Monday, September 03, 2007

Labor Day

Summer's over; time to put away the seersucker suit, the cream-colored fedora, and the white linen slacks. Time to tuck away the camping gear and picnic flat wear. Time to hang up my red sequined Spedo until next swim season.

Well, OK, there is another 18 days left until the sun's vertical rays cross the Equator toward the Tropic of Capricorn, but by all social convention, the Summer is done.

It was a quickie to be sure. Not a tap-your-foot-in-the-bathroom-stall-type of quickie, but rushed, hurried and abridged to be sure. There were many weekends of experimental smoked lamb, camera safaris with the girl and a prodigious flow of drool from the boy. The dog made a friend or two.

The BBQ contest went as expected. I did not win, but placed near the top. I did, however, sit my ass in a chair on a driveway in the shade, drink ice-cold cheap beer and watch sweet smoke billow from the vents of my smoker for hour upon hour under a pure blue Oregon sky. It was a perfect day.

Next year, I may attempt a brisket. I will have to confer with Carl first. I may also attempt an apricot glazed rotisserie pork roast. We shall see how the coming year develops.

I didn't see nearly enough strippers this Summer. Barely any at all, and I completely missed the outdoor patio pool stage at The Safari Club. Damn!

I think maybe I played disc golf once. If that. Such a waste. Parenting is hard. Saturdays are short.

I drank a lot this Summer, especially with the new job. We pour drinks at 4:45 most days. If you're downtown, stop by for a quick one.

Fall is coming. Yes, it technically will start on September 21. However, around here, Fall really starts when you smell it. And everyone does. One day, probably early in October, we will all get up to go to work. We will walk out to our cars, bikes or buses, and it will hit us: "Hmmm, smells like Fall." Then, it will be Fall.

Until then, we will all just collectively ride out this seasonal limbo, usually called the Indian Summer. It's a nether-season that allows us to catch up on Summer's missed follies and prepare for the chilling realities of the approaching Autumn. It's a time to clean out the gutters, unpack the sweater vest collection, and generally batten down the hatches.

The rain is coming, that is certain, but for now, at least for a few weeks, the sky is still blue.

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:01 AM

    Yesterday I pulled what might have been my best brisket ever off the grill. The total take was:

    1 12 pound brisket
    4 chickens
    3 pounds of brats

    We also finished off a keg of Vitbier

    It was a good birthday party for my 10 year old.

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  2. Well, I have to say - I am not ready to abandon the grill quite yet.

    The other night was a good one - about 3 lbs of artichoke and garlice and spicy sausages, and probably 5 lbs of citrus marinated chicken breast. (Veggies were handled off grill, but included a nice onion and pepper mix for the sausages).

    Summer has included several nice tri tips, a pork loin, some salmon (though not planked -still on the list), and tons of veggies.

    Still...so much more to do...

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  3. Man, I don't think the rain ever left. Maybe it was better in Oregon.

    Your post was beautifully written and kind of relieving... I'm glad fall is here. At least we know it's supposed to be rainy and chilly in autumn.

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  4. Anonymous10:06 AM

    Have you spoken with your parents lately? We are in the midst of a serious heat wave down here. The a/c can barely keep up. When you walk outside, your flesh melts off.

    Janet has pitting edema in her ankles and is 3 days away from removal of her parasite(our second boy)

    I looked at a 1972 oldsmobile vista cruiser wagon yesterday. Its the car from "that 70's show". I decided against it due to some rust issues.

    BBQ is not an option here but I did enjoy a carne asada burrito from El Loco yesterday. YUM!

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  5. Well, yes, Dr. B., you guys have only two seasons: January and Summer.

    And BBQ is ALWAYS an option.

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  6. I have to go back to Portland to do some errands. And no, I'm not thinking about the Vegan. Perhaps we can get a drink if I haven't been shipped off by then. Though that is rather doubtful this week.

    Perhaps we can stripclub it too. I really feel that I'm neglecting my duties upon my return to Oregon.

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  7. Inog is right, it was one of the best briskets ever cooked ever. And the beer was good until it was gone.

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Be compelling.

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