We went on a Road Trip, Carol and I. Our main objective was Giants Spring Training in Scottsdale AZ. Every year, I’ve talked about going to spring training and every year Carol would say, “I can’t take time off at that time of year.” Carol retired — WooHoo — so this year, we bought the Giants Spring Training package. Tickets to 3 games and hotel for three nights, tee shirts, caps and other goodies. We’re going to spring training!
After the games — around 5 on Sunday evening — we popped over to Tempe to visit my Uncle Frank, 93 and Aunt Wilda 89 and 3 of my Phoenix area cousins that I’ve hardly seen since childhood. Wilda — always full of energy and hustling around — served some snacks and a ridiculously good cherry creme dessert.
Thankfully this image is NOT indicative of the food we ate when the Carol Rector family met in Lancaster to memorialize her mother Liz, who passed away this summer. Brian grazed up north in the Mistake by the Lake while the Mainers and new Renoans joined a few Hales to sip and graze in the new Short North district between downtown Columbus and the OSU campus. The next day (after the obligatory Bob Evans breakfast *at the HOME OFFICE*) we enjoyed a buffet lunch put together by the church ladies of Grace Memorial Church in Lancaster. As a nightcap some of us enjoyed a very good Mexican snack on Route 33. The following morning we reconvened in Jackson County, OH just a few miles from the Ohio River to learn all about the Big Green Egg, with a surprising taste of FORTY YEAR OLD bourbon.
Now that Marc and Brian have returned home to review (and lighten) their images, we’ve pulled together a highlight reel of the visit.
Ohio September 2012
It all started Wednesday night at Brian’s house: Happy Birthday Brian… and, he grilled pork chops himself. But that’s not why we were there. We stayed over because we had to get up at 4am so Brian could take us to the airport for our 6:05 flight on Southwest. (Brian and Natasza were flying later.) It was our first time on Southwest and we discovered that when we checked our bags at the curb, all we needed was picture ID… We were already in the computer with our group and number for boarding (A 49). Seats aren’t assigned, but we paid 10 bucks to get in the A group, so getting a seat of choice was no problem. How cool is that?
There’s little to report on food at the airport at 5:15am (no tomato juice available) or on the airplane (just snax, thank you, and oh… bloody marys for 5 bucks each).
We got to Carol’s sister’s house in Baltimore, Ohio, late afternoon and sat down for some of DeeDee’s famous Barley Soup.
DeeDee’s Barley Soup
“Brown a pot roast real good in a cast iron skillet.
Put it in your slow cooker with potatoes, onion and celery and pour a cup of warm water around, not over the roast.
Cook on Low overnite then just keep adding to it.” (This one had carrots, and corn.)
When I went out for my morning walk Friday, I picked up a few cans of V8 at the IGA. (Note to self: carry your own damn V8 for airplanes and when staying with ordinary people where “juice” means OJ or apple.)
I stopped “downtown Baltimore” to do my walking there… where there are sidewalks. I came across lots of pumpkins in a yard, and a few steps up the street, a very early Halloween decoration. Continue reading “Ohio Food Revue”→
Edgewood Tahoe American Century Celebrity Championship
Carol and I went off to South Lake Tahoe for the Celebrity-Amateur part of this golf event. As we crossed over the mountaintop to the west side of the mountain, leading down to Tahoe, it started to rain. Bummer. First rain we’ve seen since moving here. (Geography NOTE: Reno is at 4.500 feet elevation on the east side of the Sierras, Lake Tahoe is at 6,200 feet on the west side.)
C is not into walking a lot, so we selected a spot in the bleachers at the first tee. We arrived just in time to see Rodney Harrison tee off. Each Celebrity was teamed with 3 or 4 amateurs (who allegedly paid $5K each to participate). (Never mind, there is a waiting list.)
Carol then watched Charles Barkley tee-off while I slipped over to the adjacent 10th tee to check out Alex Smith. (guys all look taller and thinner up close than on the TV) Continue reading “Jocks and Rain”→
We had a late dinner at the only restaurant left open in Colfax, CA (a pretty little mountain town well past Sacramento into the Sierras): Main Street Pizza. It was REALLY good — thin crisp crust, tasty sauce, and lots of cheese. It almost made me want to register on Yelp to get them out of three-and-a-half-star-hell. Maybe it actually will push me over the edge.
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