Do you remember that comedian by the name of "Gallagher"? He was famous for smashing watermelons and other fruit and vegetables during his routines. Pretty funny guy. Haven't heard much about him lately, but assume he still might be around.
One thing I remember him talking about was "colors that only exist in yarn". He would go on about this for a few minutes and I would laugh my ass off.
Well, this weekend we rented a pickup truck that reminded me of Gallagher and his comments about colors.
How about mustard yellow for an F-150!! Pretty Cool Huh?
Well you might ask why we rented this baby and the reason is so I can take naps at the office. Let me explain.
With my heart condition, I have discovered the value of a nap in the afternoon, even if it is just for 15 to 30 minutes. So we moved a couch up to the office so I might be able to take a nap if I need one. And on some days I really need one.
After we moved the couch we decided to take in some of the Chili being offered up at the local "Chili Cook Off". As we walked down a few blocks to the area of downtown blocked off for the event we ran across this sign for a local theatre group for a play they were putting on.
We noticed that the price of admission seemed a bit high. Could it have been $19.00 instead of $1,900.00?
When you arrive at the chili feast you pay $5.00 and get a wristband. Then you sample each vendor's chili and later vote for your favorite with a bean that you place in their jar at their table. Each vendor has a booth and table along with litle cups and a spoon.
The first chili we tried looked like this. It was a vegetarian chili that just seems to defy all the logic of what chili should be. But my daughter and I actually liked this one very much. It had very good flavor despite the lack of animal proteins. Not too bad for our first taste.
A lot of the vendors identify themselves with a funny team name like this one, the "Chilionaires".
Here's another catchy team called "Low Bid Chili", not bad, not bad.
At one of the booths, you could decorate your chili with cheese and some jalapeno peppers, which I did, and I enjoyed this one very much.
Wichita even has a hockey team, yes you heard me right, hockey, and the team mascot was here to help promote their booth. Go Thunder Dog!
At one booth there was a warning about the contents of their chili. Oddly enough, this chili was sponsored by a local bank. (One that didn't need a bailout)
Even the mayor of the city was here, well at least a cardboard cut out of him was. Apparently you could throw beanbags through him and win a prize.
Why, I don't know.
There was a little sideshow from the players at Old Cowtown as well. Here a banjo player was accompanying a guy trying to swallow some sort of a balloon.
Again, why, I don't know.
Apparently this group later in the day tried to beat a Guinness World Record for fire eating by enlisting a lot of audience participitation. They weren't successful. But, Hey, You only live once.
The only evil thing going on this lovely afternoon was a preponderance of "strollers". Yes, "Strollers". More evil than V-Stroms. More feared than K-Bikes. Inviting more dread than Bonnevilles. Some of these devices are huge, encapsulating entire city blocks and carrying more children than the ball roomplayhouse at McDonalds.
And this one didn't even have a child in it. They all walked along the side with Mumsy and Daddy, all carrying their little chili cups and spoons. Oh, the humanuity of it all.
Here's the booth for our favorite, "Code 3 Chili". This booth was offered up by a local firefighter's union and their chili was delicious.
After growing a bit tired of fighting the crowd, we went our way back to our mustard pickup. You know, the one with the color that only exists in yarn. But on the way, we spied this Harley trike parked along the street. It was only barely bigger than some of the strollers we saw that day.
As we walked along we went by an antique store and had to stop and peruse the goodies. Out front was some early ATGATT merchandise for sale. Still looked usable.
And inside I found this picture that looked like it may have been off of an old pinball machine. The guy remionded me of many of my fellow bloggers. You know, those that have this kind of swagger and that always have women hanging off them.
Not!
Jimbo.cpa3484.999+:
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a mustard F-150, must be the cpa version. There was a chili cook-off here a couple of weeks ago, but we didn't go. I'm thinking that I need a couch in my office too, just close the door, draw the curtains and put a sign on the door "Meeting in Progress . . . "
either that, or sneak out the back door
glad you are getting out. I presume you had a chauffeur ?
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Bobskoot, yes I did have a chauffeur, and she drove that mustard color beast. BTW, is there a Canadian spelling for that word, like maybe chauffeour? Just Wondering.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I have been visiting your blog but not leaving comments recently. Doesn't mean I haven't enjoyed it.
Take Care,
Jimbo
cpa/jimbo3485:
ReplyDeleteI have been doing a bit of thinking lately about ageing and the fact that I should be retiring, except for the economic downturn and feeling older than I should, thus doing less . . .
no different than what you have been thinking about and your good fortune to be enjoying life beyond what could have been.
Two friends recently passed away unexpectedly, they were much younger than myself and the fact that I should be enjoying retirement while I still have my health. It didn't hit home that I had turned 65 until I received my first OAP: old age pension check last month. Then I notice on other blogs that others are thinking about the same thing and how they should steer their lives.
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Bobskoot,
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your friends. It's sort of embarrasing to say that I read the obits in the paper each day, but glad that I haven't been one of them. Our government has mucked things up so badly that I and a lot of people think our social security may not be there when we retire, and for me that is only about 11 years away.
Therefore a lot of us just plan on to continue working until we drop dead, so to speak, because we are not at all sure that the government will get things figured out.
I am lucky that I work at a job that will allow that to happen, at least for awhile, despite my physical problems.
It must be an eye opening experience to finally get one of those checks. I plan on getting to that age myself. I am just not sure the government will have any money left by then.
Jim
Dear CPA3485:
ReplyDeleteMy first GMC Suburban, in the early 80's was "mustard yellow." It didn't stop me from getting laid in it. And then I married that woman. I always had a sofa n any office where I worked. There were many times in which I'd work until midnight, after sleeping for two hours.
The chili festival looked like good culinary fun. And actually, so did the Harley trike.
Fondest regards,
Jack/reep
Twisted Roads
Dear CPA3485 and Bobskoot:
ReplyDeleteI have already written my obituary, and update it like a resumé, at the suggestion of Walter Kern, a great moto personality, who encouraged me to write my first biker pieces over 6 years ago. Walt said, "if I know Jack, he'll figure out a way to write his own ending."
And the point is that you get to rewrite it every day. My friend Cretin died at 40 years old. His last words were, "Fuck this." Bob, snap out of it and go out and start some trouble. You, CPA3484, take it easy.
Fondest regards,
Jack/reep
Twisted Roads
Jack,
ReplyDeleteI do take it easy. Sometimes easier than I should. But you have to know I thought of you with regard to that last picture of the cowboy. You know, fighting off women and all that.
Take Care Yourself, Dude,
Jimbo
Mustard, Chile and a good nap...what's not to like?
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteChili?,, Yes
Naps?,, Yes
Mustard?,, Hell No!
Whoever you are, I suspect that you know that I am not a fan of mustard.
But thahnks for stopping by to harass,
Jimbo
Chilies are a favorite of mine, especially when paired with nachos. Haha! I’m sure that couch in your office is perfect for catching Zs. Once I sit there, I just might doze off into dreamland.
ReplyDelete