Dinner was great, but it was preceded by Tammy strangling adorable doggies on the couch:
Don’t let the smile fool you- Brian and I both agree she has a mean streak. Also, she refers to Rosie as “JART,” which is short for jackass Russell Terrier. In fairness, Rosie has been behaving like Snarls Barkley tonight.
Dunno if I will be around much in the next 36 hours, so I hope the others are here to throw up some open threads.
HE Pennypacker, Wealthy Industrialist
Fetching
Comrade Mary
I can see why you polished your cooking skills on that woman.
Also, “JART”? Me like.
Comrade Kevin
Where was Tunch? Off in the corner, scowling?
jeffreyw
Three good looking critters.
LesGS
No, no, you can’t disappear until you tell us what brought on Rosie’s JARTness!
MBSS
the pimp hand is strong, john cole. must be from playing all those video games.
being a good cook doesn’t hurt either.
Nylund
This is not what I imagined Tammy to look like at all.
beltane
Lily doesn’t look very happy there. She needs to learn to lighten up and enjoy being strangled.
Yutsano
@Comrade Mary: JRTs are good kissers, though, I’ll give you that. Plus as Anne Laurie will readily tell you, they are dogs suited to a certain human temperament. AKA not for the faint of heart. God bless their wee little hearts however.
Mike Kay
who’s Tammy?
TaMara (BHF)
Glad to see you having some fun John. Of course that means 12 posts before 8am, I’m sure.
Anne Laurie
The look on Lily’s face says “See what I put up with around here? You see what I have to go through?” First Rosie, now Sammy — yes, it’s nice to have a ‘playmate’, but DAMN if only they came with a godsdamned off switch! (Cole, you’re an eldest sib, you of all people should appreciate that… )
Gina
JART. Oh my. Isn’t this the gal that Lily also took a swipe at a while back?
My dad has a Jack Russell/Schnauzer mix. My mom hates her and insists that she’s temporary. Temporary for about a year now. JARTSCH?
Gina
I am so sad that I couldn’t get to Newell WV this week for the semi-annual tent sale at Homer Laughlin China Co. – the manufacturers of Fiestaware. It’s about 1000 miles R/T for me, by the time I do the kid care, dog care, hotel, gas, etc. it’d negate any real savings but it sure looks fun. In a sort of I’m-nuts-for-Fiesta kind of way.
They have another one in October, I’m thinking if I can come up with some side trips that would be educational or otherwise meaningful to the REST of the family, maybe maybe maybe I’d be able to get some shoppin’ done for my own nefarious purposes. There’s also a Hall China tent at these too, since Homer Laughlin and Hall merged a little bit back. Waaah!
General Egali Tarian Stuck
Damn, adorable doggies indeed. And little Max looks sweet as honey, and Lily too. I love doggies, I really do, can;’t hep it at all.
and is it me, or is BJ page loading like in snail time.
General Egali Tarian Stuck
And I offer my vote to turn Balloon Juice into a full time critter blog, maybe with some food blogging, garden blogging, and other various and sundry normal happenings. Politics does not fit that profile these days, if they ever did.
General Egali Tarian Stuck
Opps, that should be Sam. got her mixed up with Max the Wheaton.
MBSS
i say turn BJ into a hot air balloon aficionado blog with some celebrity dishing and recipe friday.
Corner Stone
She is way too young and pretty for you Cole.
Cain
@Corner Stone:
Well there is always Brian I suppose. Hopefully he’s older and hotter. Nothing is too good for Cole!
Have a great weekend, John. :)
cain
ps Tammy reminds me of Doris Day (no offense)
mr. whipple
@Gina:
I didn’t know they had that, thanks! Got tone of the stuff, including lots of vintage pieces.
Ash Can
@Gina: Ooh, I love Homer Laughlin. American restaurant china rocks the house.
trollhattan
Aw kute puppehs, kute laydee, a fine evening fer sure.
Dick Cheney is in hospital and I am not thinking bad thoughts. It’s Friday, ferpetesakes.
trollhattan
Aaaak, a Grifter sighting!
http://www.modbee.com/2010/06/24/1225640/palin-brings-message-to-turlock.html
Channeling my inner Chavez: “Does anybody smell sulfur?”
(To be fair, Turlock and Palin are a reasonable pairing.)
Corner Stone
@Cain: You said it, not me.
Hola fruta!
General Egali Tarian Stuck
@trollhattan:
At 500 bucks, it ought to be the “greatest meal in the history” of the world. You could get a chicken combo with biggie fries at Wendy’s and have enough left over for an extra wetsuit , or three. But then Wendy’s don’t bring you a bowl of Starbursts for desert.
Corner Stone
Listen everyone, the Dell E4200? It will cut the shit out of your hands if you type anything like I do*.
*One handed and leaning forward.
Corner Stone
The Texas Rangers are playing just awful tonight. Which is fine by me since my Stros are winning due to their miscues.
MBSS
@General Egali Tarian Stuck:
none of that now. cole has something against w a t e r s p o r t s
Corner Stone
Oh wow. Bad call ump.
MBSS
so i was in eastern pennsylvania for the first time and all i can say is damn there is a lot of dunkin donuts over there. no wonder cole is chubby. all those frosted munchkins.
and muggy. Also.
amorphous
@MBSS: I just moved to Albany (OR SHOULD I SAY SMALLBANY, AMIRITE?). They are everywhere. EVERYWHERE.
Corner Stone
Steeplejack, when you check thru later, know this.
I’ve been to Whataburger eleventy billion times this month.
MBSS
@amorphous:
i was gonna visit the liberty bell and whatnot but decided it would be more advantageous and historical to put myself into a donut sugar induced trance.
but i did have a very realistic benjamin franklin visitation in my hazy stupor. he told me to go to france and i would score a lot of tail.
Corner Stone
@MBSS: Did he say anything about how much it would cost?
MBSS
@Corner Stone:
he said “many euros. maaaaany euuuuroooooossssss”
then he sort of evaporated. then he reappeared and said “what am i doing? i left my car outside. wanna go get a whataburger?
and i said “no thanks, i’m stuffed.” then he took off and forgot to close the door behind him. dick.
MBSS
i bought a flyers hat even though i don’t watch hockey. does cole like the flyers?
trollhattan
@General Egali Tarian Stuck:
Heh heh, you said, “wetsuit.”
If it’s any help, CSUS Stanislaus’ nickname is turkey tech, which somehow reminds me of Timmeh’s pet turkey, Gobbles. “Gobbles! Timmeh!”
+not enuf
MBSS
CSUS stanislaus. hah!
what, merced didn’t want her?
Corner Stone
@MBSS: You had me right up til the “no thanks”.
Nobody actually says no to Whataburger. Ergo cogito sum ipsa you do not actually exist.
MBSS
@Corner Stone:
i’ve never had a whataburger. don’t think i’ve ever even seen one in california. what are the burgers like?
amorphous
@Corner Stone: I lived in Texas for six years and had Whataburger twice. I found it pretty meh.
Corner Stone
@MBSS: Have you ever dreamed that you died? And all the people and pets you missed/loved were there, waiting on you, hugging on you, and welcoming you.
Well that would be the used sand and charcoal in a trash can for cigarette butts compared to how damned good Whataburger burgers can be.
Corner Stone
@amorphous: We can meet on the fields of honor sir.
Mnemosyne
@trollhattan:
CSU Channel Islands wouldn’t have her?
MBSS
@Corner Stone:
you forgot to throw down your glove and twirl your moustache.
handy
@Mike Kay:
So yeah about that. Anybody willing to answer?
MBSS
if she would have come to cal poly i would have hunted her from a helicopter.
man is the most dangerous game.
robertdsc
I always love Lily’s ears. So expressive. Thank you.
Corner Stone
@MBSS: I don’t have any facial hair but I will totally slap some peeps around with a little latex.
Mike Kay (Team America)
Damn, these burgers look great.
MikeJ
@Mike Kay (Team America): Did you notice what kind of mustard was in Obama’s hand? Hint: the plain yellow mustard is still sitting unused on the table.
Soçialist!
Steeplejack
@Corner Stone:
You bastard. And me here munching on Wheatsworth crackers smeared with mediocre hummus. Damn your eyes, sir.
Guess it’s time to make another Mount Gay and tonic to dull the pain.
However, I am rocking some classic tunes on my brand new ster-o. Amazing how good it sounds after an unvaried diet of computer speakers for several years.
Steep +1½
MBSS
@Steeplejack:
i will drink some wine in honor of your crackers.
Gina
@amorphous: OMG, you poor thing. I’m south of you, in Coxsackie. We even have a DD here. There used to be a GREAT donut place in Catskill, The Whole Donut, but they went belly up. Of course, the DD across the street is still there. Crap donuts.
Corner Stone
@Steeplejack: Well shit.
I guess I do actually need to grow a mustache so I can twirl it all Jack M. Crazyfish style.
MBSS
@Gina:
they are pretty crap. i tried to tell my gf’s grandma about krispy kreme, but i don’t think she believed in their warm, fluffy goodness.
burnspbesq
@MBSS:
The nearest Whataburgers are in Phoenix. Not worth the drive, IMO. Whataburger will never take hold in California, as long as we have In ‘n’ Out.
Steeplejack
@MBSS:
More to the mustardy side of life than the (messy) ketchupy/mayonnaise-y side. I’m not saying they’re the greatest evah, but they’re damn good, and a welcome alternative to the usual run of American road food.
Imagine maybe a high-end Hardee’s burger, hold the ketchup and heavy on the mustard. That’s sort of in the ball park.
On a semi-related topic, anyone got a strong opinion on a good Tex-Mex cookbook? I’m not talking real Mexican cuisine, I want the mutant border Texican stuff. I’m leaning toward one actually called The Tex-Mex Cookbook, by Robb Walsh, or maybe one by some guy who calls himself Mad Coyote Joe–ah, it’s A Gringo’s Guide to Authentic Mexican Cooking. I’m a little conflicted on the latter, because I don’t want authentic Mexican cooking, and at the same time I distrust someone who feels the need to give himself an outlandish nom de plume, but the book has gotten a lot of positive reviews from Amazon readers. And the guy’s persona is so cheesy that what he thinks is authentic Mexican cuisine might actually be just what I’m looking for.
Walsh’s book seems to be a history in addition to a cookbook, which could be a plus, and he has actually been to Karam’s, one of my favorite restaurants in San Antonio. (Or it was; haven’t been to San Antonio in years.)
Mike Kay (Team America)
@MikeJ: He’s a disgrace.
burnspbesq
@Gina:
You Upstaters should be happy you still have Freihofer’s, even if it is now owned by Bimbo. God’s own chocolate chip cookies.
Yutsano
@burnspbesq: And In N’ Out is on course to invade Texas here shortly, so we may have ourselves a good ol’ fashioned burger shooting match there soon. I personally wonder if California surfer food can possibly make it in the land of TexMex and barbecue. It should be fun to watch for sure!
MBSS
@burnspbesq:
“in N out…in N out
that’s what a haaamburger’s (wait for it) all about.”
when i was a kid i saw some one who eliminated the b and r from an in N out bumper sticker so all that was left was:
“in N’ out urge.”
the adolescent me was duly impressed.
their veggie burger animal style is really good, believe it or not. the sauce, onions, and cheese seem to do the trick.
Steeplejack
@burnspbesq:
I hear you on that. I always try to hit In-n-Out when I’m on the Coast (which is rarely bordering on never again).
MBSS
@Steeplejack:
hmmmmm, heavy on the mustard you say? a burger after my own heart.
Corner Stone
@burnspbesq:
It’s funny because every time I go to Vegas the first place we make our way to is the In N Out place at the North end of the Strip, under the freeway.
Corner Stone
@Yutsano:
I hadn’t heard this. But let the Ghostly Fingers of the Free Market decide!
MBSS
this skinny CSUB kid eats a 30 x 30 in N’ out burger in 15 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UngkawZUksw
Yutsano
@Corner Stone: And now for my true confession: I actually don’t like In N’ Out. There is a good reason why however. When you’re one of the members of the official Rose Bowl delegation, one of the organizations who volunteers to feed you is In N’ Out. So I ate that for two meals a day for five days TWICE. And you didn’t get to choose what you got, you got a burger and fries and you were stuck. It was worth it for the two free days in Disneyland though, and I had the time of my life, but I had my fill of In N’ Out from those experiences. The real lesson here: if your kid gets interested in music, encourage them to keep going, especially in college. The opportunities even for a mediocre talent are quite numerous.
Nylund
@MBSS: I moved to Texas two years ago. Me and the lady were just having a debate about best burger from a common fast food chain and we ranked Whataburger fairly high, but way lower than In N Out. Whatburger beats the obvious places like McDonalds, Jack in the Box, Burger King, etc. but its only marginal better than someplace like Sonic.
Of course, arguing about the best fast food chain burger is a bit like arguing about which Golden Girl would look best in a bikini.
Any half-way decent town will have better non-chain burger options.
MBSS
@Nylund:
blanche, but when rose was back in st. olaf she was no slouch.
thank you for being a friend, nylund. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiQzUEc_FmI&feature=related
Steeplejack
@MBSS:
Ick. Just ick.
asiangrrlMN
You guys have me cracking up reading this thread.
@Mike Kay: Tammy is Cole’s BFF and unrequited love. He cooked for her and cooked for her, but she married a different man, alas. Now, Cole pines for her, steadfastly refusing to even look at another woman because no one can replace Tammy in his heart.
Or not. YMMV.
@Comrade Mary: Stop stealing my thoughts, woman! Damn it. Harrumph. Etc.
Great pic, Cole. I hope you compensated the dogs well after they were done being tortured by Tammy.
Anne Laurie
@MBSS:
Krispy Kremes are too sweet. I prefer donuts that have more oil and less sugar, like the Dunkins model. Don’t actually eat that many donuts (potato chips & chocolate are my caloric treats of choice) but the Krispys always make me feel like I’ve swabbed my mouth and throat with Karo.
LarsThorwald
It is inappropriate, even in the anonymous world of blogging, to comment on the sizzling hotness of one’s spouse.
Corner Stone
@LarsThorwald:
Do you mean if one was married to her you shouldn’t mention how hot she was?
Or that Tams is a semi-known individual and a spouse of Brian and one shouldn’t remark on how pretty she is?
I’m confused at the ethical marker you’re trying to lay down.
ETA – because she is really pretty and I’m not fooled by the smile one itty bit.