We are known for our BBQ...

so a few weeks ago my wife, our 3 kids and I went to Albertville, MN to go to the outlets. After getting great deals at Columbia, Hannah Anderson, Converse and Eddie Bauer we decided to go to a chain restaurant. Now I won't mention names but I will give some hints. it rhymes with Space Aliens Cafe. Now this is a place where the kids can play games and win crappy plastic stuff, but it looked fun, and it was. We get our menus and there is a lot to see, so I ask the waitress, who was really nice, what is good. She replies "Well, we are known for our BBQ." being a good southern boy I take the bait, as does my lovely wife.

The real question I have is why are they known for their BBQ. Mine was edible, Jo's tasted like the sauce was made with Mr. Clean. So I am not sure if they are known in a good way, which i doubt, or a not so good way, my choice.

now this is not the first time I have encountered this here in MN. Mind you not everbody in teh Us uses the same terminology for applying indirect or direct heat to meat and the use of smoke. Let me explain. In many places around the country they call grilling, which is applying direct heat and cooking quickly, BBQ'ing. i don't agree, but hey we all have our flaws.

Enough technical mumbo jumbo, back to the story. I was downtown Minneapolis in the summer of 2006. I was going to eat at a restaurant with some co-workers. the waitress tells us the specials, and one is a BBQ pork sandwich. I ask her what style of BBQ and her response was "You know BBQ style." I did get my ehart re-started but it took a few shocks from the defib.

I have learned that when somebody up here says BBQ, look for a steak of somehting slathered in some store bought sauce, unless of course you go to the retsaurant whose name rhymes with Fanous Dave's.

Painter's tape

What happens when you leave the blue painter's tape on the kitchen counter? Your 4 year old and 3 year old get their hands on it. I wish they had let me take pictures. they were both covered in "band-aids", as was the furniture, the dog, their older sister had a few and the chair obviously was in great need of a wrapping in said band-aids.

moral of the short story: Always keep your camera handy and snap a few candids of the carnage before your kids can protest.

Lucy vs. Belle and Snoopy's collar

My 4 year old Mira has a thing where she names all of her animals Lucy. I have no idea why, I can't think of any cartoon characters that she has seen named Lucy. Well she got her hands on my wife's childhood stuffed animal Belle, Snoopy's girlfriend. She has had this animal for about 2 months and the clothes are gone, she always strips her dollies and animals down to "nakkie", more on that another time. Well she brings out this stripped stuffed dog and is calling it Lucy. My wife, bless her, says "No her name is Belle".

Mira: "Lucy"
Jo: "No Belle"
Mira: "Lucy"
Jo: "Belle"

This goes on for about 2 minutes with a 30 something (sorry hon) and a 4 year old going back and forth. My wife finally says "No she is mine and her name is Belle. You already took Snoopy's collar, stripped her naked and you are not changing her name".

Ah the joys of parenthood. This is what happens to you when you have kids.

Speaking in tongues

It has been a while since I have had the energy to post, but I wrote down my ideas so hopefully I will have some good ones to read.

This happened about 2 weeks ago. I was sitting on the couch at the end of a very long day and I was exhausted. My middle daughter asks me why it got dark so fast outside. I glance up and see a cloud had covered the sun for a moment. Well, my response went something like "I ah mmm we duh um eh o alve ah dkcghfnd..." you get the picture. All of a sudden I hear hysterical laughing coming from the kitchen and my wife, after she composes herself, asks me when I started speaking in tongues. Unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened and I can bet it will not be the last.

the question is how do you recover from this after your 4 year old looks at you like you are an idiot. Simple the tickle monster comes for a visit. After she has laughed herself into hicups she won't remember that you sounded like a blathering fool. two problems solved. She gets a laugh and you get to save face due to some tickle induced amnesia. It's a win win situation.