First Hangar Cookout of the Year

Ah, what is it about burned steaks and cold beer that just tastes SO
good at the hangar? Especially that first nice evening of the
spring, when the sun is finally up late enough to actually see the
grill, and we don't have to huddle around the jet-fuel space heater to
keep warm anymore...

Today we flew to Prairie du Chien, WI for our post-annual test
flight. Everything ran perfectly, thankfully, and in a fit of
foolishness we actually gambled a few bucks at the river boat -- and
WON, leaving the casino with $5 bucks more than we arrived with. (Not
bad, on a $10 investment!)

Feeling flush, I gave it to the casino's shuttle bus driver when he
dropped us off at our plane, and all was balanced in the world once
again...

We got back to Iowa City early, and realized that it was 68 degrees,
sunny -- and Daylight Savings Time had created an extra hour of warmth
and light in the evening -- perfect for a cookout! Sadly, our old
grill (which had barely survived being thrown THROUGH our pool fence
at the inn by last spring's tornado) was dead (when we last used it,
last fall, flames had shot from the BOTTOM of the grill, right by the
propane tank hoses!), so it was off to buy a new grill.

Dunno if you guys have followed the recent evolution of those big
honkin' stainless steel super grills, but a few years ago (when they
first came out) they were pushing $1000 bucks. In recent years the
price has plummeted, and Menards is currently running a sale on the
big 4-burner (plus a side burner) stainless steel Uber-Grills -- for
just $219.

At that price we snatched one up, took the HUGE (two men to carry it)
box back to the hangar, and began inserting Tab A into Slot B. Three
hours later, we were burning meat at an alarming rate, and loving it!

By chance this turned out to be a very special occasion, as my 16 year
old son actually invited a GIRL to join us for dinner -- a new first
-- so I did my best to make the steaks tasty and succulent. The new
grill is so hot that searing the meat was easy, which is the secret to
a juicy steak, and everything went well. In fact, for my first effort
of the year, I must admit that they were quite good, and (better yet)
we succeeded in not embarrassing our son too much -- which is as good
as you can get at this age.

With 6+ months of cookout weather to go, we're looking forward to an
active year at the hangar!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ps.com...

-- so I did my best to make the steaks tasty and succulent.


Past tense?

I thought this was an invitation.

On Mar 22, 9:12 pm, "Jay Honeck" wrote:

Ah, what is it about burned steaks and cold beer that just tastes SO
good at the hangar?

Carmaderie, and the fact that someone else paid for the beer : )

....and we don't have to huddle around the jet-fuel space heater to
keep warm anymore...

Mmmmm... Jet A fumes... dizzy... THUNK!!

Three hours later, we were burning meat at an alarming rate, and loving it!

I'll have mine well done with extra carcinogens, please...

In fact, for my first effort of the year, I must admit that they were quite good

Glad to hear that - but just the same I'll wait until we're a bit
deeper into the grillin' season and you've earned your grillmeister
certification G What's your airport's identifier again?

Jus' doin' my best Montblack impression here
Kingfish

Nawww.... Montblack would say something like "Wait until spring to grill?
The only time we don't grill out up here is when it's too cold for the gas
to evaporate in the tank. I think it happened twice in January."
Mont-black... on the outside, pink on the inside, please.

Jim

Nawww.... Montblack would say something like "Wait until spring to grill?
The only time we don't grill out up here is when it's too cold for the gas
to evaporate in the tank. I think it happened twice in January."
Mont-black... on the outside, pink on the inside, please.

Dang, Jim -- you and Kingfish have Montblack down so well, he needn't
even comment anymore!

Ah, carcinogens. We may not live long eating like that, but it's
worth it!

And tonight, it's off to the Eagles Club fish fry. Can you say
(*burp*) grease?

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"