TexasGuppie
07-05-2006, 10:34 AM
I had been planning the 4th of July BBQ for family and friends for months. I had invested a chunk of money in meats, spices, food for sides, etc. as well as picking up a few new "gadgets" like 2-Maverick ET-73's, 2-12'X12' EZUP awnings and some other stuff. What I'm trying to say here is that I was READY.
I got to the ballpark (Ameriquest Field in Arlington) at midnight for setup. Boys and girls...it looked like a BBQ consession stand! It was trimmed out in red, white and blue, had a couple of flags and tables for everyone with their own centerpiece, salt and pepper, papertowel holder, etc.
Things were going great until:
2AM: The sprinklers (that were supposed to be OFF) blasted me straight out of a nice little nap with a direct hit to the face. I spent the next hour moving two galvanized garbage cans around to cover the offending sprinkler heads.
4AM: It got chilly. Yeah, I know...how the hell did that happen? I wrapped up in a beach towel and went back to sleep.
7AM: The rebel sprinkler heads turned the nice dry ground into a muddy pig trough.
11AM: One of my new ET-73's went out (bad food probe wire is the best I can figure. It read, "HHH.")
3PM: Hurricane winds from the north. They pulled one of my EZUP's out of the ground and by the time I caught up to it, it was destroyed (that's okay though because it was a freebie.) I dragged it back to my site only to watch as the wind buckled one of my new 12'X12's. :cry:
4PM: I was forced by wind and impending rain to tear down my site before even the first guest arrived. It was a shame too because I was very proud of the way it looked and the extra "mile" I went to to ensure everyone would have a comfortable place to sit and eat.
5PM: Guests arrive and eat although not in comfort as all are crammed under the one remaining EZUP.
6PM: Pouring rain and I'm soaked.
7PM: Ranger's game postponed until 8:40 first pitch.
Missed the fireworks show after the game (I was asleep.)
Rangers lost 3-2.But...everyone liked the food and I was asked to do a Labor Day BBQ event. I'll hold onto that thought until I know more about the weather forecast for that day!
Ken (was ready to quit Q'n after yesterday. I'm okay today though.)
I got to the ballpark (Ameriquest Field in Arlington) at midnight for setup. Boys and girls...it looked like a BBQ consession stand! It was trimmed out in red, white and blue, had a couple of flags and tables for everyone with their own centerpiece, salt and pepper, papertowel holder, etc.
Things were going great until:
2AM: The sprinklers (that were supposed to be OFF) blasted me straight out of a nice little nap with a direct hit to the face. I spent the next hour moving two galvanized garbage cans around to cover the offending sprinkler heads.
4AM: It got chilly. Yeah, I know...how the hell did that happen? I wrapped up in a beach towel and went back to sleep.
7AM: The rebel sprinkler heads turned the nice dry ground into a muddy pig trough.
11AM: One of my new ET-73's went out (bad food probe wire is the best I can figure. It read, "HHH.")
3PM: Hurricane winds from the north. They pulled one of my EZUP's out of the ground and by the time I caught up to it, it was destroyed (that's okay though because it was a freebie.) I dragged it back to my site only to watch as the wind buckled one of my new 12'X12's. :cry:
4PM: I was forced by wind and impending rain to tear down my site before even the first guest arrived. It was a shame too because I was very proud of the way it looked and the extra "mile" I went to to ensure everyone would have a comfortable place to sit and eat.
5PM: Guests arrive and eat although not in comfort as all are crammed under the one remaining EZUP.
6PM: Pouring rain and I'm soaked.
7PM: Ranger's game postponed until 8:40 first pitch.
Missed the fireworks show after the game (I was asleep.)
Rangers lost 3-2.But...everyone liked the food and I was asked to do a Labor Day BBQ event. I'll hold onto that thought until I know more about the weather forecast for that day!
Ken (was ready to quit Q'n after yesterday. I'm okay today though.)