Instead of an early last round of ⛳️ golf, we decided on the Peach Valley Cafe for breakfast. Holy Cow!!! It was maybe the best ever.

I knew this was going to be BIG when I saw the little honey pot for the biscuit, which was crunchy around the edges and hot in the middle.

After a morning of golf at Turkey Creek in Gainesville, we chilled at the condo before riding bikes to Tioga for brewskies and chow.

Payne’s Prairie is a beautiful nature preserve with bike and walking trails and is a great place to observe wildlife. We rode electric bikes and that is the only way to go!

Our bartender’s first and middle names were Roman Gabriel. He said his dad came from Southern California about the same time the LA Rams quarterback was Roman Gabriel.

We met some friends at Top Hog and had a great evening of food and conversation. The bread pudding was really good, the brisket was tender, but the jalapeño cheddar sausage made the meal!

Arrived in Gainesville and checked out Swamp Head Brewery. We played golf at the Gainesville Country Club, had lunch on Fourth Street and watched the Florida 🐊 Gators basketball 🏀 team knock off #2 Auburn. The University of Florida campus is fantastic and atmosphere was rocking!

It only took an ❄️ icy and snowy day 🥶 to get Heidi in an Italian mood for dinner.

She worked all day, made dinner and is even considering making banana bread this evening. I am trying to talk her into adding some 🍫 chocolate chips and she isn’t jumping on board just yet. She said “I don’t like chocolate chips in my 🍌 banana bread.” To which I said “I do and “we” can make two loaves.” I think I have her thinking about it. That may be another post…hopefully. I will let you know.

Since our parents retired in 1990, David, Frank and I have gathered on Wildcard Weekend to watch the 🏈 football games and enjoy the camaraderie of the brotherhood.

Frank has a menu that makes your mouth water and we create a beer tasting experience that would interest most beer drinkers. This year, Frank went above and beyond on the party favors category. For instance, growing up, David liked then Rams, Frank liked the 49ers and Mom had gotten them bobbleheads. I was younger and liked the Packers later in the 60s, so I didn’t have a Packer Bobblehead. Two years ago , Frank got me one

This year our gracious host got us Sports Illustrated covers of Bart Starr and Roman Gabriel. I am speechless in response to this incredible 🎁 gift.

I was assigned the responsibility as driver for Heidi, Denise and Brandi for the Alabama concert 🎶 to which we have had tickets for close to three years. In 2019 Before Covid one of the band members was sick or injured. Then Covid and finally we are headed that way. However, only after dinner at Big Woods.

Alabama still puts on a good show. A couple of quotes I heard several times from the ladies throughout the evening were :

1. I love this song!

2. I love you , Randy!

Coldest day of the year. While discussing Yellowstone and 1883, the fact that we hadn’t been to the Crimson Oak in North Vernon in a while surfaced. The girls made the call and that is where we landed last Friday night. We sat at a table in the bar and had some great service and conversation.

Bruce even copied the Soda Pop Chop a day or so later with some 🍒 cherry pie filling and said it was good again.

As a stocking stuffer I got Heidi a Taku Japanese Steak House gift card. Pay $50 and get $60 in the gift card. They don’t take reservations, however, you can call ahead like we did and not have to wait as long when you arrive.

I used chopsticks and everything about the place was excellent! Having your food prepared right in front of you is entertaining and the Yum Yum sauce is a wonderful way to ring in the new year!