Birthday Party

I have a lovely wife who went through a lot of trouble to put on a wonderful birthday party for me last weekend and great friends who showed up to help us celebrate.  There was beer brats, cake, a nacho bar and some really good wings.  Also tiki torches, a Jack Daniels Whiskey bar and a fire pit in back.  The food was awesome but the company was even better.  Thank you to all who were there with us to celebrate my milestone birthday!

A few more pictures after the break.  Forgive the quality of some, I had other priorities that night.

Atwoodfest 2017!

I took these pictures yesterday, we had a lot of fun but there was a lot of people - even though there are several local festivals happening this weekend.  There were tons of vendors for food and ware, and music is always in the background.  It's always a good time.  The weather was beautiful, sunny and very warm but not overly hot.  We just got back from a nephew's first birthday party otherwise we'd probably be there again today.  Just as well, we're probably better off resting for the rest of the day.  After this post I think I need to let my cameras cool off for a few weeks.

Dear Madison (Food Place)

I wrote and sent this last night:

26 July 2017

(Food Place),

We have been very good customers for a long time, I know you have access to my orders to see this.  Tonight we placed an order that included the Cookies and Cream ice cream, and we are very disappointed.

Well after enjoying our (Food Place Item) and (Food Place Item), we went to have some of that ice cream. At that time we noticed there was no plastic safety seal and when we opened it we saw several large spoonfuls missing, and it had frost on it like it had since been in the freezer for some time.

When I called to let you know, I was first given the option of a 6 dollar credit or replacement.  I chose the credit.  After a few moments of silence I was told I would be given a 3 dollar credit.  I disagreed.  I was again given the option of replacement so obviously chose it to be redelivered.

A few minutes after that call I missed a call from the same person requesting the one that was delivered be returned.  By now his disbelieving tone was very obvious.  I called back but he deftly didn't care to listen, I gave up, the replacement ice cream was on it's way.

And shortly, the replacement was delivered.  No problems there, the delivery driver was awesome, most all of them are.  He seemed confused about taking the other one back, so I explained.  It was only later I noticed that the replacement ice cream was Chocolate, definitely not the flavor I originally ordered.  Not that they would know, but I do not care for Chocolate ice cream.

In a situation where a mistake or defective product has to be replaced and the replacement is also incorrect, well, that would be gross incompetence or, I suspect, purposeful negligence.  I'm not innocent, we should better inspect what we get on delivery - even though we've found you trustworthy for years.  Our bad.  But your people don't have to be defensive, suspicious and spiteful when their mistakes or tampered products are pointed out.

We love your food and would like to keep it that way.

Sc(oakat)
(They have my contact and account information from the form I completed to send this.)


I was out on my bike today when I received a call.  I pulled over and listened to the message, it was the manager of the food place above.  Several hours later (post coming soon on the time otherwise spent here) I returned his call.   Without going into detail, we have a 20 dollar credit coming and an apology.  The manager may have over-shared when talking to me, and I told him that we totally understood.   An employee 'buys' ice cream but doesn't set it aside so the delivery driver grabs it innocently.  A manager trainee reacts like he shouldn't, then tried to kind of cover his tracks.  I don't want anyone to lose their job, and I told this manager that it was more insulting than offensive.  We are long time customers, and he could see and appreciate that.  So, all's well that ends well.

I had composed this exact feedback to them here before pasting into their corporate contact page.  I was ready to call them out.  My talk with this manager was good and he had gotten this message about my email first thing today, he said.  He was actually nice, even likable, and kissed my ass well.  What it comes down to is we have an apology and a credit toward the next order or two.  I'm happy enough!

Fire Pit, Headlights

We enjoyed another fire pit with friends last night, some we don't get too see very often anymore.  It was nice and relaxing, and cooled enough by sundown that we could actually start the fire.  The yard spray pretreatment kept the mosquitoes mostly at bay and the rain and thunderstorms held off until later in the night.  My wife made snacks and grilled up some hot dogs that we got with our quarter cow and, boy, were they delicious!


My project yesterday was restoring the clarity to our older car's headlights.  There's lots of YouTube videos on the process, I mostly followed this one.  I've been thinking of doing this for years now, but I would just do the temporary fix with toothpaste.  This time I invested the 20 bucks or so in materials and just did the permanent fix.  And I have plenty left over for several more cars, perhaps I can sell the stuff to some poor, dull-yellow-headlighted person.

Overall, they look much better now than they did before.  In the first picture the yellow doesn't seem to nearly come across as it really was, but they are sure cloudy.  Next is during the process, I have the lenses completely sanded and ready for the clear coat.  Last is after the final coat and not yet dry, yet you can see they are much clearer than they were before.  Later today I will wax them and see if they get clearer yet.

I need to start thinking of new projects to keep me busy.  I have all sorts of tools and lots of wood, I can take the time and enjoy the process.  That's really what it's about many times, the process.  I can work at my own pace, listen to music and hang out in the garage - which is one of my favorite things.

June This-And-Thats

I'm overdue to catch up on things so once again it's time to start typing and let it all out.  Well, not all.  I've not posted lately mostly due to stress.  My work had become, and still is, more stressful than it ever should be.  I'd like to elaborate but I really can't without giving too much detail.  Ever see that cartoon with the birds on the branches of a tree and the lower birds are getting shit on?

• I did take a vacation a couple weeks ago.  I didn't have any big projects but I did have a lengthy to-do list.  I managed to get most of it completed, including building an umbrella stand that my wife wanted to hold my grabber and the walking stick I got in Jamaica when we got married.  Just a small project, but I like making things out in the garage.  I'm certainly more of a rough carpenter than a finish carpenter, but I seemed to manage with this and my wife is happy.  The time off was mainly spent getting my head back and learning to deal with my job status and what I need to do if I want to change that.
• My wife has been healing well recently and has a few more weeks off work.  Basil hasn't had it so well, though.  He completed his round of antibiotics but it still didn't fully clear the UTI so he had to go back to the vet.  He now has more medicine and special food to help clear up the crystals in his urine and the infection.  We also found out he has a bad tooth that is causing him pain so we will have that taken care of as well.
• On a related note, I've shampooed the carpet in the computer room several times now.  Kate's friend Terry lent us her machine, and it has worked very well.  We've not found any spots where he's peed in quite a while but I kept smelling it so it may still have been happening, especially since we find he is not quite over the infection yet.
• Weather-wise we have been hot.  Hot and humid and sometimes very stormy.  Today is refreshingly comfortable, finally, and is the first time in a week we have been able to open the windows and enjoy the breeze through the house.  Now, if my wife would hurry up and heal we could go bike riding together!
• We've had our first fire pit of the year, the first of many, I hope.  I've been considering putting in a permanent fire pit in the back yard, I feel we would use it more often then.  I have enough cut wood for probably two more fire pits before I'll need to cut up the scavenged branches I have on the side of the garage.
• A Night Out for Goodman, a beer and chocolate tasting at the local Goodman Community Center was a lot of fun out with some friends.  I didn't manage to get a taste from all the vendors but as many as I could!  There were a dozen or so local bakeries/chocolatiers and maybe fifteen local breweries/distilleries giving out samples of their wares.  It was a beautiful evening with also a band and games, and all goes to charity.
• I've also not updated the garden blog in several weeks.  I plan on taking pictures today and posting over there another tour of the yard.  We lost one plant that I really like in a storm, but my wife brought in the flowering stalk and we've had it inside for almost a week now.  Something, either squirrels or rabbits, has been nibbling on some potted plants.  I moved one into the area between the gardens and it is still getting eaten so it must be squirrels there as rabbits can't get in.  And I've missed the full bloom of the lilies as all the petals have now fallen, same for the peonies.  But the day lilies are blooming now and the garden is looking very well.  I'll link it here when I post pictures over there, probably later today.

That's all I can think of for now.  There are a couple things I'm thinking of for an LLP post, but I need to find the time and gumption to do it.  After typing on a computer all day at work it's not exactly what I feel like doing in the evenings.  Oh, and we have another quarter cow coming real soon.  Well, I have pictures to take and I think my wife and I are going to get out for a bit now.

Happy Thanksgiving, 2016!

Holy Cow!

This is what one-quarter of a cow looks like in our freezer.

Some time ago a friend asked if we would be interested in going in on a cow.  We had talked about it previously but now it was time so we jumped at the chance.  Grass fed, corn finished, and from Door County, Wisconsin.  The cow had been picked a while ago but it took some time waiting for the cow to fatten up for slaughter, so we've been waiting for several weeks.  Then I got word earlier this week, it's time!  Our friend went up to get it from his dad (who lives up there and also had a share of the cow) after work yesterday and showed up here late last night to drop off our quarter of the cow.  It is a shared quarter, meaning we have front and back cuts of meat.  I was told over 200 pounds, though it appears lighter.  Still, we paid a good rate across the board for good beef that includes several kinds of roasts and steaks, stew meat and soup bones, and over 40 tubes of ground beef between one and one and a half pounds each (in a box at right under tenderized round steaks, among other cuts).  Kate took inventory this morning, but we still need to get it sorted better in the freezer.

Well, that's one less thing to think about now for quite a while.  And it makes grocery shopping easier, too.  We had this in mind when we bought the freezer and I'm glad it is now full of meat.  Should be a lot of fun grilling this summer.  Yum!

For Mothers And Others

I went with my wife and her sister taking their mother out to a very expensive elegant brunch at Mariner's Inn this morning for Mother's Day.  I went because my brother-in-law went last year and yes, again this year.  I don't really mind my mother-in-law, but it's not mother-in-law day.  I was happy to be there for my wife even though we've been on each other's nerves a little bit since she got home.  She had spent the work week in California at a conference.  I texted my mother, who lives farther away, this morning.  Seems she's been a bit sick so just planned on laying low today, anyway.  Feel better soon, Mom!



Last night we grilled our first brats of the season.  We do not fear the wurst!  We have had the grill out earlier but for burgers.  The brats were very tasty and I'm sure I'll eat lots again this summer!


There's been more posting over on the Garden Blog today.  Kate has been busy weeding and harvesting the spring onions.  And, just because I like to see the growth that comes with spring, there is another tour of our yard posted after the break on that post.

That's over at the Garden Blog, give it a look!

January This-And-Thats

Okay, time to dust the place and act alive around here.  At this time last year I had actually taken a bit of a time-out from blogging.  Before November of 2014 I had not posted less than 7 times a month in over 5 years of posting here.  It got to the point I just couldn't keep that up.  First, I realized the fact that I had never posted less than seven times a month and felt like I was forcing some posts just to keep the streak alive.  That was over a year ago and I'm a little more relaxed about posting now, obviously.

So now that I'm ready to type, I hope you're ready to read!

• Yes, I was sick for over a month.  I had bronchitis, got a little better around the new year to allow my wife to be sick for a few days, then I got sick again.  This time it was more sinus than lungs, but still with the damn headache.  I had not been sick like that in some time and I hope never again.
• The resurgence of my sickness may have been aided by the fact that winter decided to finally show up in full force.  First with a good layer of snow, then with the bitter cold of below zero (F) temperatures.  It is good for the natural order of things, but I'd be happy to skip it altogether.
• I have been on a bit of an early spring cleaning kick, getting rid of odd little things that I do not need, extra cardboard boxes, and just junk that we don't need to keep.  We have a pretty good pile for charity again but I still have to go through my clothes.  That's always been the hard part for me.  I think it is daunting because I don't want to have to try on a gazillion clothes to determine what stays and what goes, so it never gets done.  Maybe this spring will be different...
• We got a chest freezer last year, now it's time to fill it.  Kate has been cooking more things ahead of time and I have stocked up on freezer items when they are on sale, but now we will soon have about 250 pounds of meat to put in it.  I had talked with a friend about going in on a cow and it looks like that may happen soon.  We will be getting one quarter of a cow for roughly 3 dollars a pound - that's across the board for ground beef, steaks and roasts.  This should keep us in meat for a good amount of time - and ease my grocery shopping trips.
• Speaking of shopping, I bought the Amazon Fire TV Stick on a forty dollar whim.  It achieves my main purpose of being able to watch YouTube videos on the television and I am still figuring out the rest.  We don't watch a whole lot of TV other than house shows, Big Bang Theory reruns and, of course, my sports games.  But I can see how someone who is really into TV and movies would love this, there's almost anything you want to watch at your fingertips.  Even if we end up not using it for more than YouTube I'm still glad I got it - but again, I'm still figuring it out yet.

Tonight we are meeting half a dozen friends at Ella's Deli for dinner to celebrate my wife Kate's birthday this week.  It is close enough we could walk there but we have not been there for a couple years since we took our nephew James there for dinner.  She wanted ideas on where to go so I did a google search and started calling out names of restaurants and she fancied this one.  I'm glad she did, it is a fascinating place to visit.  They have fascinating stuff there everywhere you look, on the walls, ceiling, and even in the tables!  Check out their website here.  

Thanks for coming back though I've been away.  My stats have been nuts, one day this last week I got 4 hits and the next I got 37.  Crazy.  Average is probably 15 or so a day.  Now I think I better get the camera out so I don't forget it tonight and I should probably decide what I want from their extensive menu before we go.  

Xmas 2015

We enjoyed a holiday evening with my wife's family yesterday.  It was a good holiday gathering, no huge dramas to speak of.  Family photos were taken that I hope turn out real nice.  Brother-in-law is becoming a professional photographer so he had all the equipment - the huge backdrop and the umbrella lights of a pro photo shoot, and he made it work pretty well for the small space it had to happen in.

The food was also pretty good.  Way too much, but par for the course.  They all want to please, and everyone did seem pleased and had their fill of the feast.  Mother-in-law forgot to get the jello dish out for dinner again - which is becoming a family tradition.  I feel like the same thing happened at the last holiday gathering.  I also felt a little bad for my host sister-in-law as she spent all her time cleaning up dishes alone afterwards while we all talked around the table.  I considered helping, but helpers may just have been in her way, anyway.

We are not traveling anywhere else this weekend.  I plan on resting, mostly.  Although I am mostly over the bronchitis I got about 2 weeks ago I still have the headache.  It is better at times and worse at other times, but it has been there for a full fortnight now and I'm, well, sick of it.

The weather is as unseasonably warm as I ever remember for Christmas.   It looks more like late fall right now than winter.  The grass has never been greener at this time of year.  Still, I can't help but think we'll be paying for this milder weather down the road, in one way or another.

Whatever you are doing for the holiday I hope it is what you want to be doing.  Have a great weekend!

December This-And-Thats

I never really feel like doing one of these posts other than feeling that I should do one of these posts.  That's not really a bad thing because I'm never disappointed with the result.  There's a reason I say that it's time to start typing and see what comes out, that's just what I do on these This-And-Thats posts!

• I've been sick and it sucks.  I woke up last Wednesday with that feeling that I may be coming down with something, and by 10 that morning there was no doubt.  I went to work on Thursday and somehow made it all day, but had to call in sick on Friday.  Today, I'm feeling a bit better than the last couple days, but if today was Monday I would have called in again.  I think I should be able to go tomorrow but I don't know how my voice will hold up.  Enough of my whining, on to the next.
• The weather this December has been very, very mild.  We had one or two snows, but much more rain with temperatures above freezing but for some stretches overnight.  As I write this it is about 60º outside!  I'll take it, but it may be hard on the plants.  Speaking of--
• The mild weather allowed a December post over at the Garden Blog.  It's just a picture of the garden as it is now.  Probably confused by the weather.
• It is past time to start looking for gifts for the nieces and nephews.  I try very hard to get things they will really like.  This year I may scale it back a little, though.  We will not be traveling after the fiasco at my Dad's last month.  I've never liked traveling for holiday gatherings much and now I think I'm old enough to not have to do it anymore.  Catholic guilt (from my upbringing - not my beliefs now) has made me do it enough.  Now, I've had enough.
• The new refrigerator has been absolutely wonderful!  I no longer have to make ice every other day by hand, and Kate has noticed how very much longer fruits and vegetables stay good.  That old fridge may have been older than we originally thought.  Now, with the new fridge upstairs and the new chest freezer downstairs we have enough food storage as we should ever need.
• I wrote a while back about our frustrations with our bank.  Since then there has been another issue, and now my wife has been without a debit card for maybe a month because of it.  Seems they still had her address as where we lived about 15 years ago, too.  So, after I've been with this bank for, let's see, about 28 years or so we are in the process of transitioning to a new bank.  Of course the old bank doesn't make it as easy as simply being able to transfer the money, but we shall have the movement of our funds wrapped up soon enough.

That's enough for now.  Coming soon I want to write about commenting.  I'd like it if more readers commented, but many of you subscribe by email so may not know how.  Basically you have to go to the actual post on the website and click on comments.  And no, you do not need to register, comment as a guest then you can type in your name and comment.  That's the quick version, but I want to spell it out for website and mobile for everyone yet.  My traffic to comment ratio sucks, people.

Craft Brew Dinner #5

It has been a busy week, but finally I can write about this past Monday night when we attended another Heritage Series Craft Brew Dinner at Dexter's Pub.  We have grown from just my wife and I, to us plus my friend Ted, to us and Ted plus his friend, to us and Ted and SteveBob and another couple, Josh and Casey.  We got our half a dozen seats about a month ago, maybe 2 days after seats became available, and from what I understand it sold out all 20 available seats just a day or so later - quicker than usual, word must be getting out.

I don't want to spend a whole lot of time on it, but it was not the best dinner in this series that we've attended.  The rep for Deschutes Brewery was a likable guy who had the knowledge of the brewery but had bad timing for his between course talks.  Normally the waitresses have a routine; serve the featured beer, serve the course, remove plates and glasses as finished, and repeat for all 5 or 6 courses.  The rep has everyone's attention when the featured beer is being served, not when everybody gets the paired course of food.  There was some good swag included - pint glass, can/bottle coolie, sticker and what is a wide rubber band with their name printed on it that I think they want to be a wristband - I didn't say it was all good swag.

Their beers were kind of a letdown for me, though.  They didn't suck, but nothing stood out.  Many ales, one bitter, at least none of my least favorite, the perfumey-tasting IPAs.

In keeping up with what I started doing at dinner #1, there is a staged photo of beer, dessert and menu here.  The menu was bigger this time so you can't read it all, but you get the gist.

To cut to the chase, the biggest disappointment of the night came when half of our party, my wife and I included, got the last three of the second course served from the kitchen.  It was a "Volcano" pork sandwich.  While all others got the heat, it was just a pork sandwich for us three.  They must have run out of the jalapeno jelly for the last three sandwiches.  We had absolutely no spice.  The pork tasted good but for us there was nothing "Volcano" about it.  Plus, one had no little crispy onions and there were complaints of fattiness in some sandwiches.  They sold only 20 seats yet seem to have run out of some things when serving.  Makes me wonder if that happened to others that happened to get the last dishes out of the kitchen for a course.

For now, the next scheduled dinner is with Rogue Brewing Company, and we have not heard good things about their beers from our friends that know more about that kind of thing.  And the menu is, well, meh.  We've attended four in a row and after this one I think we will be skipping the next but we will surely keep an eye on future dinners, still.  Thanks, Nick!

Craft Brew Dinner #4

Last night was Dexter's Pub's Heritage Series Craft Brew Dinner number 6, #2 was canceled and #3 we skipped.  This month's craft brewery was the local Capital Brewery, from nearby Middleton, Wisconsin.  Six courses of good beer and food!  Surprisingly, less seats were sold for this dinner - sixteen - than the usual 20 spots available.  That may be because the brewery was very local and people are already familiar, or just because it is Summer and there are other things to do.  No matter, we had a good time.  Once again we were joined by my friend Ted, a craft beer connoisseur - especially compared to me.

The first beer I was very familiar with because it was the quarter barrel we got for our party a month or two ago, Capital Amber.  Ambers are good for a middle-of-the-road type beer.  There was also an IPA for one course.  I've said it before but I just don't like the perfume-y smell and taste of IPAs and unfortunately they are the popular thing now, I blame the hipsters.  At least the hipsters that have graduated from - gag - Pabst Blue Ribbon.  Pabst was a cheap beer that my dad drank when I was a kid, and it's still cheap but somehow super popular again.  And then there was also what seems to be a mandatory coffee flavored beer.  Again, I'm not a fan, but I was in the minority.  I've never been a coffee drinker because I hate the taste and putting it in beer does not change that for me.  There were no sour beers presented last night, I don't think Capital even makes one.  My wife and I have been paying attention and seeking them out recently.  Who knew we'd like the sour beers, but we do.  No, whiskey, I have not forgotten about you...

The food was a good six courses, four of which I could have considered a dessert.  First the popcorn with infused garlic scape butter was the welcome course.  The next course was a spinach salad with feta, candied pecans, strawberries and a sweet lemon cilantro vinaigrette made with the accompanying beer, a golden lager.  This salad was maybe my favorite part of the meal, I wish they would have it on the regular menu.  The fourth course was a chilled cherry soup with creme fraiche and slivered almonds.  Again, very sweet, almost too much so for a 'soup.'  And finally the actual dessert, raspberry cream puffs.  So four of the six courses appealed to my sweet tooth nicely.  The other courses, pepperjack cheese curds and the main course were very good, too.  The main course was bourbon and bbq glazed slow-roasted ribs with Wisconsin street corn and corn muffins with honey butter.  It makes me hungry again just thinking about the meal!

All in all, we had a very good time.  The representative for Capital Brewery was actually one of the local female brewmasters that had been featured last month during Madison's Craft Beer Week.  She discussed some history of the brewery as well as it's expansion, ideas for new beers and how she came up with some of the names. We'd probably rank it as the second best of the four we attended.  We still like the first time best, but maybe because it was the first time - and my wife's birthday.  Again it was a lot of food and we were stuffed when we left.  Not a complaint, mind you.  In fact, there's still some leftover ribs and a corn muffin in the refrigerator that will not see tomorrow!

Mother F**kers Day 2015

We began MF's Day (also known as Father's Day) weekend with my in-laws.   Saturday evening all of my wife's family - 8 of us adults and 3 older boys - came over for a meal and perhaps a fire, if the weather would allow.  The weather did not allow and we had to host all inside.  And by the time it did there were only 5 of us, it was past 7, and I thought it was too late to commit to a fire when the rest would leave in an hour or so.  We do want to have a firepit for my father-in-law, but we will have to start it earlier, and right when he arrives, for maximum enjoyment for all.  My wife cooked up a spread of grilled tenderloin roast, babyback ribs, grilled shrimp, and for dessert a mixed berry crisp.  The food was absolutely amazing, I'm not sure her family realizes the time and expense she puts into these spreads - especially with beef prices these days.  She does take too much upon herself, I think.  I'm always there willing to help but she seems to want it done 'right' or something....

Yesterday, Sunday, we met my Dad and his wife Pat out for a late lunch at a nearby restaurant.  Also out for the occasion were my brother and his family and his wife's parents, they're close.  My father has had a rough time lately with his health and it seems to have aged him quite a bit.  He has had several emergency room visits recently leading to having a pacemaker installed.  I am glad he is feeling better, but he is no longer the robust man I rebelled against as a teenager.  In fact, he reminded me of his mother who we lost earlier this year.  His speech and mannerisms had slowed.  I realized more than ever that my father is actually an old man.  There is history here, my father and I have not been anywhere near 'close' for a long time now.  Well, they let me know they were in town this time, at least.  Pat tried to make it a surprise but he saw my email reply.  I'm glad I got to see them, thank you, Pat.

Craft Brew Dinner #3

Once again we enjoyed one of  Dexter's Pub's Heritage Series dinner events, their 5th overall - the second one was canceled and we skipped the third one (Goose Island Brewery) because we didn't care much for the menu.  It happened this past Monday evening, I just totally forgot to write about it all week.  We were once again joined by my friend Ted, and we ran into a co-worker of his and his wife/girlfriend.  They were a very nice couple, fun and talkative, easy to like.  The brewery featured this month was Alaskan Brewing Co. so the food kind of followed an Alaskan theme with salmon pate and bear sausage among the dishes.  Overall  a good 6 courses, we were satisfied and full by the end.  I wasn't even able to finish the chocolate pound cake that was for dessert!  Ted's friends had a good idea, they brought to-go containers to take some of the food home.  Of course, Dexter's Pub has to-go containers anyway but I've never thought to use them at one of these dinners.

The beers we tried were good but nothing exceptional.  There were two IPAs, one a double IPA that I just couldn't get down.  My wife and I are not hops fans normally and I found the double IPA to be very perfume-y for my taste.  There were no sour beers at this dinner (but we had a couple last night at Malt House, including an 18 dollar, 750 ml bottle of local New Glarus Brewing's Serendipity.)  I guess I'm really starting to like the sour beers.

The Alaskan Brewing Company's representative was a young woman, Megan, who had her two kids there to 'help' and her parents showed up late as the dinner was beginning.  It actually wasn't terribly annoying, but in my opinion I would have liked a bit more professionalism.  We were spending 45 bucks a head for dinner, after all.  I enjoy when they give you more history of the brewery and the beers they serve you.  One brewery even had a slide show of the brewery and such playing on a nearby TV and the rep would point out certain things as he discussed them.  There was no free pint glass for us like the other dinners, but she did do some trivia and gave away some brewery swag and Dexter's gift certificates.  Overall another very nice dinner.  Probably ranks third of the three we have been to, but still a very good time.

Spring Party 2015

Art provided by the neighborhood kids

We had our annual spring party on Saturday.  We missed last year due to personal reasons but otherwise have had a spring party every year since we bought the house.  Again we invited friends, neighbors and some co-workers to come by for Bratwurst, apple baked beans, several salads and this year we got a quarter barrel of beer - Wisconsin Amber from the local Capital Brewery.  I grilled up 60 brats as usual and had the garage all cleaned and set up for the food line and tried to make as much space as I could in case we all had to huddle there.  The weather was not ideal, up and down in the 50's, and while it started out pretty damp it did clear up as the party went on.  It was nice to see all the people that did show up, despite the weather.

We actually were not sure what to expect this year.  We had skipped the year before and all week the weather was looking iffy for Saturday.  We had ordered the 1/4 barrel of beer the weekend before, then I got a call mid-week saying they could not get a 1/4 barrel of this amber beer but they could get a 1/6 barrel, 56-12 oz beers.  I agreed readily with the weather on my mind.  Then on Saturday I went to pick it up and they said 'good news, we got your 1/4 barrel!'  Well, I was thinking, I was happy with 1/6 barrel and did not appreciate the switch back without being informed, but I took it.  Turns out that even with the less than ideal weather we would have run out with the smaller keg.  I also thought it odd that we went through all that beer but only half the brats.  I'll chalk that up to better beer and to the ever-growing vegetarian population of the neighborhood.  As one of the cute little neighborhood girls told me, it's not that she doesn't like meat but she doesn't like that it comes from animals.  I can't argue with that.

Beer Drunk and Disappointed

It was only after the party when it was down to me and Kate with only two other people that I realized I had not taken a single picture all night.  I was drunk on beer and very disappointed in myself.  Bridget caught my disappointment on her phone and emailed it to me, right.  Oh well, I'll have to try to remember next year.  And I honestly cannot remember the last time I got drunk on beer.  I'll taste beer and even have a beer, it's been happening more and more lately, but beer is not my first drink of choice.

Next day, killin' the keg!

The next day we finished off the Wisconsin Amber, there were only a half dozen or so glasses left in the barrel.  I got a picture of Kate, left, getting one of those last glasses.  And I got a picture of one thing that we have not had at our home yet, sidewalk chalk!  Some of the neighborhood kids created art on our driveway, picture above, and sidewalk during the party yesterday.  For some reason I felt almost honored, happy they felt comfortable enough to do so and not worry about the big scary man getting angry.  I did have to joke with a couple of the neighbor dads about reporting the vandalism, we laughed and got another beer.

Everyone seemed to have a good time even if it was a bit chilly and windy.  I would have liked to talk to each a bit more but that is hard when your are the host, you are the one thing that all those invited have in common.  We did not have a firepit afterwards like we have always done in the past because it makes for such a long day.  Still, we had plenty of fun and enjoyment to last until next spring!  Or at least next weekend!

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On a personal note I would like to send out my best wishes to my father who just had a pacemaker installed and, separately, to my mother who is recovering from knee replacement surgery.  See, it's not just me, the whole family is falling apart!

Vacation, Beer and Chocolate

I've been on vacation this past week, taking it easy and getting a project done here and there when the weather has allowed.  No big project this time, just a few little things.  Finally got the power washer out and washed the house and back steps, 4 days later the rains subsided long enough for the steps to dry enough for me to water seal them.  I still want to add another coat but, alas, it continues to rain.  Other odd things here and there got done, but the one big thing I put off for later - building a platform for the washer and dryer downstairs.  I have all the wood, just need the time and gumption to get it done.

Last night we went with friends to the Goodman Community Center for a Beer and Chocolate tasting fundraiser.  They had the gymnasium opened up and there were about a dozen different local craft breweries and about the same number of local chocolatiers set up and handing out samples of their goods.  While they did have suggested pairings it was pretty busy and a bit chaotic to try to follow all evening.  I filled my card and tried all the sweets available but my wife hit the chocolate wall before she managed.  I did not try all the brews but I do believe I tried all that I had a chance of liking.  One stood out to me, Unshadowed by Ale Asylum.  It was a hazy yellowish beer that had hints of a sour beer but it was not one.  I'm told it is available in local grocery stores so I may have to try it again later.  A suggestion for the event would be to make garbage cans more widely available and require food tables to provide napkins.  On second thought, I guess if you don't give out napkins you don't need a place to throw them away, right?  Mmm, sticky...

We went with our friends Terry, Bridget and Zubin.  Getting them all to look good for the camera was like herding cats.  Zubin is always difficult to nail down, he has googly eyes in this pic.  Time to grow up and get over it Z!  We had a nice evening of friends, beer, chocolate and even live music.  Thankfully the weather held off, I hope it does this afternoon as well...

Craft Brew Dinner #2

Last night was the fourth Heritage Series event at Dexter's Pub, featuring a six course dinner and different beers with each course.  We had gone to the first dinner back in January and had a real good time.  The second dinner was canceled.  The third we opted not to go to due to my wife was disgusted with a goose liver course - there's a fancy name for it that I forget now (I'm sure I wouldn't have eaten it either).  So this was the fourth dinner and featured a craft brewery from northern California, Anderson Valley Brewing Company, providing the refreshments.

As regular readers know, I am normally not a big beer connoisseur, but I do have fun with this event and tasting different brews with different foods.  Also, my wife and I have found we rather like the sour brews, and there were two featured with dinner. a lighter one with the first course and a much more sour one called The Kimmie, The Yink & The Holy Goze to go with dessert.  The beer rep did give us some back story on the brewery and explained each brew as it was presented.  The chef also came out with the courses explaining why he picked the dish to go with that particular brew.  Informative and tasty, too!

We had two friends along, Ted and Steve/Bob (don't ask), who are members of the local home brewer's guild and definitely know their way around a stout to an ale, IPAs to sour brews, and much more than I will ever know.  Although it can be like listening to a different language sometimes, I do like listening to my friend Ted and other beer people talk beer, and I enjoy the enthusiasm they always display.  So, they seemed to have a good time as well.

Anyway, my wife and I had much fun for a Monday night and I was still in bed on time with no ill effects this morning (while my wife planned today off, you know, just in case!).  Next month there is no Heritage Series dinner at Dexter's due to Madison Craft Beer Week and all the festivities that go with that, but June is Alaskan Brewing Company and July features the local Capitol Brewery from Middleton, WI, right next door.  Honestly, the menu dictates our wanting to go to these events.  Almost any craft brewery good enough to be featured will be interesting to us to try with different foods.

❄Oh, and it snowed today, Tuesday, 21 April, 2015.  No accumulations, just flurries.  Certainly not unheard of in this area, but it was tee shirt weather just this past weekend!  It may as well have been a day in late November today.  Ya gotta love Wisconsin in the Springtime!  Um.  Well, I don't have to love it but I gotta live with it!

Just Okay Friday

Well, I wound up disappointing my wife in one of those ways that I should have seen coming but I'm a man therefore stupid blind to all hints and unable to understand the simplest gestures until all is lost and apologies are even a last ditch, lame sounding, even-I-don't-believe-me pathetic gesture.

My lovely wife wanted to spend our rare afternoon off together making a short round of our favorite bar/restaurants and have an appropriate drink and appetizer/food item at each place.  I don't eat much during the day so did not have much of an appetite when we started out, and well, my lack of appetite at the time made my wife not order anything and it just did not turn out like she wanted.  I went about it too casually and should have looked at our time this afternoon more like a date.  By not doing so, I let her down.

Mr. Donut may have saved an ugly fight, tonight.  After exiting our last stop and realizing how bad I messed up we were stopped in the parking lot just before getting into our car by the owner of a well respected local bakery who insisted on giving us his last box of donuts out of the back of his luxury SUV.  His name is Marv and he seemed a very nice man who was in a grand mood.  Today was Good Friday so maybe he was out seeing clients and making deliveries and some friends along the way.  I don't know why, but the donuts were delicious!  The (taped shut) box had 15 in it and you could tell by the freshness that they had been baked that morning.  After we (me) ate more than a  few and before sugar shock kicked in my wife smartly wrapped and froze half or more of them for another day.



I was Homer Simpson today in more ways than one.  Mmm, donuts...  Not good.

Valentine's Day Dinner

On Valentine's Day I went to dinner with three lovely young women, my wife Kate, her friend Terry and Terry's sister Becky.  In reality, I wasn't lucky enough to have three dates for the holiday, but I was lucky enough to tag along for a different dining experience at the Bourbon Street Grille - on the south side of Madison and located on the Yahara River - on what just happened to be the heart-y holiday evening.

Have you ever heard of a pasta board?


Me neither.  And while it was good, it was still eating spaghetti and meatballs off the table.

Actually, it is a specially treated board that covers the table and I'm sure they wash it very thoroughly.  The recipe for the sauce was supposedly bought from a local legendary Italian place that is no longer, and it was very good.  The meatballs were large and fine-tasting.  The pasta was just pasta and the salad and bread were just okay.

The whole thing about this by-reservation-only dinner is the novelty of eating off the table.  You use the pasta spoon to pull a pile in front of you and still have your sides and drinks beside it on the table.  I'm not really trying to knock it, but now that I've had the dinner for myself, it is still just eating pasta off the table.  We actually did have a good time while doing so and because Terry got a great groupon deal it was not expensive, thank you for dinner, Terry!  Overall, though, I don't really see myself needing to ever to do that again.

Sorry for the blurry pics, I hate the camera on my phone but that is for another post.