The rain is falling,
The winds are swirling.
And cold, mighty cold.
It's a perfect time for.....
I live in a quiet, humble subdivision in the quiet, humble city of Franklin, or as I like to call it, "God's country."
For all the booming growth this quiet, humble city has seen since I first moved in, it's still pretty.........quiet and humble.
A rockin', happenin' place, it's not. And maybe that's ok. My guess is many people enjoy the solitude. Let me tell you, there are many times I think Max Sass is the mayor.
Take summertime. The sidewalks, as my late father used to say, get pulled up around 7:00, no later than 8:00. Are people outside? Not if they don't have to be. Houses locked up tight. Lights off. Backyard patios? Oh, Franklinites got 'em. They don't use them, but they've got 'em.
Warm weather is grilling season. So when it's warm, that would be spring, summer and fall, I grill. A lot. It's that manly rite of passage. Fire, smoke, sizzling meat. Yet up and down my neighborhood, when I grill, all summer long, no one else is barbecuing. My neighbor across the street, maybe once or twice, but only if ten carloads are over.
Now the calendar says November and winter is in the air. Sunset is early, before 5:00. If my house catches on fire at 4:30, no one, I mean not a doggone soul will know. Drag the Weber out for a nice grilled steak? Are you crazy???
I grill all year round. It's why God invented the garage and spacious driveways. He did it for grills. This is so dumb. A guy will grill outside Lambeau Field with the snow coming down, but won't grill at home with all the comforts of home.
Franklin, and anyone else petrified of grilling after Labor Day, may I suggest you be adventurous. Be a rebel. Toss on the charcoal. Light away. Brats soaked in beer. Burgers. Steaks. Chicken. You name it. In November, December, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Jnauary, February. All year grilling!
Afraid of the cold? Get a stopwatch. I use it to time the cooking while I'm in the house yelling at whatever football game is on television.
Did you hear that, Ethel? That Fischer guy has lost his briquettes this time.
He's telling us to pull out the barbecue..........when it's less than 80 degrees.............after 5:00.
Why, the next thing you know, he'll be pushing for one of those nasty Target stores.
You know good a lobster tail tastes on the grill for shut-ins on December 31st?
Don't be wimps. Grill out. Today. Tomorrow. Next month. All year.
Not grilling because its' not summer is a culinary no-no.
