Saturday BBQ/Beverage/Summer's Over, Football Almost Here Thread
Mates,
Once it gets to 8/1 it always feels like summer is almost over. Football training camp opens for our high school and college football playing sons tomorrow, and the regular college year is 2 weeks away from beginning for many kids. The days are still warm but up here the nights now dip into the mid-40's. The tourist traffic (mercifully) begins to diminish.
Tonight's questions are simple:
1. What's on the BBQ?
2. What's in the cup/glass?
3. What fun stuff did you do this summer, or what is left to be done before the school year and football season begin in earnest?
Hope you are enjoying the weekend and this glorious summer weather. Go blue.
XM
August 10th, 2019 at 9:22 PM ^
Summer is not over until I say it's over.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:44 PM ^
"Nothings over until we decide it is!"
Senator John Blutarsky
August 11th, 2019 at 1:06 AM ^
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!?!
August 10th, 2019 at 9:27 PM ^
Brisket and Jack Daniels. Keeping it simple. Too hot for the fire pit tonight. Looking forward to 8/29 and arriving early for the opener. A2 party night at Chop House on Thursday and Friday bar hopping. What do you have going on Xtra?
August 10th, 2019 at 9:35 PM ^
considering making the michigan game on saturday night, but we have son #2's first game of the year on thursday so no way for me to get down there for the chop house. i will say this: i can think of no finer way to have that first adult beverage with you and some of the others while at the chop house. can we keep that thought in mind for later in the year? would be so cool, its just that until the end of october i've got 4 sons playing, 2 of whom i coach, so time is pretty hard to come by until then.
August 10th, 2019 at 9:45 PM ^
Yes sir, just let me know and you have an open invitation to tailgate. Just get those kids to safety once it gets going later in the day.
August 10th, 2019 at 9:35 PM ^
There's over a month of summer left. Stop trying to hurry through life.
August 10th, 2019 at 9:37 PM ^
its not hurrying, its just the football and the harvest season which always makes me think of fall.
August 11th, 2019 at 12:33 AM ^
I miss Michigan’s football and harvest seasons. SoCal’s rat and plague seasons just can’t compare.
August 11th, 2019 at 12:18 PM ^
Harvest season? What in the world is being harvested this time of year? Corn and beans will still be in the fields in November.
August 11th, 2019 at 12:33 PM ^
you can start taking your sweet corn now. we started late this year because of how cold it was up here in the spring/summer, so everything else got pushed back. also, if i have field corn still out there in november that means i guessed wrong on the weather. i shoot for sept/october depending on the year, my schedule, weather, football, and a bunch of other things.
hay is cut/baled/stored, but we've been disc'ing and dragging the hay fields, preparing to seed them in the next 2 weeks. between me and my neighbor there is a fair amount of acreage we're working up.
August 11th, 2019 at 2:52 PM ^
I guess I never count sweetcorn because it's just something to plant in end rows around here, not an actual crop. Do you only do hay twice a year? And now I have to know, what's a "fair amount" for you?
August 10th, 2019 at 9:41 PM ^
Drinking some Trillium Biscotti and Coffee stout.
Nothing particularly fun other than spending a lot of time in the backyard of the new house with the 2 yr old. I'm not much of a homeownership guy but that part has been awesome. 4 months of reno... not so much.
August 10th, 2019 at 9:46 PM ^
4 months? Sounds involved. What do you have going on?
August 10th, 2019 at 10:21 PM ^
Took our time with it but first thing was running gas to the house then converting the furnace, fire places, water heater (tankless), and range to gas. Then 2,000 sqft+ of wallpaper had to come down (only 3 rooms were not wallpapered) and painted. Then total kitchen gut and remodel. In the middle of that we found out the first floor flooring needed to be redone... 81 sqft replaced and the rest sanded down and restained.
Overall we're very happy, it was built in 1978 and was still mostly original so we knew it was an undertaking when we bought it.
August 10th, 2019 at 9:45 PM ^
Xtra, do your sons play for a school that kicks off practice at 12:01 Monday morning?
August 10th, 2019 at 10:18 PM ^
None of them. One will get going about 0600 hours in a farm field though. Camping out.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:23 PM ^
Gotcha, we kick practice off Monday so I am trying to soak up all the time I can with my daughter until then!
August 10th, 2019 at 9:45 PM ^
1: Bacon wrapped meatloaf on the smoker
2: Mast Landing Tell Tale Ale
3: Had our first kiddo in June so no big trips, which we usually do every summer.
August 10th, 2019 at 9:51 PM ^
New kid every summer? Wow!
Meatloaf sounds awesome though!
/s
August 11th, 2019 at 1:23 AM ^
Haha. Good on you with the brisket. I’m jealous. I just can’t find the time lately to cook one of em’ up. I can certainly find time for the Jack though.
August 12th, 2019 at 9:41 AM ^
Well, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:25 PM ^
1. Very interesting. Sounds excellent.
2. Nice
3. Best news of all. Congrats.
August 10th, 2019 at 9:51 PM ^
Heated up some leftover pizza on the BBQ and cracked open a bottle of St Bernadus Christmas Ale that has been aging in the basement for three plus years. Man, those Trappist monks sure know how to brew some kickass ale!!!??
August 10th, 2019 at 10:23 PM ^
They have both motivation and time on their hands. Love everything St Bernardus brews.
August 11th, 2019 at 9:43 AM ^
Their Christmas Ale and ABT 12 are awesome. Have tried the sampler pack with the glass and those are very good also.
August 10th, 2019 at 9:52 PM ^
Burgers and I'm smoking some amazing herbs
Donkey butter for those interested.
It's a very pretty looking bud
I've had the opportunity to spend most of this summer not working. Let me tell you, it was one of the best summers of my adult life.
I recently returned to work working in the Shipping dept of a local factory. I spent the last year at my previous job in Shipping and I loved it.
So that's what's happening in my life lol
August 10th, 2019 at 10:21 PM ^
A.L.,glad it's going well. remember I can probably get you something different if/when you get tired of shipping.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:26 PM ^
Man, I know others have said it, but you truly are one of the coolest cats in the mgoblogosphere.
I have a ton of love for you!
August 10th, 2019 at 10:03 PM ^
No BBQ this week, but I still have left over pulled pork from last week. Blanton's in the glass. Fished a lot with my kids this summer. Hoping for a slow down at work, it's been crazy.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:14 PM ^
As you know, you will never regret the time spent fishing with the your kids. What are you fishing for, and what type of tackle are you using?
August 11th, 2019 at 1:10 AM ^
Gone on a couple of charters. Did a near shore trip in Costa Rica for rooster fish which was fun. Used a sabiki rig for the blue runners that we used as bait. Caught quite a few roosters along with a yellow fin tuna that ended up as a ton of sushi. Truly the best I've had and the kids went to town on it. Got some snapper and my oldest caught a trophy sized blue trevally.
At home, most of our fishing has been in the Chattahoochee with spinners for trout. Mostly browns that way with some rainbows.
Would love to know about fishing in Michigan as I assume I'll be up there at some point with the time to do it.
August 11th, 2019 at 7:03 AM ^
pictures, or those great trips didn't happen....
we fly fish up here in michigan, but of course that's not the only way. if you actually are headed up here at some point let me know and we can connect on back channels have a more detailed talk. there are also some of lurkers here that i know who are very dedicated fishermen and who would hopefully weigh in with a ton of knowledge.
August 11th, 2019 at 11:49 AM ^
I don't know how to post pics on here and I'm too stubborn to learn. But not too stubborn to bother you for fishing info if and when I get the opportunity to get up to Michigan.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:13 PM ^
Today was some beer brats to get in the mood for football season.
In the glass is some small batch Four Roses (better than single barrel IMO, FWIW).
Summer fun - welcomed a son a couple of weeks ago, our first child. That occupied most of our time this summer as many of you can imagine/understand. It has been fun to lurk on the parenting-related threads on the board and think about the implications for my family / little guy.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:15 PM ^
Congrats on the son. May you be blessed with many more sons and daughters.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:21 PM ^
Thanks much! We're seeing how one goes and then judging next steps from there. Early returns are pretty great.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:49 PM ^
Everybodies having kids. That'll put a crimp in your style for a few years. But enjoy them. Speaking from the other side it is stunning how quickly the years go by.
Four Roses small batch...inspiring. Hope there some in the ole liquor cabinet.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:16 PM ^
Sub-par summer for me - emergency back surgery last month. I've spent lots of time watching Live PD.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:19 PM ^
Ouch. Recovery going okay?
August 10th, 2019 at 10:25 PM ^
It's slow, but yeah. I can move my toes now, well 4 of them anyway, which is a great sign that I will regain nerve function in my leg and foot.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:39 PM ^
gracious, that was some emergency. wow. good luck with the recovery. persevere.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:25 PM ^
I think I'm ready to get move out of Michigan, and it's because of the short Summer. Everything is so condensed that you never really get time to relax because there isn't enough time to relax and do everything you had planned. Seems like Memorial Day was just a little while ago, which isn't false.
I'm not a guy who needs blistering hot for 3 months a year either, but can I have 5 months where it's in the 70-80 range per year? That seems just about right, then travel in the hottest and coldest months.
Where's my place......Virginia? Nashville?
August 10th, 2019 at 10:51 PM ^
Hot and humid as hell in those two places. If you want a longer summer then don’t move south. The kids get a whopping two months off for summer vacation.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:53 PM ^
San Diego! West side of the mountains. How about 10 months in the 70-80 degree range? Forget Nashville, it is blistering hot for at least 4 months.
Under the radar choice: Asheville.
August 10th, 2019 at 11:03 PM ^
Have never been to Asheville, but have heard good things. Will have to check out.
I've been to San Diego a handful of times, and I do like it a lot. But I am kind of a cheapskate and don't think I could actually live there because everything is so outrageous nowadays. And although I'm a single guy in his early 30s, I don't think it would be as fun to move there now as it would be at like 24.
August 10th, 2019 at 11:14 PM ^
you would have plenty of fun in SD as a 30-something yr old. that said, there's about 40 million too many people in cal. and earthquakes/fires/mud slides/riots/traffic.
August 10th, 2019 at 11:49 PM ^
That and you’ll spend a million bucks on 2,000 sq feet of house that was built in the 50s.
August 10th, 2019 at 10:36 PM ^
The most fun thing we have done this summer is camping for a week on Lake of the Woods with our two young grandsons. We have extended family up there and it was a great time catching walleye and recreating on the big lake. We have camped and kayaked quite a bit otherwise too.
We have grilled both steak and chicken this week...on our Graber grill over an open osage orange wood fire-great flavor. I just got 3 bushels of peaches-canned 21 quarts yesterday picked out a half bushel of the riper ones to freeze today...will do the rest tomorrow and Monday. The cattle and sheep are enjoying lots of green grass, the hens are laying a lot of eggs, the garden is in all its glory and the fruit trees are hanging lots of produce. Lots of summer left in Kansas...plenty to do out here.
August 10th, 2019 at 11:00 PM ^
Went to South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe in June which was fun. In South Africa, they are into Gin drinks with gin bars being a big thing now. So, drinking a “sporty” gin and tonic made with ginger and rhubarb gin along with elderflower tonic water. I must admit, it is a tasty and refreshing summer drink.
Looking forward to starting the season in 3 weeks. Go blue!