Humbled while buying produce

Dan: Seriously, that is the only place where the check-out guy makes me feel socially inadequate.

Me: I know, even the bagger was too cool to have ever hung out with us.

time

You know when someone you love is going through something so mind-numbingly awful that all they really need is time? Just time.

I am from the midwest and I do not deal well with that whole time concept...I have this almost unstoppable need to do things. I want to feed you so you know I love you and bring over lame magazines and movies and chocolates. I want to do something, anything…cause you know, it's all about me.

But there is nothing I can do to make this better. I can only possibly, maybe, in time help make it a tiny, little bit less horrible. All I can do is say to my dear friend that I am so immeasurably sorry.




p.s. – oh, and 2007? You had better watch your ass because me and my people? We will take you down.

Late Valentine

The next American Idol

Have a told you that Will likes the music? I'm not sure I've really explained just how much. It's kind of a running commentary these days. Mama? Dance Party? Music? Mama? Sing Humpty Dumpty. Now. No night-night, sing. Blackbird, now. Manger song? Now. MAMA? NOW!MUSIC! NOW!
Lately he has decided that mealtime is the best time to entertain us with his musical stylings - who needs food when you have some hokey pokey/old mcdonald/jingling bells goodness, right?

Super Sunday

So, as I’ve mentioned before I used to be really involved in music. I went to a performing arts program in high school, did every musical possible, and graduated college with a Bachelor of Music. Being involved in all of that, I kind of missed a lot of, well, pop culture. Seriously, Nirvana barely made it onto my radar; I have to tell you watching sports? Way further out of my realm.

When I graduated I started working at a brewpub in St. Paul. Unlike Oregon, where there are more brewpubs then coffee shops, Minnesota folk (at the time at least) really liked their beer cold and tasteless…you know, lots of Hamm’s. So working at a place that only had one TV and beer that tasted like hops during the football season? It wasn’t exactly very busy. But the owner Mark loved football. He was from Wisconsin and was a die hard Packer’s fan…a dangerous admission in Viking’s territory, but he wore it proudly. I worked with him every Sunday during football season for two years. We had 5-6 regulars that would come and watch the game with us and serve themselves beer while I learned how the game was played. See, Mark decided that I was going to be an expert in all things football. He convinced me by saying it was a good way to meet guys (hey, I’m not proud) but as it turned out, I really, really liked watching football.

Now, every fall Dan and I get all geeked out for the start of the new season, reading up on how the camps/pre-season is going, making our guesses as to who will do well and who will fail. And it all culminates with the game of all games…the Super Bowl.
We have hosted Super Bowl at our house for the last several years and while I enjoy it, it really is Dan’s holiday...and as much as it is about the game, it is also about the food. For the last three years he and Dave have been trying to outdo whatever it was the year before. Two years ago they made a Turducken. Last year it was a Ham Dog. This year, a whole pig roasted in a Chinese Box. I shit you not, there was a large animal roasting in our backyard.

All in all there were about 20 people there to enjoy this culinary feast and a keg of Dave’s fine crafted homebrew. Will was out of his mind with excitement as he was sure that everyone was there to play with him. I don’t think I saw much of the game this year, but it was a really good day.



I put up the rest of the pictures here, but I have to warn you, some of the of the pig preparation pictures can be a little graphic, especially if you don’t eat meat.