Duke Hunnicutt Poultry Institute is at Capacity

Duke Hunnicutt
This morning I harvested 24 eggs from our 26 head of poultry. 

The 16 young ones are laying consistent medium brown eggs and the old girls from last season are cranking out extra large light brown eggs. 

Old Duke would of have been proud. 


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

The Mac Daddy of Wings


I bought two fresh turkey wings from the store. I jointed the wings like a traditional buffalo wing and seasoned them with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon pepper and garlic.


The entire pack of two wings was $4.75 and rendered four servings.


I seared them on the hot side for a few minutes to brown them.


Then slow cooked at about 375 on the cool side until they reached 165 internally. The last 20 minutes I basted BBQ sauce all over.


BBQ turkey wings were a hit. Nice and tender with hickory smoke flavor. They are not as fatty as chicken wings.

You Draw the Conclusions

My wife loves to watch Dr. Oz. She recently pointed out that he has an episode called The Life Cycle of the Penis. I finally watched it online Saturday.

As you know, a mans Johnson is fairly low maintenance. Just the boys need occasional exams for cancer.

The biggest take away… keep off the belly fat as a man ages. It destroys circulation (erections) and play havoc on size appearance (fat encroachment).

In other news a recent study confirmed that calorie starvation can indeed extend one’s life…or at least the life of the baboons in the study. 


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

The Harvest





© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

The Hits Just Keep on Coming!

Where were you when this big hit came on the scene? Now you'll have something to whistle all day. 



© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

Good to be Home



I live in a modest 3 bedroom ranch style home of which millions were built from the late 50's to mid 70's. Ranch style homes are shunned by young buyers as old and outdated, yet my home seems cavernous as a dictators palace compared to my RV.

There is "free" wifi everywhere and high definition TVs with stuff I like to watch!

The dogs are all walking around with stupid grins of joy. RV's are the stuff of sissy dogs. Border Collies tolerate an occasional trip but the are always thrilled to be back home. The dogs all assumed their place and Abby crapped on a runner by the door as she is prone to do.


My PC is plugged into the only known plug in the entire world where it will run from a dead battery. I hate HP. They made a wise decision to stop making PCs before the entire line of PCs turned to shit. HP has sent me no less than 7 new power codecs and bricks and they all fail, some catch fire.

Again this golden plug of electric nourishment resides in my humble home.

It is good to be home.

Provisions

I'll be back for Labor Day festivities and will kick off College Football weekend here in The Shack East. By then the HD will be hooked up and I have two flat screen HD TVs here.

The following weekend I fire I'll be here for opening NFL week end and maybe some scuba diving.

It is important to be properly provisioned and I figured a few pictures would do the trick for chow inventory.




Wine...check. Beer is in the basement frig.


Plenty of cold drinks, cheese, bacon.


Girl stuff for Gigi.


Condiments.


Staples.


Seasonings.

I swapping out my charcoal weber and am bringing back a gas Q weber. Plus the charcoal.

Home Away From Home

Leaving Southport, NC tomorrow until next weekend. I ordered an HD dish so we don't have to rough it so much...especially football. We'll let this storm pass on it's own.




This is our bird feeder in the foreground. It was left by the last guy.




This is our Yaupon Oak tree that provides us shade. They are small trees with lots of character.




This is our little herb garden left by the last guy. Just mint for now.




This is my new invention. This grill extension allows me to increase my grill space for indirect cooking. And you thought I was just loafing.

The End of The World

Two days ago we had a twister set down less than ten miles from my location in Southport, NC. Saturday we have a Cat three hurricane due to pass by. It is a huge storm so we are leaving Southport.

Yesterday we experienced a real live earthquake right here at the RV site. It shook for 15 to 20 seconds. I have never had that experience before.

I'll report any locust or frog sightings as needed.

And chimps...I am scared to death of unteathered chimps. The'll eat your face you know.



© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

Stroke of Luck

The past two days I've been working like a roadie with the Rolling Stones. Yesterday morning we packed up and hit the road, two vehicles, a 34 foot fifth wheel and five dogs and head to Southport, NC.

On the way Gigi's 4Runner broke down and she pulled into a Goodyear garage that appeared. I rescued them after much drama and we all headed to Southport in the pickup truck cab.

Then it was time to set up for another show.

This place is much nicer. Grass, trees, no kids, no golf carts, shade, and nice people.



I had planned to get back home today but with Gigi's car out and what appears as a Cat 3 taking dead aim on us, I decided to stick around. Can you believe this map? The blue dot is me from Google Maps with the projected path. Jeez.

What looked like a month long event could be cut short in a few days.

Winging It on Saturday Night





Just me and my Weber and dog friends.



The Truth of it All


Yesterday progressed well. I was able to repair one vent properly and fix the GFI switch. The other vent will be special order but it still functions as far as keeping water out.

"Camping" at Myrtle Beach is a loose term that invokes ideas of bonfires and camping by the water with the sounds of the surf at night. In reality one is placed in a treeless sandy field with enough real estate to park the RV and a car and nothing more.

The heat is unbearable. The campground is a mass of water and sewer hoses, electrical wires and folding chairs.

I don't know what we were thinking because we knew better from having been here many years ago. How could tens of thousands of red necks be wrong? They love this place. Their large, tan and tattoo laden bodies consume beer all day. They ride golf carts like it is a job and loudly discipline their spawn.

The lucky campers are situated at the base of a nearby condo complex where they enjoy the shade of the building that blocks the morning sun.

We'll be moving along soon.

© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

I Hate This Crap

I know for some of you that you live for the opportunity presented to me, and it actually defines you somewhat. But for me it is all a pain in the ass.

First I found prior to my trip that an overhead vent in the bathroom was cracked. I duck taped it (gorilla, nothing but the best) and went on with my day.

Yesterday heavy storms came and nearly blew off a second vent and the first one leaked.

So, nothing else to do and I fired up my laptop to record my dives from the dive computer and found that my PC is dead with 80 days left on the warranty. Looks like a mother board is the fix which is basically a new old PC for me.

Then I go to make the coffee this morning and what do you know.....the GFI blew last night on a lightening hit.

So armed with a knife, a flat head, a Phillips and a pair of pliers, I shall attempt repairs to this aging RV. The PC will be shipped when I get back and I can bond more with my new Mac.


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

Dive 59 and 60


I finally got off my first North Carolina dive yesterday morning with Coastal Scuba and I must say it was good to get back in salt water. The site was The Jell which is a 20 year old wreck off shore from the Cape Fear river about 10 miles. It sits in 70 feet of water.

Conditions were perfect for these waters. The waves were about 1 foot and the visibility was the best the crew had seen which was about 30 feet of visibility.

I took my spear gun after checking with the office and was told it was fine. When I got on the boat the dive master said no I couldn't take it unless I took his course, which was identifying fish from what looked like a local seafood table mat.

The instructor was military and made the whole thing a little stiff and prison like but he got his points across on how to get in the boat his way, how to get down to the wreck his way, how long we would be here total, so were told to get on with your dives so he could get the boat back for a fishing charter.

The dive master told us who our buddies would be and I was paired with another spear fisherman and my usual dive buddy Edwin.

On the first dive I shot 4 spade fish and recovered 3. Plus, I accidentally shot a fish that was off the list. It was a good lesson for me to make sure I identify the fish before I pull the trigger.
The dive master took my speargun upon learning of my transgressions with great drama filled with vulgarity in front of the rest of the divers and crew. But, it is his boat and his dive so I bit my lip and handed over the gun.

The second dive was just nosing around and looking for fish that I could shoot. I was so pissed off at the way the confrontation was handled that I couldn't concentrate on where I was and enjoy the experience.

Overall two nice dives but not fun dives as they could have been.

I have been spoiled with happy and professional staff of St Croix Ultimate Blue Water Adventures (SCUBA) so my expectations were high.

The crew ran the boat safely and got real friendly toward tipping time.

© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

I Could Tell You But......


Gigi and I, the kids and my Weber grill are off camping for a while at an undisclosed place. If you are a clever blog reader you could easily figure this location out.

Yesterday was spent mostly relaxing and in the evening I spun two marvelous hens on the weber.

This morning I am continuing my bacon research by cooking some as I type on my weber with charcoal. We'll see how charcoal flavors apple cured bacon.

Ahhhh, tis nice to be away from it all.



© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

A Bacon Breakthrough!

Sunday morning, as most weekends I indulge in bacon with my breakfast. As usual, I am an oven cooker of bacon and tossed in 6 strips for Gigi, me and the dogs. The simplicity and outcome far outweighs the effort of standing over frying pan constantly turning the bacon.

This particular morning instead of tossing my bacon in a 350 oven, I tossed it in a broiler set on low.

What happened was that the bacon came out in half the time and had a crisp finish so prized by the general public.

So there you have it. Perfect crisp bacon with little effort.


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

Preseason

Last night something happened that I can’t hardly describe. I was thoroughly entertained by my home team. It was an outstanding showing by a group of young guys showing New York how scoring is done.

First professional snap for Cam Newton 

We scored 20 offensive points against their 3. Yeah they have another 7 on an interception early but the Giants struggled on offence. We however were creative and explosive. I never could predict what play was next.

The tailgate was fun as always. The crowds were small but the fellowship was real and the food was good. I did wings and thighs slow cooked. I brought 52 wings and 16 thighs and took home just four thighs.

We didn’t have the RV this time so I provided the music which was piped in on my iPhone via the Internet and hooked to an old set of computer speakers. We listened to Mongoose Radio, a classic rock station out of St Croix.

This morning I am hoarse like the old days from yelling with joy.  


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

August Recess

I’m going to take a few weeks off…not from blogging silly, but a few weeks on the road in the RV with Gigi and the pups and the grill.

Meanwhile back at the ranch we have our trusted house/horse/chicken sitter looking after things.

I’ll most likely make a few runs back home during this period but may not….depends on work and the market.  

This afternoon we get to see our local NFL team play the Giants and better yet we get to tailgate once again.

They’ll be laughter, smoke, food, beer, laughter, smoke, food, beer and just plain good times.

I am preparing grilled Buffalo wings and barbequed chicken thighs. Both cook slow and bathe in hickory smoke. The wings have a sweet butter sauce for the girly men and I have plenty of hot sauce on standby to step it up a notch or two.

The guys are bringing sides and it should be a fantastic meal.

Additionally I’m taking the 2000 watt Honda generator so we can have some fans blowing. It is going to be humid and hot.  

And finally this looks like something Phfrankie would make:


And this guy is my hero:


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

Tropical Bars of St Croix


A few I visited this year. 














© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

The Adventures of .....




© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

She was 19 and I was 21

Young love.


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

At least I have eggs.....


The President broke the financial levy yesterday and flooded all the rich folks with panic. Then he came on TV and said the rich folks should pay more when they had just lost 2 trillion in the market. 

Then he said he was going to do the same thing he’s done the last two years to stimulate jobs.

It went over like a fart in church. 

From the Wall Street Journal this morning -  For amid the partisan bickering, there remains one principle on which all Americans are agreed: Any comparison to Jimmy Carter is always and everywhere a put-down. So it must have stung when the New York Times's Maureen Dowd recently quoted an unnamed Democratic senator moaning that "we are watching him turn into Jimmy Carter right before our eyes."

And this - Much is made of the president's rhetorical gifts. This is the sort of thing that can be credited only by people who think that a command of English syntax is a mark of great intellectual distinction. Can anyone recall a memorable phrase from one of Mr. Obama's big speeches that didn't amount to cliché? As for the small speeches, such as the one we were kept waiting 50 minutes for yesterday, we get Triple-A bromides about America remaining a "Triple-A country." Which, when it comes to long-term sovereign debt, is precisely what we no longer are under Mr. Obama. 

© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

Beef

Saturday night I finally got to do justice to a 2 ½ inch thick piece of top sirloin.

First I made and applied a simple rub and let the beef rest to room temperature.

Then on a hot fire I seared both sides for 4 minutes. The beef was moved to indirect heat and I added some hickory for a light smoke.

In 20 minutes it was removed when the center temp reached 140.  It then rested for another 20 minutes.

I have been craving some Brussels sprouts but Gigi made me cook them outside. She hates the smell.  A few summer tomatoes and some scalloped potatoes and I was in heaven.

Washed it down with a red Zin. 


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

A Football Prayer



Dearest God:

I just wanted to thank you for bringing me this close to the opening day of The National Football League Season. You know how I get so mushy and reflective on Hall of Fame weekend.

I know the first day isn't until September 11, and anything could happen before then, but I wanted to thank you for even bringing me THIS close.

You see, God, there is no surer sign that the stifling heat and humidity of summer is behind us, and that crisp days and long shadows lay ahead, than the Opening Day of The National Football League.

You brought us through the long lock out that only you knew when it would end. And it all turned out okay didn’t it?

Remember, God, when I used to go to church every Sunday and I would rush home and watch the game?

Remember, God, when in 2003 when I said screw it and I jumped on the John Fox bandwagon and started going to every home game? And just the next year we went all the way to the Super Bowl together and would have won if John Kasey hadn't choked on the final kick off?

And we almost did it, didn't we, God? Just a single shanked kick off from glory.

And God I will never forget your guiding hand in the thriller at the Big House when Appalachian State Beat Michigan. That game remains the high water mark in my football life.

Of course God you remember that NFL Wildcard Weekend in 2008 when the Panthers were making another run at 12-4 and my head got all swollen up and it was just you and me watching the games on TV in the hospital.

Why oh why did you let Arizona humiliate us in the playoffs the next weekend after the bye?

Couldn’t Fitzgerald have torn an ACL or something to make the game interesting?  Then when I saw my truck being broken into after the game let me know you have a sense of humor.

God I want to thank you for somehow making the game of football possible, even if you had nothing more to do with it than inventing people, so they could play it.

I want to thank you God for tailgating, friends, beer, the long walk up to the cheap seats that I love, and the guys in front of me with the odd shaped head and the old folks behind me that I high five every time we score.

So, again, God, thank you for bringing me this close to September 11, the Opening Day of The National Football League, when I will watch the Panther vs. the Cardinals.

Amen.

A special thanks to pastor Phrankie  for leading this prayer. 


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

in The 90's


wReginald yachting in San Diego harbor sometime in the 1990's before my tapeworm died.


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

I might Be Rich and Don't Know it

I just realized that we have a nanny.

On Monday Gigi hired a local out of work girl to assist her with household and animal chores.

Her first task was to gather up all the dogs in shifts and take them to the vet to have them checked for heartworms and get their blood tests and shots.

Then she cares for the horses and chickens.

I thought to myself that I must now be rich because only folks I know with a proper nanny are rich.

But I not rich and I am confused. But I like the idea of a nanny…sounds so cultured.


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

Hi Gymmie

This is the first summer in my life that I am heeding warnings about the heat and air quality and I feel better than usual.

No longer do I ignore heat and carry on like I used to do. I can remember playing golf in this crap and darn near faint trying to keep enough water in me all the while draping a cold wet towel around my neck.

I am older now and don’t want to croak over some foolish thing that I could avoid.

Now it is inside until the weather gets back to the low 90’s/upper 80’s and all workouts are in the gym. 

Why isn’t it a jim? Hi Gymmie!

Know anyone named Jim? Suggest to them that Gym might be cooler…will ya?  


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

A Nice Visit

I spent some time yesterday with a very old and very successful man who at 91 still works.

His office is stuck in 1948 motif with a few modern add-ons like a fax, copy machine, 10 year old PC and a small flat panel TV.

The rest of the place is out of an “I Love Lucy” era.  

He is wealthy beyond what most folks can imagine yet he lives modestly. For him money and wealth accumulation is a game of wits between other business men, the government and consumers. He has played the game well.

Now he is sensing the end of life and he is systematically giving away his money to private instructions and universities.

I think he is enjoying the challenge of unwinding his empire as much as he enjoyed building it.

He never did much personally with his money... the way most of us think we would do if we were rich. He was satisfied to live in a modest home, drive a modest car and never traveled much except when he served in the army in WWII and Korea.

His mind is clear but his body is wearing down.

It was a good insightful conversation. 

© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

Bullshit

I don’t buy this annual bull shit that people can’t afford pencils and paper for school. Bullshit!

The local TV stations, grocery stores and NFL team have drives now where we are supposed to be guilted into tossing packets of wooden markers and lined paper in a bucket and all will be right with the world.

Then little Johnny can go to school.

72 pencils for $5….a year supply for anyone.  
 
400 sheets of filler paper $5.39…. ditto.

Oh almost forgot….top of the line Crayola $4.99.

What they don’t ask for at the donation barrel is the expensive crap like shoes, (guess they all been bare foot this summer), back packs (use last years), iPads (say no), latest lunch box (buy the swill at the cafeteria).

And this weekend you can buy $15.38 net with no sales tax. Most of the crap they need is ground up trees and that comes cheap.

Sorry, I don’t buy this annual bull shit.  


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

What do I do With The Eggs you Ask?

 When one has a lot of laying hens then one eats a few omelets now and then.    



It cooked up nice and slow with green peppers, sweet onions and whatever cheese I grabbed out of the frig.


A tender flip while it is moist.


I don't see no stinking bite out of that strip of bacon!


© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.