Showing posts with label Weekend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weekend. Show all posts

Sunday, November 17, 2024

Capitol City Charm: A Des Moines Weekend

Trip to Des Moines, Iowa
Trip to Des Moines, Iowa

We left for Des Moines, Iowa on Friday morning. We dropped Oliver off where he would stay through Sunday and we were on the road by 7:30. We drove to Des Moines with Erin and Greg and then met up with Laura and Jason where we had lunch and stayed at a Airbnb. We had a great time! We toured the capitol, went to antique place, did a lot of walking, and then we ate and drank a few different places. So much fun! Carrie and I were so tired when we got back home that we both took long naps Sunday afternoon into the evening and likely going to bed early this evening.

State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa
State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa

We met Laura and Jason at El Bait Shop and then we headed to the capitol to look around. Carrie and I had been there before (back in 2016), but we wanted to show the others the beautiful capitol in Iowa. The clear blue skies made the capitol stand out against the dark blue background. It was fun going through and seeing the different areas of the capitol. We toured all the floors we could access which was cool. We decided doing a guided tour and looked around on our own which is what Carrie and I did back in 2016 when we toured their capitol.

Drinks at Speak Easy
Drinks at Speak Easy

Oysters on the Half Shell
Oysters on the Half Shell

Picture in front of Naughty List at Speak Easy
Group Selfie

We finished the weekend Saturday night at a speak easy. A few of us had a wild night on Friday, so it was low key on Saturday night. The drinks were good and we had a good time hanging out together. We are already looking forward to our next trip back to Des Moines, Iowa and talked about going earlier in the season. We lucked out with the weather for our trip as it was sunny while we were there. A random rain shower moved through on Saturday late afternoon, but that was about it.

Great time and Des Moines was good to us once again. I look forward to going back in the future.

Sunday, September 08, 2024

A Weekend Escape: From Kansas City Adventures to Backyard Grilling Bliss

Here I sit writing about the weekend on a Sunday morning. Last week was a short work week but as is usually the case it seemed like a very long week. It was very busy at work, but it was a productive work week. 

I was glad when Friday arrive as we had plans to travel to Legends in Kansas City to go to Yard House to celebrate Greg's birthday from a few weeks prior. Always a good spot and this time did not disappoint. From the beers and appetizers to diner, everything was delicious. Would you believe I did not get any pictures from the Friday trip? I need to do better at taking pictures to help liven up my weekly posts but that is for another day.

Saturday morning was low key with a trip to Higher Grounds for breakfast, coffee, and a little reading. This was our second visit to Higher Grounds and it continues to be a consistent spot with good food. We discussed while we were there that we want to go back sometime to have lunch. We were able to sit on the patio and the fire was going on the patio as it was a little chilly out Saturday morning here in Topeka.

Following Higher Grounds we went to pick up groceries at Aldi's for the weekend and week. We had plans to grill Saturday night and again on Sunday. We picked up some salmon which along with a salad Carrie was going to make would be our dinner for Saturday night. What a great meal for a beautiful Saturday night.

Meater Cook of Salmon
Salmon Meater Cook
I enjoy using Meater to say when it is time to remove from the grill. Grilling on the Big Green Egg that I have had for a few years I got the Meater a few years ago and I have used it for doing everything from salmon to steaks, turkey, and pork. It works great and would recommend one if you are in the need for a meat thermometer. Works not only on the grill but also in the oven and the newer models will even go into liquids to provide readings. I have the older model, so it can only go up to around 600 degrees and cannot go into anything liquid. Still, it has worked great for me. 

Sunday should be relaxing for us with a lot of NFL games on today which I am looking forward to watching. I have NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube TV which is my second. year to have and I enjoy the ability to watch any games on Sundays. It helps me to track my fantasy football players and watch them instead of relying on stats to update. It makes it fun to watch them when they are playing and also the ability to switch over to a game if I get a notice they are about to score. I thought about getting NFL RedZone, but decided not to add it this year.

A short meandering Sunday morning post. Now it is time to get ready to watch some football. Have a great day and I will talk with you next week.


Sunday, September 01, 2024

A Dog's Love for Heat, a Fan's Hope for Victory, and a Delicious Feast: A Summer Weekend to Remember

100 Degrees Out... That's how Oliver Likes it!
100 out... Oliver Loves it!

Last week was another hot week with temperatures closed to 100 degrees the first part of the week. It found Oliver out enjoying the warmth of the sun in our back yard. Yes, he goes out and sits in the sun to warm up from being inside our house with air conditioning. He will sit out there until he starts panting and then head back to the door to go back inside. What a knucklehead. The picture to the right is from late in the week and as of Sunday temperatures have dropped to acceptable temperatures.

The weekend has been beautiful since Thursday with weather in the seventies or eighties. I am sure Oliver is not liking that as he wants more heat when he is outside. Looking at the forecast for the next week and the trend is supposed to continue. No complaints from me.

Shrimp, Crab Legs, Sausage, etc. Boil
Shrimp, Crab, etc., Boil
Carrie and I had a treat planned for Friday night dinner. Our friends, Laura and Jason, invited us over for a shrimp boil. Ok, that was an easy answer. The dinner was tagged as shrimp boil and while it did have shrimp it also included crab legs. What a night! It was so good! Poured it right out on the kitchen table and grabbed whatever we wanted to eat for dinner. The potatoes were excellent along with all the other fixings. Following dinner, we went outside to hang out at the fire pit which was a lot of fun. A perfect way to kick off the holiday weekend!

Hoping the Royals can turn around the losing streak we have been on since Wednesday. A four-game losing streak going into the game this afternoon. We need to turn it around and snap this bad skid. It started late in the week when two players got hurt and we have not been able to turn it around since then. I will be wearing all of my lucky Royals gear today to try and push us in the direction of a win and point us in a new direction.

Have a great rest of your Sunday and Labor Day.


Sunday, August 11, 2024

From Coffee to Cocktails: A Bookish Day Out

We had a fun time a week ago Saturday where Erin, Carrie, and I decided to try out a new coffee spot in Topeka called Higher Grounds. We took our books and hung out for a few hours reading, drinking coffee, and eating delicious food. We had a great time and even saw some of our neighbors from down the street that we spoke to for a few minutes. I believe the staff said Higher Grounds had been open for about a month. It is located on Topeka Blvd near the corner of 21 St. Food was delicious and coffee was too.

Reading, Drinks, and Fun on a Saturday
Reading and Drinks at The Spot
Following coffee and breakfast at Higher Grounds, we decided to stop by The Spot to continue reading and enjoy some adult beverages. We ended up meeting up Greg, Eddie, and Joan where we continued conversation and played card games. What a fun morning and afternoon.

I am trying to up my reading game as I have fallen behind my goal for the year. According to Goodreads, I am six books behind schedule of my 25 books for the year. The past few weeks, or months, I have not read as much as I had intended. I have read everyday, but often times I am reading as I am going to bed and only a page or two before falling asleep. I went out last week to find some "short" books that I can read quickly, but I am finding even those "short" books take me a while to read.

I am hoping to get some reading in today on a Sunday afternoon. No Royals playing today, so it would be a good day to catch up on my reading. 

Have a great rest of your weekend and a wonderful week! Until next time...


Sunday, March 31, 2024

Day Off of Work, Trip to Kansas City, Shopping, Food, and Fun

Lunch at Ponak's on Friday and Errands was Great!
Lunch Friday at Ponak's

I took a half day on Thursday so that I could go to my brother-in-laws, Greg, house to watch the Royals Opening Day baseball game. My father-in-law, Eddie, joined us as has been the tradition the past few years. The Royals lost 5 - 1, but he had a great time. Greg does hotdogs, wraps them in foil, and we enjoy those while watching the game. 

On Friday, I had the whole day off as I thought we might go camping but we ended up running errands in Kansas City. I was in need of new work shoes, so we went to Nordstrom Rack and Dillards to shop for shoes. I ended up with two pairs of shoes with one for work and a pair to wear on weekends or when I need a little more dress than a pair of tennis shoes. I also got two new sports coats to add to my collection, so it was a big day for me shopping. Carrie laughs because I rarely buy anything for myself and I kept saying how big of a day it was for me spending a lot on two pairs of shoes and two sports coats. 

We had fun doing our shopping and had already planned to head to Ponak's for a late lunch. I still cannot believe we just heard about this place recently. This was our third or fourth time to go to Ponak's and it was just as good as the first time. I had fajitas this time which were excellent. The guac and margaritas are really good! I highly recommend a visit to Ponak's.

Saturday turned out to a chill day for us as we did not do a whole lot. I guess we were tired from all the running around we did on Friday. I did manage to watch NCAA basketball Thursday, Friday, part of the games Saturday night. Saturday afternoon, I watched the Royals lose again. In two games, we have scored a total of two runs. Hoping to turn things around for the Sunday game this afternoon to at least get more than one run... maybe even win the game. 

For NCAA games today, more games I do not care who wins. I know I do not want UConn to win even though I have them picked in two of my brackets. It is hard to believe the NCAA basketball time is coming to an end. Baseball has started and PGA is underway. Good times!

Until next time, have a great week! Happy Easter!


Sunday, November 19, 2023

Various Rambling on a Rather Short Update for this Week Discussing Sports, Thanksgiving, and of Course Oliver

We had a quiet weekend as we spent most of Saturday preparing our house for Thanksgiving where we will be hosting family and friends. We did watch the Kansas State vs Kansas football game which did not end the way we were hoping. More on the game later. The Chiefs play Monday night football, so Sunday is spent keeping track of NFL games throughout the day and watching my fantasy teams struggle.

It seems as though this past week that the leaves on the trees in our yard all decided to drop at the same time. We just had our leaves picked up a week or so ago which was a big cleanup and I already have another cleanup scheduled for Monday or Tuesday this week. When we first moved into our home back in 2006, I used to do the leaves. I had plans to do leaves this year, but it is just too much having to do yard clean up at least three or four times in the fall and these are major cleanup efforts with leaves up to the ankles. I went with a new company this year to do our leaves who helped with shrub trimming over the summer and they have worked out great!

Right now while writing this post, I am watching Ichabods soccer where we are playing Jennies in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Washburn soccer played Friday night and won in overtime, so it has been fun to watch. We are playing in Topeka, but I am watching the game in the warmth of home.

This is not only Thanksgiving holiday week but it is also feast week for college basketball. My sister, Dina, takes off the whole week so she can watch basketball as there are games throughout the week. Monday night is not only the Chiefs games, but it is also the start of the Maui Classic in Hawaii. I know I will be flipping between football and basketball Monday night. Should be fun and likely a late evening with Kansas not tipping off until 8 pm.

As I jump around on this post, I go back to the Kansas State vs Kansas game from Saturday night. We did not have our starting quarterback play, so the third string freshman did good. We started off the game getting up to lead, but mistakes kept Kansas State in the game and we ran out of time. Disappointing to say the least and Kansas has one last regular season game to play against Cincinnati

Oliver Found His Chicken and Carried it Around the House
Oliver Found his Chicken

It is not an update unless I post a picture or something about Oliver. Oliver found his chicken where he hid it at some point and paraded around the house with his chicken. He even took it outside but eventually went to the couch to take a nap with his chicken. Gave us a good laugh as we watched him parade through the kitchen to the family room carrying his chicken. Funny guy!

A short post for this week on this rainy Sunday afternoon. I hope you have a great Sunday and week. I am hoping to do another post prior to next Sunday with pictures and updates on Thanksgiving gatherings.

Until next time...

Sunday, November 12, 2023

Washburn Football Won Saturday to Wrap up the Season and Disappointing Kansas Game... Plus Oliver Being Sleepy All the Time

Sleepy Oliver on a Friday Evening Hanging on the Couch

Last week was a busy but it also flew by which can happen when it is a busy week. The weekend consisted of going out Friday night for drinks and dinner. When Carrie and I returned home Friday night, Oliver just wanted to relax and get tickles on the couch. We sometimes say that Oliver would be happiest if we were to lay around with him all day long and pet him. When we are not touching him, he throws little fits or paws at us with his paw to get us to tickle. Poor guy!

Saturday we went to the last home Washburn football game of the season. We won the game 45 - 14 to get our second win of the season. It was a rough season, but hopeful that we will bounce back next season. I went to all of the home games this season except for one when I was out of town. Carrie went to all the home games this season with me. We had a fun time throughout the season. For this last home game, Carrie made chili and hotdogs were made by Greg that we enjoyed throughout the day. We had beautiful weather for a game in the middle of November.

Basketball season has started and the first home game for Washburn is November 18. Carrie and I have season tickets and will be attending the games this season. We have a fun time attending Washburn basketball throughout the season as we have had season tickets now for a few years. 

Disappointing Kansas football game yesterday that Greg and I were following while at the Washburn game. Next weekend will be fun to see Kansas State vs. Kansas, but hoping we have Bean back in the game for Kansas. Bean went out of the game yesterday and so we had a freshman quarterback leading the Jayhawks. KU lost to Texas Tech yesterday 16 - 13 moving to 7 - 3 overall and 5 and 1 at home. Two games remain in the season.

Not a lot of pictures from me this weekend, but we had a good time Friday and Saturday. No Chiefs game Sunday as it is a bye week for us this week. Chiefs play again on Monday, November 20.

Until next time, have a great Sunday and a wonderful week...


Sunday, October 22, 2023

Washburn Football on Saturday and Maple Leaf Festival on Sunday... Good Weekend!

Washburn Game
Washburn Game Against FHSU

Carrie and I attended the Fort Hays State University vs Washburn University game on Saturday. We are really struggling this year as we lost the game 31 - 28. It was a beautiful day for a game and even a little warm late in the afternoon in the sun. Carrie and I were the only ones in our spot although we had a few random visitors throughout the afternoon.

Next weekend is Homecoming, so we are going to get out to our spot a little earlier to have breakfast, drinks, and enjoy the day. It is not looking like we will get another win this season. Our team is battling injuries, surgeries, and we have a lot of freshman that are battling right now. Hoping this will help us out next year with the freshman returning next year and have some experience from this year.

Carrie and I had a good time hanging out at the alumni tent this year. We met some new people and spent pre-game talking to them before heading to our spot.

Carrie and I in Front of Flowers
Carrie and I at Maple Leaf Festival

Sunday, we had plans to head to Baldwin, KS for the Maple Leaf Festival and we got an early start on the day so I could get back to watch some of the Chiefs game. We were able to take our traditional picture in front of the flowers. We ran into some tailgate friends and we had beers at two different spots. In my book, it was a great day at Maple Leaf Festival

We did not buy a lot this trip, but we did make have a good time. The sun was out in force and kept it warm when in the sun, but we were able to find a few times to get under a tent to see items. We ate some snacks which was really good this year. Corn, walking tacos, and regular tacos. It was a wonderful day and so glad we were able to make it as we did not make it there last year.

Sweet Corn Was Delicious!
Corn was Delicious

The corn on the cob was really good this year. Fresh and popped off of the stock. I got mine classic with butter, salt, and pepper. Carrie got hers with mayonnaise and some type of seasoning. We sat on a curb and ate the corn. Perfect!

Carrie was not looking at a lot of jewelry as she had found a lot of earrings back in September when we were at the Lawrence Art Fair (see post). We did buy a few things from the Soup Lady which had a large line to get in when we arrived, so glad we were able to get that visit completed before the good ones were gone.

Brewery in Baldwin, KS
Baldwin City Beer Company
After finishing off the corn, we continued to walk down the street and came to a new spot for us that was not there two years ago when we were at the festival which was a new brewery. I had a few beers at Baldwin City Beer Company and Carrie sampled a few of the beers I had while we were there. She did have a mimosa and we talked football while sitting at the bar. 

Selfie at Maple Leaf Festival
Selfie on Baker University

We had to take a selfie on the Baker University campus as we were leaving the Maple Leaf Festival. A perfect day and we had fun chatting, walking around to see the vendors, and grabbing a bite, or drink, at a few spots. 

Until next time, have a great rest of your weekend and I will talk to you next week. Thank you for visiting.


Sunday, September 03, 2023

Labor Day Weekend, Football Games Have Started, Oliver Enjoying the Sun, and Trying to Find Another Camping Date

Sun Set On the Ocean is Fitting for End of Summer
Although classes started a few weeks ago, Labor Day weekend always seem to signal the end of summer. We will see the temperatures continue to drop which is a welcome change from the 100 degree weather we have experienced over the summer. The weather really has not been that bad over the summer though with rather mild temperatures and only a couple of weeks where we broke 100 degrees. Still, as we look to summer coming to an end, football is starting from college teams to the NFL starting this next week.

I participated in two fantasy drafts the past two weeks for my two fantasy teams that I play each year. It is a good time and makes it fun to follow the games having players I need/want to play well so that my fantasy team does well. Sometimes this can be difficult if I have draft a player on a team I do not like, or follow, but I need to have the player do well so my team does well.

As the days continue to get shorter, football is starting, and it seems more events are packed into the weekends, I am wondering when Carrie and I will be able to go camping again. We have only been twice this year and I am hopeful we can fit in at least one more time to go camping before it gets cold. I know we do not want to go late in the season as we did last year going at the end of October and camping in 32 degree weather. While it was fun during the day, the nights were cold and I am not sure we would do it again with it that cold.

Going back to football, if you are looking to get involved with NFL games, I enjoy doing Pig Skin Pick'em which I have been doing for a few years now. Again, it makes it fun to follow the games and try to pick the winners each week. It is free and easy to participate. Go to the Pig Skin Pick'em site and the password to join is "haverty". Feel free to share with others and see if you can beat me in picking the winners each week. Make sure to go back each week to make your picks!

Join Pig Skin Pick'em with password of "haverty" to make NFL picks each week.

I am writing this on Sunday afternoon while watching the Royals play. I know tomorrow we will be grilling to enjoy the holiday. We went to the store on Saturday to pick up groceries for the week. We picked up chicken breasts to grill one night and then we also picked up Scallops to do on the grill along with some shrimp to do one night on the grill. I am excited to try Scallops although we are not sure if we are doing those Monday or not. We might do the chicken, but it will be a decision tomorrow, but I am researching recipes for doing Scallops on the Big Green Egg. I cannot wait!

Oliver in the Back Yard Enjoying the Sun

As the warm days come to an end, I know one little dog who will miss being able to go outside and sit in the hot sun. The picture to the right was of Oliver in our back yard from a few weeks ago when the temperatures here in Topeka were above 100 degrees for a week straight. He loved it and would sit out in the yard directly in the sun. I would have to call him to get him to come inside and even then he really did not want to leave the sun to come inside. We are guessing that he is cold when he is in the house because of the air conditioning. So, he will be sad to see the days get colder and eventually snow on the ground and he will be shivering on our couch while we try to keep him warm. Poor guy!

I hope you have a great rest of your Labor Day weekend and a great week!


Sunday, August 27, 2023

Spare Ribs on the Big Green Egg with Recipe and Pictures from My Experience

Spare Ribs Prepped and Ready to go on the Grill
Spare Ribs Prepped and Ready

To continue what I was cooking last weekend (see last weeks post), I did spare ribs on Sunday. My first time doing spare ribs and probably my fifth or sixth time trying ribs in general. The past attempts had provided tough, dry, and dry ribs. I was not sure how this would go, but I used a recipe I found on Big Green Egg Forum and combined with another recipe I found on The BBQ Buddha

I started out planning to do the recipe from the forum which is referred to on the forum as Micky's Turbo Ribs. This recipe consists of the following:

  • 350 indirect for 1hr 40 min. 
  • Before cooking: Pull membrane, mustard, and add rub. 
  • Put on at 350 and leave the alone for about that time. 

Although as I was getting started, I found another recipe that I thought would work better for the large slabs of meat I had to cook for the day.

I completely changed over to using The BBQ Buddha recipe which calls for grill to be at 350 degrees on indirect cooking. Preheated the BGE to 350 degrees while I prepared the meat, rub, and the spritz.

  1. Trim fat, pull membrane, remove flap meat, and prepare for mustard and rub.
  2. Slather with mustard as a binder for the rub.
  3. The rub consists of salt, pepper, and paprika
  4. Leave the ribs untouched on the BGE for one hour without opening the lid. After one hour, start spritzing. Springs consists of the following.
    • 1 cup of apple juice
    • 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
    • A few dashes of hot sauce
    • A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
  5. Begin spritzing with the spray every 30 minutes until done.
  6. I set a timer and checked the ribs every 30 minutes spraying with the above spritz.
  7. At the 3 hour mark, I checked to see if I could see the bones sticking out or how the meat would bend when I picked up with the tongs. Good indication the meat is done. I did leave on for another 30 - 40 minutes continuing the spritz.
  8. Pull the ribs when they are done. Let rest before cutting them up. I applied BBQ sauce after I cut them up and while I ate the ribs.
Ribs After One Hour Cooking Untouched
Ribs After One Hour

While I had planned to do Micky's Turbo Ribs when I started, I think changing over to the The BBQ Buddha worked out well for me. I do not think the large spare rib racks would have cooked as needed with Micky's Turbo Ribs recipe, so I am glad I changed over to the other recipe just as I was starting to prep. It was a game time decision to change over to the other recipe.

The spare ribs were so large that they did not really fit on the grill. You might not be able to tell, but the ribs are laying on top of one another in the picture to the left. Meat hanging off of the edge of the grill on all four corners, but it seemed to work. After an hour I was spritzing the meat lifting the top layer and getting moisture to the second rack. 

Spare Ribs After About 90 minutes of cooking split up to two layers
Spare Ribs Split Up to Levels

After about 90 minutes of cooking, I was able to add a second level and put each rack of ribs on their own level. I thought this would help to evenly cook both racks of meat. The rack that was on the bottom the first 90 minutes of cooking, I put on the top rack. After the first hour, i was spritzing as I mentioned and then after 90 minutes, I split up the two racks and continued the spritz on both racks.

After about two hours, I started checking the ribs by picking them up with the tongs to see how they felt. Continued the spritz, but kept them on for another hour and half or so going by touch of how they looked and felt with the tongs.

Ribs Are Done and Ready to Cut Up and Eat
Ribs are Done!

Pulled them when I could see bend in the ribs and bones were exposed. Let them rest for 15 - 20 minutes before I started to cut them up. Sampled some of the meat as I cut them up and tasted good. I realized after the fact I did not take any pictures of the cut up meat, but that will be for next time when I try this again.

The meat tasted good. Depending on the meat, I had some that the meat fell off of the bone and others that were a little tough. I think this could have to do with whether it was the meat on the top or bottom to start the cook. I did have someone recommend in the r/biggreenegg post I did about my cook that they recommend using skewer to fit more on to the grill. Of course others recommended using racks to fit more on to the grill, but others, including The BBQ Buddha, do not like to use racks. I certainly had an issue where the meat was too large to fit on the grill for two of them. It created a lot of food to eat, but it was a little difficult to work with the meat on the grill. I think I will try the skewer the next time I try ribs.

I had a fun time throughout the weekend doing different cooks. I really enjoyed the wings that I did and had those for leftovers for days. I want to do wings again and I plan to do ribs again too with some of the adjustments I listed above for the next time I do ribs. I had a fun time doing all of my cooks while Carrie was out of town and now to do some cooking while she is back home and can help me to enjoy what I cook.

Until next time, have a great week and I will talk to you next week.


Sunday, May 21, 2023

Busy weekend and then got the yard mowed so Oliver can enjoy our back yard again

Tongue Out and Very Sleepy Oliver
Tongue Out and Sleepy Oliver

Busy weekend with things happening both Friday and Saturday evening. It was a busy week too with meetings, a two day conference, and trying to get some lawn work done.

Picture of Oliver to the left is from Saturday as he was very sleepy from being up late on Friday night. He likes to go his kennel which we leave open all the time and never shut him in there any more, but it is his "safe" place when he needs to get away from us and sleep. On Saturday afternoon, he was so sleepy is little tongue came out and stayed out most of the afternoon. When his tongue comes out, you know he is sleepy and likely a bit grumpy too, so give him his space and let him do as he pleases through the day.

Friday started summer hours at work which is nice. Had a work gathering that evening and then already had plans for a trip to Lawrence for dinner. Had fun celebrating graduation by some colleagues as well as outstanding staff award for another colleague. Congrats to them all! I was only able to stay for about an hour before I had to head out to pick up Carrie and head to Lawrence. We went to Merchants Pub & Plate which if you have not been there, I highly recommend a visit. Good drinks and fun with family and friends.

Carrie Reading with Oliver
Carrie Reading with Oliver
Saturday morning Carrie, Oliver, and I all slept later than normal which was nice. Saturday afternoon was so beautiful that Carrie went out and read for a while with Oliver. Oliver loves it as he can watch for people, and dogs, that are walking by and protect our home.

Saturday night we were meeting family for dinner at Blind Tiger and then Soliloquy for drinks. This was my second time to Blind Tiger in the past month or so and once again the food service was very slow. We waited for about 45 minutes for food and had reservations at 8:30 at Soliloquy. The last time I was at Blind Tiger took 45 - 60 minutes for food to be at our table. With no mention it was taking the kitchen either time a long time, this time we could not wait and decided to leave just as it was coming out to the table. Blind Tiger might want to start warning customers if it is going to be 45 minutes plus for food to be ready as that is just too long to wait for food.

We did have some apps while we were waiting for food which was good as that turned out to be the meal for the table. We left and arrived just in time for our 8:30 reservation at Soliloquy. If you have not heard of Soliloquy, be sure to check them out. They are in the same building where Circle Coffee is located, but with Circle Coffee being closed Saturday evening and not open on Sunday, Soliloquy is able to use the space to serve spirits, cocktails, and creating memories with a pop-up place to enjoy some drinks, snacks, and company on Saturday evening. So fun and what a great idea! It was our first time to Soliloquy and we will go back!

Sleepy Oliver Wanting to Know What I am Doing
Sleepy Oliver... Keep 
Those Eyes Open!

After being gone last weekend to Texas and not having mowed the lawn in over two weeks, I had to mow on Sunday. Oliver does not like to go in the yard when the grass touches his belly. He will stand on the cement and do his business on some grass overreaching to the pavement. The only time he will go out in the grass, when it is long, is when there is someone walking with a dog. He forgets and runs out to the corner of our back yard to bark at the dog. Then, you can almost see him realize the grass is touching his belly and he will jog along the fence back toward the back patio where he will sit and watch for the next person to cross the street in back of our house.

Now, he can go in the back yard without blades of grass touching his belly. I got the lawn mowed, trimmed, and I used the blower to get other yard stuff away from the house. Oliver is set for another week in our back yard.

I trust you had a great weekend and hopefully you were able to enjoy the nice weather we had this weekend here in Kansas. Hoping we have some more nice days to come before it gets hot. Until next time, have a great week!


Sunday, April 30, 2023

Weekend update with hammock time, Oliver enjoying sun/dirt, and going to the theater... Yard work the plan for Sunday afternoon... It is a good weekend!

Me Relaxing in the Hammock and Oliver Relaxing in the Sun and Dirt
Me in Hammock... Oliver in Sun/Dirt

Busy weekend with events Friday evening and then up early Saturday morning. Still, made time to relax in the hammock outside with Oliver. However, he found a nice spot in the yard with good sunlight and a patch of dirt. I will say, that is the only patch of dirt in the back yard, but he finds it and hangs out there any chance he gets.

Friday night we celebrated Carrie's birthday with her family. Yes, her birthday was a few weeks ago, but this was the first time we had to get together as a family to celebrate. Had a wonderful time at The Weather Room. Good drinks, food, and company was good to celebrate her birthday. A perfect ending to the week which seemed like a long week for some reason. I realized that we did not get any pictures Friday night so again I am trying to improve on taking pictures and capturing moments, but still thinking of it after the fact in most cases.

Saturday morning I was up early to attend an event on the Washburn campus for the new law building. Helped to make sure everything was working properly for the meeting being held in the still being constructed law building. It went off without a hitch.

Carrie went to auditions from 1 - 4 pm on Saturday and should hear on a part by Monday. So excited she is auditioning for plays. Hoping she gets a part so I can see Carrie on the stage again.

Saturday night, we were at Topeka Civic Theater to watch The Crucible. Had a fun time at the theater and the play was good. The last time I saw "The Crucible" was probably twenty years ago with Eddie was in the play. The cast did a good job although at the end it felt like it was anticlimactic as this play just ended and the cast came out on the stage. When Eddie was in the play, the end was intense with the sound of those being accused being hung. I still remember that feeling and we talked about it as we left the play last night. Still, the cast did a good job last night and we had a great time.

Sunday is a day to catch up again in the lawn. Need to mow again today and do some clean up from winter with limbs, leaves, etc. Should be a slow Sunday which is good as we prepare for another week. This week Carrie has her Bonner Event Thursday night that she is getting ready for and I plan to attend with her. 

Until next time, have a great week!


Sunday, March 20, 2022

Relaxed Workout Schedule, Lots of Basketball, Baseball, and YouTube TV Guide Changes Looming

I am a little late on posting my Sunday posting. I usually try to do so during the week, or Saturday, and have it post by midnight Saturday night. Well, this week, other than posting a St. Patrick’s Day post, I did not get it done. It was a short work week for me as I took off of work Thursday half-day and Friday all day to watch basketball. It has been a fun few days off and lots of basketball. Plus, I get to connect with my sister, Dina, to discuss various games. We usually discuss the upsets or of course KU games are discussed, so it has been fun to watch, discuss, and cheer for games this weekend.

My exercising routine did not go well this week. I had planned to work out my regular three times this week, but as it turned out, I only got one workout in today (Sunday). The two earlier in the week never happened. We ended up going out for impromptu dinner Tuesday night when I was planning to ride and when we got back home, I did not feel like riding the bike. I already knew that my Thursday workout was going to be another day to schedule as I was taking off Thursday afternoon and all day Friday. So, I changed and planned to work out Friday morning before the games started, but I could not get motivated to get on the bike. Instead, I stayed in my lounge chair where I would sit for most of the day watching games. So, not a good week for working out which is not good, but hopefully with an hour long bike ride this morning on Sunday, I will get back into the swing of riding again.

MLB spring training started this past week, so I have been tuning into their games. I listened to the Royals spring training game on Friday which was fun (ended in a tie 5-5), but it was good to hear baseball again and hear familiar names of the Royals players. I have also been tuning into every Washburn baseball game to watch it on the MIAA network. There have been some fun games for Washburn baseball. Washburn baseball is 17-7 on the season, so they have been fun. Planning to get out to watch some of their home games here soon too.

I decided that I would not be buying the MLB.TV package from YouTube TV this year. I did it last year as it was the first time they had it, but other than being fun to watch other teams, it does not do a whole lot for me. I already buy the subscription for radio broadcast, so I can tune into any radio broadcast for MLB. The hope of having Royals back on YouTube TV is about gone. I do not see anyway for Royals to be on YouTube TV again.

Related to YouTube TV, I read an article today that Google is testing a new guide for YouTube TV subscribers. We have not picked up the new update yet, but I am excited to see what they do with the changes. An article from 9to5Google shows what some users are seeing in the testing. Some of the mentioned changes are things I have wanted since joining YouTube TV with being able to see descriptions without going to the show. So, I look forward to the change to rollout to our Roku systems.

For me, back to watching March Madness, streaming Washburn baseball, and watching the Royals later through my Mom’s Bally Sports account. Enjoy your Sunday and talk to you next week.

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Trip to St. Louis for Weekend for Fun March 4 - 6, 2022... Where We Ate, Drank, and Had a Lot of Fun!

Erin, Greg, Carrie, and John at Place Having DrinksWe spent the weekend of March 4 - 6 in St. Louis, Missouri. Greg had a baseball draft Saturday night, so we decided to make a weekend of it and go into St. Louis to spend the weekend. This is a review of our trip, where we ate, what we did, and places we want to go again.
 
My friend lives in St. Louis and I tried to coordinate with him to meet up on Saturday, but our plans fell through and we were unable to meet up. He ended up being in Kansas and I was in his stomping ground. I was sad I was unable to meet up with Mark, but Carrie and I are hoping to make another trip into St. Louis in the near future to eat some good food and see the Poggio family.
 
Pre-Dinner Drinks at Charlie Gitto’s on The HillWe found a place to rent and headed out from Topeka early afternoon. We got into St. Louis late in the afternoon. We had made reservations at an Italian place on The Hill, so we cleaned up a little from the trip, had a drink or two, and then did Uber to our dinner reservations. We arrived at Charlie Gitto’s on The Hill and sat at the bar. When we first arrived and looking at the bar, it looks like a small place, but realized it was much larger than we had imagined. A table in the middle of the main area where we had entered opened up and we thought it was going to be our table. As the hostess came to get us we walked past that table to another area although we quickly declined that location and asked if we could sit at the open table in the enterance. We are so glad Carrie asked about another table as it was a perfect location. We were right in the middle of the place with a great feel. It as wonderful!
 
We ordered drinks and looked over the menu. Typical for me, I completely forgot to take any pictures while we were in the restaurant, so the pictures from this evening are from Erin. Our table in the middle was great, we were chatting with the people on either side of us and actually paid for part of one table that was celebrating their first anniversary. It was a fun night!
 
Cappuccino at Charlie Gitto’s on The HillThe cappuccino was really good! Again, credit to Erin to taking the picture. The meal was excellent as was the service. The waiter was knowledgable and gave great direction on what to order. We ordered two bottles of wine and Greg even drank red wine. What a wonderful evening! Charlie Gitto’s on The Hill is a place I would love to visit again. Maybe sit at the bar to enjoy drinks and dinner, but mainly to experience the environment of the place. So much fun!
 
Following dinner, we went to a few other places in the area. One place that was recommended as Narwhal’s Crafted Urban Ice. It was an interesting place, but not what I think we were expecting. Seemed to be a popular place for the younger crowd, so we ordered a few drinks and left when we were done. 
 
Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, Missouri TourSaturday morning we went to SqWires Restaurant & Market which was fantastic! Once again, the service was excellent, helpful, and personable, but the food and drinks were great too! From breakfast, we went to tour Anheuser-Busch which I think was my third time to do the tour. It seemed shorter from when I did the tour 15 or so years prior plus we were unable to see the production line of bottling as they were working on the line at the time. Still, it was fun to see the production and drink some fresh beer. I believe it was the first time for Erin and Greg to tour. Carrie and I had been through it about fifteen years prior when we were visiting the Poggio family.
 
Horses at Anheuser-Busch Trou
We made a quick trip following the tour back to The Foundatain on Locust. I think I could live at The Foundatain on Locust with wonderful drinks (both acholic and non-acholic). I had a Mud Slide which was wonderful. We laughed at Greg because he did not speak the whole time he was eating his sundae. I had part of Erin’s shake as she could not finish it all. Enjoyable spot and probably a good thing we have to travel to enjoy this thing in the future.
 
As Saturday night was coming up and Greg had to get to his draft, Erin, Carrie, and I went to EdgeWild Restaurant & Windery which was a place we saw on-line and decided to try out. Once again, it was a fun spot. We sat the bar and they were very busy through the place. We had all been eating most of the day, or snacking, so we all got a wedge salad for dinner, some apps, and drinks. We had a good time before we headed to where Greg was doing his draft to hang out and have a few more drinks.
 
Before we left to head back to Topeka on Sunday morning, we stopped by Pharaoh’s Donuts in downtown St. Louis. We parked and went walking up to the place on the corner. Not thinking much of the place as it looked like your typical local place for donuts. We made our selections, ordered, and ate in the store at some tables to the side. I have been teased that I say I love a food, or drink, so much, but I am not lying that this might have been the best donuts I have had in my life. They were fresh and melted in my mouth. I got a twist and a Long John. I wanted more! So much more, they were so good! Erin who is not much of a donut person said they were some of the best she had as well. A place we will visit again next time we are in St. Louis.
 
Overall, we had a wonderful experience in St. Louis. Everyone we encountered from places we ate, drank, or the farmers market we visited Saturday, were all so nice and helpful. We made some wonderful memories and I look forward to making a trip in the future back to St. Louis in the future. 
 

Sunday, October 10, 2021

Fun Weekend with Sports, Nice Weather, and More Sports

Washburn Volleyball GameWe started off the weekend by attending a Washburn volleyball game Friday night. Washburn volleyball team is ranked #1 in the country and has a seven game winning streak. The first two sets were fast winning by a huge margin. The third set we lost a bit of focus and lost but came right back and won the last set to win the match. Carrie and I went to the game and had a great time. Only six home games remain on the regular season, so hoping we can make it to a few more before the regular season ends. Washburn volleyball plays again this evening, but we are headed to the Washburn football game, so likely will not make it to the volleyball game tonight.

Tailgate Spot for Washburn Football

Saturday, we had talked about a few of us going to the tailgate and game. When it came time to leave for the tailgate (around 11 am) others decided they were going to skip as it was going to be hot. I took a few chairs and a tent earlier in the day as I took the car for work. So, when I went at 11, I only took a cooler. I saw fellow fans and hung out at the spot. The game started and I got a notice on my phone of activity at our front door. I also got a notice that Carrie was leaving the house, so I checked our Ring app and I could see Carrie leaving with a cooler. I thought, well, that is kind of odd. I could then see her heading my way on Find My app and eventually Carrie and Greg came walking up. It was pretty cool! They came and joined me for the game. 

Tailgate Spot Another View

It was supposed to be hot (low 90s) but it turned out to be really nice. A breeze that was blowing and overcast, so it helped with the heat. We had a good time and talked with our neighbor, John, about combining our tailgate spots in the future as both of us are struggling to get others to join our spots. I told him I was certainly open to doing so. Washburn won 23-20 in overtime. It was a strolling end to the game.  We hung out a while after the game before eventually cleaning up and heading home. 

Carrie and I thought about going to another volleyball as they were playing at 6 again Saturday night, but we both decided we were tired after doing the tailgate and game. We had a fun day and I am looking forward to Chiefs playing tonight. 

Normally at this time of year, I would be on the road back from Helena, Arkansas from the King Biscuit Blues Festival, but with it being canceled this year, missing out on the festival, seeing friends, and the travel to/from Helena. I miss seeing all of our family and friends for the King Biscuit Blues Festival, but hopefully we will be back in a year. It has been fun seeing family and friends post memories from past festivals, but I cannot wait to get down there again. 

Until next time, have a great week and I will talk to you later…


Sunday, November 13, 2016

Catching up from August Post and New Stuff

Hard to believe how fast the end of 2016 is going. It is only November, but it is almost Thanksgiving and Christmas is right around the corner. Before long it will be 2017. Let me see if I can summarize what has happened since my last post in August.

August

The end of August started my goal to get a masters. I enrolled in my first masters class in August. It was a eight week completely on-line course. With only one course completed in the Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership, I do not take my next course until the second eight weeks of the spring semester. The program is completely on-line and all courses are eight weeks. It is possible to do two classes a semester meaning it can be finished in a short amount of time. I am taking the classes for free by working for Washburn, so I am on the extended plan. It will take me longer to finish, but I am not in a huge hurry to finish it up. I have been looking at obtaining a masters for a few years now. This program was just announced and started being offered fall 2016. I am excited to be taking classes again!

September

Bridge in Madison CountySeptember had me about halfway through the master class. It was also the 14 anniversary for Carrie and I, so we made a trip to Des Moines, Iowa. We had a great time in Des Moines. It was our first time to visit Des Moines and first time in Iowa. We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast where we had a wonderful time.

Not only did we enjoy so many different Iowa beers, but we also enjoyed some excellent Iowa wines. We bought a case of different wines and brought those home. They have some very good wine selections from local wineries. We were impressed!

We ate at a different places and like we do most of the time when we travel, we eat at places we cannot eat at when we are at home. Carrie found a place for us to eat called Strudl Haus. It was an Austrian dining experience and we both loved our dishes. We each got a plate to ourselves and then one extra to share between the two of us. Glad we did as it was a great experience.

Our Room at Butler House in Des Moines, IowaFollowing eating at Strudl Haus, we went to our B and B which was called Butler House. The picture to the right is our room. It was my first experience staying at a B and B. I loved it! Breakfast each morning and then free to go on the town. As I mentioned earlier, I did not plan well during this trip, so I spent most afternoons working on my homework so I could post it by Saturday evening.

We could not have asked for better weather while we were in Iowa either. It rained overnight and then was beautiful during each of the three days that we were there.

A few of the other places we ate (or drank) and would highly recommend included El Bait Shop, La Mie Bakery & Restaurant, Summerset Winery, and Iowa TapRoom (was awesome!).

We want to go back and visit again we had so much fun in Iowa. Beautiful country and it was a really easy drive from Topeka to Des Moines. Highly recommend a visit to Des Moines, Iowa.

October

Javier and I at the King Biscuit Blues Festival 2016I attended another King Biscuit Blues Festival which celebrated the 31 year of the festival. Javier and I were able to attend this year and Carrie stayed home for this one. We had one of the smoothest festivals I have attended. I have told others that the first day (Thursday), I did not have to carry anything at all. I think on Friday, I carried maybe a single amp. It was smooth and not a lot to do other than catchup with so many friends that attend the festival.

After returning from the King Biscuit Blues Festival, I had to finish a paper that was due the Saturday night while I was gone. Having an extension, I was able to finish it up the following week. I had it turned in by Wednesday evening following returning from Arkansas. We then had our final presentations to give for the class on October 13. August - October proved to be rather intense with classes and work, but I made it through. We already have our grades from the master classes, so I know that I already earned an A for the first class. I am ready to enroll in the second class which I will do here in the next few weeks.

Group Picture at Homecoming After Hours 2016October was also Washburn Homecoming. Javier visited Topeka and stayed at our house. We had his new dog with him. We had a great time! It was fun to go to After Hours and have everyone attend. We took the picture to the left with all of our friends. Thanks to Danny for snapping the picture!

Washburn won the homecoming day game and once again we had beautiful weather. Carrie and others made so much wonderful food, everyone had a great time at the game.

November

Picture of Greg, John, Erin, and Carrie at Drew and Libby's weddingWe are early into November, but not far away from Thanksgiving. We attended a wedding for Drew and Libby in Kansas City the first weekend of the month. Beautiful wedding where we stayed the night in Kansas City. Greg was an usher in the wedding which is why he was wearing a tux. Me, I had just purchased my new suit for the wedding and just to have that week.

This past weekend, we attended the last home football game for Washburn. We played Emporia State for the last home football game and we never showed up. It was not pretty!

Conclusion

I believe I have caught you up to what has happened the past few months. It has been a fun filled past few months. Intense at times for homework, work, and life, but things have been good. I am looking forward to a great ending to 2016. This year has flown by and I want to make the most of what is left of it before we move to 2017. 

Until next time, have a great November and I will talk to you again soon!