Mad Skills for the Grills!

Meet Mad Dog and Merrill, who call themselves "Grillologists," and hail from New London, WI. They host a local Saturday Morning grilling show on radio, and hire out to cater gatherings ranging from backyard picnics to college sorority get-togethers.

How do I know so much about these hysterical-and quite talented-guys? Well, Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn have been fans from Day One. And that prompted The Wild One to hire them to cook for a Larry U. sorority fest Saturday night.

"I thought I'd died and gone to Heaven," is the way TWO describes her first taste of Mad Dog and Merrill's fare. "I'm gonna have a hard time going back to the dorm cafeteria!"

The day before their Larry U. debut, the Grillologists made this appearance on Good Morning, Wisconsin. They cooked a Beer Butt Chicken. Wonder if these guys have tried POPrs yet? We'll check that out and get back to ya!

Get Out of My Way! Please?

March; Random Compexity Writing Contest; 607 Words!

As everyone knows, I've been on a mission of mercy, visiting my peeps up at Larry U. But I have a bone to pick with my fellow travelers today.

What's up with the rolling luggage? Yes, my suitcase rolls, too. But I don't carry the entire contents of my house when I go on vacation!

Traveling has become quite a contact sport ~ seriously! To make the experience a tad more pleasant, I've developed a few Rules of the Road. Follow them, and you'll be guaranteed smooth sailing!

Veggie Mom's Guide to Traveler's Etiquette

10. Please keep to yourself. Not interested in your suitcase, your child or your nasty Taco Bell To-Go invading my space.

9. Keep the cellphone braying to a minimum. If you have a hearing problem, get help. You're not gonna convince the BF that he should love you more by braying like a jackass into your portable cellular device.

8. If you insist on being in a hurry at the security checkpoint, the FAA has developed alternative procedures for people like you ~ for a fee. Otherwise, please wait with all the rest of us, and politely take your turn. Crowding me from behind won't make me go any faster. In fact, I might even take my time, knowing that I piss you off.

7. Similarly, don't take your shoes off at the security checkpoint any sooner than you need to. The rest of us waiting in this humongous line don't care to know that you have a foot odor problem.

6. If the TSA Dudes bust you for too many liquids or gels, suck it up. Standing there debating the size of the personal items in your plastic, Zip-loc bag just holds the line up and ticks off the TSA Dudes.

5. I did not choose to travel by air in order to sit next to a fat man who's just consumed the biggest burritto of the century. I have no qualms with your size; but your flatulence grosses me out!

4. Learn to sprint in an airport. This is particularly wise in meat markets like O'Hare, Atlanta and LAX, where the airlines will tend to change your departure gate to the one on the other side of the airport at the last minute. But when you sprint, please be aware of those around you. We do not cherish being bowled over and bruised by a business-person who is about to miss his flight.

3. If your carry-on luggage does not fit in the overhead bin, please don't stand there for 10 minutes, pushing, shoving and cajoling this inanimate object. Please accept the flight attendant's offer to check your bag "planeside." All that means is that they'll stow it for you, and you can claim it as soon as you exit the plane.

2. Speaking of flight attendants, don't be rude. Safety is their first job; your comfort is but a secondary concern. It's not the flight attendant's fault that you paid eight hundred gazillion thousand dollars for your flight. The flight attendant is not there to wait on you hand and foot. And, frankly, no one cares if you're upset that the flight doesn't have a meal. Just don't eat. See Number 5 if you have any more questions about this.

1. Adopt a ramrod straight posture while pulling your rolling suitcase. This will keep your suitcase ~ and its contents ~ close to your body and not anywhere near mine. I couldn't tell you how many dozen times during this recent journey I tripped over someone's a) extended arm; b) rolly handle; or c) entire rolly suitcase. In fact, I stopped counting.

Wordful Wednesday: Playing Dress-Up

All I need to tell you is that even College Kids play Dress-Up. Especially in the dorm, when one wants to find something else to do besides study!

Here we have two lovely examples of Study Fever at its pitch. Danny is from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Many around those parts call residents "Youpers," for short.

College Girl, let's just say, is from more moderate climes.

In this priceless snap, snagged during Freshman Year at Larry U., the gals decided to dress up as each other's "climate."

CG, you see, is pretending to be a "Youper." Danny, oh,butofcourse, is going for the Beach Baby look. Enjoy Angie's Wordful Wednesday ~ I know I will!

Prescription for a Killer Cold

No, I can't take credit for this shot; a blogger named Shortie posted it last year. But the sign represents exactly the way I feel today. You know, all those Larry U. Swimmers were coming down with something last weekend. Probably picked up the sniffles from them. So, I ended up not only with Bleacher Booty, but a Killer Cold. Thanks, kids!

Here's to a warm down comforter, a good book, and perhaps several mugs of Aunt Julie's Hot Cocoa. With lots of teeny-tiny marshmallows on top!

Candid Carrie, and her Friday Foto Finish Fiesta, are my muses this morning. Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Up to Our Keisters, and Beyond!

We had such a lovely, uneventful Turkey Day Holiday, celebrating with family and friends. So, we knew that Getaway Sunday, the Busiest Travel Day of the Year, Might. Come. To. This.

No, this shot isn't current. It was snapped by a TJ, whom we presume is a UW-Madison student, judging by his profile. It was posted on his blog, Feeding Milk to Chickens, in February 2008, the last time The Badger State had a snowstorm of monumental proportions.

That day, Wisconsin suffered snows that Shut. The. State. Down. And we're talkin' schools, government offices, the whole proverbial Ball of Wax. OK, we're Mixing Metaphors here, but still...

Southeastern Wisconsin, from Madison to Milwaukee, is forecast to get something along the lines of 10 inches today. According to Moker, and his Profile of Wisconsin for Blog Around the World, we Hardy Cheeseheads enjoy weather akin to "Nine months of winter, and three months of tough sledding."

We're just a Tad Concerned today, though. The East Coast Branch of The Pop'rs Cousins are traveling back to school at Larry U. Today. In the Snow. Hope the precipitation doesn't dump enough to cover poor ol' Mr. Lincoln's Head in front of Bascom Hall. But ya never know!

On a much more positive note, The Green Bay Packers play Carolina today at Lambeau Field. Snow is forecast. Go, Pack!

Empty Nesters

College Girl and The Wild One leave for college today. They'll spend about 14 hours on the road in a 2001 Honda Civic, en route to Larry U. The car is packed to the gills, of course! CG's gonna be a Big Bad Senior, while her younger sister will be a Tiny Little Froshie.

BTW, The Phillies--Oscar, Simon, and the newly named Lars--are on the floor of the front seat. My kids are so Martha Stewart, sometimes!

Moker and I, of course, don't know what's gonna happen on the homefront. While the girls are out investigating The Wide World of Wisdom, aka College, we'll have to go to Plan B. We've talked about this, of course. What's gonna happen after 21 years of diapers, car pools, first days of school, braces, boys and melodrama--since they're girls, lots and lots of melodrama!

One thing will remain constant, although so much will also change today. We'll still be here. And they know that. It's a pretty good feeling.

• "I have never let schooling interfere with my education." ~ Mark Twain
• "Don't let anyone tell you that high school is supposed to be fun. High school is to be endured. College is fun." ~ Stephenie Meyer
• "Education is what remains when one has forgotten everything he learned in school." ~ Albert Einstein

Playing along with Candid Carrie today. It's Friday Foto Fiesta Finish time, you know!

Exploring New Roots in Phillies

We're a Philodendron Family. Not necessarily because of their lush, beautiful foliage--although that's a definite plus--but because They're. Almost. Impossible. To. Kill!

When College Girl moved into a new place last year, she decided she wanted to spiff it up with some greenery. Trouble was, her dorm room at Larry U. had but one window, which was framed by lovely, shade-bearing trees.

We thought about an English Ivy plant. They grow all over our neck of the woods, and seem like a pretty hardy variety. Turns out we were wrong! We purchased a small plant, transplanted it into a pretty pot, and it had Gone to Meet Its Maker within the month!

Philly to the rescue! I went home and took some cuttings from my Mom's old Philodedron plant, which is about a Gazillion. Years. Old. Seriously, we're talking a Practically Prehistoric Houseplant here (remember, my Mom was the owner of the Seriously Sad Geraniums, which we spruced up with coffee grounds)! I stuck the cuttings in a glass of water, and voilà! College Girl has not just one plant, but two! She's named this Pair of Phillies Oscar and Simon. Don't ask--she wouldn't be able to tell you why. Both plants are thriving, and ready to go back to school, too!

Oscar and Simon were such a hit that The Wild One wants a Philly for her dorm room, too! I've got just the ticket for her--in fact, I'm off to buy a new pot for the latest edition to our Philodendron Family when I finish with this post!

We had so much success on the Philly Front, that I decided it was time to give my Mom's ancient Philodendron a makeover, too. It had been in the same pot for far too long. I happened to be hanging around the hardware store a couple of weeks ago, and found a most appropriate new home for this Philly. And no, this Philodendron doesn't have a name--yet. The before and after shots are pictured above.

Who says you can't get a New Lease On Life? Not I, said the Spider to the Fly...

News Flash! You long-time Readers remember Auntie J.'s Water-Skiing Wipeout from July 4th weekend, don'tcha? Well, it's being reprised today over in The Scholastic Scribe's Silly Sunday Sweepstakes. So, ski on over there and play, today!