TheBanyanTree: BBQ in the Winter

[LaRose Karr]

BBQ in the Winter by LaRose Karr

Last night we asked some friends over to supper.  While having breakfast
with a friend yesterday morning, I mentioned I had purchased a large pork
tenderloin and intended to cook it in the crockpot.  "Would you like to come
for supper? I asked.  She accepted the invitation.

Since I had cleaned the house thoroughly last week and decorated for the
holidays there wasn't a lot to do except pick up here and there and vacuum.
So, I actually had a leisurely Saturday even though company was coming.

I watched the backyard a lot.  Enjoyed the "menagerie" we have happening out
there.  We feeds tons of birds, two fat squirrels and now "Peter Cottontail"
has come to live with us.  We don't know why a cottontail rabbit decided to
live in our backyard but we enjoy him.  He burrows down in the grass near
the birdfeeders.  Perhaps he likes to watch the birds and the squirrels too!

When it came time for finishing the meal.  I used a bottle of BBQ sauce we
brought back from Arkansas on our recent trip.  It's from Nick's restaurant
in my hometown where they have excellent food.

Had to wait a bit for my husband to come home from deer hunting.  He looked
the part of the grizzled hunter but was in a good mood as he had got his
buck.

By the time the guests arrived, the food was smelling delicious and our
friend's son mentioned he could smell it as I opened the door.  And then
another delay came when my friend had to leave and pick up our kids from a
trip they had taken to Denver.

We tried to teach them the art of eating BBQ southern style with coleslaw on
their sandwich but no one seemed interested in doing this.  They said they'd
rather have theirs "Yankee" style.  Hmph!

Finally, we could have our BBQ! I had bought styrofoam plates but we did use
the good goblets I save for company.  We had lemonaide to go with our BBQ
sandwiches, chips, corn and coleslaw.  We joked about our BBQ picnic-style
in December.  And just for kicks and grins I threw in that we were using
Halloween napkins!

So, we spent an enjoyable evening with friends discussing such things as how
to trap mice.  Our friend uses a pellet gun and shoots them when he sees
them in the house. Oh my!   Since my husband and friend are both
correctional officers we also heard the techniques of forced cell
extraction.

And they brought a Christmas gift which I opened immediately.  It was a
Yankee candle, "Fresh Roses."

I think everyone needs a BBQ picnic indoors in December on a cold winter
day.  It chases away cabin fever.