What is everyone up to?
The person I have been friends with the longest of anyone on this Earth is coming in for a visit. Planning on grilling some shish kabobs. Marinated beef, red onion, red bell pepper on all of them. Some also with grape tomato and/or mushroom (different people in my family like or don't like those).
If you are not sure how to celebrate, I'll add what my freshman honors chemistry professor used to say. There are 2 key characteristics to be a chemist. One is you are lazy and don't want to do any more work than you have to. The other is you must enjoy explosions.
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So we hung out with friends Saturday night. My parents are visiting for a few days. Tonight we are doing food and fireworks (the little ones) with the neighbors. Tomorrow hamburgers and hot dogs then going to see the fireworks...
We had 65 people to our house on Saturday for a BBQ and our townships fireworks. I live literally next door to the township park where they do the fireworks with a wide open farm field behind me so we have a completely unobstructed view from about 500 yards away. When the fireworks go off its like they are doing it just for us. It's exhausting doing all the cooking, decorations, setting up, clean up, etc., but it's a labor of love for our family and friends. As we've gotten older, we've asked for more help on bringing side dishes, and for set up and break down the next day. This year was one of the best we ever had for us as we missed hosting during the covid shut downs and cancellations for a few years.
My wife made regular and German potato Salads, baked mac-n-cheese, Pineapple bread, Mississippi mud, coconut cake, rice pudding, deviled eggs, peach slop, and summer sangria. I smoked 14 racks of pork ribs, 60 grilled chicken tender skewers, burgers and dogs. We had folks bring pasta salads, baked ziti, regular salad, orzo salad, chips n dip, pretzels, baked beans, Cole slaw, sauerkraut, rolls, fruit platter, Brownies, cookis, etc. We bought over $300 of beer, wine, seltzers, and booze (we have a LOT left over).
We also do games like trivia, ping pong challenge, corn hole, or Frisbee golf putting for adults, and simpler games for kids with cheesy prizes for the adult and kids winners, second place, etc., and glow sticks for everyone as it gets dark.
Wishing you all as happy a 4th as we had, and safe travels to and from whatever you have going on!
I've cooked for 40 before and the thought of another 25 sends my anxiety through the roof. Hopefully you had a few smoker beverages for your troubles
I sure did. Actually smoked the ribs the day before and chopped up and put into alum trays and then reheated covered on the smoker right before the party.
Lazy couple of days catching up on TKP AMAs, the recruiting thread and RVing at Bull Run regional park. Lil' Pailholder living his best life biking the campground and surviving on s'mores the size of his head
Absolutely phenomenal, this is what makes memories
Somebody, somewhere in the United States, is going to be with 10 fingers for the last time.
They may still have ten fingers. The fingers will be shorter and/or rearranged, though.
Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind.
"Mankind." That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist.
And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!
via GIPHY
Finally got out to Costco and bought a 16lb brisket- $2.59/lb. I trimmed the extending part of the flat off and froze it to make bar1990's oven brisket when we finish this part. Rubbed down the rest Sunday. Got it on the BGE at 225 at 12:45 last night. Currently drinking coffee, staring at my iPad (wordle in three tries, sudoku with no errors on the second game) , waiting for the stall to break so I can wrap it. I'll be helping clean out the garage while the brisket finishes. Still trying to decide if we want live music at the park, our swim/tennis club, or a local brewery this afternoon. May depend on outside temp. Tailgating in a parking lot with friends for the fireworks, coming back here for manhattens and martinis after.
I bought a 24 lb one that hubby smoked for our hang out with the neighbors. He had to cut it in half to fit it on the smoker. The half that we didn't eat was still hot at 10:30 last night (he wrapped it in his smoker towels and put it in the cooler).
I usually look for the smaller pieces with even smaller fat caps so they fit and are easier to handle. Mine just broke out of the stall and hit 165 a few minutes ago. Now wrapped to finish. Hopefully will have to rest before the tailgate. Everything is out of the garage and the floor has been pressure washed. Waiting for it to dry to move everything back in.
Sheetz next to me (and I'm sure others) are selling all grades of gas for $1.776. Celebrate America by stocking up on Ethanol Free like I am.
Wish there was one near where I live. But I'm guessing the lines are horrible.
Indeed. But it only took about 15 mins
I skied on July 4th and I got the t-shirt to prove it
(Freedom Fest at Palisades Tahoe)
We ended up having, essentially, a flash flood from a massively intense rain storm. Lasted probably less than 2 hours, but still had to push someone's car out who tried driving through (Pennsylvania driver, of course) and had to wave off 2 other vehicles that looked like they wanted to try and go through. Even the fire engine did not try it.
Thankfully our house is on a slight rise, so all we got was a tiny bit of water in the basement utility room. House just up the road has a water remediation team there.
Image from our driveway. The green thing way in the back is the dumpster from the school catty-corner from us floating down the road.
That is why I will forever buy the house on the hill.