Seroiusly? People have pet bar mitzvahs? That's out of control. So is wiping up your cat's bottom when they do a "stinky boom boom." Outrageous.

The first of the bbq trail videos are up and ready to knock your socks off. Sam is a documentary genius. Maybe have a few tissues ready, cause it's so beautiful...it'll make you cry. Please to enjoy.

Carl's frozen custard, Fredericksburg, Virginia

Bill Ellis' BBQ, Wilson, North Carolina

To Porter!

Drop your sword: A contest for my generation. Have fun storming the castle!

(On the flip side, how could this possibly be the 20th anniversary of The Princess Bride? Inconceivable! Boo! Booooooo!)

Oh my goodness me, I can hardly wait for Tuesday! This album is gonna rock the house, no doubt about it. I keep thinking that I need to get over my obsession with Alison Krauss, but then she comes out with a roots-rock duet album with the lead singer of Led Zeppelin. Now how can I get over that? It's just too good...

This is so disturbing, on so many levels. Who keeps a leg in a cooker?

I vow to be a better blogger. In the meantime, contemplate how much a person has to love Bruce Springsteen to tattoo this on his back:

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Things my Dad has taught me:

- How to waterski (this was a very vital skill in my childhood)
- Roman numerals (I have no idea why I remember that)
- How to write an outline (a dying art, I fear)
- How to tie a uni-knot, bait my hook, cast, set the hook, land the fish, and release (and yet, I still let him do all of those steps for me, aside from the casting and catching)
- The joy of a well-told story (stay away from smartweed!)
- The importance of altruism
- Ethics
- That even the slightest Southern accent can't hide behind the phrase "right nice white rice"
And so, so much more. Thanks, Dad, for setting such a great example for life. May your birthday be the best yet!

After a great week with the family in Albuquerque, I headed to the Snowbird Resort outside Salt Lake City, Utah for Holly and Michael Pierre's wedding. It was quite the treat to be in such a beautiful place with good friends. I gotta say, having a wedding at a resort is a genius idea! We didn't have to leave the grounds the whole time, it was like a mini-hideout spot. And because everyone was staying at the lodge, I ran into wedding folk everywhere I went (that is, the pool or happy hour), so I got to know more of the bride's friends, some of the groom's friends, and even family members! It was a great way to bring everyone together. And have you ever been to a wedding where you get to spend the morning of the wedding day hanging out pool-side with the bride and the wedding party? I don't think you have. And even if you have, was your pool-side-bride hanging out time in the middle of the mountains? I don't think it was.

Morning of the wedding day: Leah (friend), Holly (bride), Emily (narrator), and Kristen (sister o' bride) handing out in the hot tub.


(This is the first time in my life that I've gone to a pool surrounded by pine trees instead of palm trees.) Holly and Leah:

Kristen, Eric, and Holly: less than half of the Riedelbach children.

Such a relaxed bride and groom, just hours before the ceremony.

So pretty.

And just because I can, another great video of Simon:

Ok, alright. Sorry about the long blog hiatus! Here is what I have done with my non-blogging time:

1. Returned from Europe
2. Washed clothes
3. Flew to Colorado, spent a few days with the Lanes and some Austin folks in Durango
4. Drove to New Mexico with the Lanes
5. Spent a week in ABQ with the whole family
6. Flew to Salt Lake City for Holly and Michael Pierre's wedding
7. Flew to State College
8. Washed clothes
9. Drove to New York City, picked up Sam, spent night in McLean, VA
10. Drove to Southeastern North Carolina
11. Ate BBQ
12. Took a census of wild horses
13. Ate BBQ
14. Ate BBQ
15. Attended a Durham Bulls game
16. Ate BBQ
17. Ate BBQ
18. Drove through Asheville, was underwhelmed
19. Ate BBQ
20. Drove back to New York City, hung out for an evening with Columbia gals at the Heights
21. Drove back to State College
22. Piled dirty clothes on floor, as yet unwashed

I have been busy! And I actually under-reported the amount of BBQ that I ate, how you like that? There will be lots of blog updates to follow about all of that insane traveling that I have done, and for now I'll share pictures from the first trip: DEN-ABQ.

First stop, Garden of the Gods in Colorado. That was some kind of landscape! We were there just in time for sunset: great for viewing, not so great for photographing.

Next, a week in Albuquerque with the whole family. We ate at Frontier Restaurant again, one of my ABQ favorite spots. Yum, huevos Rancheros. Yum, John Wayne.

What's up with the unattended buns in the middle of the street? I'll watch those, sir.

You know, I've never really had any interest in owning/ displaying a cow skull on my wall, but maybe that's because I had never seen one that was BEDAZZLED. Talk about classy!

And, of course, I spent some quality time with the family. Simon is always a hoot, and Mom and Dad aren't far behind.

Check out the size of the zucchinis that Maria grows! This one is almost as big as sweet lil Si!

To further illustrate the giantness of the zucchini, and to test blogspot's new video feature (that's right, you better prepare yourself for some fantastic videos), for your viewing pleasure, I present Simon Versus The Zucchini, a film that reflects on the genius of miraclegro, home gardening, and the impending terrible twos. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

I am back from an uber-relaxing week in the highlands of the Czech Republic. I spent the time at my extended family's cottage relaxing, sunbathing, eating, drinking, walking, bonding with cousins, brushing up on my Czech (I can now say "delicious!" and "I'm full!" - both very useful in my family), and enjoying myself immensely. There is not much to the tiny town of Odranec other than tasty fresh veggies and rolling hills, but I couldn't have wanted anything more. And apparently I was the talk of the town - Silva contends that I may very well be the first American to ever visit the village, and the townsfolk were quite curious about me. The neighbors told Beata that they wanted to say something to me, but they were scared. And as Silva and I rode through the town on bikes, a couple asked Silva, "Is that the American?" That's good stuff. But the best part, as usual, was getting to know my extended family better and catching up on the goings-on. It always amazes me how deeply you can love people who you barely know, all because they're family. But enough gushing, time for pictures. First, the cottage in Odranec:

The courtyard inside had plenty of room for sunbathing, reading, or lounging near all that chopped wood!

Right down the road, we picked cherries off the tree. I ate so much that I got a little sick, but I couldn't help myself. I felt the sick coming, but I kept on eating.

Bea and I took a walk to watch the sun set over the hills.

Speaking of hills, check out this idyllic landscape:

In addition to picking cherries for the first time, I also learned all about picking potatoes....

....and picking mushrooms! I trekked through the woods with my cousin, Silva, and two of her childhood friends, Lenka and Katka, searching for edible wild mushrooms. We didn't find very many, but we managed to come out with a few of them. It was great walking around in the forrest, but I realized very quickly that I couldn't last a day in the woods if I was stranded. Stick me out in the ocean for a few weeks with nothing but a piece of driftwood and I might get by, but I'd be dead after 2 hours in the woods, no doubt. Here are Lenka and Katka on the way to pick mushrooms:

Silva shows off a good looking mushroom.

And although we had planned a "sport week" at the cottage, we mostly lazed and went to the pub. We did cycle 20 km one day, but by the end we were just cycling from pub to pub, and I'm not sure if that actually counts for anything. The gals at the hospoda in Kukla:

(This is a picture from one of our "pit stops" during our cycling trip.)

We really get along so well, it's a shame that we see each other for 3 days every two years. It's just not enough!

I'm already dreaming about going back for another visit. (Cue cheesy music, roll credits.)

Sunday was a great day! It was a perfect, hot summer day - great for a bbq. Nico and Martin cooked us up some delicious lamb sausages (very flavorful but not overpowering) and skewers, complemented by my new favorite summer beverage: a mixture of beer and Sprite. I know that sounds disgusting, and I'm usually the first one to reject any bastardization of beer, but it's a delicious summery treat. It's like a wine spritzer, but with beer! Try it, you'll be amazed. Mary and Nico tending to the grill:

Our yummer meat (this pic's for you, Sam - and by the way, you MUST find some lamb sausage):

Emily and Nico:

In Germany, when the fat from the meat drips onto the coals and catches on fire, you put out the fire with beer. It's the German way! Martin demonstrates his fine fire-dousing techniques while Nico dances excitedly.

The smell of the beer mixing with the meat is fantastic! Or, as the Germans would say, fantastik!

The neighbor girl came over to show us the kittens that their cat just had. So little! There are three of them in that suitcase (yes, she carried them around in a plaid suitcase).

So wee!

The afternoon continued at the Theaterhaus where we saw an incredible jazz performance by McCoy Tyner, legendary jazz pianist and former member of Coltrane's band. Check out the cute kids taking in the music.

It's been a great summer. I sure am going to miss these guys!

Have I mentioned how great all our German friends are? I speak the truth! Here are some pictures from a picnic that they hosted in honor of all of our birthdays. We hiked up to a park at the top of one of Jena's many steep hills and had a delicious feast, all topped off with a beautiful sunset. They even carried decorations all the way up to the top of the hill! Here is Christina with the Happy Birthday sign.

Mary helped fire up the grill and cook delicious German meat, yum.

Check out all this food...

Christina, Anika, Mary, and Inga.

They even bought us birthday presents! Mary and I were sehr excited.

And if presents weren't enough, they made us cake! Individual cakes! Anika and Nadine light the candles.

The birthday girls: Uli, Mary, Emily, and Inga.

I had such a hard time coming up with a wish - is that a good thing or a bad thing?

The view of Jena from the Park:

Great scenerey!

And a beautiful sunset to end the evening. Vielen Dank!