Out And About!

I'm having "posterior lumbar interbody fusion" (PLIF) surgery in late April, so today, while I was feeling like moving, I got out and went "manly-man" shopping with my son.  

We looked at everything from clothes at Men's Warehouse to golf clubs at Dick's!  Corey bought a #3 RZB fairway wood and picked up some super cool sunglasses to wear when driving the Mustang!  A man has to look his best!

We stopped at Silo Cigars to get a little something for Bailey's Sports Grille, and that's when I spotted it!  It looked like 20mm rounds in an ammo can...on the floor of the humidor room!

On closer inspection I saw that it was a special promotion Recon Cigar display.  The owner of the shop actually brought in the ammo can as an addition attractor!  It worked!

The "round", uh the cigar, cost be $20, but I just had to have this conversation piece.  I haven't tasted the product yet, but I plan on it Sunday at a family gathering.

At Bailey's we both enjoyed the "Black Forest" sandwich; he with fries and a gallon of tea, and me with onion rings and Fat Tire.  Man, it was tasty, and the rings are awesome!

We puffed our cigars and talked, and half-watched a couple guys play pool and I took a couple of shots to merge into this HDR renditions.  I love the effect of HDR.

I got to see my granddaughters as well today.  They are so precious, and of course, the prettiest and best grandchildren ever!

I just love good times with my son.  He is special and time with him is very rare and special.

See ya!

A LAST SUPPER – OF SORTS!

It was family day at Bailey’s and the Wild Wings Café today! My brother and son accompanied me to a last outing before my surgery tomorrow. It was really great to have the three of us together again. We seem to have the same sense of humor and keep each other in stitches with word play and routines from old SNL routines! Nothing is sacred when we get started!

We began at Bailey’s Sports Grille and Bar with chips and dip, and finished off with thirty wings of various flavors. Again, I was disappointed and will never order wings there again. Wild Wings has ruined me! And so, we stopped there on the way home for one more round of beer and tea!

I tried to take a picture of the collection, when suddenly this crooked “bird” or what we used call the "gig finger" pops into the frame! “Damn, that’s a crooked finger,” I say!

“It points to the right like everything else,” he laughed.

“Ah, you dress right,” I tease? The waitress overhead and did not quite understand.

“Young’uns,” my brother said shaking his head.

Almost forgot about stopping at CompUSA! Us fools snapped our photo in front of a Mac and emailed it home! I also brought Mushy's up on the browser and walked away!

So, gang, I’ll see you in a few days, after the drugs wear off. Maybe I can get the doc to take a photo for me…a really gross one!

THE KNIGHTS PLAY

Three of us Knights played today while the Dragons shopped. Yes, yesterday was my anniversary, but shopping comes first these days!

The two sidekicks and I walked around Gander Mountain, River Sports Outfitters, and the Leaf & Ale today before settling down at the Kingston Alley Grill and Ale House. There we each had 22 ounces of Sierra Nevada or Bud (yuck)!

As I have stated, we are looking around for a new “day on the town” headquarters, and Kingston Alley is about to convenience us to move from Bailey’s Sports Grille. We feel that Bailey’s has begun to let us down the last few visits. Once they were out of coleslaw, ketchup, and the pizza oven was broken. Further we have begun to notice that Bailey’s is smokier than it used to be, as if their filtering system is on the blink. The bathroom often runs out of paper towel, and some of the food is not quite on the same par as it was a year ago, and they have dropped some of our favorite eats.

Worst yet, the last few beers I have had there tasted like the taps were not being cleaned properly. Although, we did stop by there today to enjoy one last beer and a cigar before heading home and the beer had the proper taste. Maybe things have made a turn! We actually hope so, because we have made some good friends with a couple of the waitresses there and we hate to say goodbye.

Meanwhile back at Kingston Alley we ordered lunch and all three of us had a wonderful dinning experience!

Ron had the Crunchy Grouper – a grouper fillet topped with cheddar and pepper jack, served with cilantro lime tarter sauce.

Steve had the Black and Blue Salad – Large Caesar salad topped with grilled sirloin, blue cheese crumbles, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and bacon bits.

I decided to experiment with the Asian Chicken Salad – Roasted chicken served over mixed greens and carrots and cabbage tossed in sesame dressing topped with water chestnuts, fried wonton, and mandarin oranges.

Kingston Alley just may win the prize to become our new HQ, but we still have high hopes that the new Wild Wing Café, opening Friday on the west end of town, will become our favorite hangout!

On the way west bound on I-40, we encountered a back up several miles long. Before we could get to an exist, that would allow us to cross-country home, the man who does not believe in naps and thinks those that take them are sissies…fell asleep!

Gotcha! It is now officially documented! You have been bloggered Steve!

JUNE BLOG FEST – KNOXVILLE AREA

What a great time I had early this evening at Bailey’s Sports Grille in Knoxville!

I attended the local blogger's monthly Blog Fest and I am very happy I did. I met some wonderful new people, who are great bloggers, and turned out to be new friends.

Naturally, the conversation was about blogging, and I picked up some great information that I will probably act on soon. Turns out I knew at least one and it took us over 30 minutes to figure out where and why we had met. Mark Steel used to do some telecommunications wiring work at one of the DOE plants in Oak Ridge and that is where our paths had crossed.

First photo is Tish from The Kat House and Mark from Blogitude, standing there side-by-side, as if they were a couple or something.

Second photo is of Lissa of Oh…Really?, Rich of Shots Across The Bow who was the instigator/organizer of this affair, and Les of Les Jones who just had to do a little power blogging while the rest of us drank cider and Killian!

Michael of No Silence Here is in the third shot along with Lissa and Les. I apologize for not getting the little one’s name, but she had a great time watching her DVD and dancing around the tables. She was either Michael’s daughter or granddaughter, and I am sorry I did not pay more attention!

In the forth shot, over the glare of Mark’s head, you can see Doug and his son of Reality Me, and Les again. Doug was laying out advantages of owning your own domain here!

Of course, through out the course of the evening, Mark kept trying to impress us with his electronic connection to world.

It was a good time, and even though I was fighting the pain of a separated rib, I am truly glad I persevered and attended the gathering. They are good people who enjoy the fun of blogging and good fellowship. I shall return!

Please click on their embedded links and check out their blogs – you will be glad you did!

WELCOME TO BAILEY’S

It had been sometime since any of us Knights had been to Bailey’s Sports Grille. So we took the opportunity for being in Knoxville, first to have the orthopedic clinic check out the finger he hurt playing basketball, and to have his oil vehicle’s oil changed to drop in for some “serious fun!”

Technically, Corey is not a Knight since he has not declared his wife a dragon, but he will graduate someday! We always do!

Angelia was our waitress, and comes close to being our “Carla” as anyone since she does remember, most times, that we like Sierra Nevada on draft, and that Corey drinks at least a gallon of iced tea! She is very friendly and remembers to ask about any of our latest vacation adventures. We like to be treated as friends and not customers.

If you pop over to Mushy’s Cookings you will see our lunch selections for the day!

I have to point out that the wings were not good at all on Thursday. They were either dry or freezer burnt, and Angela encouraged me to discuss them with the manager. He volunteered to take them off my bill, although I was willing to pay. Bailey’s management does a great job at public relations and everyone appreciates them for it. I guarantee that if I get wings the next time, they will be juicy like they normally are!

Afterwards, Corey and I enjoyed a Cohiba while Ron puffed the usual Macanudo Maduro. Ron won the “look at the ash on that thing” contest!

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

Ron and I took in Bailey’s Sports Grille again Tuesday. I had my first good round of Killian and Bass in ages (it seems) along with some “hot honey” chicken wings.

Afterwards, we enjoyed our first Macanudo (he had the Maduro and me the Gold Label) in an even longer spell. Man, was it ever good to be back in the saddle.

I have now slept in my own bed twice since the operation…still a bit of a hassle, but at least I’m laying flat out for a change! And, I have another two weeks of the brace before physical therapy begins. That can't be fun either!

Oh yeah, here is a shot of ol’ Mushy all cleaned up…even tied the tie myself! What do you think…clean up pretty good for an old man, huh?

NOW THAT’S BLOGGING!

I spent Friday evening with my friend Don, who is also the last boss I had before retiring, at Bailey’s Sports Grille. Don has taken on helping his son’s Rugby team at Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tennessee. Don asked me to set up a quick and easily updated website for the team. I suggested they use a blog – cheaper than a domain and host!

So, we spent the evening tweaking the blog template and going over how Don should administratively manage the blog. The wireless LAN in Bailey's worked like a charm!

Luckily, we finished our business before having our third draft and chicken wings!

What do you think of our collaboration? Go to the Bearden Bulldog Rugby page.

CHEERS!

My brothers-in-law, my son, and I frequent Bailey’s Sports Grille in Knoxville at least once a month. It would be more often if we did not live so far away, but when our wives, who are sisters, meet for a day of girly shopping, we meet for a day of manly man shopping!

About half the time we meet early and have breakfast, either at a little “Handee Burger” in Kingston, or at a Cracker Barrel on the way. This leaves us time to first stop at Gander Mountain, then buzz over to Best Buy, Pep Boys, the Disc Exchange, the Leaf & Ale, and some times Dick’s Sporting Goods. The latter is always the butt of the “Yawl like Dick’s?” joke which no one dares fall for anymore.

Finally, with all your manly man purchases – latest war game, cammo-insulated gloves, box of some type of shells, maybe a new bag of lint-free rags and patches, latest PlayStation Halo game, latest concert DVD or CD by some old rock band, a couple of new fancy looking cigars, and set of new wiper blades – we’re ready for lunch.

As we walk into Bailey’s, everyone raises their “mug club” mugs and shouts, “NORM!”, or Steve, Ron, Mushy, Corey, and the bartender starts sitting our usual drafts on the bar. Well…not really, but we are working on it! Give us time…the way we tip, I mean we make young girl’s car payments; they will soon remember us. They already would if they didn’t have such turnover there! Maybe we need to tip more…hummm?

Another thing we have noticed is that it is a requirement that the girls hired have a tattoo right above the crack of their butts! They remind me of that old SNL skit on tat removal!

Anyway, we know then, as we take our usual table for six in the back near the waitress’ order station, that we can relax, have a round of “bottomless chips & salsa,” (obviously written prior to becoming a caveman) a cold draft or tea (for my son), and pick out which of the 35 or more TVs we are going to watch. Checking the menu comes later, but until the chips are gone we will just quench our thirst – thank you.

It feels like home as we sit back, rub our bellies, and fire up our cigar choice of the month. As the smoke twirls its way up to the electrostatic filters and makes a little popping sound, we think to ourselves that next time we come they will know our names!

Before parting again, we stop in at Frontier Firearms to refresh our memories on what gun oil, leather, black powder, and bluing smells like! If one of us has stashed away enough, we all get to share the thrill of buying a new firearm. “Smells so good!” we say in unison as it gets passed around!

“Where Everybody Knows Your Name”
by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo - Cheers Lyrics

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came.

You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same

You wanna be where everybody knows Your name.

PARTYING WITH SATAN AND OTHER OLD FRIENDS

Ms. Mushy and I took our special “soul searching” camera to a Holiday gathering of old work friends at the Bailey’s Sports Grille last evening. While I do not miss working, I surely miss these guys and gals. They are wonderful people who enjoy laughing and talking over a few local drafts or concoctions like a Kryptonite Margarita.

Anyway, there, right in the middle of all the happy people, was the source – they all sought him. The others could not see what the special cameral revealed, but I saw it. As I lowered the camera to review the latest picture I had

captured, I looked back up quickly to validate what I saw. Then, as quickly as it came, it was gone, but at least I had seen it with my own eyes, even if only for a moment. Now, now I have proof, so maybe they will listen.

Beware my friends; you know not who walks among you, seeking to destroy you, yes, even in this season. Even the kryptonite will not protect you – you, as a group, must embrace him, and bring him over from the dark side! But do not turn your back on him because he seeks you individually.

Just kidding “Big D” – you have been bloggered!

THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND BEER

The six of us, the three sisters and us guys, went to see Irvin Berlin’s “White Christmas” at the Cumberland County Playhouse last weekend in Crossville, Tennessee. The playhouse has professional productions there and we attend two or three events annually. Our tickets for the evening were for 8PM, which is an hour earlier than our time zone.

Anyway, the discussion came up about where we should eat prior to the show. Someone mentioned a place and before I could stop myself I said, “You know they don’t have beer there?” Everyone looked at me and then to Ron.

Since Ron is a man who enjoys a good dark beer and prefers to eat at places that have a good selection on tap, I expected him to present our case. However, no further arguments were presented from either side and other places of interest were suggested.

I should have learned my lesson from the first looks I got from the “dragons,” but went on to say, “You know, next time we go to a play, let’s pick an earlier time so we can eat casually afterwards and have a couple of beers.”

Terri, the fork at the end of the dragon’s tongue, turned toward me like a bird dog on a point, and said, “You know Mushy (not his real name), the world doesn’t revolve around beer!”

“Ah no, contrario” I said. “The world floats on it!

LOOK AT THE ASH ON THAT THING

We did our part for “Black Friday” today by going to the Leaf & Ale and Bailey’s Sports Grille in Knoxville. This allowed the wives plenty of shopping time in a completely different part of town!

The cigar store had a new stock of Macanudo Gold’s to come in and the one pictured was terrific. A slow smooth smoke that left a 2” ash that had to be sharply thumped before falling into the ashtray. A burger, Sierra Nevada draft, a Macanudo Gold, and family – don’t get any better than that!

Going around the table L to R - Nick (niece’s boyfriend), Becky, brother-in-laws Steve and Ron, Mushy and son (Corey)!