This entry would have been on AOL....

AOL isn't allowing pictures to be posted on journals. It was for just such misbehavior on their part that I started this blog, and at this rate I'll eventually be doing all my blogging here.

We have a wonderful nephew who lives in Peculiar, Mo. He came visiting Saturday for the specific reason of helping us. He'd called Cliff a few days earlier and told him he and Trevor, his son, would be here. Above, he's helping Cliff put a new shelf in my laundry room.

However, when we woke up Saturday morning to pouring-down rain, Cliff said, "Scotty won't be coming in weather like this." So around 11 A.M., we headed to Bates City Barbecue for lunch. As we were finishing our meal, we got a call and found out Scotty and Trevor were at the house waiting for us. Darn it! We should have checked in with him before we left; we would have loved to have bought their dinner.

A side note: The reason for Bates City Barbecue was that every local TV station was featuring Memorial Day barbecue marathons. That planted a seed in our minds and appetites. We're that way, easily influenced by the power of suggestion.

This is Scotty's Rhino. It became our limo for the day, and saved Cliff at least 50,000 steps. Trevor acted as our cabbie, running us from the trailer to the old house.

In between trips, Trevor entertained himself with some sort of video game. This boy is such a gentleman, and so grown-up to visit with. He is a chip off the old block, and we love him. Sadie relaxed at his feet.

It wasn't all work: The three guys took the Rhino up and down our steep banks, just to see what it could do. Cliff was very impressed. Oh, they also found out our two calves had crossed the fence to visit a neighbor's herd. Local mushroom hunters (not the usual suspects... most likely boys we know who should have known better) had tied up the barbed wire fence to access our property more easily and left it tied up so that all the cattle had to do was stroll through.

It was easy to get Secret home, since she's halter-broke. However, her buddy, Meatloaf, isn't that tame. He's still with the neighbors cows. I suppose I'll eventually call them, but we have so many things going on, we're inclined to let him stay. No great loss. And Secret really doesn't seem to miss him that much.

Anyway. Scotty and Trevor spent the whole day here, and all they got was peanut butter for lunch and cheeseburgers and hot dogs for supper. I'll make it up to them one of these days.

Another glimpse of our day yesterday... and great barbecue!

Before we left Cliff's nephew's house yesterday, his son Trevor wanted me to see some of his cool football moves. He had me say something... three words, but I don't recall what they were (sorry Trevor, and I'm also sorry if I'm mis-spelling your name)... and then he demonstrated his vicious tackle.



Needless to say, I was impressed.

It was after one o'clock when we hit the road: Cliff and me on the Honda, Charlene and Pat on the Harley, and Cliff's brother, Don, with his wife in her pickup (no, she doesn't allow him to drive it, but I won't go there). We were hungry. Cliff wanted barbecue, and asked the nephew's advice on where to find some. He directed us to Jack Stack Barbecue in Martin City.

No signs on the outside?

I was a bit uncomfortable sitting there with that picture on the wall above the guys, staring at me; must be the founder and his family... or maybe not. The picture looked somewhat threatening, and scenes from "The Godfather" kept flashing through my mind. But I managed to eat my half of the sampler meal Cliff and I ordered. Boy, did I manage!

Oh, Don and Pat got to discussing the movie "Wild Hogs", and that's what they're laughing at.

Must have been a really funny movie. They were laughing so hard, they were drawing the attention of other patrons in the restaurant.

The food was as good as any Kansas City barbecue I've had.

And after a great day, we bid Charlene and Pat goodbye. (No, I don't know what's going on with her mouth in this picture!)