Another Hurrah For Crappy D

My phone is charging in the car as we drive back to the ferry. While searching for some lunch, we pass by a store called "TOBACCO & Tobacco" that I try to get a picture of and the Crappy D-lay utterly makes impossible.

The ride back is short, and we're back in West Seattle before too long. We see an ad for Alaska Airlines' LAX flights, and I wonder why anyone would want to go there.

Seriously, I know why people would want to go there, but I don't think they should. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.

One More Marshmallow

It's finally time to leave. We spend a few hours packing up and are in no rush to get back. I discover, while packing up the food, that dipping marshmallows in peanut butter is very delicious.

On that note, I've had a lot more s'mores this weekend that I typically do. I think I'm enjoying them more as I get older. I was never a big fan before.

The camping spirit is still very alive even as we pack. There's a T.DF in that top tent shot, acting like a giant cat.

The dogs do their part as well, and M&M have a surprising amount of difficulty folding a tent part.

On the way out, I look up and see all the rising smoke from various campsite breakfast fires and just enjoy the visual. There's something incredibly peaceful about the trees, smoke, crackling fire-sounds, and the smell of the woods.

I'll miss it until the next time.

Jammin' Out

We go for a long walk along the beach, where many families are out digging clams. I wish that hunting, fishing, and other such wild-food-acquiring things were part of my upbringing, but I guess that's the downside of a more citified childhood.

If Red Dawn actually ever happens I'll be totally screwed.

There are thousands of sand dollars and mussels and baby crabs running around. As we make our way back, I notice a sign saying one of the beaches is closed for clam-digging due to pollution. Ah, out of the city, but not outside its effect.

I also see this pro-cow sticker.

Meaning Beyond Alliteration?

I've spent a good chunk of the day, totally asleep in my camp chair by the fire. There are few better things.

I notice that two of the chairs (from Target) are "Guildhall Green", and I wonder about the person who thought up the name for that color, and why they chose it. Is there some guild-ish connection with green? Was it just that they both start with "G"?

Who was this mysterious color-naming person? I'm oddly fascinated.

My musings are interrupted by a sudden pressing need to eat more hot dogs.

DEVIL BABY!!!

The smoke and fire are being reflected in M.DF's glasses, and various Rosemary's Baby/Omen/Exorcist discussions arise.

I appreciate the 70s genre of satanic horror, but it doesn't really work so well for me.

To be fair though, Exorcist scared the bejeesus out of me when I saw the redux in 2000.

WetButt

The Grim Reavers have forgotten a tent and have to sleep in the Cyclones' car. Ugh...

It also rains overnight, but isn't miserable wet. Last year there was a lot more rain and it was a lot more inconvenient.

This morning, T.DF sits on the bench by the fire and conveniently soaks up a lot of the moisture.

On an unrelated note, I've brought along a can of corned beef hash that I've been looking forward to. After the morning's bacon has been cooked, I dump the can on the griddle and wait until it's all browned up and awesome. Adding some eggs to the bacon fat as well I've got myself a pretty amazing breakfast.

Granted, once a year is probably enough for this particular combo.

The Grim Reavers

The Cyclones have some friends from Seattle that are coming out to join us for one night. They arrive for dinner, and we have a very pleasant evening gathered around the campfire.

My responsibility for the trip was the beer, and I've got a straight pale ale and a summer rye beer that no one really seems to be drinking but me. Ah, well.

When the friends arrive, we try to figure out a good blog name for them, and after attempting various combinations of their real names, we settle on the Grim Reavers. You would be amazed at how hard it is to get good reaver pictures on The Google, and this was the best I could do. To be fair, Firefly never really showed detailed reaver shots, which was part of their mystery. Sucks for me right not though.

It's not my finest work, I admit.

Served Up Proper

Finding a good swimming location proves difficult. We had wandered along the beach earlier today right near the campground, but the tide was out and the water was very shallow. We find a lake that looks good, but it's private.

Finally, we find another lake that looks perfect. It's big, quiet, and at this point the weather is gorgeous.

While everyone wait along the shore and hangs out, I wander back to a flower-dotted meadow by the water, where I stretch out on a non-goose-turded span of grass with a frisbee for a pillow, pull my cap down over my eyes, and completely crash.

It's exactly what I've been wanting. If anything, it gets slightly hot, but ahhhhhhhh....

Ye Olde Chiropractitionist

M.DF is in triathlon training, and on our way to find a lake for her to go swimming in, we stopped off in town.

While M went to the store, I stopped to get this photo that I had spotted on the way to the campground but not had a chance to take.

I'm not sure I want to visit an old timey chiropractor. Granted, I don't want to visit ANY chiropractor, but especially an old timey one.

A Very Not (Crappy D)ay

Lest you be fooled by my last post, I do actually realize how very non-rustic my camping actually is.

Waking up, my phone is dead, so I've got Crappy D to take over for the rest of the weekend. We make breakfast, which involves bacon and pancakes. I insist on cooking my pancakes in the bacon fat on the fire-griddle, as it was intended to be.

I'm standing by our tent in the first picture, and you can see how many coolers of grub there are allocated to this trip. This is actually a big cut-back from last year, where we literally just ate ourselves into a constant stupor.

It's a little chilly when we wake up, but a few hours later it's turning into a beautiful day.

Stop. Hobotime.

We're the first ones from the group here. Eventually the others trickle in.

With our tent already set up we go to pick up some firewood from a place we saw down the road. It's just some guy's trailer and he's selling some very nice, dry wood out front. We pick up a bunch of it, as much as we can fit in the trunk. The guy is very non-urban, and it's weird to picture being out here NOT on a weekend rustic getaway.

Once we get a fire going back at the campsite, we cook hot dogs on skewers and chill out.

When it comes to dinner, we flip up the grill surface and make burgers. There's a can of beans that insists on being heated in-can on the grill, which I find extremely pleasant.

If I can find a rock to throw in the fire and cook on later I'll be thrilled.

Make It Work Harder

We've arrived at the campground and have a bit of a wander. By the bathrooms is a bulletin board with the usual rules and safety postings. There's also this one for the kids.

I feel like "Eager Beaver" is a bit trite. Is that really the best mascot they could come up with? That's not even trying. And "Eager"? How is that *really* relevant? I get that kids should be eager, but it's kind of annoying me.

I think "Authoritative Bear" would have been better, or even a more kid-targeted "Quiet Clam".

I Command It

Off the ferry and on the local roads for a while, we are oddly implored.

Axes and Cars

I've been singing imaginary lyrics to G'N'R's "Coma" in my head that go "Hey, we're going to Tacoma" (we're not) over and over for a while now.

On a related note, thanks to my brother, I also unfortunately know that in one of his songs, Sir Mix-A-Lot gives a shout-out to his "homies in Tacoma".

I don't think I've been on a Puget Ferry since my first trip out here in 2001 or 2002. I was doing a training for a client in Kitsap, which was a very working-class area and there was nothing to do. I think I ate dinner at the Safeway and at the bar next to my motel. I did however take the ferry back over on my way to the airport and wander around Seattle a little. I remember liking it, which is probably a good thing.

I enjoy the obligatory fire-axe, and the municipal bus that appears to be transporting people on the ferry. Weird.

It's a short trip, maybe a little more than 30 minutes, and most of that is spent loading and unloading cars.

Not I-5

We're going to Penrose Point State Park, which is only 45 miles away, but way far enough to be well outside of anything "city".

There's a ferry that will take us across the sound and that way we can skip I-5, which isn't any fun for anyone.

On the way to the ferry, this car has a green "O'Bama" sticker with a clover graphic that I find amusing.

An Uneasy Alliance

I'm taking Friday off to go camping with M, the Cyclones, and the Dragonfires. It's nice to get out of this week and I'm looking forward to several days of cooking things over a fire and napping in the sun.

M and I pack the night before, which means that M does most of the packing and I try not to get in the way too much. It's important to know your own strengths and weaknesses.

I haven't used Crappy D in a while, mostly because my crappy work-issued phone does double duty as a very crappy camera.

Crappy D has had a self portrait before, so I figured the phone deserved one too. It does not however, get a name.

It has not yet earned one.

BatFang Captured

M is back home, and that's kinda nice.

While chilling at home, after many months of waiting, BatFang appears, ready to wreak havoc on anything unsuspecting that moves itself into BatFang's fat, lazy, and limited reach.

Not Sure Where I Am

That car has spinners.

Brain Glimpse

The day went as expected: difficult, but fine.

Waiting for the bus I saw this paper lying on the sidewalk. I wonder what prompted it...

I'm sometime amazed by how much people want other people to deal with their problems. There's a lot of tendency for people here to hide behind hierarchy. The reverse problem, people in power who don't properly enable their reports to handle problems is equally baffling to me.

I mean, I'm not really baffled, but come on...deal with your own issues and don't go crying to anyone unless you've given it a good shot yourself or you actually need them to provide guidance or assistance.

Dressing Up For Dressing Down

Bagels aside, yesterday was actually a very rough day, compounded, no doubt, by my lack of sleep. I have a lot of things to deal with today, so I'm wearing my more professional black stuff rather than the slightly more casual brown stuff.

They're not particularly stressful problems, just annoying ones. I'd simply rather not have to deal with them, especially since some of them are my fault.

I'll fix them though. Don't worry.

Cold Shoulder

The bar where I transfer buses has a few UFC posters up for particular fights, all of which seem to have particular titles along with the numbers.

I know they've had a lot of these, so I'm pretty forgiving with their naming, but I think they probably need to come up with a new system. After 87 versions they're clearly running out of hardcore, intimidating names.

The bagels went over really well, btw. The ex-NYers (and misc. east-coasters) and other such afficionados were appreciative (including a copywriting client, who offered to edit the recipe for fun when I finished writing it), while a local account director exclaimed "They look just like Noah's!".

She and I are not on speaking terms anymore.

Restless Night

I did not sleep well last night. In the end, I got about 2 hrs of sleep before the bagel-baking alarm went off. I'd already committed to this project, so I was up and running on schedule.

I finished around 7, as planned, with variously doughed and topped bagels all warm in a paper sack.

I took pictures all last night of each step so I can eventually get a good recipe post together, but I'm still not up for actually writing it. It's not that it's complicated (not "easy" either), but I feel that the proper way to express it is eluding me.

Chillage Needed

Brace yourselves - this is a (not "the") bagel post.

Specifically, with M gone and no one for me to wake up with early-morning puttering around the kitchen, I've decided to finally bring bagels to the office. I've still got 2 in the fridge and I'm going to make 12 more. My manager has requested egg bagels and whole wheat bagels, neither of which I've done before, so I decide to step up and do it.

It takes about 45 minutes to prep the three doughs, and then another half hour to get them cut and rolled after they rise. The whole wheat especially is really difficult to work with, and I'm a bit nervous about how they'll turn out. I should have used less WW and more regular flour in them.

The fun part will be that to get these ready before work, I'll need to start heating the oven at 5:30 and start baking at 6. I'll be tired, but I think it will be fun to play baker for a day.

Yeah, Brian - I know it doesn't compare to dairy farming. Leave me my simple joys, will you?

I can't believe I'm looking at waking up at 5:30 as a simple joy.

United By Fish

It's Monday, and after a long day (shaping to a long week) at work it's still just me and the boys.

I'm going with a personal bachelor staple tonight - spaghetti with spicy tuna (tuna, sriracha, mayo, tons of other spices, parmesan).

Mush and Ferg are not on eating-from-the-same-bowl terms in general, but it's a whole new game when tuna-can water is introduced.

In a previous post, I described the "easy" chicken tikka masala recipe that I used and it's been pointed out that it might not be that easy. This is a good point, however, I think that if you look at the overall view of it, there aren't that many components, and it seems to be very forgiving.

If it's hard to screw up, even though there are a bunch of steps, I tend to look at it as easy. I know that attitude might be a bit too "Alton"-y of me, so I'll try to keep it in check.

Yet More Gonzo Food Porn

Short of a long walk to the grocery store to get lunch ingredients for work, I spent most of the day in a state of chillage.

I'm a little afraid to go back through the last month or two of posts and see how many of them consist of bread, or just food in general. I can't help that so many of my projects consist of edibles. I did say a long time ago that this blog was going to be a creative outlet, so if you're still reading this you only have yourself to blame.

I've been working on my baguette technique some more and it's still not there. The texture is waaaay to firm, which is great in a rustic bread, but I want that softer "vietnamese"-type sandwich bread. I think I know how to help this, and I think I'll use more yeast and a lot more agitation next time.

At one of our favorite pubs they have a curried cashew appetizer that is really good, but usually means that we're eating there or at least having a few beers and that seems unnecessary to just get some cashews. I found a stupid-easy recipe online for them (melt 1 part butter, add 2 parts curry powder, salt, mix with as many cashews to taste, bake at 350 for 10-20 mins) and they are delicious.

Cashews pack a bit of a caloric punch it seems, so take it easy.

After such a relaxing day, the perfect dinner seemed to be an omelette (with black forest ham and celery salt (one of the spices I picked up last week)), some of the fresh bread, and a glass of wine.

On a recommendation I picked up a box of "Black Box" Cabernet. I was told it was actually quite decent. It is the first box wine I've ever bought, and so far, I'm not impressed. There's something to be said for economics, but meh.

Rapt Wonder

I couldn't sleep and was up at 6AM, which isn't great for a Sunday.

It was nice to get an early start though. I had leisurely coffee, ate some day-old mediocre muffins, made bagels, and finished the Omen movies (please don't), all before 9AM.

Fergus learned this morning to jump up on the windowsill, and is watching the squirrels and birds out front.

The weather, as it was yesterday is gorgeous, and I'm feeling totally relaxed and awesome.

Cat Fusion

Yeah, there's been a few cat posts. I'm becoming that guy who beats you over the head with pictures of his kids, but I feel that this is at least generally somewhat entertaining.

For example, the blur and progression of these shots will give you a good idea of the mock-battles that take place daily around here.

The size difference between these two is really hilariously apparent in these little play-squabbles, and after a few seconds of furious kicking and chewing, they split up and move a few paces away to monitor and stalk again.

It's like feline Valhalla. Only they're not dead.

Some Cleaning To Do

Yesterday, I finally found a bottle of Czechvar (Budvar), and enjoyed it while relaxing at home. In Plzen, I had an Urquell, and I've had that many times here as well. I really wanted to try this one, since I had not had a chance to try it in Prague (I was too sick). So it was nice to sip it and think of traveling back to Europe, sitting in a cafe with nothing particular to do. Ahhhh...

Now I have to get some cleaning done in this kitchen. It's a little out of hand.

The Algonquin Longcat

After retiring to the couch to attempt to finish The Omen III (why? I don't know), I am joined by a snuggly, sleepy kitten.

It's lights-out in a sunbeam for both of us.

Myulchi Boekum

For lunch, I make the myulchi boekum. I also slice up the lotus root and fry it in a little oil, then top it with smoked salt and some black pepper.

It's delicious.

Lotus root is surprisingly difficult to cut.

The Afternoon Begins

The boys are having their usual afternoon playtime. They eventually get tired and amuse themselves by playing with opposite ends of the snake.

I'm still watching the movie.

Kitten Carrot

After unpacking, I decide to chill and continue watching Unforgiven. I have a purple carrot while I do this and it is not delicious.

It's just flavorless and "meh"-textured.

Fergus is very interested until he gets distracted by his snake toy.

Take Two

In addition to everything I mentioned already, I also got some steel-cut oats for a song. I might bring them camping with me next weekend and slow-cook them over the fire with maple syrup and ginger.

It's time to get my Asian on.

Not That Hardcore

It's a hot day, and I could have gotten away with shorts. I'm on the bus home and a guy gets on with a black cap with black letter stitching of "206" on it.

It doesn't have quite the impact as a "212", but I applaud the effort.

I try not to be too obvious about taking this picture, nonchalantly using my phone as a drumstick while I rock out to a song and getting the picture after a few tries.