A Fun Weekend!!

I had a really fun weekend. This finally got tackled…yep, it’s a smoker.

Back when I worked at the vet clinic, a client passed away. He was a great guy and loved everyone at the vet clinic. He ended up giving the clinic all of his outdoor cooking equipment…a smoker, Big Green Egg, a pizza oven, and there might have been more. The smoker was really nice, and my friend who worked the reception desk with me was given that. He asked me if I wanted his old smoker. I said yes. Well, it got to my house and just sat. I didn’t use. Karl tried with little success. I’ve had it here for almost two years.

I mentioned it to Rick, the guy I’m dating, and he said he always wanted a smoker. So our date for Saturday night was to get the smoker working. We had fun earlier in the week planning out food and recipes to use. Rick likes to cook, so it was fun. I let him figure out the meat…all I knew was that I had a pork butt in the freezer and we’d use that.

We had a few setbacks. We had to find the owner’s manual online, but we got it working….about four hours later than we should have. HA!!

While that was cooking, we made some other food and called Kalissa and Craig to see if they wanted to come for supper. We made calico beans, Jello Yogurt salad, Swedish Crustless Apple Pie, and later smoked deviled eggs. We were so excited for supper.

But..then we realized the meat wouldn’t be ready until MUCH later. We are newbies at smoking so that wasn’t a big surprise. We left that to worry about later and instead started another project. Getting the basketball hoop set up.

You might remember my kids got me the hoop and basketballs for a Christmas present. Buck had put the hoop together but it was not the right weather to set it up outside. Rick was a trooper and did that for me. Then we played HORSE. It was so fun!

Then it was game time…opening preseason for the Indiana Fever. We watched the game. I’m so glad the season is back in swing!!

After that, Kalissa, Craig, and the boys came over. We ended up having to order food from the bar, as the pork butt we had on the smoker still had quite a bit of time on it. HA!! We ordered burgers only and ate the food Rick and I had made along with it.

I don’t know what got into Anders because he’s normally shy around new people. He took to Rick, though. He wanted Rick to sit by him at supper. Later he was chasing, and Rick was trying to get his toes. It was so fun to see Anders being outgoing.

After supper, the hoop was used again. Here’s Carver shooting.

Here’s Carver and Rick with Craig. Craig was doing a silly shot where you bounce the ball really hard, it flies in the air, and has to go into the basket. They all tried and tried. They couldn’t get it go. Finally, Craig made the shot.

The boys kept playing…Kalissa and I got out the fire ring, a present from the kids from the Christmas before.

We got the fire going and made s’mores. Here, Anders is enjoying one.

Kalissa and her family went home later that night. We had a great time!!

Rick and I were up late waiting for the meat to get done. Oh my…when it was done. YUM!! It was so good. We tried this BBQ sauce with it and WOW. It was SO GOOD!!

I’m happy to say we know how to run the smoker now. We’re making plans to make some other things…It was so fun to hang out and spend the day.

Rick talked to me the next day, and we came to the conclusion that we were both feeling our age. That was too much basketball for us!! But totally worth the fun. We had a great time together and with Kalissa’s family. It was such a good kick off to the great weather, getting out and enjoying ourselves.

…and boy oh boy, do I ever have great leftovers to eat this week.