I don't know of any songs that are explicitly about the autumnal equinox or even just autumn. However, Genesis' Wind & Wuthering has always had the feel of fall for me.
I had hoped to take today off from work to celebrate but that didn't pan out. Perhaps I'll take a walk after work to check out the colors.
I am not sure which is more disgusting, mac & cheese pizza or this one. This was seen yesterday at the supermarket.
Man, I hope it is a very limited edition indeed. It's only bloody September!
Doom Bar. A fine name for an ale.
How was it?
Bostin! (Thanks, Al!) It was such a joy to drink amber ales that didn't taste like caramel. You too can brew them like that, U.S. brewers. I know you can.
One of my goals on my UK trip was to sample as many salt & vinegar crisps as I could. I think I was able to chow on eight different varieties over there and then grabbed four more at the airport in Dublin. Many thanks to the Irish guy on the plane who shared his favorite with me.
By the third day I was off to a good start.
I would also like to note that cheese & onion crisps are really tasty too.
It was a dream come true to see IQ live a few days ago. I'd been wanting to see them since circa 1990 and then there I was at the Y Theatre with the band before me.
One of my co-workers roasts coffee and he brought in some of the fruits of his labors to the office for everyone to enjoy. By everyone I mean him and me.
In addition to the desired earthy flavors, the lighter roasting produced some stonefruit tastes as well.
A cup of joe fit for Jehovah.
I fired up the grill on Sunday for what is hopefully not the last time this season.
The ribs were braised in the oven for a while before being finished off on the grill. I did so in some of that apple cider I had mulled on Saturday. For the rub I doctored some of Penzy's Northwoods Fire seasoning blend. And, since there were flames, I figured I'd cook some hot dogs as well. And, since I was doing dogs too, I figured I'd grill a banana for dessert. Grilled fruit is underappreciated in my humble opinion.
The gods showed mercy today as I ended up with the comparatively mild jalapeño jelly bean today.
There was a lovely breeze blowing off the lake yesterday evening as I marched to the shore to further sunder ties with my Noch-Frau. I was there to rid myself of my weddings bands that had bound us together by casting them into Lake Monona.
It was a much more emotional experience than I expected as tears welled in my eyes even as I walked down Walter Street to the lake shore. When I got there I put "Squonk" by Genesis on my headphones as it was my brother's favorite song of theirs and it has a special place in my musical heart. And so my dearly missed brother, Carl, was there with me as I flung the bands into the murky waters, ending my marital commitment to the Noch-Frau and confirming that my love for her is passed.
I had two bands as I lost the first one and had it replaced. The original turned up during a long overdue cleaning of the clothes washer's filter. The replacement went first with a leisurely throw while the one given to me on our wedding day was cast into the waters with more strength and determination, as if I was exorcising myself of demons by consigning it to the lake bed. The dork in me envisioned my band as the One Ring and the lake as the fires of Mount Doom because you know it had to.
To be honest, I was surprised at how cathartic the experience was. I felt a genuine sense of having severed adamantine chains that were holding me back, dragging me down. This morning was simply wonderful as I greeted the dawn with coffee in-hand as Piper meowed for attention (that she got). The walk to the bus stop was brisk but invigorating and I found the conversation with my fellow busrider while we waited - mainly about apples and apple recipes - warm and cheerful.
It's beginning to look like all those people who told me that it gets better were right.
After having been given a lesson on making pie crust, specifically rye pie crust, I made one solo for the first time.
Just like the last one, this pie was apple because the Paula Reds on my kitchen counter weren't going to make a pie out of themselves. It turned out fairly well.
Not the most aesthetically delightful pie ever, but it tasted good. Not sure if you can tell but the crust (bottom too) was a real Frankenstein job with gaps (and chasms) being patched with spare bits. But, as I said, it tasted good and went over well at gaming.
Last night it was Call of Cthulhu brought to you by Schlenkerla.
I shall be running The Mirror Collection at Gamehole Con and this was an initial run through. Overall, it went well, though I learned a couple things about plot progression for next time. And the rauchbier was excellent.
We played The Crew which I had played once before a few years back at Gamehole Con.
It was great fun and I got to meet some new people.
It's one of those relatively rare things in boardgaming as it's cooperative. The play is trick-taking. Players are given cards and then they go on a "mission" which involves a player or, more often, players needing to win a round which includes a specific card. With multiple missions, i.e. - cards that needed to be won by a specific player, you can look ahead and try to modify your hand to accommodate victory. For instance, if a low card is needed for the win, then you can try to rid your hand of higher value cards of that same color so you don't end up winning the round.
Gaming got me all excited for Gamehole and I suspect the majority of people that were in the room are going to attend.
I heard a sandhill crane's squawk earlier so I went outside to see if the bird was anywhere to be seen. While it was not, this chipmunk, who no doubt lives under the deck, was.
Yesterday evening I cooked Romanian for what is surely the first time in my life. The menu was simple but intriguing: stuffed celeriac.
I skinned the root and then dug out a cavity which would hold the filling. The filling was very simple - the celeriac that had been removed, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Once stuffed, put the diced root in a pan with some olive oil and that lemon-infused water that kept the root from browning. Well, browning too much, in my case.
Cook until done and serve.
It was tasty. Celeriac has a gentle celery flavor that was easily penetrated by the garlic's sharp pungency. While I ate it on its own, I think that it would be the perfect accompaniment for beef, particularly a beef roast. Will I eat the leftovers with a Vienna all beef hot dog? This is a definite possibility. Still, roast beef is the best bet.
After dinner I went to Chocolate Shoppe for dessert and to get in a bit of reading. I opted for the new flavor on the block, Apple Cider Doughnut. Highly seasonal.
It was quite good, as you would expect.
While there I noticed that Chocolate Shoppe has a new flavor contest ongoing. I grabbed an entry form and came up with a flavor on the way home.
Now all I need is a catchy name.
