So far it has been the winter that wasn't... no snow... no cold. Yesterday it was ab out 50 degrees... with bare ground. Today we are in the middle of one of those day long snows. So far, not so bad. But weather forecasters are like newsmen..... they want to say as much as possible in as short a time as possible....Which means we are in for anywhere from 6 inches of snow... to a foot.
So instead of searching for a Winter that is plainly evident ... when it arrives... I have decided to search for truth, honesty, goodwill, peaceful hearts, manners, decorum, plain doughnuts and strong beer. NOW... I will know winter when I SEE it and I know where to find the beer and doughnuts..... but my heart aches, sometimes, see, for all the other things that seem to be in such short supply.
you betcha! my hat is in the ring! I mean, why not? I can say stupid shit as well as the next candydate and probably make more sense saying it, too!
Like, I gotz this grate idea....I will make Macaroni and Cheese the official state meal! What a concept! In fact... I think I will make Macaroni and Cheese the 51st State! Oh, oh....this is gonna be fun!!!
Lesseee here.... I gotz my political primer.... everything I need to know to understand politicks and how to balance the budget.
and I have some GREAT ideas.... like..... I will outlaw the word "Gay"... it will now be know as 'heterosexually challenged'...
and broccoli will be officially banned at any meal that also features potatoes.... oh oh oh... I will get rid of the Army all together and replace it with the Green Bay Packers!
boy, am I cooking now! I will outlaw Christianity.... it was getting stale anyway. Maybe I will replace it with....hmmmmm.... Idle Worship..... which is what most religion is anyways... or at least that's what I get out of some of the clowns on the TV, see.
Oh Stuff... this could be fun. Anybodyz gotz some other ideas... lemmee know.... I have to go find a running mate...
Ok..... the holidays is over.... good deal. And I did my first screw up of 2012... or at least the first one I noticed... I deleted my blog roll. Which I can attribute to nothing more than being stupd en notz being a good speler. Whatever. And I am suffering from writers block... which is better than having writer's cramps which is not like menstrual cramps which I don't know about, see, cause I am of the male persuasion... which if you had to persuade me to do anything it would be to go to Oblio's for a beer which really doesn't take much persuasion cause I get a cramp in my left hand if I do not do the 16 ounce curl for exercise at least a few times a week and seeing as this is friday I think I should head down there and exercise a little bit which is my New Beers resolution, see, to get a little exercise so I don't get cramps, is what.
Now it was vaguely rumored that Oblios is just a figment of my imagination.... which would save me a ton of money were it only true.... but it ain't..... though some of the people who go there would be better off if they were fictional.... and that would probably save them tons of money too, but nope, they are mostly real, too, except for Joe Cool.... who is mostly unreal... especially when he invites you to do a shot of Sambuca....
Well, anyways..... My friend Lee wrote a nice history of the bar which, with much witticism called History of Oblios pt 1 and then, not to be outdone.... he followed that up with History of Oblios pt 2 which just goes to show that Lee really can think up clever stuff.
anyways, see, as I was restoring my blog roll I noticed that the folks at Riding the Beer Trail did a little post about Ob's on their blog featuring the new T's that Mark and Todd ordered up
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...... which may or may not be available for mail order. Beats me..... you could go to FB and ask Nikki.... FB Oblio's .... but I know I already bought a couple... and gees... you could be the first one in your neighborhood/city/state/province/mental institution to own one.
The Shirt has it's genesis from an old beer brand they used to make in my section of Beautiful Downtown Wisconsin.
..... now if that doesn't sound like a commie pinko socialist liberal beer......
Used to be a cigar was a smoke and a burger beat anything. A hamburger. On a bun. With ketchup. Maybe cheese...but that was it! It was plain, basic... and gosh darn good. Nowadays it seems like you just amble out for a walk, ..see, and you're thinking, "Goddam, I sure could go for a burger!" but but but...what you want, see, is a date with the Parson's daughter and when you stroll into a burger joint they flip you a menu that resembles a Las Vegas whore house full of aged and ugly hiding in lettuce tomato and plastic cheese.
Oh, and the stuff they put on them! Cucumbers, teriyaki sauce, guacamole, pineapples,fried eggs, jalapenos, blu cheese, bacon, mushrooms,onions.... oh gees! Now, none of the above is particularly 'bad' on a burger.... but mostly they mush as much of that shit on one burger that the first thing I think of is, "I'm gonna wrap my lips around..THAT?????" Now don't be getting me wrong,see, cause I like to play with my meat as well as the next cook, and adding a little extra is ok....but what about the plain and simple iconic sandwich that means more to America than Hot Dogs ever did.
So I am thinking... what happened to hamburgers? I used to stop at this cafe just off Hwy 51 just outside of Montello, a real Mom&Pop... Grandma is in the kitchen and the Daughter-in=law runs the counter. Must have stopped there most every monday for 15 years. Gees, by the time I would spit a little gravel in the parking lot and amble on in, why see, my coffee was on the counter and maybe a newspaper and I knew my burger was on the grill. We worked that all out long time before... if it was monday it was a hamburger with fries. On a homemade bun, lightly buttered. Honest as all get out. Add a little ketchup. Done. See.. that's not much to ask.
So why is this so hard for the news peoples to figure out? Just News. Just give me a simple who -what -when -where -why and how serve it up to me on a homemade bun and then shut up. Well, maybe a little ketchup,see. Now take this Iowa Caucus thingee....whiich is gonna turn into a Vermont thingee and a South Carolina thingee and ad nauseum.... see, all the news tells me is 'who is ahead'...... and not a single reason why they are ahead or what....
..who's on first? Not a decent burger in the bunch. Nope. N0W... IF I WAS A REPUBLICAN... why I would be down right embarrassed. It's bad enough it's just a bunch of whores... but this batch is like a forty year old whore wearing a bikini... and it sure ain't pretty, see. And it is gonna get worse, cause soon, them whores is really gonna dance.
Reruns of Petticoat Junction will start to seem like intelligent entertainment. I kid you not.
Well so far the best part of the holiday has been the tapping of the Stout at Oblio's..... CENTRAL WATERS Bourbon Barrel Stout.
this stuff is GREAT.... a review from a Madison Beer Review:
Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Stout
Appearance: deep dark brown with a thick, foamy beige head; the head falls away somewhat quickly leaving some alcohol, but no lacing, on the sides Aroma: sweet and bourbonish with a dense aroma of chocolate and malt – almost of bitter chocolate, with a long, lingering brightness Flavor: chocolates and bourbon with a long, lingering bitter dark chocolate finish Body: deep and thick; like drinking chocolate out of bottle with a slight cordial flavor, without the cherry Drinkability: perfect for an aperitif, a six pack would be nice to supplement and sustain throughout the winter Summary: a great beer that is rapidly becoming the hallmark and calling card of Central Waters – a reputation maker and a business sustainer; a damn fine beer.
Well,,, I could not say it better. Also it runs close to %10 .... and it runs a nice $5.25 a pint ... so it is not a quick drink.... it is absolutely excellent with a aged Swiss...
I normally do not do beer reviews... but this stuff is so good... I have never 'saved' beer... but I plan on trying to buy a six pack of this and store it... word is it is even better after a year.
Oh, in other news... Christmas is over!!!! I have watched "It's A Wonderful Life" "Christmas Story" " Lampoon's Christmas" and my fav, " Bad Santa". All went well... I got some socks and underwear... got gifted at the Moon coffee house and some music. Black Keys new album. There is NO SNOW.. and it feels like 40 outside... anywaays.... I felt burnt out..... But I should be a stout hearted man by 5!
I can Handle It Just say "Cheese" a new year approaches!
My favorite elf was about 5 years old that year. We were watching "The Grinch" and she came sliding across the couch to snuggle in next to me. Crossed her arms and looked at me seriously.
"You know, Daddy, they have this stuff now that you just brush into your beard and then you take a shower and all that grey will go away." They beard was the first to succumb to age color variation, you see.
She was seriously serious. So I bought a box of that stuff, wrapped it up and put it under the tree for Christmas morning. From Santa. And boy did she get excited that morning. Not another present did she open, my hand was grabbed and off to the bathroom we went. She applied it with studious care, if not with a concern for 'neatness'. It was all over the place. I still have that t-shirt I wore all flecked with brown. I don't much believe in Santa Claus.... but the love of elves is very very real.
My friend David Barber has posted a couple of his favorite Christmas type songs
and.. So, golllllllleee gee, I thought I would add a couple of my favorites..... so let's all go Caroling&stuff!
