5 oz sparge?

An Afternoon in Kerrville

Having Victory Yakima Glory. I used to be skeptical about Cascadian Dark Ales as a distinct beer style. Maybe I thought it was heresy to proclaim a new style in defiance of BJCP guidelines.

Who cares? I like CDAs. This one is good. My favorite, though, is Hop in the Dark by Deschutes.

Happy Veterans Day!

This is a picture of my cousin Gary and his unit in Afghanistan in 2002-2003. Gary retired from the Army shortly after returning home. A couple of his buddies took a second tour and gave their lives in Afghanistan. Take a few moments today to thank a veteran.

Thanks, T! We're proud of you!

Memorial Day

Peter Graves - 1926-2010

Clarence has clearance. What's his vector, Victor? Godspeed Captain Oveur, over.

I remember Peter Graves better as Jim Phelps from Mission: Impossible, though.

Texas Independence Day

Commandancy of the Alamo
Bexar, Feby. 24th 1836

To the People of Texas & all Americans in the world --

Fellow citizens & compatriots --

I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna --

I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man --

The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken --

I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls --

I shall never surrender or retreat.

Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch --

The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country --

Victory or Death.

William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. Comdt.

P.S. The Lord is on our side -- When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn -- We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 heads of Beeves.
Travis

Wasting Away

A couple of months ago I broke our scale. Or, I should say that the scale could not read my weight. The little disk of numbers just kept spinning, the numbers a blur. I told everyone I weighed "Gray."

Mom felt sorry for me and bought a scale that went to 350#. I don't think she understood the problem. It wasn't that the scale wouldn't read my weight, it's that I was fat.

So I started skipping the best food on the face of the planet: the sausage roll with cheese at the bakery next to the office. A link of sausage sprinkled with cheddar cheese and wrapped in fresh bread dough and baked until golden! And if fresh, the grease from the sausage would collect in the bottom of the roll, and be a perfect finish to a perfect food! Mmm!

But after buying a size 52 suit, I decided that enough was enough. I start each day with a little cup of yogurt and a piece of fruit. Sometimes, I'll add a serving of a dried cereal to the yogurt and slice the banana into the yogurt, just for variety. At lunch I'll have a fairly large meal, and a smaller one in the evening.

I think the biggest change, though, is how much beer I drink. Instead of laying under the tap until it runs out every night, I now limit myself to two glasses. And I use 10 ounce sample glasses that I bought in Oakland at The Brewing Network Anniversary Party. So instead of 32 or 40 ounces a night, I drink 20.

The weekend, or whenever my days off fall, however, there is no beer limit. I still try to eat sensibly, but what's the point of brewing beer if I can't drink it?

If the new scale is to be beleived, I started at 320. I don't think that's right,because two days later I weighed 299 pounds. Today I weighed and clocked it at 290. I'm losing 2-3 pounds a week. At this rate, by this time next year I'll 200 pounds. I don't think I have weighed 200 pounds since college.