So web 2.0 it makes babies cry.

Sadly, it looks like we lost a few posts from 2010.   Here is the rest of the year in short:

July:

• Did some traveling
• Went to some Phillies and Riversharks baseball games
• Of course, a lot of drinking and picnics
• Helped run a benefit which raised about 3k for a family.

August:

• Plenty of drinking and  enjoying the summer with my friends and family.
• Our annual fishing trip was a failure because I wasn’t involved enough.
• Shot some big guns at the Widows Sons first annual ATF.
• Did a pub crawl in Rehoboth

September:

• Nearly got into a fight with some jag-off at the Red Bull Flugtag cause he felt he was entitled to take the spot I had been standing in for 5 hours.
• Did a pub crawl in Philly, missed the ferry on the way back, well sorta…..
• Again did some traveling, put lots of seat time on the bike.
• Helped at the Hogs for Hounds Benefit by the WS.
• Started a new batch of Syrah.

October:

• Did a few rides/poker runs, all enjoyable.
• During Restaurant week, I reviewed a few new places for the other blog.
• Went to see Social D in Philly.
• Hit a few Halloween parties, as well as a late Oktoberfest (it’s actually in September)
• Joined the Knight’s Templar, confirmed my belief that one should only join the Royal Arch path after they are a PM

November:

• Started off the month in Key West, how can you go wrong with that???
• My guys did a great job at GLI even if some people are already predisposed to dislike us, but that’s fine, it makes us stronger.
• Plenty of family/friend times between the holidays and wine tastings and such

December:

• Installations, Installations, Installations.
• Finished up my year as WM, what a year and experience it was.  I learned a lot about people, an experience I might try to do some things differently, but not that many.  I have many many thoughts on this, but sadly I’ll need to keep most of those close to my heart.  I’m glad I gave a year of my life to the lodge, but it’s time for someone else to take the reins.

January:

• Started off 2011 with a nice kiss from a nice girl, or two.
• Started my new role as Lodge Secretary, lots of work to get in order.
• Started Geocaching more often, thanks to a new portable GPS as well as one for my car.
• Visited Massachusetts for the weekend
• More wine tasting’s,  I won my first contest with a Zinfandel
• The first GLI I wasn’t required to be at, but I did goto the M&W meeting to help get the assessments sorted out.
• I didn’t do as well at the Shipwreck Brewery Chili cookoff as I had hoped, 5th place
• Started a batch of Bavarian Wheat Ale, can’t wait to taste this one and start another.

These are just some broad strokes, but as always been busy and I like it that way.

So those of you who know me in real life, may know my work environment, which can at times be, stressful..   I am the builder of moonbases, the jack of all trades, master’s of none, I’m the guy who gets the shit, no matter what happens.  I’ve been at the same .com for the last 9.5 years. I’ve seen employees, fads, all come and go.   You know what stresses me out, my personal life.

I am the Senior Warden of Mozart Lodge #121,  a small lodge,yet a powerful one.  We may not have the finances of some of the major players, nor do we have the number that they do, but we have forward momentum.  As one that always seems to end up on the side of the underdog, I can see so  much potential with our lodge it is just plain sick.  If elected, I will be installed as “Worshipful Master” of the lodge come December 6th, 2009 for the 2010 Masonic term (if interested in attending the installation, please contact me).

I’m not worried about running a good business meeting, paying the bills, or having good entertainment. I know I’m good at those things.  What worries me the most is that we get enough people for our events, for our lodge to grow.  Less than a month ago we had 55 people come out to a Camden Riversharks game, which despite their  loss, was an amazingly good time.  We even had awesome fireworks show afterwards just to make up for it.   I sit here, wondering if  tomorrow we really will have 50+ people again show up for our “Annual” fishing trip.  We missed last year, which was my fault.  I was  busy doing so many other thing for the lodge, that I just did not have time to put things  together.  This  has once again been a year of moving forward,

Although I sit here after 11 PM drinking a gin (Bombay) gimlet,  I worry that we have enough sandwiches, if everyone will show up, if we will have enough food, cigars, and drinks.   There is a lot of pressure being me,  honestly.   “Some” people look at me and think that “I have little or no stress”, but let us be honest and say that there is a lot.  I’ve taken the saying that the “Junior Warden is the social director of the lodge” and expanded that to the thought that “I was the Junior Warden, and now much relinquish command to the next guy” .   I now realize that  a year later and a few months, that in less that six months,  IWILL be WM of Mozart Lodge # 121.   I will let the example set from myself, stand, and hope that they can stand as  future officers of this fine  Lodge behind me which I hope they can stand up to.

Wow I have been busy, and not just normal busy for me, but really busy. That being no excuse, a “month in review” for you. Following the weekend we left off on, was Memorial Day weekend, which as always was at Buehler’s Idlewild. As always, I can’t say enough good things about the weekend, the people, the hosts, the food. Take note of Nana drinking a PBR, and now stop wondering where I get it from.

Nanna drinking a PBR

The Lake at Buehlers Idlewild

Karley and Matty

Chilling with Bacon and Sauasge

The following Saturday was the Mozart Lodge #121 Beef and Beer, which consumed many days of planning, and running around. Which was all worth it, as we managed to have over 80 people come through the door, and after expenses we managed to raise about $500 for the Masonic Charity Foundation, which is how they fund the Masonic HOME in Burlington, NJ. The next day I went to the Camden Rivershark’s game where they did a nice presentation by the Warrior’s Watch , and Sicily sang the National Anthem w/ her class.

The next weekend was pretty quiet as I remember it, I think I worked on my gimlet recipe.  On the 13th I ran all over the state, there was a christening in the AM, then I shot down to Wildwood for the longest DeMolay banquet in history, Congrats Wes!   Followed by a visit to a southern gin joint till the wee hours of the AM. Seriously, it was like 5,  I was tired for all of Flag Day.  Then on the 19th, was the Mozart Lodge trip to the Camden Riversharks. We managed to get 65 people together with very short notice. On account of the iterest of this trip, and the amount of people we had to turn away the day of the game, next time I’m just going to buy out the whole section and fill that.

That is about enough for the broad strokes of social events for the month, I’m sure there were other things I have forgotten or not cared to write about today.

Then there was cooking…. Well lots of cooking, but the only things I have pictures left of or even bothered to take are my crappy donut balls, my awesome french bread, and one of my staple foods, PBR and Pierogies. The donut balls were done on a whim, and I wanted to try something with baking powder instead of yeast. As a result, I was not impressed at all and next time I will be sure to do those with yeast. Now my French Bread was really nice, the best I’ve done yet. Next time, I’m going to add some I-Tai herbs though, cause I’m crazy like that. The last pic is just for me, mmmm.

My Dounut balls kinda sucked

My best French bread yet.

PBR and Pierogies with peppers and onions.

Most recently, there was Father’s Day thrown in the mix there. We had a bbq over at Dave’s and had a good time. I got to spend a few minutes relaxing in the hammock sipping a DFH Midas Touch, which is still one of my favorite beers.

Just chillin in the Hammock, drinking a Dogfish Head

Currently I’m in the midst of planning our annual fishing trip (LMK if you wanna go!) and getting my “term plan” set for my year as WM, pending my election of course.  While I’m thinking of planning, what really gets me is the way no one likes to make a reservation early.  I must admit, it adds a whole new level of complexity to planning large events… Anyhow, that is more than enough for now.