Absorbine_Sr

This is what's left. I'll be taking these to Mom tomorrow.

Trying my first baby backs on the Weber Genesis. External probe thermometer is helping me get to 225F. Apple wood in an improvised smoker box. We'll see how it goes.

Actually, she's a chubby timid 5 year old.

Picked up a new member of the family. Currently named Maddy but that will probably change.

Thanks! An excellent read of a period I lived through via many of the albums mentioned. A nice fleshing-out of some of the music a 70's midwest kid with personality issues came to love.

Happy Birthday Todd!! Thanks for keeping the asylum running!

Agreed Steve. The dynamics behind the teams these days are so complex with sponsors, driver sponsors, manufacturers etc., it's amazing any decisions get made. Unless you're Ferrari and then it's just the Italians making decisions. Wrong decisions, but decisions none the less.

Zealot by Reza Aslan. Unlike a certain Fox News host...

I will be highly surprised if Kimi ends up at Red Bull next year. I doubt that young Mr. Vettel wants that kind of competition from a team mate in similar equipment. And Lotus has shown they can run at the front, so why leave? But, I am frequently wrong. Good race overall, but Ferrari might as well start diverting resources to next year's car as I don't see a way forward for them given their current pace. Unless Grosjean can keep running fast and start running into Vettel on a regular basis.... Summer break now, then to my fave two races of the year - Spa and Monza.

Happy Birthday Antonio. I hope the day was awesome and I hope we get to meet you in person sometime down the road.

X5 We assembled our elliptical today. The assembly was the workout for today...

RIP Dennis Farina. One of my favorite movie lines of all time - from Midnight Run. You have to hear it in his voice: "You and that other dummy better start getting more personally involved in your work, or I'm gonna stab you through the heart with a fuckin' pencil. Do you understand me?"

I agree on the helmet For Steve. But I have to say nice purchase as Italian rides are the best. Al, Quadrophenia will be on play rotation for the next week thanks to you.

Proper facilities seem to be in order Mikey. Job well done. Drink on.

Grilled a couple of USDA Prime New York strips and baked potatoes. Delish!

What's the problem Al? That's exactly how our kitchen looked when making the KBS candied bacon, skanky towel and all.

We're supposed to have some storms tonight in Chicagoland to break the heatwave and drop it back into the 80's. It was around 98 F when we left work today, and we had one brown-out power loss tonight for about 15 minutes. Thank Odin for air conditioning.

Nice work Jim. The Ditka is within you. Wait.... does that sound weird?

That is a very big thing in dog social circles. Sounds like you've got a smooth transition happening there sir. And I agree with the DOTU - where's the pics?

^^^^ This! Keep the updates coming Steve.

Apologies for the dirty plate, but we tucked in before I could remember to snap the pic. And since I don't see any sand, I assume you meant dessert. ( end snark). And yes, it was delicious. Though a bit too sweet for Debbie, it was awesome to me.

For the last night of vacation, Debbie and I went to a new local place named Dancing Marlin that specializes in small dishes ala tapas. Here was our lineup: Whitefish escabeche with cucumber vinaigrette, mint and red onion. Fried kale. Shrimp and Spanish chorizo flatbread. Oyster sliders. Shrimp pot stickers with fava bean puree and pickled celery (sorry, ate most of them before the photo) Clam fritters with a nice salad. Seared sea scallops with brown butter and corn. Gnudi ricotta dumplings with asparagus and peas. And for closers, brioche donuts with salted caramel sauce and whipped coffee cream. Along with all of this we had several house cocktails including a very nice Scofflaw. Back to work tomorrow but screw them, we had a great shared meal tonight.

Lotus is looking like the real deal. But it's going to be difficult to stop the Red Bull freight train. Ferrari? Who?

Happy Birthday to the muscle of the Stax Mafia. I hope you've baked yourself a treat today.

Happy Birthday Mike! May many excellent beers find their way into your belly today.