Sochi

Bob is back, y'all. Let's recall that in Vancouver, Bob struggled with outfit coordination and in London his makeup was approximately one inch thick. He seems to have worked those issues out in Sochi. Or we just haven't noticed because Bob Costas's pink eye is American biggest Olympic star this year. Yes, Sochi, that seeming disaster of a city, gave our beloved Bob an eye infection so severe he could no longer read the teleprompter. Last night the anchor desk featured Matt Lauer, ending Bob's 26 year streak as Olympic anchor. It is a tragedy of Olympic proportions.

you're ringing the only wedding bell

Most of you already know this, but just in case you haven't heard - I'm engaged! To the aforementioned The Beard, of course. It is simultaneously wonderful and overwhelming. I have never been the focus of so much emotion. Screaming, crying, jumping up and down... these are all reactions people had when I told them. And the hugging. So. much. hugging.

So here is the roundabout proposal story: Longtime readers know that I am kinda obsessed with my maternal grandparents. One of things I admired most about them was the love and devotion they had for each other. They were just adorable. After my grandfather retired, he would get up and make breakfast (toast, coffee cake, juice, & tea) and bring it to my grandmother on a tray every morning. They would relax on the bed, read the paper, and eat a leisurely breakfast for 2 hours. When we visited as children, we would crowd onto the bed with them and steal all the danishes. Eating breakfast in bed with them is probably my most cherished memory of them.

The Beard had heard all these stories and brought me breakfast in bed one time on vacation. So on Friday night when he casually mentioned he wanted to have breakfast together on Saturday, I thought little of it. He showed up early with muffins and fruit and announced we were eating breakfast in bed. Once again, I just thought he was being his usual sweet self. He sat down next to me and said something about how he hoped we could be as happy & in love for as long as my grandparents were. Then he got down on one knee and pulled out the ring. I was totally shocked and romantically said, "Are you proposing to me right now?!!" After the sappy romantic parts were over I said, "You proposed to me while I was wearing my pajamas!"

Even with the pajamas, it was perfect. 

On BBQ Sauce

I have discovered a new barbecue sauce. As an (almost) life-long resident of The South I thought I was an expert on all things BBQ. My love for a South Carolina mustard-based sauce runs hard and deep. I once drove 10 people through the ghettos of Columbus, GA for 30 minutes to get mustard BBQ from Smokey Pig Barbecue. It is one of those BBQ places where the line is out the door 15 minutes before it opens (partly because the interior is smaller than my living room). I still think about that BBQ sometimes.

I enjoy a good Coke/ketchup based sauce, but in North Carolina you can get Cheerwine/ketchup based sauce which is even better. Tennessee's sauce has whiskey in it (of course) & I'm partial to it purely out of state loyalty. I can appreciate a vinegar-based sauce, but won't waste my time if there is something better. Kanas City style sauce is not fit for human consumption (so dull/sweet), but sadly is found all over the country. BUT, this past weekend I discovered the Birmingham white sauce. Even I was surprised to discover a white BBQ sauce. It is only found around the Birmingham area and is basically a mild, smokey mix of mayonnaise and vinegar. It is pretty much exclusively used for chicken and it was pretty good! I don't even really like mayonnaise and I still liked it. What I'm trying to say is, I probably need to go on a BBQ tour of the South. What if there are more delicious sauces I don't know about?!


PSA: If you invite people over for a "barbecue" and you serve them hamburgers made on a grill, you are a liar and made your friends very, very sad. I'm looking at you, Utah. (I fell for that line for 2 years before I learned to expect disappointment)