Monday, June 24, 2013

Vacation: First Intermission

Greetings from scenic Whitehouse, Ohio, Motto: Ain't I seen you around here before?

First off, I'm attempting this post via iPad, so any bizarre spellings or syntax errors are due to the Auto-correct function.  Oh, and so are all the errors in all 692 of my previous posts... Yeah, that's it...

The flight was  uneventful, if you don't count my sitting in Screaming Baby and Kicking Child Central. The 4-year old little shit behind me kicked my seat roughly every six minutes, from Baltimore clear to Detroit, no matter how often his daddy told him to stop.

If only there was more room in the overhead bins...

Meanwhile, I kept thinking back to what Pinky told me before I left: "Now be careful... You can't drink like you're a teenager any more."

To my way of thinking, I'm three times as old, so I should be able to drink three times as much.  But I kept that line of reasoning to myself.

My buddy John picked me up right on time and in no time, we were rolling dirty down I-75, heading for Toledo.  John was anxious to show off the new Bose speakers in his car, so I brought my digitally recorded CD of the Scorpions, with the Berlin Philharmonic.  My car speakers don't do it justice.  John's, however, certainly did.  As we were rocking out to "Rock You Like a Hurricane," cars in the other lanes were yelling, "Come on, turn that down... I can't hear my own passengers... With the windows UP!"

After picking up John's dad, (and turning the stereo down), Rik and his son Jake joined us at our regular haunt, Shawn's Irish Tavern.  After filling up on beer, food, and fellowship, we made a supply (beer) run and headed for the Dad Cave.

Usually my first night in town entails a long, noisy Garage Party, but Friday night also had our high school All Years Reunion.  We went to it last year, but I never saw anyone I knew from my class.  Sadly, this year was no different, so we spent the time yakking amongst ourselves, and the couple people I knew from non-school scenarios. (My buddys' assorted friends and relatives.)  

Eventually, we drifted back over to Shawn's.  We might have left earlier but John bought a lot of drink tickets at the outset, and was given more during the course of the night, so I felt we couldn't let them go to waste.  Friends don't let friends waste beer.

Saturday was pretty chill, after working it pretty hard the night before.  I got to enjoy a classic Northern Ohio thunderstorm that evening, complete with ominous clouds, giant bolts of lightning, and of course, crashing thunder.
This was the storm rolling in.  It looked much more ominous at the time.  I have better shots on my actual camera; this was all I got on the iPad.

Sunday morning, I got to reacquaint myself with a long lost friend:
My mother's nightmare... Her eldest eating Pop Tarts for breakfast.  "Revenge is mine!!"

On Sunday, we had two events scheduled.  First off, John grilled a turkey.  He had the grill lit by 9:30 and we were munching bird by 4:00.
The trick is to keep the coals on the right side, and the bird on the left. There's a vent by the coals and the smoke pipe over the turkey.  That brings the smokey heat right across, thus infusing the whole thing with a rich, hickory flavor.  Stuffed with sausage and onion, the whole thing was delectable.

I also heard there were vegetables present, but I can't confirm or deny.

There's no doubt that I wasn't the ONLY one that had enough turkey...
The Chairman of Fuck-Off, resting up for a big night.

Rik's daughter Kia came by as well.  This was the first time I got to meet her youngest, 8-month old Brogan, aka the Happiest Baby in the World.

Just look at that face!  He was like that the whole time.

Ready for the Mudhens game!

After dinner, we had a date with the Toledo Mudhens.  We sat in the last section down the left field line, before the outfield wall.  Sunday was the only day we could all make a game before the Hens went on the road, so we had to take it.  We didn't know it would be Fireworks Night, AND Kids Run the Bases Night.  I wish they would have Grownups Run the Bases night.  Probably too many drunks would face-plant along the way.  I'm not sure I could make it all the way around any more.  But when I got home and Pinky asked me how my trip was, I could say, "Well, I got to 2nd base Sunday night."

Of course I'd probably have to walk home from the airport...

I'll have more news as the week progresses.  The forecast... Lots of baseball.  We have Jake's game tonight, and a Tigers game on Thursday afternoon.  And I'm sure there will be beer sprinkled liberally throughout the week.  And tomorrow, I get to re-engage with another old friend, Myles Pizza.

This week may kill me.  Why can't I be 18 again?

27 comments:

CristyThoughts said...

Sounds like a fun welcome-home! I'm with you on the wish for more grown-up participation in the fun stuff. Why let the little monsters have all the fun?? Glad you're having a good time, Bluz.

bluzdude said...

Yeah, there should be a night when the little shits have to stay and watch all of the Grownups run around the field, when all they really want to do is go home and watch cartoons.

Revenge!!

Mary Ann said...

Some dandy BIRD. Good TURKEY! Kudos to the John and sweet dreams to Grandpa FuckOff. That is one cute Brogan-Boy.
Give some serious think this week to warding off kicking kids. Maybe a truly vile stink bomb strategically placed or a disgusting, loud noisemaker. You'll thinka sump'in.
Have great big fun and be well.

Just Keepin It Real, Folks! said...

It's been 18 years since I've been to Toledo on business. Sure sounds like you are making the most of it!

bluzdude said...

Interesting battle strategy, but it probably would have pissed off the lady sitting next to me. Call it 'collateral damage.'

bluzdude said...

We're pretty far outside Toledo... Anyone doing business out here better be selling tractor parts or beer.

Mary Ann said...

or when Bluz visits...POPTARTS!

Cassie said...

I hate other people's kids. Seriously. Telling your kid to stop is one thing. Making them stop is what you're supposed to do. Duct tape is wonderful in those situations.

Not that I'd know or anything.

bluzdude said...

Duct tape is more humane than what my mom was proposing... Chemical warfare!

Valerie said...

You can still drink like a teenager... You just can't recover like one!!

Hugs!

Valerie

bluzdude said...

Ain't that the truth??

A Beer for the Shower said...

That grilled turkey stuffed with sausage and onion sounds absolutely heavenly. I really have to try that. Also, I haven't had a poptart in at least 10 years... I need to rectify that soon. Basically, this entire post just made me hungry. Except the cute baby. I can't eat those anymore (too many calories).

bluzdude said...

Babies always have those hidden calories on them too, from whatever they've been rolling in. You have to clean them off first to get an accurate calorie count.

Reeeik said...

You gotta scare the SHIT outta them first then they don't taste so bad .....

bluzdude said...

Woman: Do you like children?

WC Fields: I do if they're properly cooked.

Anonymous said...

Sneak some water between the beers. We codgers have to hydrate!

bluzdude said...

Oh, I am hydrated all right! And when I get home, I gotta dry out.

Amy (Kid-FreeLiving) said...

First: I got an attachable keyboard for my ipad and it makes life SO much easier on vacation! Second, and a little off topic: A friend of mine has sort of googly eyes and I used to sing "she's got Marty Feldman Eyes" to her to the tune of Bette Davis Eyes (nice friend, huh?)and everytime I'm here I get to relive that!

bluzdude said...

I'll get the external keyboard sooner or later...

And I love Marty Feldman. Obvs...

Momma Fargo said...

Great post! Love the baby's facial expressions. Priceless! And the BBQ...I'll be over in 5! Yummy!

bluzdude said...

I was surprised it could be done so easily, but all you need is time and a way to keep the heat at a steady temperature. And the Chairman of Fuck Off is always using that "eyelids" excuse.

bluzdude said...

I think that boy is happy about getting his next meal. The little chunk is about as compact and heavy as a bowling ball.

Reeeik said...

What Ms. Lucas said !!!!!

Jessica R. said...

Sounds like a fun trip... and still acting like high school kids. Loud music, pop tarts, beer with friends. Sounds fun!

bluzdude said...

It was a lot of fun...but it's still good to be home. More details tomorrow.

Unapologetically Mundane said...

If only all of your posts were Ohio posts. We had an ice cream day at work last week, and I tried to get a local store to deliver me Pop-Tarts for ice cream sandwiches, but they were OUT. Out of Pop-Tarts. Travesty! But not a worse travesty than eating cherry when brown sugar is available. Also, that bird sounds effin' FANTASTIC. My trips to Ohio usually only involve Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

bluzdude said...

I had the options of cherry or strawberry, but blueberry would have been quite acceptable too, as would the brown sugar cinnamon. But I like the berries the best.

I bet Taco Bell and Pizza Hut are quite a departure from your usual NYC fare. Perhaps you're just nostalgic for the simpler culinary things...