David's Adventures

It Is Time

2025-09-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

To loosely use a quote attributed to Sherlock Holmes, "The Game (Feed) is Afoot." The Feed is this Friday, September 19, 2025. As always, it is the third Friday in September at Oak Canyon Park at Irvine Lake, and I hope you are as ready for is as I am. It has been a very long year for me, and I need this to happen. To be honest, I don't really know if I can be there this time around. My plan is to be there on Thursday to help with the setup, and stay through Friday evening. However, my health may override my plans. One day at a time. But still, I really do hope to see you there.

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

I Hope You Are Ready

2025-05-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 1, 2025, at 8am is almost here. That is when the tickets for the 57th Annual Wild Game Feed go in sale, and I hope you are ready for the opportunity to purchase a ticket to the greatest wild game feed on earth! Please to the the website at AnnualWildGameFeed.org for more details.

This year's Feed will be bigger and better than ever.

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

57th Annual Wild Game Feed

2025-05-11T15:57:00.000-07:00

I was at a recent meeting of the members of the Annual Wild Game Feed where it was announced that the tickets for this year's Feed will be available for sale on June 1, 2025, at 8 am. However, that being said, that could change, so watchout for info coming directly from the Annual Wild Game Feed in the form of emails or messages, Just know that it is arriving quickly, so be prepared. Also, this year the Feed will be on Friday, September 19, 2025, at Oak canyon Park at Irvine Lake.

As many of you know, my health is not the greatest, so it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to attend, but I am still planning to be there again. One year at a time. That is the best I can do for now. And as always, I hope to meet with everyone once again and find out what is new with you.

On a sad note, I doubt I will have any cigars to hand out this year, Two things happened, 1) my doctor said to quit, and 2) my source dried up. So if I have any at all, it will be because I found a stash I hid away and forgot about. Oh well, it looks as though the cigars from me at the Feed are going the way of the pickled quail eggs. At least the Feed sells some good ones at great prices,

So make certain your payment method info is up to date, and remember, the tickets will sell out in just a few hours (remember the Feeding frenzy last year). So if you plan to be there this year, do not hesitate to place your order when the ticket sales go live.

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

Biggie -- In Memoriam

2025-04-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, December 24, 2024. Christmas Eve, Biggie made his final trip to the vet. On Monday, December 23^rd, Biggie suffered a stroke, paralyzing one side of his body. He could no longer eat, drink, or walk. We received a phone call early Monday morning from Biggie’s mom letting us know the situation with Biggie, and Rachael, my wife was able to go over to her home to hold and comfort him while Sara, Biggie’s mom, went to her job for a few hours. Tuesday my wife returned to Sara’s home and, along with other members of Sara’s family, they were able to take Biggie on his final ride. Biggie is now permanently in our back yard in a place selected for him some time ago. Biggie was just a few weeks short of his 19^th birthday. We were blessed to have had him for most of those years.

I realize it has been many months since I last posted anything, and that is entirely my fault. As many already know, I am not well. Chronic back pain, vertigo, and a constant shaking due to essential tremors and/or Parkinson’s form the basis of my many problems. Add to that a few other old man problems, and…well, you get the idea. Then when we lost Biggie, I just descended into a depression the like of which I have not experienced in about 50 years. To top it off, both of my laptop computers, just quit on me. Needless to say, the last 6 months have been zero fun. But that is now behind me. I hope to do better with my postings, at least for a while.

The Feed is just a few long months away now. This year is will be, once again, the third Friday in September. The date is September 19, 2025, and it looks like it will be bigger and better than ever. I can’t wait. I just hope to be well enough to get there once again. Ticket sales will be here very soon (the date and time has not been announced, although I suspect it will be similar to last year), so I hope you have set your dollars aside, because the tickets will sell out in just hours.

It feels good to be back at the computer once again. Hopefully these posts will be made without so much time/space between them.

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

The Story of Almost

2024-09-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Today is Tuesday, September 17, 2024. I expect to discover in just three days that I am at the 56^th Annual Wild Game Feed in Oak Canon Park at Irvine Lake, Orange County, California. And I hope to see you there, providing you were fortunate enough to obtain a ticket before they sold out last June.

I don’t know about you, but I am both ready and completely unprepared for Friday to get here. As you may know, I start my year the first Saturday after the end of the Feed each year. In this way I end each year at the greatest event in the world (my opinion, but I know I share that opinion with many other guys). And I can start my new year with great memories of the previous year.

So just to let you know, today and tomorrow will be the last days I will be in contact with the world until after the Feed. As a member of the organization, I will be leaving for Irvine Lake on Thursday morning to help with the setup, and, since the cell phone reception there is basically non-existent, I will not bother with carrying around my phone.

I am so ready for this. Especially since, due to health issues and barring some miracle, this will most likely be my last Feed. Many of you know I have Parkinson’s Disease, as well as a few other problems. This last year it has taken a big chunk out of my abilities to function without a lot of help. Therefore, the probabilities of my return to the Feed nest year are greatly diminished. But I know the Feed ‘goes on come rain or shine.’

Enough of that. My focus today is this coming Friday. And we are Almost there.

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

Just Seven Weeks To Go

2024-08-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

That’s right. There is just seven weeks until the 56^th Annual Wild Game Feed at Irvine Lake, September 20, 2024, at 12 noon, the gates will open at the Feed and Oak Canyon Park will fill up with an onrush of guys hungry to chow down on buffalo ribs, alligator, ostrich, wild boar tacos, reindeer hotdogs, quail, frog legs, turkey nuts, and a whole lot of other exotic appetizers. Yes, I said appetizers. As I’ve said many times over the years, just when you are too full to eat another bite without bursting at the seams, dinner will be served. I hope you have your ticket.

The ticket sales this year were insane. The Feed sold out in about 12 hours. And I have received many requests for tickets from guys who, for many reasons, did not, or could not, purchase the tickets they wanted. I am sorry. You will be missed this year. Many guys over the years, me included, have had to experience the sadness and pain attached to the two words “Sold Out.” Unfortunately, 'Sold Out' means 'Sold Out.'

But for those for whom fortune smiled upon this year, get ready, the time is growing short, and very soon the Feed will be upon us.

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

Funhouse Glasses (A.K.A. Bifocals)

2024-07-19T12:46:00.000-07:00

Some years ago, I realized I needed glasses. I had spent my youth with vision problems without realizing what was wrong. Actually, I had constant headaches, but I had never associated it with my poor vision. In my late teens I was given a position with a company where I had to read fine print on a checklist for products being shipped out. I made a few mistakes, which ultimately led to a vision exam. The eye doctor commented that I had enough astigmatism for an entire family, and when he corrected my vision through the machine thing I was looking through, I realized my problem. The idea of ‘two eyes, two objects’ suddenly was no longer valid. Thus came the first set of glasses.

This first pair of glasses was for me a learning curve. Actually, it was more like a spiral. Downward. I had always known the object on the left was a false image allowing me to walk through it. But there was no longer an image on the left. I walked into people, walls, doors, and just about anything else in front of me, although as time went on, I learned and adjusted to this new vision.

Over the years I changed prescriptions several times, with my true vision degenerating steadily. My eye doctor told me I was just keeping ahead of technology by only a small amount, meaning my eyesight was barely correctible each time I visited him, even though it was always a bit worse than the last time I was in. And after each adjustment in the prescription, there was another learning curve. At some point I decided to not get new glasses until I couldn’t read the citation I was issued for running the stop sign I didn't see.

Then came the bifocals. Such fun. After my first fitting, I was afraid to walk, as someone had moved the floor somewhere else. I took short slow steps, each time feeling with my feet to see if the floor was still there. I made it out of the doctor's office only to be confronted with a curb. Even though I could see the curb, the step down to the level of the parking lot appeared to be about 75 feet. I was literally afraid to take the step. I got down on my hands and knees and felt the distance with my hands before swinging my legs over the edge. Well, I felt like an idiot, especially after I changed back to my old glasses and realized how many people were watching me.

It only took a couple of weeks to adjust to my new reality, and I was very happy about not having to struggle to read a book. The only problem was that it was time to renew my driver’s license. At the DMV I could not read the eye chart. It was just too blurry. Back to the eye doctor.

“David, your eyes are corrected as much as technology can correct them. With three points or axis of astigmatism in each eye and a near-sighted vision of 20/180, it’s almost a miracle just to keep you from being legally blind. I went back to the DMV with a note from the doctor, and, reluctantly, they renewed my license. Two years later I was fitted with trifocals. And it began again.

It was always obvious to everyone when my prescription changed. 1) My lenses would be thicker, and 2) I would be covered in bruises. Ultimately the progressive lenses arrived. And I was in love. I could almost see, even though my lenses were so heavy my glasses would cut into the top of my nose. Lightweight lenses were not around back then.

About 12 or so years ago I realized everything was turning a foggy brown. I put up with it for a while, but eventually I had to have cataract surgery. First up the right eye. After it was over and I spent a couple of weeks recovering, my doctor did the left eye. Wow! What a difference! Colors were brighter, and my vision was significantly better. Not perfect, but I no longer was at the edge of technology.

In the 10 or so years since my surgery, my vision has changed very little. I still wear glasses for near sightedness (not completely correctable during the surgery), and for a bit of uncorrectable astigmatism. However, now when I walk into a wall, it’s not because I can’t see. I chalk it up to moving walls.

A New Record

2024-06-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

Well it is over, and a new record was set for selling out of the tickets for the Annual Wild Game Feed at Irvine Lake. Less than 12 hours from the first button push to the last ticket gone. Instead of taking a few days through the mail, the new electronic ordering system cut it down to mere hours, and proved just how everyone is looking forward to this year’s Feed. It also proved one cannot hesitate when it is time to order tickets. Those who hesitated will be waiting for next year’s Feed. Sorry, but it is a fact.

I hope you were successful, and I will

See You at the Feed!

Meat and Beer

Ticket Time (Revised)

2024-05-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

Just five days away is ticket time for the 56^th Annual Wild Game Feed to be held at Irvine Lake’s Oak Canyon Park on Friday, September 20, 2024. Yep, June 1^st is almost upon us, and in just a few days (hours really) a magic button will appear on the Feed’s website (~~awgf.us~~)*, and it can be pressed to open up a ticket order form for the ‘Greatest Feed On Earth,' but that’s just my opinion. Although, I believe many would agree with me.

At a recent members meeting, I overheard someone say they expect the tickets to sell out faster than ever before. I agree. So if you are planning to be there this year, Do Not Hesitate to place your ticket order.

I expect a major rush to purchase tickets this year. The tech team at the AWGF has worked hard to make certain the site does not crash from everyone purchasing tickets at the same time, but it is also the first time this site will be tested. So have some patience with it if it fails during the process. Also, please do not contact me about the site, as I have no input into it, nor do I have any ability to help anyone out if something goes wrong. Sorry. But hope springs eternal, and it just may work as it was designed to do.

Anyway, if you are not signed up, please do it now, since only those registered at awgf.us* will be able to make ticket purchases. And with fingers crossed I hope to

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

*Some last minute changes have taken place, mainly because the .us site did not work well enough for everyone to be able to purchase tickets. The tickets will be available on June 1st at a new site annualwildgamefeed.org . Please check it out. I believe everyone now has a real opportunity to get tickets (on June 1) without a big hassle.

Ready and Waiting

2024-05-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

The Annual Wild Game Feed #56 is just over 4 months away, and I am more than ready for it. As far as I am concerned, if it happened tomorrow, it would be too long to wait. But ‘waiting’ is the second half of ‘ready and waiting.’ I’ve got the first half covered, so I guess I’ll wait.

This year the Feed is happening on September 20. 2024. It seems to be so far off; however, before that day gets here, there are tickets to be purchased. I hope you are signed up at awgf.us because on June 1, 2024, the ticket sales will go live online. Just like the old method of mailing in your order form, the tickets are sold ‘first come, first served.’ And just like the old mail-in method, when the tickets are sold out, the tickets are sold out. Just saying.

So get ready. June 1^st is arriving very soon, I hope to see everyone again at the Feed this year.

Meat and Beer!

Biggie – Year Thirteen

2024-03-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

Recently I came across some information that places Biggie’s birthdate in February, 2006. That makes him EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD!!! And, at least for the most part, he still acts like a puppy. Yes, he is almost completely deaf, he is losing his eyesight, he still has a few teeth, and he can't jump. He is white after all. But his health is good, and he still likes to go for walks and spend time outdoors.

I haven’t had much opportunity to spend time with him this past year, and I'm not certain how to correct that. Biggie's mom does not have a car, and neither do I. Also, even if I owned a car, I am no longer able to drive due to my own health problems. Still, I am not entirely without getting my “Biggie fix" from time to time. Occasionally someone is able to bring him over for a visit.

Recently I saw a video his mom took of him outdoors and off leash. Biggie was having fun running and playing just like a young pup. It made me very happy to see him like this. I hope he remains this way for many more years.

Big AWGF Ticket Order Form Change

2024-03-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone, I received notice that for 2024, the tickets will be available for order online. It is about time! The order forms will go live on Saturday, June 1, 2024, but only to those who are registered with AWGF.us . Easy to do, in fact many may already be registered and just need to add a password. Please go to my page AWGF FAQ’s where I have given a little more about the changes under the first three questions. Also, there seems to be a deadline for registering of April, 7, 2024. I don’t know why the deadline exists, but if history has ever taught me anything, it is 'Don't Miss Deadlines!’

See You at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

Wow! That was Fast!

2024-03-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

It has now been six months since the Annual Wild Game Feed, and it time to slow things down--really. I mean to a snail's pace. I am not kidding. Traditionally, the next six months (from the third Friday in March to the third Friday in September every year) takes about roughly FOREVER to pass by. This year the Feed will happen on Friday, September 20, 2024. And I am ready. And I am waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and . . .

Anyone who knows me, or even has met me, instantly notices a couple of things about me. 1) I look like my alter ego, Santa Claus. And because of the resemblance, I spent many years as an actor in private homes, corporate parties, malls, tree lightings, and on stage and television, as well as many other venues. It was fun while it lasted. And 2) I have Parkinson’s. This is Not fun. Oh, well.

Each year my condition gets worse, and now I am wondering just how many Feeds are remaining for me. Not that I’m complaining, I’ve had a great life. I am just wondering. I’ve been to the Feed more than 25 times over the years, and each one has been enough fun to last a lifetime. How time flies. Still I am planning to be there again this year. It will take something far worse than Parkinson's to keep me away. Besides, I am overloaded with cigars, and this is about the only place I can get away with enjoying a few. During my life I have rarely encountered a gathering of men where everyone is like a brother. At the Feed every man is equal. No one is better than anyone else. Everyone attends for reasons known only to him, but no one leaves a bit unchanged.

I hope to visit again with everyone this year. But it can’t happen if you don’t purchase your tickets when the ticket order forms arrive in a couple of months. So, get ready, and start putting aside some dollars (if you haven't done so already), because when the forms arrive, the tickets will sell out quickly. If you do get a ticket, prepare to have more fun than you can stand. Once again, the Feed is going to be bigger and better than ever and worth every penny you spend to get there. And if you have a break, or need a break, from all the fun, stop by the entry gate and visit. I will probably have a cigar for you, and I have been known to get anyone who stops for a visit a beer.

Anyway, if you are caught unprepared to purchase a ticket for the 56^th Annual Wild Game Feed at Irvine Lake, you will be required to prepare to wait until number 57. And I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

The Colonel

2023-12-29T21:48:00.000-08:00

I served with the Colonel. There. I said it. I don’t know if I’m proud of it or not, but it was a part of my life I can’t deny happened.

In the mid-1960’s I took a job at a local drive-in fast food restaurant in Fort Worth. My position was to run a subsidiary business within the store serving a pressure fried chicken. I didn’t know anything about this chicken from Kentucky except it wasn’t like any fried chicken I’d ever tasted. But it wasn’t bad. One of the perks was I could eat all I wanted, and to a growing teenager, this was as good as money.

About six months into the job, my manager (a kid a year younger than me) quit, and someone from an office somewhere showed up to promote me. Other than that, nothing changed. I still did all the work, and I still worked both shifts. About two months into being a manager I was asked why I hadn’t hired someone to help me. For some reason I replied, “Why hire someone we don’t need?”

The powers that be liked that answer and told me I was just the person they were looking for to run the new free-standing store they were building. It was located near where I was living, and it included a big raise. (I was making $1.05 per hour and would be raised up to $1.25, which was minimum wage at the time.) This was big money to me.

The new store was a challenge for the company to open and it took longer than expected to get the new equipment to work properly; however, I was right there with the problems and helped to get them solved. What I didn’t realize was the real challenges would come when hiring new staff to be trained to operate the restaurant. Wow. What a learning curve. Since the store was located just a few blocks away from my high school (yeah, I was still in school at this time) most of the applicants were people I knew. And I knew I didn’t want THEM working for me. It took a while, but eventually we were staffed and trained.

Opening day saw a rush of hundreds of customers wanting to try this strange new chicken, and everyone was up for the task of sending them on their way with bags, boxes, and buckets filled with food. It was hard work, but we were successful, and it didn’t go unnoticed by the area supervisors.

For many months I kept a tight reign on the operation. Every day I inspected each person’s appearance to make certain the required “uniform” was worn, and all the men were wearing their ribbon bow tie. I also made certain the building was cleaned every day in every corner and that everything not in use was in its proper place. It was a lot of extra work to do this, but I figured if I kept it clean from day one, it would be easier to maintain than having to do it all at once every month or so. This actually paid off.

The store had been open for about ten months and several of my employees were getting very tired of the cleaning routine. I can’t really blame them. I hate cleaning as much as the next person, but if they were cleaning, then I was cleaning. I didn’t exempt myself, and this is what probably prevented a mutiny. Then I received a phone call.

“The Colonel is on his way over!” A store manager across town called to let me know he had received a surprise visit from The Colonel, and the results weren’t pretty. Several employees were fired on the spot, and the manager was taking a pay cut. I almost panicked. I had less than thirty minutes to prepare, so I went to each employee, explained the situation, and hoped for the best.

I had never seen the Colonel before other than his likeness on the buckets of chicken, but I would have known him anywhere. Few persons were ever as distinctive appearing as the Colonel. White hair, white beard, white suit, black ribbon tie, and a gold handled cane. His image is forever burned into my brain.

He walked in with an entourage of what I now call “Yes” men. The Colonel stared a me for a minute until I finally got up the courage to introduce myself and offered to show him around. He grumped out some words my direction and began his own inspection of the place.

The first thing he did was put on a pair of white gloves and reach above the door to wipe a finger across the sill. Nothing. He looked surprised. He then set one of his men to counting the cash register and comparing it to receipts. It was to the penny. He grabbed a chicken drumstick and gave it a tug. The bone slipped out properly. He lifted up several of the floor mats in the kitchen and found a clean floor under them. He examined the food storage facilities and came out of the rooms looking puzzled. He even watched as one of the staff prepared the chicken for the cooker just to see if it was being done the official way. Then he motioned me over to one of the booths and asked me to sit down.

“How much warning did you have there, boy?”

“About twenty minutes.”

“Tell me the truth, now. I know it took longer than twenty minutes to get this place clean like this.”

“Yes, sir. I started cleaning it the day we opened almost a year ago. All I did today was tell the workers you would be stopping by.

I was dismissed to help with the customers (it wasn’t busy at that time, but there was still some traffic) while he interviewed each of the employees. Later he had me join him again.

“Well, I believe you told me the truth. I’ll see to it everyone here gets a 20-cent raise for doing things the right way.” He then reached over and grabbed one of the ribbons of my bow tie and pinned a likeness of himself onto it. “I don’t give many of these away. Don’t lose it.”

That twenty-cent raise kept the employees happy about cleaning the place for about two weeks, but still with Twinkies costing a nickel a package, it was a lot of money.

I never saw the Colonel in person again, but I still remember his words to me, “Don’t lose it.” I didn’t.

Ready or Not, Here It Comes

2023-08-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

Less than three weeks to wait. I hope you are ready for the 55^th Annual Wild Game Feed at Irvine Lake. As always the Feed is on the third Friday in September, and this year it falls on September 15, 2023. Oh boy! Even though I started preparing last September, somehow I know I’m not completely ready.. Okay, I am ready enough for it to happen right now, the problem seems to be my OCD. I have reached the point where, no matter how many times I have checked my checklist, I just know I am forgetting something.

Regardless, Are You ready? The Feed will be here very soon, and it’s gonna be great!

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

Like Watching Paint Dry

2023-08-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

I guess I don't understand time. On one hand time moves so fast I can't get anything done before I need to move on to the next project. On the other hand when I am waiting for something to be delivered, time almost moves in reverse. Right now I am waiting for the Annual Wild Game Feed to arrive on September 15, 2023. And, even though it is less than 5 weeks away, I am beginning to believe it will never get here. Lately I’ve been doing upgrades around my home, and I find that watching paint dry helps move time along a little faster.

The reality is time keeps on ticking, and if I don’t get my act together early in the year, I will not have enough time to get ready for the Feed when it actually arrives. The most important thing I do each year is update and actually use my checklist of what to bring to the Feed. Even then I find I usually forget something. So do not be lulled into complacency by the seemingly slow passage of time. The Feed is almost upon us. Get ready. The time is nigh.

See You at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

Catching Up

2023-07-16T16:11:00.002-07:00

From time to time I get a little behind on my writings and postings, and, needless to say, right now I am Waaaayyyyyyy behind. However, this time I do not apologize. This past year has been a beast. Those of you who know me personally know I have been battling a number of illnesses for many years, and for anyone who didn’t know this, well, now you do. Today I feel as well as I have felt in the last fifteen years, which is rare anymore. This is not offered as an apology for not posting, nor am I looking for any sympathy. Simply put, I somehow got old, ill, and forgetful. This post is to catch up on a few things some of my readers have asked me about.

Biggie – Year Twelve and a Half

Biggie is now seventeen years old and his strength and stamina is still strong. In my previous post about him, I wrote about how he had slowed down some and needed help with a couple of things, but he remains a very active doggie.

Stanley -- Year Three Quarters

Stanley is also a part time dog. Does two part time dogs make one full time dog? No, it adds up to a full time job, but I love it. Stanley is part Great Pyrenees, part Bernese Mountain Dog, part labradoodle, and a sprinkling of fence jumper. Although he is still a puppy, at ten months old, he has become a sixty pound lap dog. More about Stanley in a few months.

Annual Wild Game Feed 2023

The Annual Wild Game Feed at Irvine Lake is just a little less than nine weeks away. September 15, 2023 is coming up quickly, and I am hoping to see everyone again this year, along with some new faces. I hope to continue attending this event many years into the future; however, as I mentioned in the opening paragraph, I am not well, so every year I am able to attend may well be my last one. I realize that sounds as though I am about to be planted in the ground. Sorry. I have had Parkinson’s for about 18 years now, and I am finding my energy levels are not what they used to be. I tire easily, and I may not have the ability to attend, but that will not stop me from promoting the best and biggest Wild Game Feed anywhere. Unless something improves in my health condition, I must prepare for the year that will be my last Feed. So for now…

(I hope to) See You At The Feed!!

Six Months To 55

2023-03-21T17:53:00.002-07:00

That’s Right!! The 55^th Annual Wild Game Feed is just a little less than six months away. This year it will be held on Friday, September 15, 2023. at Oak Canyon Park at Irvine Lake. Once again I expect it to be bigger and better than ever. So start saving your dollars, because the ticket order forms are going to here before you know it (expected about the end of May or the first of June this year). As usual, don’t hesitate to order you tickets as soon as you get your hands on the order form. It will sell out quickly.

There are parties, shindigs, hullabaloos, hootenannies, bashes, jamborees, get-togethers, gatherings, revelries, celebrations, and festivities, but there are no words to describe this event we simply know as the Annual Wild Game Feed, or just the Feed. I’ve been trying for years to describe it in writing, but to understand what it is I am trying to describe requires first hand knowledge. And to get that first hand knowledge, one must attend; so start preparing for the best man gathering around.

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

2022 Wild Game Feed

2022-09-17T09:45:00.002-07:00

Once again we must begin preparations for next year’s Annual Wild Game Feed, because this year’s Feed is (sadly) over. Already I am looking toward next year on the third Friday in September—September 15, 2023. It is not too early to mark it on your calendar.

This year the Feed was exceptional as always. The members did an outstanding job of putting together the best event in Orange County (or in the entire world as far as I am concerned) for the best group of guys anywhere. Whether you were a member or an attendee, THANK YOU!!! Your participation in this event provides much needed support to many organizations supporting our youth and veterans. Again, Thank You!

See You at the Feed!

Irvine Lake 2022 Wild Game Feed

2022-07-08T14:53:00.003-07:00

Time is getting away from us. In just 10 weeks the 54^th Annual Wild Game Feed at Irvine Lake will be getting started. If you need to check your calendar, that works out to Friday, September 16, 2022. I know this year it will be bigger and better than ever. I simply cannot contain my excitement.

Well with time running so short, maybe you had better start getting things together for a day of fun. Or if you are like me, you started getting ready the day after last year’s Feed. Either way, it will be arriving quickly.

See You at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

54th Annual Wild Game Feed

2022-05-31T20:32:00.004-07:00

O the Joy! Today I received my ticket order form for the 54^th Annual Wild Game Feed to be held at Irvine Lake, Friday, September 16, 2022. I cannot wait! I know, I know, I can’t jump ahead in time to the Feed, but if I could… Oh well. I’ve already put together everything I plan to bring with me, except for the ice, and I will most likely re-check it a dozen times or more before the event occurs.

Once again I must warn everyone to waste no time ordering your tickets for the Feed. It will sell out fast. To hesitate is dangerous. To procrastinate is to lose out on the biggest and best game feed I’ve ever been to. Meat, beer, prizes, games, meat, beer. How could it get any better? If you have been there in the past, you know. If you have never been there, you need to know.

This remains a stag event (men only) 21 years of age and older. Please check out my list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) for additional info and thoughts. Even though I put this list together a few years ago, it is still relevant today. Even I reread it from time to time to remind myself of things.

So, guys, get those order forms in the mail, and prepare yourselves for the best party in Orange County.

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

Texas Barbeque Trail

2022-04-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

I’ve said it before, and I’ve said it many times, “Barbeque is where you find it,” but in Texas all trails lead to barbeque. In central Texas, just crossing the street can lead to barbeque. While I haven’t been able to get back to Texas for a few years, I’m certain the number of barbeque joints in the state is greater than ever. Needless to say, I have many fond memories of Texas barbeque.

In the mid-‘forties, my grandfather and his friend Sam put their heads together to start a barbeque restaurant. My grandfather built the pits and a barn-like building for the restaurant and left the rest to Sam and his family. Sammie’s Bar-b-q is still there near the corner of N. Beach and E. Belknap in Fort Worth, although the original pits were rebuilt long ago, and I doubt if it is still family owned. This was one of two main places providing the store-bought barbeque I grew up eating. It was good, but my memories of barbeque really began when I was a kid on a family vacation, and we made stops in Elgin and Lockhart. ‘OMG!’ was not a phrase used back then, but I can apply it in retrospect.

In the late ‘sixties, Hank and I traveled to Austin to visit a friend enrolled in the University of Texas. Bobber decided to take us to a couple of barbeque restaurants he liked to frequent, and we couldn’t say ‘No.’

We spent nearly three days just traveling from joint to joint sampling barbeque (Bobber told us it was just two places, but one thing leads to another). While some were better than others, only one place we decided shouldn’t keep its doors open. It was a Santa Maria California-style place specializing in tri-tip. Now that I live in California I realize that place in Texas was far better than many of the ones in California. Anyway, we quickly reached capacity, but that didn’t stop us from buying the barbeque and taking it with us.

Hank and I drove back to Fort Worth with more than thirty pounds of barbeque. Well, maybe I should say we left Austin with more than thirty pounds of barbeque. By the time we reached Fort Worth, our smoky stash was considerably smaller. And we were considerably bigger.

Just before I moved to California in 1975, I decided to spend a couple of weeks or so driving around Texas. I had been to almost every corner of the state many times, but business was involved for most of those journeys, and I just wanted to take time to enjoy this world I was leaving one last time. The one criteria I had for the journey was to have barbeque and Tex-Mex every day—several times every day.

I packed my car, and the next morning I left the old farmhouse about 8am. My first stop was a small restaurant about 10 miles away where I had a very small breakfast of eggs, chicken fried steak, sausages, ham, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and French fries. I needed to save room for my next stop—Angelo’s.

I met my great-uncle George for an early lunch at Angelo’s and we worked our way through way too much brisket and beer. From there I drove south to Hillsboro where I met a couple of old friends for “2nd Lunch.” The small café near the old county courthouse was owned by a family from Harlingen, and they understood what Tex-Mex was all about. Oh, my. I was full. Too full. But I left there to visit some friends in Waco where we were going to have an early dinner.

Waco is not known for the world’s greatest Tex-Mex or barbeque, but at it’s worst, it’s still very good. However, early dinner was at my friend’s home where they were preparing brisket and sausage with several sides. I couldn’t say ‘no,’ and I ended up taking a small container of food with me when I left later that evening to get to my reserved lodging in Killeen.

Killeen is home to Fort Hood where my friend Zeke was stationed. He had a week’s pass, and he was going to accompany me on some of my journeys through the state. I picked Zeke up about 7am the next morning and we immediately drove east a few miles to Belton for a Tex-Mex breakfast. This was the last Tex-Mex I would see for a week. We were entering the heart of Barbeque Country—Central Texas.

For a solid week we ate barbeque. Every meal. Snacks in between meals. Desserts. Because it was there. There is no remembering just how many places we visited. Usually we ate at the restaurant, but we often got it ‘to go’ so we could eat outside in a park or at a roadside picnic table (remember those?).

After returning Zeke to Fort Hood, I continued my travels through other parts of the state (El Paso, Alpine, Marfa, Marathon, Eagle Pass, McAllen, Corpus Christi, etc.), and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, but the barbeque was the highlight.

Today, well over forty years later, many of those barbeque joints are still there. Yes, some are gone, and new ones have taken their places. I started hearing some twenty years ago about the ‘Texas Barbeque Trail,’ and as I did a little research as to what it was about, I realized that there is no actual ‘trail.’ It is simply a word used in relation to all the barbeque places in central Texas. Some places are famous, and some are not. All are worth stopping at, just like Zeke and I once did.

One could make a case for a ‘barbeque trail’ by mapping out a series of stops at the more well known places in a roughly fifty mile circle around Austin, but one would be missing out on some great places only the locals know about. Sometimes the place is located behind, or in, a grocery store, or bar, or gas station. Sometimes it’s in front of a church or junkyard. You never know—as I’ve said many times before, ‘Barbeque is where you find it.’

To me the best barbeque trail begins where you live (even in California). It’s local, and that’s a good start. To expand the trail, just take the time on your travels to stop and eat barbeque at a new place. And if your travels ever take you to central Texas, your trail will be complete.

Biggie—Year Eleven—The Nose Bump

2022-02-18T13:59:00.004-08:00

Right now Biggie is asleep at my feet. There is something wonderful far beyond words having a little doggie whose trust is so great as to sleep at (or on) your feet. The only problem is this: if I so much as wiggle a toe, it will disturb him. That is something I simply don't want to do.

Biggie’s favorite form of getting my attention is a nose bump. He will just touch the end of his nose to my leg, step back, and look up at me. He always starts with this, but if I don’t respond in a timely manner, he will resort to other methods. I may receive two or even three nose bumps before foot scraping begins. Foot scraping will turn into agitated twirling or bouncing, and as a last resort, woofing and barking. Usually it doesn’t get that far before I figure out what he wants, although sometimes, no matter how hard I try, I just can’t figure out what he wants. However, overall he is a good communicator.

Even though he has been in my life for eleven years, Biggie is almost sixteen years old, yet he still acts like a puppy much of the time. Yes he is slowing down some, and he can no longer jump onto the sofa without some assistance, but he still likes to go for long walks, runs in the park, and trips to the beach (unless it is too hot). He also loves to ride in the car. It starts with a nose bump, two steps back, tail wagging, and a hopeful stare. If I don’t respond in about two seconds, the foot scraping begins and quickly escalates into agitated twirling, bouncing, woofing, and barking.

Biggie is still my part-time dog. His mom is moving a few blocks from their current home into a better place, so he is visiting for a few days. Each time he come over, it seem his routine has changed a bit. Different wake-up time, different feeding schedule, different walking schedule. But one thing has always remained the same. The nose bump.

Countdown to 54

2022-01-02T09:12:00.001-08:00

Well, it’s been just over three months since the last Feed, and preparations are well underway for the 54^th Annual Wild Game Feed. Friday, September 16, 2022. Mark it on your calendar. Number 53 was a bit of a learning curve as the Feed changed locations in order to allow us to spread out some. Admittedly the Feed outgrew the old location several years ago, and the new place was a welcomed change. However, there are still some adjustments to be made. I won’t detail the adjustments since they are complicated to make, but there will be adjustments. And the Feed will be bigger and better than ever.

I don’t know if 2022 will be 2020 Part III, or if it will be a new start for us, but we must all do what we can to ensure the 54th Annual Wild Game Feed actually happens. Number 52 drew a blank because of the Pandemic, Number 53 was touch and go until the last minute. I don’t want Number 54 to be scratched at the last minute due to another upswing of this virus.

We still have about 9 months and 3 weeks to go. That’s over 5 1/2 dog years away! A lot can happen between now and September 16, but I am once again being an optimist and have started making my list of things to bring. Let’s see, 1) me, 2) cigars, 3) ticket, 4) uh, more stuff, etc. Over the years I’ve learned to scale down my list in order to spend more time eating, drinking, and talking with everyone I meet.

So, let’s get this big shindig completely back on track for the biggest and best Feed ever.

See you at the Feed!

Meat and Beer!

Home Repairs—Garbage Disposal Edition

2021-10-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

I had to replace my garbage disposal, and I wasn’t happy about it. But who would be happy about replacing a garbage disposal other than a plumber? At a visitation fee of $250 plus $450 per hour, I'd be happy; however, I am not a plumber, and I wouldn’t know how to invoice myself anyway.

The trouble first started when it suddenly stopped running. I had been hand washing some dishes, and I thought I would run the disposal a few moments to clean out the stuff that had collected in it after draining the sink. I turned on the water, and then I turned on the disposal. The disposal started and suddenly stopped. I turned the disposal off for a minute or so, and then turned it back on. It ran perfectly. Okay. Problem solved. Or so I thought.

The next morning I went into the kitchen to make breakfast, and there was water everywhere. A small search located the crack in the side of the disposal causing drainage every time the sink was utilized. Oh, the joy!

Every hardware store in the area was out of the replacement for this disposal, and I didn’t want to re-plumb under the sink any more than I had to. Fortunately I could order the replacement on line, and for just $72.50 additional, I could have it the next day. Well, it was still cheaper than the quote from the plumber.

The instructions were simple. The first line said, ‘Do not try this at home!’ The second line said, ‘Do not use in or near water!' I never read the third line.

I gathered my tools and crawled under the sink to remove the old disposal. A couple of screws, a bolt or two, and a smashed finger later, the old unit was out and headed for the trash bin. Now to replace it with the identical new one. Did I say ‘identical?’ Every thing was the same. Every fitting, every wire, every bracket, every thing. Why didn’t it fit?

Gravity was the reason the old disposal was easy to remove. Now I had to work against gravity to install the new one. I’m not really certain just how much the disposal weights, but my estimate is about 75 pounds. Plus or minus. Mostly plus. I was on my left side holding the new disposal in place with my left arm, and attempting to replace screws and bolts with my right hand. Four and one-half hours later it was in place. One problem--I forgot to install the electrical cord. Thirty minutes later the disposal was uninstalled.

After a day off to recover, I wired in the electrical cord to the unit, and just 5 hours later it was working. No sparks, no leaks. It really worked. Now I understand the first instruction, ‘Do not try this at home!’