Christmas Vacation -- The Fun and the Pank!

Well Christmas started out with Dad and I again dressing as Santa Claus and an Elf for several families the wek of Christmas.  We had a few new clients this year as well as the those from the past. 



From this.....to



this

 First the elf thing.  It started about 5 years ago, of course drinking is involved every year.  It started with just N's family.  They have small grand kids and the AquaEmpress had N's Santa costume, I said if they had an elf costume I'd go as well.  I'll be damned if an elf hat and booties didn't fall out as well.  So I threw on a pair of green sweat pants and borrwed mom's vest and a green turtle neck.  That year was fun, after going to N's we hit up a few random houses that didn't know we were coming.  Since then we've added a few more people that have requested us to come over and more random houses.

This Santa had a problem with the beard as the elastic is getting old and his face started to show, the kids didn't notice though...you know it is Santa after all they just can't believe he's in their house.  The string is giving out on the pants and sometimes he looks like getto Santa (at least until Mom and Sweet Pea safety pinned the pants to his sweat shirt) and for some reason each year and from house to house Santa has a new accent, Russian, Spanish or German, sometimes a mix, of Indian and Spanish we were told this year.  It's a hoot to see.

The tights, yeah I bought those because this has almost become something more for the adults to enjoy, it's a free lance rifting Santa and Elf that goes to the houses so there's always video running (sorry no videos though...I haven't even seen them yet).

A few days before Christmas I swear Santa scared the $hit out of a kid, I heard him fall over backwards in a chair and take off running when Santa put his face in the window.

So HOW does a nice guy that entertains the kids in town get the INSIDE of his house tp-ed?  Well cousins looking for some revenge as well as a willing sister and Tootie to let them into the house that's how!

It all started about 3 years ago when Sweet Pea and I got married.  After I got home to the compound all the cousins were in the basement passed out from the awesome party we had.  I decided I didn't want to go to sleep since I was going to be leaving soon for Jamaica and since I didn't have shaving cream (I use the gel) I used Hershey's Syrup instead.  KSCousin helped in both incidents if I remember correctly, but I got chocolate sauce on the NYCousins as well as their friends...it was frickin halarious!  In the morning one of the NYFriends kasked who the immiture prick was that did this, and KSCousin said "the immiture prick is on a plane to Jamaica." 

And they've been waiting for an opportunity to get me back since then.  Well with Sweet Pea and I at her family's for a Christmas party they saw their opening and took it.  When Sweet Pea and I got home, I saw her car with TP on it I said "Ha they tp-ed your ca...oh "Fudge" what did they do to the inside?"  Only I didn't say Fudge..I said the mother of all cuss words (Christmas Story).  Well we walked in and tp everywhere, the only room I can't seem to find pictures of is the kitchen (it was the worst) and I forgot to take them of the car...but here's what we had..

In the bed there were also a bunch of packing peanuts AND straight out of the "God Father" they decided to send a message and put a bottle of chocolate sauce on my pillow....

Not sure what to do yet to get ahead again...but I'm thinking and Cousins.....it'll come......

GOT SOME GOOD NEWS TODAY!!!!

Swimmin' Star is moving back and and that means this guy comes home as well....

The Octobong!!!  Each tube holds 2 beers and the "chamber" in the funnel holds 1.  So 1 person, 3 Beers means this is a case killer.  As quick as you can drink it the case is gone.  And even better, there are 8 seperate chambers, I can have PBR, Swimmin Star can have Bud Light and Tootie can have his Gold cup winning Miller Lite and so on.

It'll be good to see it again, it was stuck in storage for a year but will make a triumphant return next football season for sure at the first night game ever at UofM with Notre Dame!

BEEF JERKY WEEKEND!

All right so my beef jerky is good....Tootie says so to.  On the way to Tennessee we got a bag of Jack Links....it's not so good.  I wonder if those guys have to mess with Sasquatch just to get the taste out of their mouth or something.  There's no flavor!  No seasoning, no nothing.  You probably get more flavor out of a piece of shoe leather.  The best store bought jerky I've had has always been Pemican....but of course can't find that in Naptown anymore. 

So I asked Sonny to borrow his food dehydrator many years ago and started making my own using his recipe, it's much better than any store bought beef jerky, plus I can make it as spicy as I'd like.  Then a few years ago I was given a dehydrator for Christmas and I make more stuff now as well.

But to make the Jerky since everyone asks, I get my meat (5 pounds) from The House of Meats in Anderson's.  You can have them slice it as thick or thin as you'd like, I got for a 1/4 inch thickness. Then you need some seasons like Soy Sauce, Worchestire, Liquid Smoke, Garlic and Onion Powder, pepper flakes, black pepper and brown sugar.  Sorry precise amounts are proprietary, but you can find any recipe on the internet as well as how to make your own Jerky using the oven and not a dehydrator.

Here's all the supplies....(Beer in the background is a must!)

Mix everything together...

Now toss the meat in and let it marinate for a few hours (2 or 3) I let it go over night though....And stir the meat every once in a while to make sure that all the meat gets the marinade on it.



When the meat is ready stack it on the trays....

Let the dehydrator run for about 24 to 30 hours... then cut up the dry meat into small strips across the meat grain (makes it easier to chew pieces).  Store the meat in small zip lock bags and keep them in the cupboard.  I don't know how long it lasts, it doesn't last around me or Tootie for that matter for to long.

Now some people would tell you that you should cut the fat off the pieces.  I say it's up to you, I leave the fat on there because those little pieces (sometimes big pieces) are like little pieces of Flavor-town that if not enjoyed the mayor of Flavor-town will have you arrested.

That's the jerky I enjoy most, they'll be some experimenting but at a later time, maybe some BBQ or really spicy stuff I don't know.....I"ll take input in the comments or orders...but it'll cost ya!

Buddy's New Hair Cut....

Swimmin Star (J. Boyd) this one is for you.....

Buddy and Tara went to school today with Sweet Pea (Lauren) as they usually do at least once a week.  They get to play with other dogs, and the students in the vet tech program get to learn things with the dogs.  Sweet Pea then asks the kids to do a couple things as well clean ears, brush teeth, trim nails and sometimes, trim their hair, especially since Buddy's hair seems to grow really fast.  This isn't the first time it's happened but the kids are learning, suposedly, but.....

Buddy is hideous he doesn't want you to look at him....

And now the profile of the Buddy doggy Mullet.....

Tara got a trim too but her trim isn't funny.

On a side note....Big Bang Theory and $%*# My Dad Says have got to be the 2 funniest shows on TV these days. 

Another Note:  Jerky is marinating in the fridge. 

Also look forward to one of my airline travel stories coming soon.



I'm Givin' This a Shot......

I have NO idea what I'm doing, what exactly I'm going to talk about, or how to even log back in to add more posts to this thing yet.

I'll just be another adventure and time killer for me.

I already have my first critisim......the wife doesn't seem to like the blog name....to bad....

But I'll give the quick story, I asked for help from a few close friends and apparently only 1 knows me really well...Tootie.  He's a great guy, gave me the Smokin Blue Moon name.

Smokin'...Tootie and I like to use smoke to cook almost anything, pork sholder is our specialty. 

Blue...For those that don't know I"m a big GO BLUE! Fan.  Season ticket holder (4) since 2005.

And now the Moon...the way home from those Michigan games can get crazy...this was the year of the moon.  The same Tootie didn't like to see a cig get thrown out the window by a FEMALE...ON THE PHONE...that was just smoking.  He said moon her!  And there it was, a pressed ham.

I'm likely not going to do a day to day thing, I'm not that interesting, especially during the week.  Maybe check back on Monday's or every few weeks.  I'll tell ya though I'll probably have something new up for Monday, I'm making some beef jerky this week and I'll give a quick run down of that since everyone seems to ask how I make it.  I'll add some other how I make type things as well when they're done.  I'll try and share a few stories....names likely withheld, those that already know the stories will know....basically I hope to kill as much of your time as I'm killing of mine, like right now there's nothing on tv until Criminal Minds...killing time.