Weekend Grilling: Finally!

I went out to grill burgers on Saturday. Two major home-improvement projects and a minor health issue or three had kept me away from the grill since - good grief. Last summer.

Here's what was happening to the grill:


'You know it's been a long time when - - -.' (July 14, 2012)

It could have been worse. I suspect the dry summer we've had kept more vines from discovering the grill. I've moved it off the bricks, partly to put me in a slightly breezier spot, mostly to keep grease from spattering on the deck./patio/whatever.

I'm looking forward to more weekend grilling now.

Not-entirely-unrelated posts:

• "It's Good to be Back: Or, the Grill and the Vine"
  Easy Griller (July 16, 2012)
• "New Office"
  (March 28, 2012)
• "Memorial Day Weekend"
  (May 28, 2011)
• "Grilling and Spring Thaw"
  (April 3, 2011)
• "About a Trip, Age, and Burying the Cable"
  (June 14, 2010)

Memorial Day Weekend

It's a beautiful, clear, warm day here in central Minnesota. I've grilled burgers for lunch - and am doing a little catch-up in this blog.

My son gave #3 daughter a hangul keyboard for her birthday - which was much-appreciated. And yes, I know: it's 'supposed' to be hangeul, Hangul, hankul, Han'gŭl, or maybe something else. It's actually 한글 - hangul is one way of writing 한글 with the Latin alphabet that English uses, and I'm sticking with that. Sounded out, "hangul" is pretty close to the way we pronounce it - although I suspect we've got an upper-Midwest accent you could slice with a knife.

Moving on.

#1 daughter may be coming tomorrow - which I'm looking forward to.

I've started exercising regularly - and cutting snacks. My wife suggested an approach that seems to be working. I felt tired, among other things, the first week - but that might have been springtime. Pollen and all that.

The folks across the street north have what looks like a some-assembly-required lawn table in their driveway, sunshine is taunting me, and I've still got a task or two to do.

Another Weekend

I'd have liked to have been out grilling burgers this noon, but between a light fever, a mild winter storm, and a sensible wife - I've deferred the experience.

Here's what the grill looked like a week ago, after my son shoveled it out:



Last weekend, and this, #1 daughter is here visiting. With her cat, Twitches. Kitten, actually. Cute little thing. Lively, too.



Twitches did a very thorough job of cleaning out that bowl last Saturday.

That 'vest' she's wearing is an Ace bandage. Twitches has a patch of very tender skin on her shoulder - which the bandage and gauze underneath protects. She does not - emphatically not - like the bandage. Or, rather, does not like the process of changing the dressing once or twice a day.

A Disgustingly Perfect Day, a Grill, and Hummingbirds

I checked. It really is "room temperature" outside: 69° Fahrenheit.

There's enough of a breeze to discourage mosquitoes but not bother people, the sky is clear, bright blue - it gets a little better around here, but not by much, and not often.

My wife and #3 daughter are off, doing errands. I'm here, by the now-superfluous air conditioner, getting the day's work done.

Right next to the window where, if I lean back, I can see the birdbath and hummingbird feeder. (So can you: I've got a webcam looking out the window.)

Speaking of hummingbirds: I took the feeder in yesterday afternoon, for routine cleaning and refilling. While I was doing that, I looked across the kitchen and north room, and saw a hummingbird flit in from the east, turn back maybe a foot from where the feeder usually is, head eastwards maybe two feet, go through a horizontal loop, and flit back the way he/she came.

That motivated me to get the feeder read and in place in what may have been record time. Those hummers don't, I've read, work with a really big safety margin when it comes to food/fuel supply.

The critter, or one very much like it, was back within an hour. I think I've got regular clients now.

I ran out of propane/LP gas on the grill Saturday, just in time to get the burgers done. At least, I thought I was out of gas.

I was going to refill the tank Saturday afternoon - but took an all-afternoon nap instead. My body probably had the right idea about that, although I couldn't get to sleep that night until an insanely late hour.

Where was I? LP gas, right. Sunday, after Mass, I went to the Holiday station on the south side, to pick up a full LP gas cylinder. I found out, in the process, that at least one person in town knows the thing as "propane," but not as "LP gas" tanks. Interesting: I learned something new about the language.

So, I swap out the tanks, and find out that the grill still won't light. No grilled burgers on Sunday. And, as a bonus, I get to figure out how to dismantle and clean the grill. My hope is that there's a fairly straightforward job of unplugging a gas line ahead of me.

#1 daughter was here for the weekend, visiting her pet rabbit and us.

And I think that brings me more-or-less up to date. The day's tasks won't do themselves, so I'd better get to work.

Maybe there'll be time later, for a walk. Or something to get me outside.

I Almost Don't Have a Cold: Just in Time for Memorial Day Weekend

Tomorrow, for many Americans, is the practical start of Memorial Day weekend. If we've got the seniority, we're likely to take the afternoon off: and get a head start on the first marathon trip of the summer.

Or maybe not. That's the way it was, a few decades back: but times change.

I'm staying put: although I do plan to get out of the house at least once over the weekend.

If all goes well, our gas meter will get moved tomorrow. A dumpster arrived today. What that's for, I don't know: but it's probably connected with the gas meter move. I could ask my wife.

My son and I talked about water and oxygen on (and in) Jupiter's moon, Europa: and then read Garfield.

Me, #3 daughter, and my wife went to Soo Bahk Do class tonight. I plan to get involved in that - but have several years' worth of enforced inactivity to undo first. Or maybe I'm just procrastinating.

I spent quite a bit of today, re-organizing my Easy Griller website. The navigation is (or should be) a trifle less difficult now. At the rate I'm going, I'll have the last part of that makeover done in 24 hours - on time for my 'Memorial Day weekend' deadline. Next step: reviewing & rewriting - and adding photos and other graphics as needed.

That's it for today: Goodnight and may God bless.

Of Yogurt, a Rabbit, Movies and Routines

I'll be switching yogurt brands, after using up the current supply. According to the charts I've been using, that half-cup of yogurt with rice puffs should have been good for breakfast.

But before-and-after blood sugar readings say otherwise. No real surprise, in 20-20 hindsight. Sugar comes pretty quick on the heels of milk on the ingredients label. Oh, well: There are alternatives.

My son and I read Garfield and sang tonight, as usual. That's a pleasant ritual. My wife and #3 daughter were watching a "Nancy Drew" video while I've been catching up on today's posts.

Good grief! That's a syntactic monstrosity, but I'll let it stand.

I watched "2001: A Space Odyssey" this afternoon. That makes three movies I've seen on television withing the week. The others were (part of) "Aliens" and (part of) "The Incredibles." The latter I enjoyed. The former? I know more about the approach of the franchise - and congratulate myself on not spending money on a movie ticket.

Add "Avatar," (a week ago tomorrow), and I've been spending a whole lot of time this week, watching movies. I don't intend to make that a habit.

Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, has had an apple core from my son this evening, and one from me. He likes those things - and has gotten quite good at walking/hopping on his hind feet to take them from our hands. My son's reasoning is that Giol enjoys the apple core more, if he has to work a little for it, so he makes it a bit more difficult for the rabbit. He could be right.

#1 daughter is, presumably up in the Red River Valley of the North, visiting #2 daughter and my son-in-law.

Which pretty much sums up the day's happenings. Right. My wife and #3 daughter have been out, getting groceries and something at Wal-Mart - the latter including a refill of my glucose test strips.

And now, I can call it a day. Good night, and may God bless.

Grilling Burgers, Watching a Movie, Hanging Out With the Family

#1 daughter wouldn't have been here for the weekend: but freezing fog in the wee hours of Saturday morning encouraged her to change her travel plans. Prudent, I think.

So, she was stuck here had some 'quality' time today with her father. She kept me company while I grilled burgers, and after the family ate lunch she and I went to see "Avatar" at the Main Street Theatre. It was the second viewing for her, first for me.

That was an impressive movie - which I'll probably write a little about, when I figure out which blog it should go in.

We got home in time for supper, my wife and #3 daughter spent the bulk of the evening at Soo Bahk Do class, and I got caught up on writing. #1 daughter and my son talked and played video games.

Life may get better than this: but I like what I've got.

Sunday Night: Wrapping Up

I'm getting ready to wrap thing up for the day. My son and I finished reading Garfield and singing a few minutes ago, my wife and #3 daughter are watching "The A Team" in the living room, and Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit is relaxed on the kitchen floor. He's had, by my count, a celery stick, two carrot sticks, and an application of his foot medicine today. That's on top of his standard rabbit rations.

He liked the food, but not the medicine. Can't say that I blame him, but it seems to be doing good for him - the sore spot on his foot is much reduced.

My son's friend is done with that H1N1 flu - and glad to have it over and done with. He was over here this week, for the better part of an afternoon.

It's been a good day.

I wish I felt better, though: I've missed grilling this weekend. Well, as we say in Minnesota, "it could be worse."

Catching Up, a Mouse, and Looking Forward to the Weekend

I'm still getting caught up with my work, but since I'm my own boss there hasn't been too much trouble explaining the situation to myself.

On a less schizophrenic note, #3 daughter spotted a mouse (we think) skittering across the living room floor. I think it was as spooked as she was. We'll be dealing with that situation in the morning. It's that time of year, when critters start finding their way inside. Earlier this week, I found a boxelder bug in the bathroom. They're not near the top of my list of cute-and-cuddly creatures. It's the way those blood-red eyes glow, when the light's at a certain angle, I think.

Right now, I'm wrapping up the day's tasks - and looking forward to grilling lunch tomorrow.

Remembering

I had a hard time getting to sleep Thursday and Friday night: up until around 4:30 and 5:00. I'm not some forty-year-old kid any more, and I'm not at all sure how long I could keep that up.

Nor to I intend to find out.

The only item I've got left on today's task list is writing this post - after which I'll be turning in.

The fact of my father's death is rather central in my mind just now. Understandably, I suppose. I'm 'between funerals' at the moment: there's a second one next week, in northern Illinois, where my father grew up.

I've said, often enough, that he's a hard act to follow. In the old days, I'd now be "the Gill" in this part of the world - the oldest adult man in my line in the general area. Times have changed, but I'm still the father of this family - even though I didn't go to my father often for counsel, it was good to know that I could.

Now, all I have to work with are my own memories and whatever wisdom I've scraped together over the years.

One thing about my father that I may never surpass is his ability to talk with people. I don't know if it's a product of the thirty-year head start he has on me, or if there's something about him that didn't show up in me.

Oh, well.

On a more mundane and immediate level, I grilled three burgers today, fed Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, an apple core, and have now caught up with my task list.

Good night.

Grilling Steak for Supper, Yesterday

I almost forgot - yesterday, my wife asked me if I'd like to grill steak for supper.

After a grill-less weekend? You bet!

They came out pretty well - which I suspect is as much due to the meat selected, as to my efforts.

It's occurred to me that grilling burgers and steaks is a socially-acceptable way to 'play with your food.'

About a Wedding, Burgers, a Movie, a Rabbit, and Rain

For most of Friday, My wife had the kitchen table covered with fabric, pieces of a pattern, and pins. She's making #2 daughter's wedding dress. Normally, making a dress like that doesn't take three months: but my wife's going to be doing other things too.

I can already sense a heightened level of excitement about the upcoming wedding. It's going to be interesting, seeing what happens as September 5 approaches. My plan is to stay discretely out of the way.

My son-in-law-to-be called. Several times. Quite often, actually. It was charming: but also a bit monotonous for those of us who were answering the phone.

#1 daughter went to a combination training and recruitment session. She was the only one to show up, besides the team leader. The two of them went from St. Cloud, down to Monticello, where they handed out leaflets to high school seniors who might be looking for a job. Then, it was back to Sauk Centre for #1 daughter. By then, she was quite willing to call it a day.

My son missed "Up." He and #1 daughter were going to go together (her treat). He took the setback quite well.

Saturday: It's been a gray day. Happily, it didn't start raining until just before I finished grilling burgers for lunch. The rain lasted most of the rest of the afternoon. My wife took advantage of the chilly weather, and baked more bread. She's stocking up, while the weather is favorable.

The brother-in-law of mine who had been up at the farm, fixing the place up, called. It's been raining there, too, so the painting will have to wait. He's taken care of just about every other fix-up there is to do, so he'll be getting back to his family, by way of South Dakota. I'm not entirely sure what he'll be doing there: quite likely found short-term employment of some sort. He's got a rather wide range of marketable skills.

I got the usual research and writing done - today's the 25th anniversary of the Tetris video game, so my writing was a trifle more focused than it usually is.

Supper, washing dishes, and prayer followed. The family had a good time with Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit. They discovered that he'd nibble and hop his way along the floor, with a cardboard box over him. He seemed quite pleased with the situation: Partly, I think, because he could see, and stick his nose through a hole in the box. My son was taking a video of the result: I hope it turns out.

#1 daughter and my son went downtown to see "Up," the new Disney movie, after prayers. They came back a few minutes ago, in high spirits. The local theater has equipment for the 3D version of the movie, and apparently it's visually spectacular. And, has a quite good story, too. My son said he'd probably have insomnia tonight, since he was quite excited about the movie.

I'll wait for the DVD version to make it to the Public Library's collection. Which is a bit frustrating for #1 daughter, since that means she can't talk very much about the movie with me: not about specific details, that is.

I don't think she'll have to wait long: not "long" by my standards, anyway.

Saturday: The Grill's Been Drained

I would have grilled burgers this noon, but when I got out there, the burner controls were set for medium heat, and the propane tank valve was not quite shut. It's possible that I left it that way last week: and there are other possibilities.

Either way, the tank's empty - and getting it re-filled today wasn't practical.

Frustrating: I like grilling - and eating - those burgers.

Well, there's next weekend to look forward to.

That Was a Nice Weekend: Damp, But Nice

It was snowing at about 9:10 this morning. Which was a change of pace. Yesterday featured "October's bright blue weather." Actually, what was happening this morning was more snizzle than snow: a sort of snowy drizzle?

I've grilled lunch twice this weekend: always a pleasure. The wind today made the grill hard to light. We've got a new grill now, with a U-push-it lighter: I think the button is connected to a spring-loaded flint and steel inside.

Each time I tried to light it with that built-in lighter, it didn't light. I suppose the wind was blowing the LP gas away. I used up about a half-dozen matches, trying that approach, then decided to try the built-in lighter one more time. With a click and a soft "whoomp," the flames emerged, and I could start grilling.

Two paragraphs devoted to how I got a grill lit today. That wasn't the only significant thing that happened.

I've talked with my son several times, mostly when he came over to see what I was doing. #3 daughter has been writing some more, and my wife is looking forward to seeing High School Musical 3. It arrived in the movie theater on Friday.

We got a call from #2 daughter this evening. My wife and the rest of the at-home family were at Soo Bahk Do when the phone rang, so she talked a little with me. Then the folks returned home, and the conversation continued between my wife and #2 daughter.

I gather that #2 daughter wanted some advice on how to deal with her young man. Good thing my wife got home when she did.

All in all, it's been a relaxing weekend.

Saturday: A Full House

We had all four kids under the roof today, after #1 daughter came in the late morning.

My wife, #2 daughter, and #3 daughter spent part of the morning over at the Sauk Centre grandpa's. I grilled lunch - and didn't incinerate the burgers. Without supervision! I think I'm getting the hang of grilling, if I do say so myself.

My wife had me put potatoes on the grill this afternoon, which meant that we had a treat for supper. We watched the Disney/Pixar film, "Ratatouille," for the first time. That was fun - and a surprisingly engaging movie.

#1 daughter and I talked a bit, she and my son talked and played, my son and I read Garfield toward the end of the day, #2 and #3 daughters talked, and we all heard fireworks at the race track, south of town.

All that It's been a good day.

Sunday: Good Grief! I haven't Posted Since - Wednesday

It's the end of a good weekend, and I see I've got some catching up to do.

Thursday, June 26, 2008.

The family high point of this day was that a friend of my son's, the friend's mother, and younger sister, came over around noon to ask if my son could come over to their house for a while. My wife sent me to fetch him around supper time: they three kids were playing on a backyard trampoline. "A good time was had by all," I'm told.

Friday, June 27, 2008.

Part of Ash Street in front of our house, near the corner of Ash and Ninth, had been excavated Wednesday, Filled in Thursday morning, and then excavated again Thursday afternoon. I'm pretty sure the contractor had a good reason for doing that.

Our son has been talking about WALL-E, the new Disney/Pixar movie, for quite a while. It started showing at the Main Street Theatre today. He asked me if I planned to go, and if so, when. We'll decided to try for Sunday afternoon, when there's a 1:30 showing.

Saturday, June 28, 2008.

I didn't note anything out of the ordinary for today, except that my son and I went to church today, instead of tomorrow, so that we'd be able to get lunch ready earlier than usual tomorrow - all in the good cause of getting us to the WALL-E movie, naturally.

Sunday, June 29, 2008.

Back to today. My son and I had the house to ourselves for a while this morning, as the ladies went to church. #1 daughter was here, and decided to go along to the movie. She, my son, and I have very similar interests.

I grilled the burgers, not doing too badly at all, if I do say so myself. Then, after a bit of work with the dishes, my son, #1 daughter, and I were off to see WALL-E. That's the first movie I've seen, since some time last year.

That turned out to be an excellent way to spend about two hours of the afternoon. It was a good show - top-notch effects, and a better story line than I'd expected.



My son got one of those watches they were giving away for the first few showings. It's not the best timepiece in the world, but he's pleased with it, anyway. What makes it a bit special is that it's got the two main characters, WALL-E and EVE, embossed on the band, just above and below the watch.

#1 daughter stayed for supper, she and I talked after the rest of the ladies and my son went to Soo Bahk Do, and then it was time for #1 daughter to return to Alex, to feed her rabbit.

After the rest of the family came back from Soo Bahk Do, I learned that my wife has advanced to the next color belt - or will as soon as she does the qualifications. (I think that's the way she phrased it.) In other words, she has to break a few more boards.

My son and I read Garfield, as usual, and that brings me up to date.

Sunday: Sunshine, Family, Grilling

It's been a beautiful day. #1 daughter came down from Alex to spend the day with us, always a pleasure. She spent most of her time with #3 daughter and our son, but I got a little talking in with the firstborn of the family.

Our son is excited about a movie, "WALL-E," that's coming out later this month. So am I, for that matter. The show about a little robot looks like fun.

I grilled burgers after church, and didn't incinerate them too badly. While I was doing that, a bird (a baltimore oriole, I think) and a squirrel were having a sort of discussion in the tree south of the grill. The topic, pretty clearly, was which had the better claim to a particular branch. I think the oriole won.

The next branch over is where orioles built a nest last year.

I took a nap (not my usual practice) in the afternoon. That was probably a good idea.

My wife and #3 daughter are resting up from a very, very, busy weekend. I found that they hadn't entirely cleared out the house up in the Red River Valley. There's some left for me to do.

Still, filling a good-size rental truck, a trailer, and the back of a pickup, put a sizable dent in what's left to do. And, since the storage company apparently wasn't able to get the unit ready (or the previous users didn't return the keys), what was supposed to go into a 10 x 20 storage unit is now in our house. It's getting a bit cosy in here.

Three trees, each with a pink "X" on them: due to be removed next week.

The Ash Street Project will probably reach our house tomorrow, or very soon after. That means that it won't be long before the three big trees in front of the house will be gone soon. #1 daughter hugged the southernmost one this morning.

I'm none too happy to see them go. But, I tried negotiating with the city about it: and couldn't convince them. That wasn't too surprising, since a photo of them had been used as an example of how some trees absolutely had to go.

Still, it was worth a try.

I've got a webcam set up, looking at the north side of the corner of ninth and Ash Street, that should give a pretty good look at some of the street work.

Saturday: Backyard Grilling, Kids and Computers

The Ash Street Project reached our house this morning. A 'street-chewer' went back and forth, slicing up the pavement and dropping dirt in its place, while another machine with a scoop smoothed out the dirt's surface.

I was as excited about our son, but I think he had more fun. He exchanged a few words with one of the drivers during a break, and told me that he was very friendly. "This is so cool!" is the way our son summed up having the street work in front of our house.

My wife and #3 daughter were out, getting groceries and visiting the Sauk Centre Grandpa, when the street work started here. Happily, they were able to get back into the driveway.

Despite the weather forecast, Sauk Centre didn't have wild weather today. I understand there was a tornado watch near Brainerd, and more severe thunderstorms south and east of here: and I don't mind missing the excitement, or Brainerd's 3/4 inch hail.

Back here in Sauk Centre, I had clear skies for grilling lunch. And, did a pretty good job with the burgers. I also, while walking around the back yard, encountered my first mosquito of summer.

I set up the webcam in a north window so that people could see through it again, swept the three main rooms on the first floors, and found out that I've still got problems with one bit of software. Oh, well: there's probably a way around that last point.

Sunday Morning, Memorial Day Weekend

I got up (no small feat), got ready and went to church with the family, and returned with #1 daughter, too. We now have a full compliment under the roof.

Our son got a learning-German book today, and is delighting in it. While #1 daughter kept me company and I grilled burgers for lunch, he regaled us with statements from the book.

That inspired me to compose a few words for a song. The tune is "Faith of our Fathers," the words are: "Speech of our fathers, rasping still: with glottal stops and rude-sounding words...."

I'm delighted that our son is excited about learning German. We've got a generation with some level of competence in Norwegian, German, and Spanish now.

Sunday: A Day of Rest - and Grilling

Some green grass is showing through yesterday's snow. We'll see what tomorrow is like.

The family went to church as usual. My wife had to leave early, taking the van with her. That left me and our son to walk home. He observed that it was a good thing that I've got two new hips now.

I grilled lunch: and did a pretty good job with the burgers, if I do say so myself.

The rest of the day has blurred together by now. #2 daughter and #3 daughter talked on the phone for quite a bit of the afternoon, and my wife and #2 daughter got some time in, too. #2 daughter has a job over the summer, which is good news. We may get a chance to see her on weekends.

And, #2 daughter is going to be able to wrap up her studies a semester early. She's happy about that. And, I'm impressed. She's done well, I think.

#1 daughter, sensibly, decided to stay in Alex. I-94 may be open to traffic again, but that doesn't mean that the driving is easy.

It's late, and I need sleep. Goodnight.