Great Pumpkin Disaster

Fall is such a fun time of the year. The leaves change, the weather is unstable, and Halloween is near.

I love watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and eating lot's of candy.

One thing I love is picking out a pumpkin.

This year we went to a pumpkin patch at Avila Valley Barn, near Avila Beach.

There were hundreds of families and kids running wild looking for that perfect orange squash. We took a real hayride out to the pumpkin patch and started to look around.

We saw many pumpkins that were quickly dismissed for defects, holes, or other inexplicable reasons. I was looking for a more wide than tall pumpkin. Sarah was looking for a taller, slender one. We took our time looking at all parts of each pumpkin that fit the initial size and shape requirements.

After some time, Sarah found the perfect pumpkin. It was tall yet wide enough for the shape she was planning to carve out of it. She deemed it the best in the patch. She wanted to look a little more, just in case, so she walked away planning to return to her pumpkin.

Meanwhile, I found my ideal pumpkin. It was more round than tall. Perfect.

"Arrrrrgggggg! Nooooo!" I heard a scream from across the patch. It was some deranged woman pointing at a little girl kicking a large orange pumpkin. Oh, it was my wife. She seemed to be signaling me about some problem.

"She took my pumpkin. That little girl stole the only pumpkin I wanted in the whole patch!!!"

I consoled my upset wife. I offered advice like, "Tell her it has some disease" or "Maybe she will see another one before the hayride comes back."

Nothing helped. Sarah just looked at the little girl rolling the pumpkin over to her dad. Soon the vegetable was in the protection of the girls' dad. Sarah kept one eye on it while she reluctantly searched for another, second-rate, pumpkin.

She found one that would do. The little girl never changed her mind. We all got on the hayride back to pay for our future jack-o-lanterns.

After some ice cream, we heading home with a less than perfect pumpkin knowing that some little girl was going home with the most perfect pumpkin in the whole patch!

Beef Wellington, Part 2

The last time I made this traditional English dish, I didn't get it quite right. It was good, but the meat was a bit tough and the seasoning was a little too light. So, this time I need to tweak a few things.

For starters, we got the best fillet mignon cut of beef from a local butcher. I added more spices and fresh garlic. It turned out great.

Here's what I did...

Plastic wrap down.

Parma Ham

Mushroom puree spread onto ham.

Mustard covered beef fillet placed on yummy stuff.

The meat and coating is rolled up and chilled

Puff pastry is spread out.

The meat is placed into the center of the pastry dough, then egg wash is applied to edges.

The dough is folded.

The pastry is egg washed and scored, then ready to bake.

It is done...Beef Wellington!

I like this commercial

My Sweet Thang!

Tomorrow is a big day. I have been preparing for weeks. This is not something I take lightly, well, normally.

It the wife's birthday!

The Korbel champagne is chillin'. Thank you.

The Strawberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette Cupcakes are made, check.

Presents wrapped, check.

Cats ready to party, check.

Happy 26th my love!

Wanted...

I may be a married man, but I ain't dead.

I don't mind a beautiful woman who wants to "check me out" or let me know I am a prize to be had.

I know, I know, you think that it never happens, but it does!

That's right ladies are lining up to meet me...from all over the world!

Here are some recent emails I got:

Hello stranger,

Do you on former search your princess?

I have your address, but dont know works it or not? If you have received my letter and want to know more about me, please write me back. my e-mail address: lovepie8@rambler.ru

I will explain as have received your address and will tell more about me in next letter.

Hope to receive your letter soon

Alexandra

...and...

Hello! My name is Lina!

To me of 26 years. Also I live in Russia! I never had children and never was married!

I search for love, friendship or creation of family! I the good girl which dream to meet the love!

I hope you will answer me soon on wash email: {%URL %}!

I shall wait...

KISS KISS

Wow! What a great, long, and productive weekend! I had three days of fun, relaxing, and even some chores got done.

On Friday nights Sarah and I find ourselves at a weekly gathering of Cal-Poly MBA students and professors. They call these wine-socials Hobnobs*. We drink, talk, and enjoy good food and drink.

*Hobnobbing: ORIGIN (in the sense 'drink together; drink each other's health): from archaic hob or nob, hob and nob, probably meaning 'give and take'.-The Concise Oxford Dictionary

On Saturday, we went to San Luis Obispo for Brews and Bites. The local beer breweries were having a little party.

Sunday, we rotated the tires on Sarah's car and did, well, nothing else productive, although I find relaxing very productive.

Today was a holiday. I brewed a batch of beer, an American style pale ale.

For dinner, I made something I had been wanting to try, Beef Wellington.

This English dish is a common entree on Gordon Ramsey's Hells Kitchen TV show. I don't think I have ever had it. So I looked it up and I found the recipe and a 2 minute video on how to make it. Mine was not as pretty, but it was yummy and almost as easy as he makes it seem.

Beef Wellington Recipe:

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/beef-wellington-07-12-21_p_1.html

The video and recipe come from a show called the F-Word broadcast in England. The recipe and video are from the British TV station, channel 4.

Some of his recipes are found at the site below:

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/

I'm Melting...

I am dying here. It is 90 degrees in the house. The high temperatures had been in the 70's and then it changed. Now it's 95+ and NO air conditioning. Oh well, I may survive.

I did get out today. I got a hair cut, went grocery shopping, and saw an air show. In Santa Maria today there was a small air show, with no air. I mean that all the planes were grounded, so you just look at them. No flying and No aerobatics. It was nice to walk around and see them.

I got a burger at a Boy Scout stand and noticed this flag pole they made.

I saw a wolf under a military jet.

A nice Mustang...

Some planes/jets:

In the middle of the planes was this weird car, called Black Betty. It was very out of place. The owners are trying to win some fuel economy automobile X-Prize and wanted to show it off. I think it's ugly and there is no room for golf clubs.

When I got home, I saw a cat in a bag. She is trying to hide from the heat.