THE PERFECT GAME or An Awesome Wrap Up and Addendum to My Father's Day!

Baseball and Biscuits?  

I know, but read on and you will see!

After all I wrote in My Father's Day (FANTASTIC!!) and some WOWs to boot my Daughters put an Ultimate Topping to the day.  (Reading Biscuits-N-Gravy before hand will also give you an insight pertaining to today's post.) 

They, my wife and girls, have all been reading my blog and on a few occasions making comments and letting me and you know what they are thinking about my writing.  Well, one of the post they read was Biscuits-N-Gravy and Love and apparently it stuck in their (my daughters) heads. 

Yesterday, as part of my day, my wife and girls went out for a bit to do some grocery shopping and to give Dad Peace in the house while he was watching his World Cup on the Big TV.  I tend to let them all watch on the Big TV because I know they are all not "into" what Dad is "into".  So I figured this was their way of letting me get a chance to watch "My stuff" on the Big Screen.

Boy, was I WRONG!

Sometimes my wife or myself will throw hints at them about what the other might appreciate.  Not this time, my daughters came up with this idea on their own. 
From time to time as you read what I write you will see Sports Analogies.  So...............
What my daughters did was pitch THE PERFECT GAME!!!!!!!!!

Perfect Game = No hits, No Walks, No Errors

THE PERFECT GAME = 81 pitches -  3 up 3 down 3 pitches ONLY for each batter faced for 9 innings = 81 pitches. Recording 27 strike outs or Ks in the Baseball world.  (If this were Football season I would come up with a Football analogy)

So again, my daughters pitched THE PERFECT GAME ending to a Fantastic Father's Day. 

Now by this time you are probably wondering what or how they could have done that.  Am I right?
Well, if I have done my job writing this, of course you are.


THE PERFECT GAME an Awesome Wrap Up

What Dad did not know was that his girls had talked his wife into going to the store to buy very specific ingredients. 
Because we are not the richest people in the world financially, and they know it, they were wondering what they could get or do for Dad that would be something SPECIAL.  One of them, I don't know which and will never ask, came up with the idea to fix Dad Biscuits-N-Gravy like his Grandma did. 

* Strike outs 1-9 *

They made a minor switch as they fixed this for dinner not breakfast.  Fine by me as Biscuits-N-Gravy are good at anytime of day. 

When it was about dinner time, I (still being clueless as to what was planned) was told I could not go into the kitchen and if I needed something I was to call out for it and someone would get it for me.  So their kitchen adventure began (maybe someday I can get one or both of them to write about that experience for all of us here).  One fixing one part and the other of course fixing the other part with a few comments and muttering about not having enough room to move around in a kitchen (problem with more than one cook in the kitchen).

The fixing, prepping, and cooking all done, I was called into the kitchen to get my Dinner/Father's Day Coup-de-grace. 

I had hints by the smells that were wafting around the house what was coming but sometimes you just can't be sure until you see in order to believe.  As I walked into the kitchen I see a Plate full of Biscuits-N-Gravy being held by two young women (faces beaming) and "Happy Father's Day" written on their faces (and the kitchen, lol).

*Strike outs 10-18*

Eating it was a Dream!  This was the First time they have ever fixed it and it was Perfect!  The flavor was a touch different than Grandma's, but how often can those of us that cook make something taste just like what we tasted even when we use the recipe (it isn't happening, close but not; know what I mean?).  For a Finish to a Great Father's Day,  This was Truly Grade A!

*Strike outs 19-26*    (I know, I left one out!)

The Best part of the whole thing...............  They got just the Perfect touch of the most special Ingredient.......LOVE. 

*Strike out 27*         THE PERFECT GAME!!!!!


Addendum:  A request was made on Biscuits-N-Gravy and in one of the Google forums from a friend Across the Pond for the Recipe.  So, Evertsen, here it is but please don't for get the most important ingredient........ Love when you fix it.

Biscuits-N-Gravy:

 Gravy:



1/2 lb. bulk breakfast pork sausage, crumbled in medium and small sized bits

2 tbsp. chopped onion    *note* *the girls and Grandma didn't use*

3 tbsp. flour

2 c. hot milk

salt and pepper to taste



Preheat oven to 500°F.



Cook sausage and onion in skillet until sausage is done and onion is clear. Remove sausage and onion. Drain

off all grease except for 2 tablespoons (or to personal taste). Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly,

until medium brown in color. Add hot milk, stirring constantly, and cook until thick. Stir in sausage and

onion. Taste gravy and season with salt and pepper (tasting until you get it to your liking).





Biscuits:

*girls used the Bisquick ready mix*
(if you do not have that available in your area follow this recipe)

1 c. plus 2 tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. Crisco shortening

1/2 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. shortening (for skillet)



Mix dry ingredients. Using a fork or pastry blender, blend in 2 tablespoons shortening until mixture is grainy.

Using a fork, stir in buttermilk just until the dough is sticky. 

Do not over mix.

Place dough on a floured board (surface) and knead a few times. Pat or roll out the dough to about

1/2-inch thick. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter or glass dipped in flour.


Using a cast-iron skillet (if you have one), melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet.

Take each piece of biscuit dough and place in skillet and turn over so both sides are

coated with the melted shortening.



Bake in 500°F oven for about 10 minutes (until nicely

browned).

My Father's Day (FANTASTIC!!) and Some WOWs to boot

To all of you wondering if I was going to get to a Father's Day post, I am and boy I hope you get as much fun reading and looking as I will writing, remembering and experiencing again.  I will also give you a few places to visit on the web if you are interested.

My Father's Day began a couple of hours after posting "Retrospective Reflections",  I was sitting here playing my Pokerstars and getting clobbered with suck out plays (if you play poker online or watch it you will hear and understand that term), when my wife and kids got back from their day out "shopping".  I had told them earlier that I did not want or need anything but just to be with them. 

Well, kids being kids and my wife indulging them, they decided I did not know what I was talking about and bought me a few things that just blew my mind.  These things were not the most expensive, nor were they the shiniest, nor the biggest things they could get.  They did, somehow, someway, find what apparently was and is the Best things for me for this Father's Day. 

Thanks to the Infinite Wisdom of a Child (all be it my girls are bigger than that they are my Children), I received very inspirational gifts that have made a turn in my writing and explorative thoughts.  As individual gifts they were good, together the ARE GREAT! 

I received 3 albums and some flip flops (said that way I know, doesn't sound to inspirational).

The flip flops were from my Mother-in-Law (a woman who is definitely another Mother), and those allow my feet to feel free and clear of constraint (a lowly beginning to inspiration but everything is important when it comes to inspiration).

Now, the magic starts!

All of these albums alone are good.

The first album is The Very Best of Enya with some very good music.

The second album is Eagles - One Of These Nights, just the title song brings visions of my wife to my mind.

The third album and definitely not the least is Pink Floyd - The Division Bell, not the most popular album but some of the music is just..........

Now, looking at those three albums individually again they are good and from different Genres but the similarities when combined and interlaced with each other make a Monster Mix! 

Within 30 minutes I had all 3 albums burned into my Windows Media Player and started playing around.  The WOWs and Inspirations from these gifts just got started!

I decided to look into the Visualization button on the media player and there really wasn't much there that impressed me against the Visions I was seeing in my mind with the MUSIC.  So, I saw the tab at the bottom of the Visualization extended tab for more visualizations and decided to explore.  I found to free downloads that give you demos and they are fantastic for demos. 

The first I downloaded and only required to input email and very basic info was G-Force, this demo was only 3.4 MB so not to large for a demo. G-Force is located about a third of the way down on the page this link goes too:  Windows Media Player Visualizations 

Now, imagine the Music from the albums above and put these constantly moving images with it all:

All of the images you have seen so far came from snip-it screen shots from G-Force on Windows Media Player.

The next one I downloaded was called Morphyre (my pronunciation is: More Fire) and it had some equally amazing Visuals for the MUSIC as well needing 8.84 MB (the next set of Pics came from snip-its of Morphyre):

Personally both of them are just fantastic Visualization programs for Windows Media Player and they have the formats for other media players as well.  I have no favorite here and you can buy the full versions direct from both creating companies but I honestly feel the demos are great and you only have to put up with a few and I mean a few advertisements.  Nothing at all to take away from your viewing and listing pleasure.  Morphyre is located at the very top of the Windows Media Player Visualizations. 

Now, Looking at all those pictures and just taking a moment to imagine the MUSIC with those pieces of moving art moving in your eyes and mind, Can you see why I feel this has been a Fantastic Father's Day filled with Inspiration and WOWs?

I have been listening to the MUSIC and watching these with a huge Grin on my face all day (except while writing this, I only Listened). 

It has been an AWESOME FANTASTIC Father's Day! 

Thank You Girls,

Dad Wins

Retrospective Reflection

Tomorrow is Father's Day and I normally try to spend a little time looking back retrospectively trying to figure out where I could be a better Father.

It just so happens that this year I have this here blog thingy I have been working on and what better way to positively get my thoughts out there and maybe make other Fathers think about what kind of Dads we all are!

Last Year at this time I had just recently been diagnosed with my Emphysema and Honestly it put me in a funk for a good part of this last year.  Looking back I would have to say that definitely the first half I "STUNK" as a Dad/Father. 

I was so self absorbed and depressed it was not funny.  I barked when there was no need to bark!  I bit when there was no need to bite.  I separated myself from my family by staying on "My" side of the house.  They could do nothing right and I could do nothing right for them. 

They never came out and told me they just let it happen and were there for me even then. 

As we started the new year and the second half of school, I started coming back.  I started taking active participation with my family and trying to enjoy what I could do with them and for them.  I spend a little time at anytime just to go out of my way to bug and tease, poke and prod, tickle and laugh with my family.  Something I should have done all year!

If you ask them they will tell you I have been a Great Dad, as a Father that has strived to be better than my Father (and he was a good Dad), I know better. 

So this Father's Day I ask that you Fathers that read this look back and see where you could do better. 

For those of you not Fathers reading this Please remember we are Human no matter how Super Human we Dads can sometimes appear with the things we do.  We do have our moments but we are still Human and suceptible to minor meltdowns. 

To my Daughters and Wife, who will definitely read this sometime Today or Tomorrow, I Vow to be a Better Father this year!