Weeding, Corn Shocks and Spur of the Moment Dinners

Well, it's hard to believe this is the last week both boys are home for Summer 2010. David leaves for Wofford this Sunday. Classes start later on, but the football team begins their Fall Practice Monday morning. Jay will be home for a couple of weeks and then will be moving in to Gardner-Webb. GWU Basketball summer workouts have just wrapped up. So, for the last few days and a few more to come, we are making the most of having the boys with us under one roof. It has been a joy to have them home together this summer. It took a little adjusting for all of us to get use to the hours of college age boys versus 50something parents, but we all survived it and have enjoyed our time together.

Both boys have been busy working part-time, working out to stay in shape for sports, and also helping out around the house and garden. Recently, David worked on weeding the tomato plants and Jay helped with the corn freezing. After the corn freezing was done in July, David and Jay went to Mom and Dad's farm in Lattimore to cut stalks and make corn shocks. The corn is cut from the cross tie beds, stood up vertically on a wooden frame and tied at the top. Dried corn shocks were preserved to feed the cows through fall and winter. Mostly today, they are a fall decoration and reminder of days gone by.

We have had our share of summer fun with short visits here and there and with lots of people in and out of our house. During this last week of having the boys home, we have had alot of gatherings to cap off summer. Wofford Football teammates as well as other friends came for Sunday night dinner. GWU Basketball teammates came for Tuesday night dinner on the way to the airport. Both dinners were very spur of the moment so we decided what to serve based on what was on sale that day. I learned that from Mom and Dad. Dad scrutinizes the newspaper ads and always knows what is on sale at which grocery store. So, on Sunday night we had buy-one-get-one-free pork tenderloin which David grilled over charcoal, tossed salad with Carol's Fantastic French Dressing, Fresh Fruit, and Steve Royster's potatoes. For dessert, we had buy two-get three free Ice Cream. On Tuesday night, we had hamburgers which David grilled over charcoal, green beans, fresh fruit and more ice cream.

David has grilling down. He has an interesting collection of grills; charcoal, gas, hybrids, big grills, little grills, and grills on wheels. He grills year round at home, at tailgates, at fundraisers, at schools, at the lake, at the beach; pretty much anywhere. He grills meat of every variety and uses spices of every variety. Everyone is happy when David is grilling.