Never under estimate kids screwing up plans.

      When you are making plans be it for a trip to the lake or for the end of the world assume one or more of your kids will screw it up.The way that they can do it are endless.Never under estimate them if they can find a way they will.A lot of parents try to be friends with their kids my wife fits that profile,Me I take the I AM THE KING, approach.To some this may sound unkind but it isn't its my job!No group can survive living by committee.Yes other input is important but in the end someone has to make a decision and enforces it.
      This little rant was caused by planning a 5 day trip to the lake going with our sister in law and was going to have 3 of the kids and 2 grand kids spend the weekend up there.My wife's youngest daughter is in jail on a failure to appear for 30 days everyone thinks us going to the lake should be canceled .I didn't get picked up she did the others shouldn't suffer I am going our plans or camping at the beach wont change.My job is to make these plans for everyone to have fun.I am sorry she is not going to go but as a FATHER i have to think of the rest of the family.This is just 2 trips that i have had to provide for.If this was a matter of life and death i would still side with what is best for the rest.Now to be fair if it wasn't this child it would have been my son.These two seem to do this every time we plan or are on a trip.We even plan on it and wonder what it will be.
     

Weekend Done!

     This weekend kicked my butt.I cooked and sold 44 Butts and 32 slabs .I am a greasy sweaty smoked mess.Made good money but I worked for it.Had a lot of people making 2 trips because it went fast when served.Had one man that has never baught from me even though i have known him for years buy a slab for his wife come back because she wouldnt share.I love seeing people smile when they pick up an order.

my baby

Been missing at the beach.

      Miss me i have been camping.The wife and I went down to gulf shore for a week of alone time.We got 3 days alone before family trickled in.We knew her sister was coming down for the weekend but my wife's oldest daughter came down to.I drove back and left them to have fun.I had to BBQ glad i did was a good weekend .They spent the weekend swimming and at the bar me and the wife found.As a man i am sure there was a  lot of man bashing going on.
      OK if you go to the perdido bay area you have to find a place called   HUB STACEY,S its a bar,sandwich.Burger ,chicken wing,relaxed place.Its not fancy its like a friends deck with table service.I saw workers stopping in for lunch women with kids enjoying the food and margaritas husbands meeting the family for a bite,and the usual barfly's saying hello to everyone as they came in.It was like cheers with a deck on the water.The food was cheap the beer ice cold and service quick and friendly for an indoor and outdoor setting verry clean.

Mothers day! make it her day.

     Our kids are mad at us Sunday is mothers day but we are not going to be here.We are going to go to Gulf Shores.This is what my wife wants its her day not the kids so we are going to go camping.My Mom is still alive so i will call her from there,I told the kids to call and wish her a happy mothers day.Our house is grand central station most days so us being gone wont be to bad.
    Yesterday we had 4 out of 7 come over 2 grand kids and 6 calls from the others.This is a normal day for us.So the wife can have a day of rest we are going camping.I will get her a bottle of Margaretta and we will grill steaks and listen to her favorite Cd's its her day.We are going to meet up with her sister on Wednesday when she comes down.I hope he weather is nice but if it rains we will pile up in the camper for a movie feast.
     I don't know if we will be able to go to the coast after schools out.I searched dates and campgrounds on line and most are filling fast .A lot more families are camping now than a few years ago.That's a good thing in my opinion.If we do manage another trip to the coast it looks like it will have to be 2 days on one lot then shift to another.Lots of 3 and 4 day stays are being booked with 2 day windows on the campsites left.
      Oh just for the record I am calling my MOM but her Mothers day gift is going to be a week camping at a lake her and my step father went to every summer before he passed.She dropped a few hints she would like to go back.I just wonder if she will be able to enjoy it now that hes gone.I have to spend more time with her shes 71.I  do what i do so I wont have so many' I SHOULD HAVE" later

Spring time is a lot of work!

      Is it just me or is geting caught up on the yard and house and other what not alot of work?Cutting the grass planting flowers tilling a garden(a friends not me this year)hauling garbage fixing the cars.When the weather is in the 70s it seems like work to be done is everywhere.Stop and think about what you have had to do.Ok now just be thanful you didnt have to milk cows or goats gather eggs plant 20 acres make sure the animals were bred.Sharpen tools cleaned a barn hauled manure(OK did that for the wifes flowers).Thinking about what i have to do verses what my greatgrand parents had to do in the spring.My life is a walk in the park. So take a few and compare your spring see how you rate :).