OK, so we were gonna go out and act up, eat sushi at Jun, washed down with sake and Kirin, or maybe hit The Blue Star or Nosh, surf the culinary wave of whatever they had going on for $55 a person — and then I said fuck it, I don’t wanna.
Instead, I put a pot of beans on to simmer, sent Herself off in search of additional groceries, dashed downtown to Old Town Bike Shop to drop off a mixed case of Bristol beer in partial repayment for their tolerance and generosity, then roared back home to assemble some green chile chicken enchiladas, a pot of Mexican rice and some pico de gallo to go with the blue corn chips.
Around 6 I cracked bottles of red, white and rosé for me, Herself and a friend, who contributed a delicious butternut-squash soup as an appetizer, which was a good thing as I was running about an hour behind schedule, dinner-wise, which should surprise no one who has ever reserved a table at Chez Dog.
During and after dinner we discussed politics, illness, death, religion, Monty Python, higher education, Firesign Theatre, philosophy, cats, dogs, procreation and the perils thereof, hot springs and the future of the Republic.
Whew.
With dinner over and the friend gone home, I treated myself to a nightcap while Herself padded downstairs to whistle up the voodoo that makes her look 29 while I struggle to maintain a youthful 92. Neither of us made it to midnight. Not with our eyes open, anyway.
And now here it is 2010. The beverage of the day is coffee and I have plans to crank out a mess of Brooklyn-style Hoppin’ John for good luck and prosperity in the new year. Herself and I wish you plenty of both.
Mad Blog Media 
Right back atcha, Pat and the Boss. Thanks for last year’s psycotic spewing and I’m looking forward to another year of dog piles- and plenty of ’em! (I’ve got a big shovel.)
dude, you have got to crank out a cookbook. i gain ten pounds just reading this stuff.
or, just copy the recipes that you have published into one folder somewhere here.
Happy Hogmanay! Happy Daft Days, everyone! And goodbye to the Auld Wife. But be careful who your First Footer is. That person decides your luck for the rest of the year.
heading to western nebraska, where new year’s day means killing the fatted calf, pig, chicken, and any other critter that loitered a bit too long in front of Grampa’s cleaver.
here’s to a year full of good eats, good drinks, good friends.
Happy New Year to all. Here’s my resolutions – – all easy, enjoyable and sure to keep us young (and as a bonus relatively cheap) – – more hugs, more laughter and more biking.
I’ll second the “good eats, good drinks and good friends” with a suggestion to enjoy riding your bike on good roads. In ’09 we in the USA returned adult supervision to the White House which resulted in what looks like some healthcare reform amongst other improvements on the Daffy/Fudd administration (which of course isn’t too tough–except for overcoming the right-wing). In less than two weeks yours truly and his better half will be living in Italy, in the historic center of Viterbo until our bike tour season gets underway in May. Happy New Year to all! If anyone cares what we’re up to in La Bella Paese I’ll try to keep ’em updated on the travel blog you can find by linking from http://www.cycleitalia.com
We did quite the same last night, sharing food, wine, and conversation with friends and neighbors. Like you, we didn’t quite make it to midnight, deciding instead to crack the bubbly stuff in honor of New Year’s hour in Nova Scotia and let things wind down from there.
Happy New Year, All!
Last night was spent visiting with cycling friends at a new local restaurant called Lola’s. It’s in a dry part of Houston. Much wine was carried to the establishment, but not much made it back home.
The kids played together at our house. The guests left before midnight so they could make their 8am group ride.
Our 7-year-old daughter vowed to make it to midnight, and did so. We slept in very late.
Today, the same friends are coming over with a honey ham, black-eyed peas, and cabbage for dinner.
The weather is beautiful. My wife is riding her horse in the sunshine. I’m making bread and contemplating some dessert for tonight’s Southern New Year’s feast. Maybe a blueberry cobbler? Oh, and we need more wine.
I look forward to 2010. I hope all of us have a year of sound physical and mental health, sustainable wealth, safe bike rides, consistent/tolerable employment, and a little peace of mind.
Patrick–a big thank you from me for bringing us all together these past few years.
See y’all in the blogosphere.
Happy New Year, and a good 2010.
oooh Steve 0 who ever you are thank you for making mention of Hogmanay (I wrote my blog about that wonderful scottish rite)…even made a ‘useful guide for Americans’… you are so right about the gaining ten pounds just reading Patrick’s menu.
So brilliant to just cuddle doon w/wife and friends rather that goan oot on the toon.
Verily, the Glesga dialect (learnd from a funny tea-towel my friend Jon gave me) is under my skin.
Ovre and oot
Patrick and the rest of the Dog Blog denizens – a Happy, healthy, enjoyable 2010 to you all. It has been and will continue to be a real pleasure to follow our heros’s adventures in food, cycling and health care in America (how’s the finger?) with you guys. Thanks for a fun year.
Unfortunately 201 is off to a bad start. No one wanted to do the 10am group ride just because the temp was 5 degrees.
Plan for 2010? Ride more, complain less, help when possible.
Ah, 20-10 the final year of the century’s first decade! May it be as good (or better) than the past 365.25 days for all! More laughs, more rides, less bitchin’ and belly-achin’, and (yes Ben) “help when possible”!
Happy New Year to Patrick and fellow followers from the frozen Tundra of Dul Mn. -20 makes for a grouchy Boz staring at the trainer and rueing the day I got addicted to cycling. Oh well. Our NY eve was spent a party at the home of some friends that just happen to own a small craft brewery. Kayak Kolsch, Lake Superior Special Ale, and Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout were a great way to welcome the New Year (along with some great gins to make martinis). Ah, the good life – free booze !!
Thanks, from all the bike shop employees who are regularly handed beer 😉
Rush Carter
CS West Bikes
Rush -was that a hint?
Duncan Carter
Nope… We have some incredible customers who believe that shop employees should never stoop to buying their own beer. Keep in mind that we also do our regular “Beer 30” meet-up on Fridays, so maybe we are a bit more focused that way.
Hey Boz
Oatmeal Stout reminds me of a restaurant in Wilton Wi call Pies Are Square, where they have a pie made with Oatmeal, chocolate % Guinness! Good Mexican grub too, and just off the Elroy bike trail. Sweet.