Pre Back to School 🏫 🥘 Dinner

On the golf course the other day, my friend Jon stated “Dude, your summer is over.” Do you remember back in the 1970s when school started after Labor Day? And you didn’t make up snow days, like the winter of 1978 when we had that huge blizzard 🌨️. out two weeks. No make up.

Ha! The good old days. Do you think all of us folks in our 60s are that much dumber for missing those days? As I prepare to start year 40 in education, I’m just going to show up on the days they tell me to and stay home the days they tell me to…Whatever.

But back to the delicious dinner we had tonight!

At 12 o’clock, cheesy bacon 🥓 🥔 potatoes with sour cream. Seasoned with 🧂 sea salt and pepper and garlic salt. Schwing!!!

🥕 Carrots with Dominate One and a bit of Creole seasoning. 🐓 Chicken thighs marinated in Applewood rub, Kickin’ Chicken and Creole.

Outstandingly cooked in the Traeger!

Sophie delivered with chocolate 🍫 chip 🍪 cookies, Key 🔑 🍋‍🟩 lime 🥧 pie from Sam’s and a blackberry cobbler with Dan Toppe’s blackberries. Although I had no ice cream 🍨, it was still a homerun!

So tomorrow, It’s Back to School night to meet the new students and parents and will be back in action for real on August 5. See you later, Hickory Hills ⛳️ Golf course.

Dub’s Ribs and a Frosty!!!

Dub’s Ribs.

The consensus is that these are the best ribs I have smoked. Two hours on the Traeger, two hours wrapped in foil and 🍎 apple juice. One hour with sauce on the Traeger. 💥! tender and delicious!

Overview. Potatoes 🥔 on the left. Zuchini with 🧄 garlic salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Caesar salad 🥗 and watermelon 🍉. Delicious! Bo was also digging the ribs. 🦴
Andi also likes the frosty.🥶
Andi Scarlett liked the ribs! 🐽
My plate! Homerun!
Andi and Andrew eyeballing each other.
Frosty! 🥶 Nina mixed Cool 😎 Whip, chocolate 🍫 🥛 milk and sweetened condensed milk and came up with a Wendy’s Frosty.

Lola’s Modern Kitchen

Located in Freeman Field, (820 A Avenue East) Lola’s Modern Kitchen is a breath of fresh air with a delicious menu and several unique items

Jalapeño Fried Cornbread with apple butter.

The jalapeño fried cornbread was crispy and delicious.

I had the 🦃 turkey club with 🥓 bacon, Swiss 🧀 cheese. The Texas toast was perfectly toasted and the skin on 🍟 fries were fresh and hot!

Heidi had the burrito 🌯 bowl with 🐓 chicken. Tasty!

The Elvis cheesecake.

The Elvis themed Cheesecake was outstanding! It was topped with peanut butter sauce, sliced banana 🍌 , whipped cream and a 🍒 cherry on🔝.

Lola’s is totally worth the drive to Freeman Field and also has a beer menu.

Islamorada Brewing Company

The Islamorada Brewing Company at Mile Marker 82 on Highway 1 is a “Must Stop”🛑 while traveling down the keys.

🌅 Actually from Mallory Square in Key West.
The girls approve!
Lobster 🦞 corn dogs.

Let me tell you about a lobster corn dog…A big hunk of lobster meat🦞 dipped in batter and deep fried on a stick. It was tremendous! We sat in Adirondack chairs in the brewery back yard sampling flights and cooling down with Key Lime Coladas.

It doesn’t get much better!

E Learning Breakfast 2

So many students were missing school on prom day to get their hair, nails etc. done, they went to E Learning. As well, the elementary and middle schools have E Learning so here I am in my bathrobe and slippers enjoying breakfast 🍳 with my four legged fan club.

Bo, Molly and Oliver. They also enjoyed the E Learning breakfast. Check out Bo
still licking the bacon grease off his chops. 🥓

Breakfast of Champions. Bacon, eggs, whole grain toast with strawberry jam…and don’t forget the Diet Dew!!!

🥓 🍳 🥚 🍞 🍓
Last nights sunset 🌅 was a pretty ☝️ one.

From here we will have a Google Meet this morning with the fifth graders asking for a tour of the Man Cave and some time with the dogs. 🐶 Most important, the Religion lesson is about not being lazy and working hard. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12. Have a great day with Jesus at your side.

Marty’s 🎯 Dartball BBQ

The Sauers E Train 🚂! 2024-25 Lutheran Dartball League Champions 🏆!!!
Marty Tormoehlen’s BBQ.

The culmination of the season took place at Sauers School with the tournament Monday night. A huge part of the tourney is the pork BBQ 🐽 dinner cooked and served by Marty and company. Delicious!!!

Wegan West legend Marty Tormoehlen lines up a dart 🎯 with E Train 3rd base specialist Ray Redicker as line judge.
Four boards fill the St. John’s gym with 30 church teams participating.
Dartball board.

Key Lime 🍋‍🟩 Pie 🥧

We journeyed to Key West on spring break and experienced several versions of key lime pie. The key ingredients are key lime juice and zest, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks; then served in a graham cracker crust.

Alabama Jack’s was our first stop for pie on Key Largo.
Oh Baby! The Florida Keys Steak and 🦞 Lobster House on Marathon Key was delicious!
No Name Pub.
Key Deer. 🦌 A small version of our white tails found only in the keys.
Blue Heaven was unique as they feature a meringue top.
This was crazy good! A slice of key lime pie dipped in chocolate.🍫 Over the 🔝!!!
Sam’ Club.

Then, when we get home, turns out that Sam’s Club in Columbus has a key lime pie that pretty darn good. Kenlee shared this piece with me and it got two 👍 👍 thumbs up!

Heidi did get a recipe 📕 book, so expect to see a homemade pie 🔜.

Alabama Jacks

Whoo Baby!!! What a way to

Enter The Keys! Alabama Jacks is a roadhouse type bar near Key Largo with live

🎼 music, cold drinks 🍺, and some great 🥘 food.

The main decor of Jacks is license plates and stickers from anywhere its customers may have been. (Dang! A Wintins Wigwam sticker would have come in handy right here.)

🐟 Fish dip and crackers. We think the Clermont 🦪 Oyster
Bar’s may be better.
Holy 🐄 Cow! The conch fritter was outstanding and we plan to try it every day this week.
🥥 Coconut shrimp 🍤! 💥
The sampler platter was over the 🔝!
We are also trying the key line pie everywhere we go. The crust on this one was excellent!
Cool panther crossing sign just up the road in the Everglades.

Fat Tuesday

Fat Tuesday, or en francais, Mardi Gras, is a celebration before Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season. New Orleans and the Gulf Coast have big parades throwing out beads and Moon 🌙 Pies etc. the day before Jesus fasted and sacrificed for 40 days. (My simple translation)

Give it up to Heidi Wintin and her version of Fat Tuesday for us out here in Grassy Fork Township.

Strawberry 🍓 pecan 🥗.
French baguette 🥖 garlic 🥖 bread.
Cheesy grits.
Cajun Boil with corn 🌽 on the cob, potatoes 🥔, 🍤 shrimp, smoked sausage 💥, and scallops. Outstanding!!!
Cinnamon Roll King Cake.🎂
Over the weekend, how about Jace “J Sparky” Sparks 🔥 and his bad to the bone 🦴 crab 🦀 🌽 🥔 boil!!! 🦀
J Sparky’s sketch of my basketball 🏀 hero Larry Bird.

So, I am feeling Fat; and instead of giving up something for Lent, Heidi and I are vowing to walk and exercise regularly from Ash Wednesday to 🐣 Easter.

Have a great day with Jesus at your side!