Knock Knock.... anybody there ?

My apologies to all my faithfull readers out there   there     there      there .....       (why is it echoing --- ?)

for not posting sooner,  but I have been trying to keep up with the subscriptions.  Can't go into great detail, but let's just say I've been dealing with a rather large

that could be either a

or a

I'm praying it's #2.

Hope to know in a few days.

any additional fingers' ya'll might have available to cross for me would be much appreciated.

Those Crazy Mini- Sodans are at it again !

and this time it's NOT ol' Stoney & the missus !

I was getting ready to make a post about Barry & Megan's Wedding when I happened upon this video.

Strange how you can stumble upon things when you're not really looking for them... But if you aren't smiling, laughing or drying a tear of joy from your eye by the time it's done, well-  that shallow feeling in your chest? it is where your heart used to be.

It's 5 minutes, but worth every bit of it.

Now that's the way to start a marriage !

This was a couple from St Paul Minnesota.  Hopefully, this joy and happiness takes them through many years together.   Could this be the norm for Minnesota weddings??

Come to think of it, after seeing Ken & Trusty together, maybe they did start their wedding like this....

Double Inspiration...

Before I give an update on the wedding.... which went wonderfully by the way... I thought I would share this brief bit of xangan-inspired food preparation.

After waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waaaaaaaaaaiting for Tia to send some samples of all those delectable dishes she's always preparing, I decided to take matters in hand and get back in the kitchen myself. But what to make ?  

I don't have one of the industrial strength flash-dry-a-buffalo sized dehydrator's she has.... nor do I have the voluminous yeilding gardens of hers or our French Friend Fauquet's....even mejicojohn's garden is more prolific than mine...

But a mere mention from half-a-world-away set the culinary creative juices flowing.

As a result,   I ended up with what I shall call   

"Venetian Manicotti" 

Manicotti stuffed with a blend of ricotta, mozerella, provelone, parmesian, colby & monterey cheeses, with chopped fresh baby spinach, saute'd mushrooms and minced proscuitto covered in a red sauce with garlic and salciccia .

Was it good ?

It's Stick and Twig approved....

( I would have gotten a picture of them eating it, but they were chowin' down so fast the shutter couldn't freeze then enough for a clear picture...)

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One More Day....

One More Day

and I will officially be a

Father-In-Law........ !!!

PKMD09's  wedding day is tomorrow....

Whiteyman89's the best man....

Jstickmann's doing the readings...

it'll be a gathering of Xangans!!!

I really don't think I'm old enough for this .......

but I've got a bottle of 15 year old single malt double-wood scotch to soothe those aches away.

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What's In A Name ... ?

well maybe some of this if you're not carefull -

I suppose an explaination is in order.....

On a day not very long ago - one with much lower temperatures than today - when cares were few and all was right with the world....  oh, wait -- you probably want the real version, not the fairy tale one...

About a week ago, I'm pulling up to the front of my favorite gas and mini-mart store "Quick Trip" when I happen to see the husband of a good friend of mine walking towards the front entrance. 

As it had been sometime since I had seen him, I rather quickly stopped my vehicle, opened the door and as I was getting out of the truck, called out " Hey ______ !" and started walking towards him.

He turned about rather quickly, and didn't look too happy with me. As a matter of fact, he was now walking towards me, and I noticed a distinct scowl and clentched fists that was very uncommon for ____!.

He looked like _____!.

He was built like _____!,

maybe even bigger than the last time I saw _____!  (think 6' 5" - 275lbs )

and his eyes were a heck of a alot redder than ____'s ! ever were that i could remember....

and then time seemed to stop...

In that brief and fleeting moment I realized why.

Because

It

WASN'T 

 ______!.

My life began to pass before my eyes.

Instead of the wonderful memories of all the good things that have made up the storyboard of my time on this Earth that others seem to tell of getting to experience - I, on the other hand, just got fast forwarded to the last picture I would most likely know:

Now lucky for me rabbits' is quick on their thinkin' too !  So in the space of about 8 1/2 feet, I had to defuse this potential for hospitalization and do it quick.

The fact that I'm able to type this entry is testiment to my ability to have done so successfully. 

I even offered to buy the guy a coffee or beverage of his choice for the misunderstanding.

But back to the title of this little narrative:

So what Is in a name ? 

I've never quite understood some of the variants of the given names people have...

but then, that's not up to me to decide. I suppose anyone can call themselves whatever they may choose.

So, if you're a Christine, you can be a "Chris" or a "Chrissy" or  a "Tina"

if you're a Robert, you can be a  "Bob" or a "Rob" or a "Bert" 

if you're a Margaret, you can be a "Marge" a "Maggie" or even a "Peggy"

if you're a Richard, you can be a "Rich" or a "Rick"

.... just  please, don't be a  "Dick" ! 

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