What a Swell Day

I washed the Jeep and drug out the trailer.


The season opener is in one week so we have to get the rig ready.


Of course it has a walk up bar with a drop leaf.


Extended it makes a nice place to socialize and dine. I'll stain it tomorrow.


Plus the kicker was our local college team won its first ever football game 52 to 7.

A swell day indeed.

Here's The Deal out 10 Days

I'll take it. I hope it holds for Tailgate 1.

Ham Biscuits

When Its Bad Its Bad

I have a buddy that I went to school with back in the 70s.

He had a bad wreck two days ago. When the police got there he was being robbed (Durham).

Come to find out the reason for the wreck was a seizure, caused by two massive brain tumors, caused by unknown lung cancer.

Now go forth and enjoy your day.

So Dry

And it ran around on four feet eating grass.




Maybe a dollop of mayo?

So Dry

Right out of the box, salt on top of dry and brittle as an old egg shell.

Why?



I was hoping they would be juicy, tender, and less salty. Perhaps ketchup?

Great News

While the world turns, and Obama slowly changes from Jimmi Cawduh to George W with WMDs....the markets sell off in fear waiting for missiles to fly from a man who said he could negotiate foreign policy...all of this is out of my control.....a silver lining.

Within miles of my house, a shiny new Bojangles is rising from the chaos. Oh sweet country ham biscuits! Mine, all mine.

Muffin Stumps and Shoes

What did you expect?


Someone in the office is eating the muffin caps and leaving the stumps. Not me.


Check out my baaaad ass new shoes. Better than PF Flyers I tell ya.

Game One

What Has Been Seen

i’m apologizing in advance for the mental image you’re about to get.

Busy Weekend

The tailgate test kitchen was busy. Here we have uncooked cornbread mini muffins with 1/4 hotdog protruding.


Here are the muni muffins cooked to reveal mini corn dogs. A little mustard of hot sauce and you've got some hearty finger food.


Then on to the storage room to give me elbow room at home.


Now most of my dive stuff is there and it will be followed by my boat and outboard motor.

The Release

Farmer Brown shows up early at the appointed time.



Said the Roosters.


Off to their new chicken home.

BREAKING NEWS

The roosters have been placed. They will spend their days as love slaves as God intended.

Tomorrow is the boxing of the roosters and then the drop off at the local feed store.

Pictures to follow.

This concludes our Special Report.

The Man

Luke Keuchly. Panthers 34 and Raven something less. And Luke Keuchly dominates the defense.

I am smitten.....a bromance I think.

The Adventures of Dark Chicken

Previously on, The Adventures of Dark Chicken....


And now our story continues.....


Shaken but not dead......


Is Dark Chicken's goose cooked?

Stay tuned for the next adventure of Dark Chicken.

The Bondo Channel

So I flick on the old Sylvannia Color TV this morning and right beside the Lawrence Welk channel I see that there is the Bondo Channel.


Here was Bondo singing the National Anthem Live this morning.

How does he find the time?

My Office

I moved to this new location last November...stacked up my stuff and it has sat ever since.


Today I got around to decorating and moving furniture placement.

Recall if you will that Gigi had back surgery II early December and she is a decorator.

Recall if you will that I blew out my back in early April.

Neither of us has been up to the job until now.

I turned my desk around to face out and soon will have pictures up of the things I love.

I am getting settled at last.

Teach the Little Chirrens

Kevin has been hanging with the Pitmaster now for 3 seasons.



Now, he practices like a little nerd on a violin. Here is Kevin basting meat in a very serious tone.


I am so proud.

Week In Review

Yes, I can play a limited game of golf again. Easy strokes, no body twist and I hit them shorter but more straight.



Scored a 72 Steel tank yesterday. These are perfect for side mount diving. Steel is a big deal because of the buoyancy characteristics. They haven't made 72 steel tanks in years so it is rare to get your hands on one. I have another in the garage that need internal cleaning and that makes a pair.


I'm thawing some steaks for tonight that I froze in June in my fancy vacuum thingy. They look as good as the day they were frozen.

The home grown tomatoes are all gone. Supper and breakfast consumed these tasty treats.

The Harvest

Eight little tomatoes (the whole season), two eggs (in two days),


and one rusty nail.

Tough times. It rained so much this year that this is all the tomato plant could produce.

Can't afford tomato sandwiches so we'll have to have tomato crackers with mayo.

Thuesday

It was nice to hit a golf ball again.

Today

I had to make a run to the coast today. It takes me about 3 1/2 hours each way.


On the way to I had to stop in Wadesboro for some diesel. I glanced over to see a chicken bone and wing flapper tossed on the ground. Typical for Wadesboro.


I had lunch at a swell cool place but the shrimp was over cooked, and the crab cake may at some point may have met a crab, but I doubt seriously there was crab meat in the crab cake today.

People, only boil shrimp until it begins to float. Then remove heat and flush with cold water. Perfect every time. Buy better crab cakes and Sams.


Anyhow, the company and conversation was nice, not to mention the view of the intracoastal waterway.


A quick swing by Southport while I was in the neighborhood to see the seagulls on one of my favorite watering holes next to the Cape Fear River.

Then back home by 7:30 PM. Left home at 7 AM. Fun, productive day.

Tomorrow? Golf!

its Over

A judge said so in New York City said so. A yankee judge is better in racial affairs you know.

The lynching of Paula Deen is over y'all.

You little chirrens can go home now. Nothing here.

Mean old white lady. At least she was stripped of her career, and made a fool on NBC Today. That will have to do lynch mob.

Shakedown

Today was the first tow with the Jeep...ever. Both the trailer and Jeep did just fine. The Jeep has a tiny motor with just 4 cylinders so I need to keep the load light and the hills to a minimum.


I added handles to both end for easy removal of the doors. It felt nice and solid.


I added tie downs to both sides to hold cargo safely.


Then headed to the grain store with Ludwig and loaded 250 pounds of grain. All was well.

My iPad

My online world pretty much consists of my 64 GB iPad 2. I am in love with it. I bought a Logitech keyboard for it that acts as a protective case yet still allows me to admire the bare for and structure of the iPad device.




Here is what I don't like....web sites that optimize for iPad browsing like we need help or are inferior or something compared to a PC. I'll take my web page like everyone else thankyouverymuch. I don't want your stinking mobile web site.

It is a bitch to print. I had to buy a special printer for home so I can print boarding passes. At work the iPad prints to my regular printer with the assist of some Mac software.

Yet I Jones for retina display, a better camera for scanning, more powerful processor so I'll be upgrading on the next cycle.


Let me point out a neat weather app I discovered from a friend at work. The Weather Bug has a lightening strike detector. This is as close as the storm got to me last night. Free at the App Store.

I Ordered Two of These

This is the first one. A nice roll top chafing dish. No longer will the masses act stupid when removing and not replace the top. I have dividers for this to make three commpartments.


Here is the second one. This will hold the wings. Roll top too.


The old ones will be honorably retired and found a good home in the country.

Spicy Wings Anyone?

Oh they were good. wReggie's gWing wRecipe (the g is silent like gnat).


The Rub Recipe

1/2 cup paprika
3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
5 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
6 tablespoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme
1/2 cup of sugar

I toss the wings in garlic olive oil and then liberally mix the rub. I let them sit a few hours in zip lock bags.

The wings are briefly seared and then cooked indirectly for about 40 minutes using hickory smoke.

I have sauces to add but frankly there is enough flavor and complexity just off the grill.

It Goes Without Saying

Banged up? Yes. Black and blue and green? Why yes.

So I'm playing hurt today but the NFL schedule beckons.

Preseason Tailgate today around 4:32ish for an 8PM game.

Gotta clean the truck. Gotta prep food. Gotta roll out equipment.


Oh I can't wait.

Football Prayer

Oh Great Spirit, for thou art hot. I approachith your stream of plenty with other woodland creatures asking for your blessing upon the coming Panther Season. Hear me oh smoking hot spirit. (I figure compliments can't hurt).



We needith another consistent wide receiver or even two on account that Steve Smith is getting old.

Steady the mind and soul of Cam cause we know he has the talent. Let us run the ball. Steady our offensive line.

Thank you for what I think will be a dandy defense.

Watch over special teams, a few kick off returns for a score would prove your power. Please make this occur in the regular season when it counts.

Please bring back Bill Razinski on the radio play by play....we have long suffered from Mic Mixion.

As always, let Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and New England falter.....epically in the wildcard weekend if possible.

May we beat New England on Monday night football and go deep in the playoffs.

Amen.

Summer

Here I sit, contemplating another blog post and I realize fall is soon upon us. My summer was wasted largely in bed and recovery and ruined further by relentless rain.

We have traveled very little this season.


This morning I am banged up sore from my fall. This is good pain. I have always like muscular banged up pain even though it hurts. It makes me feel human and alive.

This weekend there is the PGA Championship on TV, and NFL from Thursday until Sunday. That'll keep me occupied.

I will be attending our first preseason Game against Chicago and tailgating lite with friends.

For those keeping score, it is 185 days to St Croix. I still have a lot of healing to do.

Today

Today the Earth....the entire friggin planet got a grip on me and pulled me down. I fell, busted my ass on wet steps. It knocked my flip flops off.



Two good things came from this. I mentally invented old folks air bags. Imagine a pair of fashionable diapers that would inflate if one fell to protect one from a broken hip. I would be a rock star at the assisted living place.

Second and more important, when I am in pain, I imagine stranger things.

Get this, hang an iPad on your front side with the screen facing forward. Then hang another iPad with the screen facing back. Now Face time each iPad.

The result would be the appearance of a hole in my body....you could see right through me.

God, that was worth the fall.

Fenders Do Pop

I managed to get the fenders on last evening after work. They had to set high for the leaf springs.

Now Thats Some Fenders

Red baby! Glossy red.

Deatails

I forgot how rough the old trailer looked. Flat tires, rusted frame, and rotten wood.


I added a tongue jack. This will save the back and has a great use.


Why not add a bottle opener below the side reflector.


I bought fenders yesterday and got them primed and ready to paint. But what color?