns out that they don't make it because this story so bad it has it's own explosive gravity.

The part that really finished the story for me was a consumptive sex scene that was about as far from "bawdy romp" as the Donner's Party in the Sierra Nevadas was from a dinner table. If you're going to use a severed human penis as an after dinner mint, at least say it with a smile.

The flying drop kick thing in the first paragraph above is paraphrased very loosely from an piece Tom Archdeacon wrote about a professional wrestling event way, way back on Feb 20, 1987 for the Miami News. When I compare that newspaper article to Robert Olen Butler's book "Hell", I can see that the format of the material is different, but not it's subject. A more succinct and gripping telling of Mr. Butler's story could only have been made by sticking your tongue between your lips and blowing though them to produce a loud, sloppy-wet, and flatulent blubbering.

Hell? Yes. "Hell"? No.

The Pub

2010-03-13T21:05:00.000-08:00

The Pub in Beavercreek, Ohio, may be the popular spot in town. It's THAT hard to get a table anyway. We have tried a couple of nights per week for a month now and finally managed to get a seat.

They try very, very hard to be "Authentic British". That's printed on the walls and even on the tickets you get at the end of the evening. Yes, there's soccer on the televisions, posters of British musical groups on the walls, and the wait staff all wear kilts. British. OK, one final test - is there any German beer on the menu? Hell no! Yep, they're British.

The beer menu is short, sweet and tasty. The food menu is even better.Their signature dishes include two heavy hitters. First, the pot roast.

The other is the Shepherd's Pie.

Yes, it was good, right down to the very last bite. If you can ever get a seat in the place, I recommend it. If you have no patience for lines, look elsewhere ... it's your loss.

The Pub
39 Greene Boulevard,
Dayton, Ohio
(937) 320-1199

Just Say No Potato Gnocchi Con Pesto

2010-03-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

Yuck! Gnocchi with pesto is horrible. I've learned a new Italian phrase because of it. Dica appena no gnocchi con pesto. It means "Just Say No Potato Gnocchi Con Pesto." I picked the green coated chicken bits out of this dish and couldn't bear to finish. Yuck!

Existential-ly Noodles

2010-03-09T22:06:00.001-08:00

There's something about Pad Thai that is simply magical. Just as Life must be lived through experiences or ‘le vecu’ as Jean Paul Sartre called it, Pad Thai is a dish that must be described through experience. To Sartre, the concept of vécu is based on a mixture (un mélange) that gets integrated into a whole. That, in a nutshell, is the recipe for Pad Thai.

Pad Thai begins with rice in its most passionate form - noodles. Long, slightly sticky, and deliciously chewy, rice noodles. You can find them in the Asian grocery stores bearing the Vietnamese title "ban pho".

Sartre said that "We must act out passion before we can feel it." So let's find someplace quaint, charming and cozy.

Genuine Pad Thai, the real thing, has a fiery temper, a breath of desire, a hint of appreciation, and the missing kiss of a lover that is gone and never coming back. The recipe has the four ingredients expressed as a kind of temporary madness: Tamarind pulp for it's sour flavor), Fish Sauce for its salty bitterness, Palm Sugar for its gentle sweetness, and a red hot Thai chili powder for transcendence.

Fry in some egg, bean sprouts and onion. Add crushed, roasted peanuts to taste.

Serve it with rice.

Pad Thai may teach one to love, but not how to stop. Try, just try, I dare you, to put down the chopsticks or fork and walk away before feeling stuffed. Just be sure to try it at the Siam Pad Thai restaurant. It's THAT good!

Siam Pad Thai
3027 Wilmington Pike
Dayton, OH 45429-4001
(937) 293-9606

Visiting the Cincinnati Premium Outlet Mall

2010-03-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

Have you ever visited the Cincinnati Premium Outlet Mall? If so, what's your favorite store. Well, here's a few of mine.

There's nothing like Ralph Lauren. Just love those shirts. OK, and the briefs too.

Who can resist a Bookstore?

Especially when your old writing instructor's books are on the shelves?

Here's the best store of all ... Le Creuset.

One day I'm going to own a whole set of this stuff. Today, I'm adding a sauce pan to my collection.

All this talk of cooking gear has made me hungry. Care for a treat? It's on me!

National Chili Day

2010-02-25T20:20:00.000-08:00

Wow, is it THAT time of year again? Did you know that Thursday, Feb. 25 is National Chili Day? In some parts of the world that means a lot, but what are you doing to celebrate the chili? I decided to try Dayton's Second Best Chili Place, Jimmie's Cornerstone Bar & Grille.

The place is small, quaint and had a good crowd.

I grabbed a seat, and right away the server carried a plate of chili-drenched nachos by me that looked just great. Turns out that the dish is called Nachos Susanne. Had a Glass of Great Lakes Brewing's finest to wet the whistle.

It was a really tasty way to celebrate National Chili Day. Will be wandering back to the Cornerstone again one of these days. Parking is tricky, but there is a large lot across the street and a little south of the building.

OK, why didn't I choose the Highest Ranked Chili Place in Dayton? Because residents of Dayton chose Skyline Chili, and that stuff is just plain AWFUL!

Happiness

2010-02-25T20:03:00.000-08:00

What more can I say?

Happy Year of the Tiger

2010-02-23T15:03:00.001-08:00

A Siberian tiger enjoying a year named in his honor!
Image Source: Hollingsworth, John and Karen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Welcome to the Year of the Tiger! It's a great year ... because I'm a Tiger, a Water Tiger to be precise. I hope that this new year be a good one for you too.

Bad Juan's Really GOOD!

2010-02-23T14:29:00.000-08:00

Went to Elsa's Mexican Restaurant in Dayton, Ohio. Heard a lot of good things about the place and ... they're all TRUE!

The building is quaint and decorated.

The signage is exceedingly small.

On the other hand, the portions are HUGE. Elsa's signature dish is the Super Burrito™. It's built for the BIG appetite, 10” flour tortilla filled with your choice of ground beef, shredded beef, chicken, or pork carnita served with refried beans, topped with a mild sauce, lettuce, pico de gallo, and aged cheddar cheese. GAWD it's GOOD!

This picture doesn't show the scale of this monster. This dish and table settings take up more than half the table. Is that cool, or what? Proof positive that in food service ... nothing exceeds like excess.

To wash this bad boy monster burrito down, you really need to try Elsa's signature drink - the Bad Juan.

It's powerful! So powerful, in fact, that a MAXIMUM of two will be served to a customer. Lemme tell ya, and this is from experience, after just ONE of these drinks, a person is just plain happy that his hotel shuttle makes half hourly runs to restaurant! YES, all that great food, drink and a safe ride home.

Life is very, very good ... even in Dayton, Ohio.

Elsa's Mexican Restaurant
3618 Linden Avenue
Dayton, OH 45410-3025
(937) 252-9635

Another HUGE Burrito Story

2010-02-18T05:40:00.000-08:00

From FAILBLOG.

Ash Wednesday

2010-02-18T05:34:00.000-08:00

Lent has begun.

A Day At The Museum

2010-02-10T12:22:00.000-08:00

We braved the wind, snow and cold to visit the Cincinnati Art Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The snow had stopped by the time we finally got to Cincy.

This little guy greets you at the door. It wasn't as cold INSIDE the museum as it appears.

I know that I've talked about this in a previous posting, but I went back to the museum just to see these next two pictures. I love John Singer Sargeant's work. This museum has two of them.

Here's the other. This one was a test question in a college class I took a million years ago. She's still beautiful.

This painting was also a test question.

This snippet came froma painting depcting a slave market. Any doubt about the job series the woman on the left holds?

Contrary to the fifth grade passerby, the title of this piece is NOT "Naked Chick with Leg in Air".

Don't know about you, but red chickens speak to me.

OK, my preference is showing. I confess.

And in reply ... an old fashioned rolling eyes smiley.

This is the man who said, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Benjamin Franklin. (American Statesman, Scientist, Philosopher, Printer, Writer and Inventor. 1706-1790) Most people would probably recoognize him from our highest denomination of currency in circulation - the 100USD. Life is just that good, you know?

Speaking of life being good, aren't everyone of us glad to be a Mammal?

Television is a monster. I get it. I've seen the "Jerry Springer Show".

Speaking of horrors and shame, this one is Eve after being discovered by God in the Garden of Eden. The Fall of Man is mere moments away. This image shows the external only. If you can visit this statue, walk around her side and look up at her face. That image, perfectly executed, is why this is a masterpiece.

In Indian mythology, Yakshi is a female goddess associated with the fertility of the earth, love, and beauty. This mythos considers every woman a Goddess, and I think they have a point.

Wether they look like this ...

or this ...

They're all beautiful, like Miss Sunshine.

The Museum was a lot of fun. If you're ever in Cincinnati, you have to visit.

Cincinnati Art Museum
953 Eden Park Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 721-2787

Big Boy?

2010-02-08T20:29:00.000-08:00

It was snowing, cold and we didn't have much time to spare after a visit to the Post Office, so we stopped off at Frisch's Big Boy for lunch. I have two words to describe the experience ... Big Boy? ... or maybe ... Hell No! ... or maybe ... BIG MISTAKE!

The place was bright and clean ...

The table setting promised great things. Excitement. Anticipation ...

Then the waitress brought our neighbors their food. So we asked how much it cost to add an extra patty to our burgers. We didn't find it in here ...

Do you know how much that costs? Hint: $1 value menu item at the fast food chain across the street. Did you guess $1 for the extra patty at Frisch's Big Boy? WRONG! Did you guess $2? Still WRONG! You would need to lay out $2.50 for an extra patty for your burger.

Ok, no extra patty on my lunch. I picked the Swiss Miss burger. It had a rye bun, swiss cheese and the special sauce. I upgraded the experience with fries and a side salad.

Then, my smiley turned upside down.

All four bites of my lunch were ok, but really! Micro-burgers at big boy prices? I shoulda went across the street to a different restaurant.

Snow

2010-02-08T19:48:00.000-08:00

Snow ... and more is on the way.

Mamma DiSalvo's Ristorante

2010-02-04T20:44:00.000-08:00

Some days just don't get better than this! We visited Mamma DiSalvo's Ristorante for dinner and it was simply GREAT.

They have some interesting beer and wine choices. Wine first. Never spend too much time worrying about the perfect wine. Chianti works with every Italian dish. Why? For the same reason that the sky is blue. It's God's Will ... or ... a function of Rayleigh Scattering and the interaction of light with nitrogen and oxygen high in the atmosphere ... depending upon your religious preference. Another "go anywhere" wine choice is also red, Pinot Noir. It's obviously French, forward and awfully naughty, and in no time you'll understand what "fais-moi grimper au rideau" really means.

Now Beer. They have Peroni Nastro Azzurro on draft. If you've tried Peroni in the skunky green bottles, relax! Peroni on draft doesn't SUCK. Peroni isn't beer in the sense of the German Purity Law. It is a light, vampiric elixir made with malted barley, corn and hops that comes together pleasantly ONLY when protected from the Sun. Give it a try. You'll probably like it.

Be sure to order the House Dressing with your salad. It's a tangy, sweet, red wine vinigrette.

What's Italian without the bread?

How do you make the perfect seafood dish? First, you need shrimp. No, not the undersea anorexics from the Super Walmart freezer case! You have to fish Moby Dick's little cousins out of deep waters. You need big shrimp with bad attitudes. For this dish they have be surly, dangerous to catch, and ANGRY. Arrabbiata in Italian means "Angry". Toss in some scallops and mussels and you've got a seafood street gang on your plate. Mamma DiSalvo's calls that dish - Seafood Arrabiatta.

An Arrabiatta is spicy. There's no doubt about it. The perfect Arrabiatta lingers gently on your palate while the top of your head sweats. There's no doubt about this either. Mamma DiSalvo's makes the perfect Seafood Arrabiatta! You can taste the chili peppers, tomato, onions, garlic and Italian spices - all in just the right proportion.

The special of the day was a Lasagna and fettuccine Alfredo combination. The presentation was spectacular. This is the most memorable Lasagna I've ever had. It had it all - a combination of different cheeses, the sauce, the spices, everything. What's makes the best lasagna even better? MORE lasagna! The portion was so generous that I got to bring some home for later. If there was more space on this page, I really would tell you how good the fettuccine Alfredo was AND how the rich, creaminess of it completed the meal.

I'll be coming back to Mamma DiSalvo's! You should too.

Mamma DiSalvo's Ristorante
1375 E. Stroop Rd.
Kettering Ohio 45440
Phone: 937-299-5831

Giovanni's Pizzeria é Ristorante Italiano

2010-02-04T03:47:00.000-08:00

We heard about Giovanni's Pizzeria é Ristorante Italiano from friends at work, so we went over for a dinner visit. The place was described as a "unique and one-of-a-kind" in the same sentence no less which made it even more interesting. Of course, when I heard "where value meets quality" that closed the deal.

Giovanni's is a quaint little place that wasn't too hard to find. There isn't much signage outside but you really can't miss it from the street. Parking is a little sparse, so come early.

The place was bright and inviting. The furnishings were retro and homey.

The service was quick.

The Chicken Parmigiana was pretty good. It had a lot of moist chicken breast meat in an tasty sauce. I couldn't wait to get a bite, so that's why it looks "fork ready" in this image.

The pizza had a really great, crispy crust. They were a little stingy with the sauce. It wasn't bad overall, definitely better than a call to Domino's.

Giovanni's was good, friendly and reasonably priced. The food was tasty and the quantity generous. The GPS app on my cell phone listed Giovanni's as a 5 star experience. If you're like me, it would be certainly worth a visit - if for nothing else - to try to figure out where and how they earned those last two stars.

Giovanni's Pizzeria é Ristorante Italiano
215 W Main St.
Fairborn, OH 45324
Phone (937) 878-1611

Flying Wonder Woman's Jet

2010-02-02T22:05:00.000-08:00

Wonder Woman's airplane, the Invisible Plane, is probably the coolest form of transportation of all time. Since its first appearance in Sensation Comics #1 (Jan. 1942), it has made several laps through my local airport MOSTLY to make sure that our airline's on-time performance and delay severity statistics remain HIGH. Here it is docking at Gate #24 at Will Rogers World Airport.

Ah, Wonder Woman. Ain't she sweet?

Thank you, Wonder Woman. On time, all the time.

2010-01-31T19:34:00.000-08:00

Finally got home ... to a giant snowstorm. The memory card on my phone's camera gave up the ghost, taking several really cool images of the snow and ice with it. Replaced the card and took a few pix to test it out. Here's one of them. I've seen snow and ice make many strange formations, but this one is one of coolest. So much moisture in the air!

What's the coolest thing you've seen built by Nature using water and cold?

Just Say NO!

2010-01-29T21:05:00.000-08:00

Kia! So many features ...

Sleek styling.

Snow storm WHITE screams "Find me" in a crowded parking lot.

Low CO2 footprint - a benefit of having hamster wheels for an engine.

An "in the cab" turbo button: ON for air conditioning, OFF for the power to merge onto freeway.

A spacious trunk - it can hold TWO bags of peanut M&Ms at the SAME TIME!

Oh yeah ... NO!

DublinFor Dinner

2010-01-28T21:19:00.000-08:00

Went to Dublin for dinner tonight. No, not the real Dublin, but a jumpin little place with the same name, The Dublin Pub.

They claim to pour the perfect pint. The criteria for the perfect pint are posted all around the place ....

So it only seems natural to have some cheese fries and apply the test ...

I ordered the Beef Stew. The service was great and my order came quickly.

The dish was something to see. It was packed with beef and vegatables and slathered in a Guinness gravy. It wasn't a traditional beef stew where the pieces are swimming in a brown or red sauce, hoping to be noticed, and tasted individually. This one had big chunks of everything, big redskin potatoes, and TASTE! It worked. Maybe it worked too well coz I was stuffed before I ever came close to the bottom of the bowl.

Here's another dish that looked interesting - the Bully Beef Shot. It's cut of roast beef heaped on a dollop of mashed potatoes. Yes, it's got gravy and lots of it.

Highly recommend a visit. Set enough time aside to eat, drink and catch a game of rugby or something interesting. The atmosphere is a little louder than it needs to be, but not obnoxiously so. Great service and great times.

The Dublin Pub
300 Wayne Avenue
Dayton, OH 45410-1116
(937) 224-7822

Smokey Bones

2010-01-27T23:03:00.000-08:00

Am visiting Dayton, Ohio, this week. When dinner time rolled around, we went on a great hunt for something to eat. This sign looked interesting so we stopped in Smokey Bones BBQ & Grill for dinner.

Gotta a seatnear the televisions to watch a basketball game on the television. Go figure the odds of finding a Big 12 school on the television!

Several cold options on draft. Decided to give the Burning River Pale Ale from Great Lakes Brewery at try. A home run! It was really tasty.

Smokey bones is a Bar-Be-Que place so I decided to try the ribs. There are lots of choices of flavors on the menu. They also provide some of their most popular sauces for you to try. I decided on the ribs, narrowed down the choice to a tangy sauce rather than a rub coating. A few minutes later, magic happened ...

At first I thought it was a big red fish taking a little nap on my plate. So, I surprised it with my fork. Yep, it was pretty good.

I'm from a place with pretty good BBQ, so this wasn't the same as visiting Memphis, Dallas or Kansas City for BBQ. No place on Earth burns a pig like these high holy places of BBQ. THAT being said, the food was pretty good. The sides were hit and miss though. The broccoli was brilliantly spiced and wonderful. The cole slaw was unbearable, just plain awful. The baked beans were sauce-coated victims of the kitchen. I sampled their chicken later and found it to be a little dry and snarky. Overall, not too bad. Would visit again and try other things on the menu.

Smokey Bones BBQ & Grill
(937) 415-0185
6744 Miller Ln,
Dayton, OH 45414

Motionless & Broken

2010-01-26T23:58:00.001-08:00

Have you ever been stuck, absolutely motionless, on the tarmac inside an airplane because bad weather somewhere far, far away is causing delays? Had a few hours of it myself just now ...

When I finally arrived at my destination, my suitcase came off the carousel like a war casualty. It had been fatally wounded by the baggage handlers. You know it cost $25 for my suitcase to accompany me on this trip. Now I feel like an accomplice in its murder.

* Image was Photoshop-ped to protect the innocent, exaggerate the damages, and to make me feel better.

Courage In The Kitchen?

2010-01-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

Nope, I'm not THAT brave ... Are you?

Something About Horses

2010-01-16T12:34:00.001-08:00

There's something about horses that has always fascinated me. While I was working on a fence for a friend, I had to cross the road and say "Hi!" to these ponies. This old mare came over and demanded some affection ... and eventually some of the apple I had for lunch.

It's great to see horses, sleek, well-fed and happy in pastures large enough for them to roam and enjoy life. Something tells me that these horses like the dinner table a little more than galloping through their meadow.

How about you? Like Horses?

Day Off Dessert - Creme Brulee

2010-01-14T23:49:00.000-08:00

Had to make some comfort food on my day off. Yes, a dessert this time. Creme Brulee. It's a rich vanilla custard with a caramelized sugar crust, and it is 100% yummy. Here's how I made it.

First, gotta have all the cream a single cow can make in a week. Can you guess what my favorite local dairy store is? They just didn't have enough on the shelf today. A REAL vanilla bean is must. I got this one a few days ago and kept it out in the kitchen all week coz it smelled sooooo good!

Next, you need some superfine sugar. I like to use pure cane sugar. You also need all the eggs a hen can lay in a week.

I like to add a couple of tablespoons of orange liqueur just because it tastes so good. Grand Marnier it is then! Yes, Cointreau works too, but some days you just gotta splurge.

Cut and scrape the vanilla bean. Add its goodness to the cream and bring it all gently up to a boil. Let it cool for a little bit. Whisk the eggs and sugar together without foaming it up. Now add the cooled, strained vanilla cream to the eggs and sugar mix. You want the cream cool now so you make a custard instead of an omelette. Add all that happiness to ramekins relaxing in a hot bat.

Bake for awhile, just until a knife comes back clean when it pierces your still trembly, jiggly custard delight. Let the ramekins cool.

Now to top all of this with a crunchy sense of joy. You'll need some brown sugar for that. Amen.

Sprinkle your brown sugar over the vanilla custard. Then melt the sugar to a carmel colored liquid with heat. Some people use a torch, I prefer the toasting it with the broiler in my oven. Watch it closely so that it melts rather than burns. It's pretty much perfect when it bubbles, is evenly melted, and your oven starts to smell like cotton candy.

Here's mine ...

There are six of them altogether. Would anyone care for a dessert? My treat!

My Very Own Bridge To Nowhere

2010-01-13T21:19:00.000-08:00

Need I say more? Call me at work tomorrow and be damned. I'm taking the day off.

Eating Healthy?

2010-01-12T20:13:00.000-08:00

Thought I should have a healthy lunch before heading off to a pair of the Evil Corporation's famous Hell meetings. At first I thought maybe a salad would be nice, but then a taco demon perched himself on my shoulder. What was for lunch? Taco ... salad ... with an enchilada kicker ...

Somehow it just didn't finish as healthy of a choice as I had anticipated, but some days are just that GOOD!

Guess Who Came To Town?

2010-01-11T21:06:00.000-08:00

Have you ever encountered someone famous on the road? Maybe not them so much as their guitar? I did.

Turns out that Brad Paisley came to Oklahoma City last Friday. He's a country music performer. The show was a big success. Makes me wonder who I'll meet next.

Have you ever bumped into a celebrity?

Dim Sum anyone?

2010-01-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

Time for a treat! Dim sum anyone? First are the jalapeno peppers stuffed with shrimp and a side of garlic chicken feet.

Now for some crispy pork.

Then some shrimp shu mai.

How about a crab ball or some clams? They're very tasty.

Dip the tripe in chili paste and soy sauce. It's not too bad either.

Hope you had fun having lunch with me. Would you like to do it agian sometime?

Thank You Bindiya

2010-01-06T01:33:00.000-08:00

I am so blessed to have friends as dear as Bindiya. She surprised me with a very generous and sweet gift.

She made my Christmas a tasty one!

Thank you very much Bindi. You're the greatest!

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-01T12:16:00.000-08:00

Magickal Graphics

Happy New Year! Wish you all the very best for the new year.

Did you make any resolutions? If you haven't chosen one yet, please consider this:

Pray for the strength to give some things--even a few at a time--to someone who has need of them.

— from Coping With Loss: Praying Your Way to Acceptance

Best wishes,

Skeeter

7 Bold and Lucky Predictions

2009-12-30T20:09:00.000-08:00

What do you think the new decade will bring? Sure, flying cars and peace on earth are probably long shots, but what might we really see? Given the rate at which human knowledge is doubling, what is possible?

Here are my bold predictions ... at least some of them. Hopefully without too much sarcasm ...

#1. A "cure" for glaucoma. I think that the work on the human genome and the discovery of defective genes that lead to some types of glaucoma, a drug therapy will be made available that will effectively cure this disease. I'm looking forward to it!

#2. From a planetary perspective, we will have a near miss by an asteroid or comet. Statistics being what they are and all, maybe the government will get serious about funding some basic research and early warning mechanism. We've learned about the importance of early warning systems for tsunamis in the oceans, right? While they're at it, I'm holding out hope that the government will take steps to fund more basic scientific research and also defend our wildlife, soil, air and water.

#3. Someone will actually get serious about the size and rate of growth of our federal debt. Seriously, if the United States were a person, what would your reaction be? Yep, pay the man $5 and let him squeegee the windshield.

#4. Rush Limbaugh will make his last radio broadcast and retire. Nope, it won't happen because the gulf between conservative and liberal mindsets has closed. It will happen because common decency and respect for others will finally become important enough social forces to get people to just turn the channels on radios to something less hateful. By the same token, Janeane Garofalo will stop (politically anyway) foaming at the mouth, hire a new agent and once again earn an honest living as an actress.

#5. I will complete my collection of Le Creuset cookware, master the souffle, and successfully (FINALLY) poach an egg in red wine.

#6. On December 21st, 2012, I will watch the sun set over the ancient city of Teotihuacan, Mexico, and won't be disappointed at all that the world didn't end. Sure, it would be very cool indeed to witness an alien first contact or something extraordinary like that but what are the odds? Well, I'll have a bag of popcorn and be ready for the light show just in case :-)

#7. Finally some football talk. Our beloved Oklahoma Sooners will win another National Championship. I want to hold out hope that one day our much beloved Denver Broncos won't stink anymore and will be good enough to win playoff games, but ... You know, that brings us back to the probabilities of having flying cars, a cure for the common cold, and world peace.

Just Plain GOOD!

2009-12-29T20:51:00.001-08:00

Yes, I've talked about OKC's best taco stand, Los Tacos, before. They're still the greatest! Today, my son and I had lunch at Los Tacos. Their combination burrito and chicken tacos RULE. What's better? Their taco sauce of course. Yummy for my tummy ... and then a nice long nap. Life is just that good.

A Prologue & A Blue Moon

2009-12-28T21:05:00.000-08:00

The moon is trying very hard now to do something very rare - be full twice in the same month. This second full moon will happen on December 31st so we will have a Blue Moon on New Year's Eve! Sky watchers calculate that the next time this will happen is way off in 2028. What will the world, your world anyway, be like on New Year's Eve 2028?

I finished moving yesterday. While unpacking a box of books, I found an old bookmark given to me by someone very dear. It is a curved pointer made of brass with a red tassel and inscribed with one of George Sand's most memorable quotes: "There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved." Naturally, it was hiding inside a Jayne Ann Krentz novel. One of the reasons I like reading her novels is that she writes the best, most interesting prologues of just about anyone in the business. If you get the chance to read one of her novels, go ahead and give it a try. Read the prologue. You'll be glad you did.

Speaking of prologues, I have had the hardest time writing one for this novel I've been working on since September. I completed the first draft of this beast in three weeks writing out 387 pages in longhand in two different composition books. The second draft just about killed me. In order to be true to the story, I had to do some re-plotting. Wouldn't you know that one of secondary characters had stolen the story about the time I started the second of the 99 cent composition books. That character is a dying matriarch. She sustains and unifies her family, and tries to prepare them for the difficult times that will come once she's gone.

The larger story is a Southern Gothic flavored romance. Now that the third draft is finished, Flannery O'Connor's mischievous flock (faith, grace and redemption) perch on the branches of my story and sing till the sun goes down. Not too loudly, of course, just enough to get someone to go out and refill the metaphorical suet cake feeder out back.

This story needs one more pass through the draft to be right with the world. What it needs most of all is a prologue that hits the mark. Have you ever had something you've worked on that just doesn't feel right to you and you just have to keep working at getting it right?

That is this story. Another quote from George Sand seems to say something scary about "authorship"; that is, "The trade of authorship is a violent, and indestructible obsession." Does anyone else get this feeling about their creative work?

In The Books & Casting Bread

2009-12-27T19:14:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for looking back over the last year and taking stock, trying to make sense of everything that's happened, and trying to fit it all together into a whole. For me, this has been a very eventful year. An eventful year almost in the books now.

Hopefully next year won't be so exciting. If you've followed this blog, you're up to date on most everything - until the last week! Whadda week ...

As much as it sounds like a lyric from Billy Joel's "Piano Man", my
dance instructor, Jacqui, joined the Navy and probably will be in it for life.

This year there were several new and innovative Christmas light displays. This one was around the Chesapeake corporate campus. Of course my camera couldn't do justice to it. It was really great ...

Then came the snow and more snow and then ... even more snow. Driving through the blizzard to get home was an experience. It took 3 hours and 2 minutes to make the 22 miles drive ...

The next day, there was loads of snow around the house ...

I've found some comfort in an old bit of genuine wisdom. "Cast your bread upon the waters and you shall find it" (Ecclesiastes 11-1).

This is going to be my approach toward this next year. I'm not sure what the new year will bring, but I know one thing for certain. I can think of ten things right off the top that are gone and don't look to be ever coming back.

Don't ask. Casting bread upon the water sounds whole lot more postiive than living a lyric from that old Jimmy Buffet song "Margaritaville". So THAT'S what I gonna do!

Ho, Ho, Ho ... Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T16:37:00.000-08:00

Magickal Graphics

Best wishes to You and Yours. May all your Christmas wishes comes true.

Nostalgia: Sea Grapes & Fish

2009-12-20T10:19:00.000-08:00

Up & At 'Em

2009-12-19T06:15:00.000-08:00

Somewhere in the long dark hallways of history, someone stole this guy's coffee pot and cup. Glad mine is safe and sound coz I need it need a cup of coffee this morning to get up and at 'em.

How about you? Coffee in the morning?

Happiest States

2009-12-18T03:23:00.000-08:00

Well, the freezer trick didn't free up the crashed read heads in the old hard drive, so no data could be saved. I did have backups but the last couple of weeks of stuff is gone. Could be worse, I suppose.

Am moving this weekend. Will be finished by Christmas. This year has been an interesting time. Ironic that wish that on someone is a Chinese curse. Life goes on.

Was thinking about what the happiest states were. Found THIS article on the net. Where do you live?

Here are the 50 U.S. states (and the District of Columbia) in order of their well-being:

1. Louisiana
2. Hawaii
3. Florida
4. Tennessee
5. Arizona
6. Mississippi
7. Montana
8. South Carolina
9. Alabama
10. Maine
11. Alaska
12. North Carolina
13. Wyoming
14. Idaho
15. South Dakota
16. Texas
17. Arkansas
18. Vermont
19. Georgia
20. Oklahoma ... Me!
21. Colorado
22. Delaware
23. Utah
24. New Mexico
25. North Dakota
26. Minnesota
27. New Hampshire
28. Virginia
29. Wisconsin
30. Oregon
31. Iowa
32. Kansas
33. Nebraska
34. West Virginia
35. Kentucky
36. Washington
37. District of Columbia
38. Missouri
39. Nevada
40. Maryland
41. Pennsylvania
42. Rhode Island
43. Massachusetts
44. Ohio
45. Illinois
46. California
47. Indiana
48. Michigan
49. New Jersey
50. Connecticut
51. New York

Don't You Just Hate It When ...

2009-12-16T20:52:00.000-08:00

Don't you just hate it when your computers hard drive makes noise? Don't you just hate it more when ... it doesn't make noise anymore?

That's the story, Morning Glory. That old hard drive is going into a ziplock bag and then it will spend the next day in the freezer. Will try to recover files and data from it if it can be brought back to life. If not, well ... time for a new drive anyway.

Wordless Wednesday ... almost

2009-12-08T22:05:00.001-08:00

QUESTION:

ANSWER: Hell No!

Blood Donation Time Again

2009-11-29T02:09:00.000-08:00

One of the things about having particular blood types, is that THEY will call you and request a unit of your blood.

So, I donated. Got my red T-shirt (Go Sooners!), some pretzels and some paperwork. Afterwards had dinner at the Chinese place next door.

Donate blood if you can. Help save a Life!

Syn´as`try

2009-11-24T20:59:00.000-08:00

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, published 1913 by C. & G. Merriam Company defines “Synastry” this way:
n. 1. Concurrence of starry position or influence; hence, similarity of condition, fortune, etc., as prefigured by astrological calculation.

“Synastry” refers to the astrological study of relationships, a kind of bringing together the stars for two people. It's a bit of folk fortune telling in nearly every culture to try to make sure that couple is right and the time is right. For those who know me or are longer term readers of this blog, you know that I did no such thing as this before - or maybe things wouldn't have turned out the way they did.

A long time ago, a helluva long time ago really, I ordered a Relationship Reading from a very respected astrologer for Miss Sunshine and I. So much has happened since I ordered this reading, that I actually thought that it would never arrive. I'd quit thinking about it even. It FINALLY arrived in the mail. I listened to it today. It was a really hard day for me.

What do you think the Relationship Reading said?

All Work & No Play = Promotion?

2009-11-22T23:56:00.000-08:00

Well, one of my "evil" secrets is this ...

The Evil Corporation has given me a new office and a new (temporary) position - Acting Boss. The old Boss of one of the Evil Corporations' Fiefdoms retired rather unexpectedly. Our fearless UberBoss asked me to sit in as Acting Boss until arrangements could be made to set up a panel for interviews to replace the old Boss. The Fiefdom is a good one, but needs some serious attention to get things back to where they need to be. So, that means plenty of work ... and NO PLAY ... and maybe after the interviews are complete ... a BIG promotion.

Now how can I tell that certain, special SOMEONE that I really, really need to put in the time to get this thing rolling? Does "I love you" help? How about chocolates? Flowers? Corn whiskey in a wooden jug? Should I just keep my head down, nose to the grindstone and get it all done in long, empty silence? What would Nixon do? Why does the hallway to my new office seem like the "Long Dark of Moria?"

Why So Many Food Posts?

2009-11-12T23:56:00.000-08:00

Someone asked me today about all the food related postings I've been making lately on this blog. Well, it's a time of transformation for me and I'm not sure about how exactly it all is going to work out. No, I'm not comfortable enough to talk about it yet. You'll have to let this suffice for now - "A couple of very, very big Life things are going on right now." Both are really good! It's what I've wanted for a very long time and I don't want to jinx it by saying any more just yet. Hope you understand. So, until that time comes, let's have lunch and some fun!

Oklahoma City's best dim sum is served here.

The dim sum staple - garlic chicken feet ...

Crab balls made by a novice chef. Tasty, but deflated ...

What's a dim sum without some shumai?

And the best dish of all - the shrimp stuffed jalapeno peppers ...

Careful there boys and girls, these devils are wickedly HOT!!!

Peanut Butter Meltdown

2009-11-11T21:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Veterans Day! To all those veterans who have served or are currently serving, THANK YOU for your service. I wish I could give each and every one of you one of these wonderful desserts - a Peanut Butter Meltdown.

It's a pecan-stuffed brownie with peanut butter and ice cream topping, a little whipped cream, a drizzle of flavor, and a cherry. Enjoy!

The Big Sexy

2009-11-08T22:58:00.000-08:00

Here is the Big Sexy.

It's an open faced double chili cheeseburger with all the trimmings. It's really, really good.

Truth In Strange Places

2009-10-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

Penguins ... in my Inbox

2009-10-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

Did you ever wonder why there are no dead penguins on the ice in Antarctica - where do they go? Wonder no more!!

It is a known fact that the penguin is a very ritualistic bird which lives an extremely ordered and complex life.

The penguin is very committed to its family and will mate for life, as well as maintaining a form of compassionate contact with its offspring throughout its life.

If a penguin is found dead on the ice surface, other members of the family and social circle have been known to dig holes in the ice, using their vestigial wings and beaks, until the hole is deep enough for the dead bird to be rolled into and buried.

The male penguins then gather in a circle around the fresh grave and
sing:

"Freeeeze a jolly good fellow."

Then they kick him in the ice hole.

You know, I've loved the phrase "ice hole" ever since I first heard in the old Michael Keaton comedy "Johnny Dangerously". "Ice hole" ... it's even funnier when preceded by the old Swedish word ... "farging".

The Peach Dealios - Reunion Gig

2009-10-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

Had a MAJOR get together yesterday. Yep, the Peach Dealios are officially back together. It was exceedingly cool. Our line up is a little different and the sound is a little different too, but it is ... OUR ... sound. So, who are the Peach Dealios?

First is Walt on rhythm guitar.

Justin on lead guitar and occaisionally vocals.

Me drumming by necessity, guitarist by choice. Yes, we are looking for a REAL drummer.

Marissa who sings and looks great all of the time, even if it's posing with the drum kit. She is my hero because she likes to sing "yelly" songs AND she screams very well. There was some speculation about how she learned to scream so well, but everyone was afraid to just come out and ask.

and Katie who took a turn at vocals.

Life is good.

Okra

2009-10-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried Okra? It's a southern staple, and here's what it looks like in the garden ...

Up close, it's a thing of beauty.

It's a relative of the hybiscus and the part that you eat are the pointy looking seed pods that are picked while the pod is green and supple.

Wash 'em, slice 'em, slather them with cornmeal breading, fry 'em and then eat 'em. Does life get any better?

Baby Feet

2009-10-08T21:31:00.001-07:00

This is sooooo ... my fault. Am I bad?

Taking a Sick Day

2009-10-07T20:15:00.000-07:00

Took a sick day from work work today. Felt awful with a cold and the sniffles. So I slept in late and relaxed. In the afternoon, I made the batter for crepes and put it into the fridge to relax for a few hours.

Then after dinner time, I was ready to make Crepes Suzette, or as Julia Child calls them in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, "Crepes with Orange Butter, Flambees".
First things first, gathering all the fixins ...

Then it's time to make the crepes. The trick is to make sure the batter covers the entire working surface of the pan, then relax and let the heating elements do their work, and finally the "flip". I saw Julia do this on the television, but more recently I saw Alton Brown do it on Today on a segment called "How To Make A Perfect Crepe". His technique is flawless, but just about anyone can get the hang of it in just a few tries.

The next step is to make the orange butter or syrup. You need, butter, oranges, sugar and some patience.

Then take the crepes for a spin in the orange butter, give them a dose of Cointreau and a little Courvoisier cognac for good measure, and set them on FIRE!!!

When the flame dies down, have a fork handy coz it's time to dine!

Kansas Baby, Part 2

2009-10-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

All that swinging worked up an appetite, so while Connor had a snack ...

while the big kids went to the Wyldewood Cellars winery ...

They have some very good wines. Their specialty is elderberry and it is really tasty. Joe recommended the Prairie Sunshine. It is really, really good.

Then it was back to the house to eat that brisket, watch our beloved Sooners lose another game ... and have some ice cold Avalanche Ale from Breckenridge Brewery.

Avalanche Ale is a a friendly amber ale that is always tasty and isn't overpowering. For a real treat, visit the brewery in Breckenridge, Colorado, and have some food and an Avalanche. It's just good! If you visit Breckenridge in winter, be sure to bring your skis. The mountain is fun. Way back in the 70's, I learned to ski on that hill, and have always had fun there.

Early the next morning, I loaded the scooter for the trip home. Yes, there really is a case of wine in that tailbag ...

Yep, it was rainy and cold, but I have lots of winter gear to keep me toasty rolling through the Kansas prairie ...

Finally, back home safe and sound ...

Kansas Baby

2009-10-05T05:38:00.000-07:00

Went to Kansas this weekend to see my newest nephew, Connor. Left home on a cold Saturday morning, and headed north. Crossed the famous Cimarron River, made famous in about a million old Western movies ...

Eventually crossed the border into Kansas. It's almost harvest time for sorghum. Around here it's called milo until you take the grain to the elevator for sale or storage though. Can you see that "Kansas Skyscraper" in background on the horizon?

Arrived at my brother Sean's just in time to fill the cooler and get a brisket started.

Connor came out to supervise.

While the brisket smoked ...

And Joe made the trimmings ...

Connor went swinging ...

... more about the trip tomorrow ...

A Wedding Shower

2009-10-02T05:18:00.000-07:00

Hope springs eternal even in the Evil Corporation. Best wishes to the happy couple.

The lucky Groom-to-be went home with a truckload of gifts, food, and the obligatory toaster. They'll be off to a great start. For me, it was off to the gym. Why? Do you like cake and punch as much as I do?

State Fair Quilts

2009-10-01T05:18:00.000-07:00

Went to the Oklahoma State Fair and found these quilts in one of the exhibition halls. They were so amazing in detail, quality and composition that I had to post a few of them here. Is this amazing art or what?

It's Mooncake Time Again!

2009-09-27T22:51:00.000-07:00

Went to the store today to get the "fixins" for this year's Moon festival. The Moon festival (also called the Mooncake or Mid-Autumn festival) is going to happen on October 3rd this year. This year's celebration of the harvest moon is going to have a really nice full moon. Hopefully the clouds will be gone and we can really enjoy the sight.

Mooncakes are the ultimate "it is better to give than receive" festival gift item. Seriously. So, where are these famous mooncakes? Right beside this happy guy!

There they are ...

So, I picked one ...

The cakes are stuffed with egg yolks and other "surprises" like lotus seed paste or different kinds of bean paste. The best cakes have four yolks representing the different phases of the moon. Those are exceedingly pricey. Going with just two yolks will save some money. If you get a mooncake with one yolk, smile, and try to remember that there is only one moon after all.

If you have never eaten one before, a word of warning about mooncakes may be in order. I have never been able to force myself to eat a whole one. Why? It's a photo-finish of evil taste, texture, smell and density. The idea of eating
a hard, dry, absolutely UNSWEETENED pastry loaded with texture from dry egg yolks or bean paste inside is so thoroughly revolting that it's beyond me how this became festival food. How bad do they taste? Think of it like this - hide a sulfurous fossilized egg inside a sweaty gym sock inside two week-old bleached white flour bagel that pigeons have used as a bar stool, and take a big healthy bite and then punch yourself in the face twice. Bon Appetite!

OK, if you happen to have a mooncake in your hand at the end of the day, there are many things you can do with it. But there is at least one thing you can't ...

Cognac & Brandy at a discount

2009-09-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

Found this little gem in the display case at the store recently. Normally I don't make product recommendations, but seeing that $1200 price tag (after a whopping 31% discount) made me want to say something about conspicuous comsumption.

There are some things that are just plain better than others. It's true no matter where you look. Some wines, cars, or clothing is so far ahead of its competition that people will pay a hefty premium to have it. The liquor in this bottle is not only rare and highly prized, it is made by a very well respected distiller. Yes, this liquor is well aged, remarkably smooth, and very French. It is not just ANY brandy - this is a genuine cognac. This particular spirit is some of the very best in the world.

That distinction means a lot. Most of us live in tough times and need to make the very most of the money we spend. Certainly it is ok to have luxuries when you can afford them, but the dedicated shopper knows that luxuries are not created equal. Here's one that I found a few years ago.

This is a brandy from California. It is well aged, remarkably smooth, and is really, really good. It's also a thousand dollars a bottle cheaper than it's snooty French cousin. Robb Report magazine says that it is just as good as, if not better than, its French cousin. They are absolutely right!

Because of the way that Oklahoma liquor laws are written, it is nearly impossible to find beer, wine or spirits from small producers. If your state isn't so prudish as mine, then I would invite you to save up $100 or so and find a 750ml bottle of Germain-Robin Select Barrel XO. It is really good and makes a wonderful Christmas gift.

Monster Spider!

2009-09-24T22:59:00.001-07:00

Had a visitor hanging from a thread from the garage this morning.

Glad I didn't plow through her web on the way out the door.

Second Day from Sea

2009-09-02T18:32:00.001-07:00

The first port of call ...

Today's shore excursion is the Glass Bottom Boat. There were loads of colorful fish out on the reef.

And some more ...

And even a barracuda came for a snack. Here he is racing through the swarming school of fish.

And the star of the show was this reef shark. This picture isn't very good, but it's the only camera I have ...

Afterwards, enjoyed some local refreshments (which wasn't bad with a nice 8 year old Rum) ...

Then back to the ship to get ready for dress up evening. Discovered that most of my clothes that I had carefully packed were wrinkled. Naturally in this floating hotel, there aren't any irons or steamers in the rooms, but they do have special "launderette" rooms for people to do laundry or iron their clothes. Unfortunately for me, everyone else had the same problem. So now to get that ironing done and get dressed for the evening.

I have a suit and tie, but that is going to be a story for another time.

Hi from Sea

2009-08-31T14:08:00.000-07:00

The First Day of the vacation is getting to the cruise ship. Here I am riding on the bus from Orlando, Florida, to the docks in Cape Canaveral.

The most famous ships at the Cape are the space shuttles, but there are some really big cruise liners there too it turns out. That's the space port in the background as I wave goodbye to land.

Once I found my way to my cabin. I'm a single occupant in a double sized room. The cabin steward shaped the towels into a little animal.

Yes, that is the "new" me - sans forty pounds and several inches of hair. What do you think? Do you think anyone will even recognize me?

Vacation

2009-08-29T23:04:00.001-07:00

Time for a vacation! Am taking a short trip on a cruise ship. Will say "Hi!" from the Bahamas.

Wishcasting Wednesday

2009-08-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

Jamie asks "What do you wish to acknowledge yourself for?"

I want to acknowledge myself for facing adversity and becoming a better person because of it. I'm ok. I've made it through this. Things are never going to be the same again, they're going to be better.

When I first moved into the place I live now, I found a bedraggled, old Rose of Sharon in the alleyway. I trimmed back the weeds and the overgrowth so the light to get to it. Look at it now. This is how I feel too.

Put on your dancing shoes!

2009-08-07T00:10:00.000-07:00

The lights are ready, the music begins ... may I have this dance?

Dance!

2009-08-04T05:02:00.001-07:00

Still can't believe it. I'm dancing. Just beginning, but the studio has a program especially for absolute beginning foot-crushers like me. It's actually a lot of fun. My instructor says that pretty soon I'll be good enough to dance without injuring anyone's toes. Can't wait for that :-)

Smile & Move

2009-07-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

An email arrived today with a link that said "Smile and Move" video, so I clicked on it. A very pleasant surprise popped up.

The website says that "Smile & Move gives you a simple (and fun) way to remind yourself and others of the core fundamentals that lead to better work, better relationships, and better results -- a message that reinforces what we know we need to do."

So I printed two of the posters and hung them in my cubicle at work. The first poster is "Smile, be Happy". It has five points:

Wake up.
Show others you care by giving attention to their needs.
Be thankful.
The opportunity to serve is a gift... not an entitlement.
Be approachable.
We're at each other's service, and contact is where it starts.
Complain less.
We've got work to do.
Smile. Really.
It's where pleasantness begins.

The second poster is "Move, do Something". It has four points:

Start early & go long.
Get lost in your service to others.
Exceed expectations.
Dismiss mediocrity. Expect more from yourself.
Have a sense of urgency.
Predict and pre-sweat the details for others.
Be resourceful & resilient.
Service is about giving someone what they need... no matter what.

The reaction around the office was immediate. They saw the word move and leapt to a conclusion.

"You're leaving?"

I should've known. After all, no one really reads posted signs in the Evil Corporation. That's why signs like "Flush twice. it's a long way to the cafeteria" are merely ironic statements of fact, and others like "Real Men flush" have already missed the mark (pun intended).

Since no one in my immediate office reads this blog, I'll tell you that I have been looking for another job. It's true. It's just not the reason I hung up the "smile and move" posters. It's OK by me if they think I'm off interviewing when I leave work because it means they won't be asking me questions about signing up for a dance lessons. Yep, you heard that right. It's real dancing -and not the kind I normally do to mock Republicans. I hope the instructors have steel-toed shoes coz they're gonna need 'em :-)

Wishcast Wednesday

2009-07-29T23:05:00.000-07:00

Jamie asks "What do you wish to remember?" When times get difficult, I wish to remember that Hope still exists and blooms even in the toughest places. I went for a walk and let off some stress. Along the way, I found this little wild flower blooming in the oddest of places today. I am thankful for this little swatch of color.

I am also thankful for my friend Bindi's very kind words today.

Thank You

2009-07-28T23:26:00.000-07:00

Thank all you very much for your support and encouragement. It has meant so very much to me this last month. I appreciate it more than I can ever say.

Miss Sunshine and I have split. She's doing fine. We still talk, but what we had is over. I'm doing well also, but still trying to sort through everything. I know that Time moves on and heals all wounds. I have to borrow pieces of two poems to say what I can't.

Time is engraved on the pale green faces
Of the floating lotus leaves.
Our hearts are a sea, a lake,
Finally a little pond, where
Spider webs interlock over the round leaves,
and below them our longing
Is only a single drop of dew.

Sometimes, suddenly the old story overcomes us.
Time triumphs then,
And lets down its hair --
Shadowy black,
trailing like a willow.

The old melancholy
Comes from the land of longing.
The colors of the sunset thicken.
The shadows grow fast on the water.
The memories of long love
gather like drifting snow,
poignant as the mandarin ducks
that float side by side in sleep.

If Life were fair, we wouldn't lose the love of our life and our best friend at the same time. But, there are somethings that just are the way they are. I promised Sunshine that I would love her as long as she would let me. And I did. I also promised her that I would still love her after that, but wouldn't tell her. So, now it's time to honor that promise too.

Skeeter

PS. To the girl who made a special point to leave her phone number on my desk at work this afternoon. I know you read this blog. I appreciate your trying to cheer me up, but please! For the love of God, the hole in my chest where my heart used to be really does need to heal and close enough so that the wind doesn't whistle through me when I walk. After a few months or so, when I've had time to hit the bottom of this and make what Christopher Sherwell of the Financial Times named "the Dead Cat Bounce", I'll be happy to talk to you about you, your sister, your cousin or even your evil twin.

Dance Me Again

2009-07-26T23:20:00.000-07:00

I love you, Sunshine.

I miss you.

Happy Solstice!

2009-06-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

The Summer Solstice happened today at 12:45 am my local time. Hope everyone has a happy Summer, and for those fathers out there - Happy Father's Day.

Wishcasting Wednesday

2009-06-16T22:55:00.001-07:00

Jamie asks Who or what do you wish to play with?

This is easy. I wish for peace in Sunshine's life.

I wish I could play with ... my guitar.

Sleeping With Bread

2009-06-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

These are the blades of the giant windmills that turn wind into electricity. You see a lot of these things travelling north to places all over the Great Plains were wind is plentiful, bird traffic is small, and the money and jobs that energy production translates into is considered a God-send.

The good is also like this ...

and the Bad like this ...

We had a tornado right here in Norman yesterday. It was a small one and touched down on the east side of town. It is very rare for tornadoes to touch down inside the city limits of Norman, but it does happen. This tornado didn't do very much damage, but none of them go without leaving a calling card.

I'm so thankful that my house wasn't damaged by the twister, but it's one of those things. I hope it's not tempting Fate to be so. Most people carry around a certain sense of foreboding when it comes to tornadoes. Everyone who has lived here for any length of time has a storm story. Who determines whose stories begin with the pronoun "I" and whose doesn't? I promise you, that "Who" is not pure, dumb Luck.

Wishcasting Wednesday

2009-06-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

What do you wish for your body?

I wish that I had as much balance as this little image. I love the sweeping "S" curve of this yard from the flowers up the stairs to the bush up to the explosion of leafy green to the left behind.

Balance. It's good thing.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

I love you Sunshine.

Home at Last

2009-06-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

One of the intersting things about being "gone" for awhile is finding a surprise when you return. My surprise was a little "deflating" ...

Before

During

After

Anyone need a nail? Seems that I've got one to spare.

Sleeping With Bread

2009-05-31T22:40:00.000-07:00

The examen, based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, helps a person hold onto what spiritually nourishes them by looking at what is giving them consolation in their life or causing him desolation. It allows someone to express his gratitude to God for the good stuff and turn to him for solace for the bad stuff. It is quite simple. You simply ask yourself, in the last day/week/month what gave me consolation and what caused me desolation.

So, without further ado ...

The Good.

A Momma Robin dropped these three bundles of joy into a unused nest over the crook of a gutter's downspout.

They're a little messy and a little noisy, but I'm glad they're here munching on the creepy crawlies from the lawn.

The Bad.

The economy really needs a turn around. Was talking with one of my brothers who lives in Kansas. He just survived another round of layoffs. Really need this economy to turn around and show some signs of life.

The Church Brew Works, Pittsburgh, PA

2009-05-20T22:51:00.000-07:00

If you are ever in Pittsburgh, PA, you really need to count The Church Brew Works as one of the Steel City's "Must See" places.

The building that gives this place its name really is, or was once anyway, a functioning Catholic Church. The church building is a historical site and is as beautiful as it is rock solid.

It's hard to describe how impressive this place really is. It starts with the walk up to the building.

That continues all the way up to the front door.

The first thing I noticed when I pulled the door open was the malty smell of a beer being brewed. The light was perfect and streamed through the big purple, blue and red stained glass windows.

The Church Brew Works
3525 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
412-688-8200 fax 412-688-8201 cbw1996@comcast.net

Hours of Operation
Monday thru Thursday 11:30 AM to 11:45 PM
Friday & Saturday 11:30 AM to 1:00 AM
Sunday 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM

OK, the beers are really, really good. With the word brew in the name, would you expect less?