Even with the sales on Mural of Flavor and Penzey's cinammon right now, the total cost of all the things in the Wedding Box come to $211.34 if you get them individually. Whereas the premade box is $199.
Anyway, obviously I was bored/curious, so I spent some time adding this all to my cart and comparing the price.
This is what's in the wedding box:
BOX CONTAINS:: 1⁄4 cup jar each of Sandwich Sprinkle, Mural of Flavor, Smoked Spanish Paprika, Turkish Oregano, Penzeys Roasted Garlic, Arizona Dreaming, Forward!, Northwoods, Penzeys Cinnamon, Ruth Ann’s Muskego Ave Seasoning, Granulated Garlic, Sweet Curry, Galena St., Turkish Seasoning, Thyme, English Prime Rib Rub, California Basil, Tuscan Sunset, Singapore Seasoning, Fox Point, 1/2 cup jar each of Penzeys Frozen Pizza Seasoning, Cajun, Penzeys Freshly Ground Pepper, Regular Chili Powder and Original Taco Seasoning,Vanilla Sugar, a 6-inch peppermill in dark finish, a 6-inch salt shaker in dark finish, a Choose Love magnet, recipe booklet and a Heal the World dish towel.
[FIRST][LAST] Atlantis Commission
Officer Report - Lieutenant Colonel John Shepard
CLEARANCE LEVEL 5
Well this had definitely been a very interesting couple of hours. This dimension and its people had very odd opinions and ideas. Apparently the prey species of this dimension were all obligate cowards, whose instincts compelled them to be non-violent and run from threats. At least according to themselves. There were apparently some of them who were “predator diseased” as they called it, a disease which often resulted in increased violence, aggression, lack of empathy, and unheard like behavior. It sounded to me like some form of infectious psychopathy, but the venlil assured us it shouldn't affect us since we were predators, which didn’t really ease my fears, but hopefully it was something we could figure out when we got home if it ever became a problem.
Gotta love mandatory quarantine periods woo hoo!
As scary as this odd disease sounded, my main concern at the moment was to try and turn a professed coward into someone who could at the very least defend themselves.
I looked down to the table of gear ahead of me and then over to the mostly naked Venlil to my side, and then even farther to Tiel’c who thought It would be a good idea to help oversee Farva’s rapid fire training course. I fiddled with the bluetooth earpiece which was rigged up to one of our handhelds to run a translation program to speak directly with the captain. A big step up from our unknowingly one sided communications earlier.
I stepped on the other side of the plastic table and placed my hands down upon it and looked on at my new student..
“Welcome Captain Farva to our very impromptu accelerated course on Human arms armor and basic infantry tactics.” I said gesturing to the hodge podge gear we had managed to assemble for the good captain. “Are we ready to begin?”.
She flicked her ears, somewhat nervously by the looks.
“I’d take it that's a yes then?”
“Oh yes sorry”
“Alright then, well given that most of our crew is human and the only other alien struts around naked all the time, the only gear we have on hand is for humans, So you're going to be running size smalls and it's all going to fit all a bit big” I say as I toss her the tactical vest. ”Here try this on, we can try to tighten it up if it's a bit loose anywhere”. The captain wrestles with the buckles a bit, and Teal'c helps her tighten up some of the top straps, as the Venil’s shoulders weren't as broad as humans. Farva gave Teal’c an odd look, but seemed appreciative none the less.Once finished, she grasped the vest in her paws with interest. “This armor seems quite lightweight, which is nice, weight is often an issue that causes us to forgo armor, since heavy armor would hurt our running ability.” Farva remarks. “Also the sheer amount of pockets seems quite excessive, what do you need all these for?”
“Well for starters it's currently missing these '' I hand Farva one of the armor plates which she looks over. “That is a depleted Naquadria ceramic composite plate. It’s designed to stop bullet impacts and dissipate energy weapon blasts. It slots into that chest compartment in the front and back of your armor.”
“This isn't quite what Id imagine for the armor of your kind”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Well judging by your ships I would have imagined you would put more emphasis on defense Your predatory nature would make you less likely to run away from conflict allowing for more encompassing armor to cover more than just your chest, since you have less need to run.”
She would put it like that.
“Well there are a number of reasons for that, a lot to do with those excess pockets you mentioned. For starters you will not be carrying the same amount of gear that the standard infantry unit would normally be carrying, we are preparing you for a quick in and out op. Normally us expedition teams need to be deployed into unknown territory for extended periods of time, we need to carry everything we might need with us from food, bullets, weapons, to comms gear, sensors, repelling equipment etc. The weight from all that gear adds up fast; In order to stay sufficiently mobile and combat effective; we only carry enough armor to protect our vitals, head and torso, anything else can hopefully be patched up by a field medic.”
Tielc gave his piece as well. “It is important to know when to run both towards and aways from one's foes, not every battle can be won through strength alone, but by strategy and cunning. Being able to reposition oneself quickly is therefore highly advantageous”
Farva seemed to freeze at Teal'c's statement, not out of fear I think, she instead had a distant look in her eye. To snap her out of her slump I handed her a standard ballistic helmet.
Seeming to get the idea she looked at it oddly and tried it on. It confirmed to her head shape decently well but depressed her ears to either side of her head, kind of resembling what one might imagine a sad bunny rabbit to look like “I don't think this will be something I can bring with me” she said ” I can't use ear signals and this will muffle my hearing.”
“Why don’t you keep it on for the time being, I think any extra hearing protection might be useful considering what we are about to try next.” I hand Farva some ballistic ear protectors, slightly modified and somewhat ramshackle. “One of the corporals worked closely with Nurse Fila to get an idea for safe decibels levels for your kind, we were also able to get these earbuds molded to fit into your ear canal better”
Farva took them and slipped them in. “These are a bit uncomfortable, what do I need these for?”
“You'll need them for this” I say as I unsnap the clasps on the weapons case revealing its contents.
The content seems to capture Farva’s interest, getting a slight tail wave.
“Okay So this here is a p90, It carries a 50 round top loading magazine of teflon coated armor piercing ordnance. With a cyclical rate of fire of 900 rounds per minute.”
Farvas ears perk up at this. “This seems like an efficient design, I take it these are a flashlight and laser sight for accuracy?” She asked, pointing to the top of the weapon.
“Yes we also have holographic and acog optics which will help line up targets from farther away.” I look on as Farva picks up the weapon and inspects it, testing the weight as I note that it will weigh a fair bit more once loaded. But she doesn't seem to be struggling with the weight. I can't help but notice good firearm safety as well, she keeps her finger well off the trigger and takes care to keep her weapon pointed aways from anyone else.
“This seems like a solid design but I'm not sure how useful those weapon optics would be, as they are not designed for my side facing eyes”
“I'm sure our master at arms can figure something out, why don't we give it a test fire first tho, before we send it off to make adjustments.” I instruct her on how to load the weapon and turn the safety off. I warn her of the sound it makes. And while definitely taken aback by the recoil and sound at first, she quickly gets the hang of it, she has some respectable shot groupings in both single fire and in short bursts. And keeps the rounds reasonably centered while firing in full auto.
She did a whole lot better than I would have initially suspected given her performance in the hanger bay a day before.
“The rate of fire seems useful” Farva spoke “This would be useful for our soldiers, our accuracy falters when we are panicked, and the increased shot count should guarantee some hits based on volume of fire alone” she finished with a dejected expression.
She quickly places the weapon back in its case, as if it burned to touch.” I don't know if I should be armed for this mission, at least not with that weapon, I don't want to miss and hit one of you in the back!”
“What? Nonsense, you are a great shot, and this is just a precaution in case we get separated or flanked and need some covering fire. If our guys are doing their job right you shouldn't need to fire a single round anyways.”
Captain Farva’s breathing started to hasten, earlier I might have thought it was fear, but I was starting to get an idea of what the captain's issues were. I’ve seen this before.
“I.. I can’t be trusted with this responsibility, every time I am left in charge of something, every time people put their lives in my paws I ....”
“Farva, don’t you start with me now you hear.” I said sternly, swiftly capping off her inevitable spiral of self doubt.
“But.. no.. you don’t understand”
Stopping her again I spoke. “But nothing, what happened before on that ship, and back at that colony is in the past. I don’t know your whole situation, but from what I have gathered from the crew It was nothing good. You feel responsible and it's eating away at you, and frankly it doesn’t matter if that's true or not. Accidents happen, people make mistakes, and when that happens we need to learn, take those lessons to heart, and don't let it stop us from helping people in the present. If you let guilt, or fear of mistakes stop you, then bad guys have already won, all without having to have fired a shot”
Farva is quiet for a short time, I was hoping I got through to her, I'm not the best and pep talks and this certainly wasn’t your typical weapons demo, if only everyones could go as smoothly as Ronan’s.
Farva spoke quietly, arms pressed up against her chest, she looked so sad, defeated, and small. Well more than usual anyways. “We can't be strong like you humans, we are too emotional and when we are scared we run away or we lock up and...”
“And that is clearly not the case with you captain Farva” Teal’c finally reentered the conversation having heard enough. “You have shown courage with every action you have taken so far, your actions have saved the lives of many of your crew, every time you have been threatened you acted not just to protect yourself but others as well. You attempted to contend with beings many times your size without even thinking about it, all in the effort to protect others, and this is only in the time we have known you, this speaks nothing of your actions over the colony. You are a warrior of admirable courage Captain Farva, your self doubt is unearned.”
A single tear rolled down Farva’s eyes which she quickly wiped away. “That was very nice of you to say, but I'm not brave like you say, I was terrified out of my mind the whole time.”
Teal’c looked puzzled. “I did not call you brave, I said you were courageous.”
Farva shot back with the little venlil one up one down ear flick I had very quickly learned was confusion.” I'm confused you just said brave twice”
“Hmm it appears your language does not contain the word I am using, I apologize I am not used to speaking through a translator” Teal’c relented “ There are two words I am using admittedly in slightly different forms, bravery and courage. Bravery or to be brave is to lack fear, to not be afraid to begin with. Courage tho, Is a trait far more admirable. Courage is to be afraid, to have fear, to worry about one's own mortality and personal safety. It is to acknowledge risk, danger, to feel fear, but to act in spite of it.”
“Had I not met your kind before I would have thought predators don't feel fear.”
“Everyone fears feel Farva, It is how we overcome it that determines our worth as warriors”
Teal’c picks up the p90 and returns it to Farvas hands.
“Your people need a warrior Farva, a warrior who protects the innocent and guides the lost to safety. You have shown how collected you can be in the heat of battle, You have already proven your worth in our eyes Farva, now you must do the same in your own. The greatest enemy lies not without” Teal’c places his hand firmly on the venlil’s chest “But within”.
After Action Report - Venlil Colonial Defense Force
Subject : Chief Engineer Donu
I fiddled with my holopad, Its small surface area proving to be a consistent source of annoyance in my current endeavor. Gone was the large workspace afforded to me by my holotable back in my office. Instead I had to work with the scaled down portable holotablet I was just fortunate enough to have strapped to my person when I was beamed away from our last ship. I was stuck with its smaller keyboard and slower rendering speeds.
An annoyed smooth skin alien looked over my shoulder at my device, attached to it was a jury rigged fiber optic cable, slotted into a terran silicon to crystal patch cable, which would convert the electrical signals broadcasted by my tablet into a bandwidth that the terrans crystalline based computers; which they used for highly complex tasks like hyperdrive and transporter systems; could use, and then It was patched again in a even stranger connector to patch into the odd asgard computer stones.
All in all it looked like someone tried to plug a regular computer into some crystal construct like you would find in a fantasy holonovel, and again plugged that into a harchen heat rock sauna lounge. Finally branching out from this conglomeration was a simple copper based wire that connects to a computer terminal at which currently sat the late Doctor Rodney Mckay. A title upon initially hearing led me to believe he was a medical doctor, which led to a flurry of medical questions that he had absolutely no means of answering.
While this odd alien nomenclature was interesting, what intrigued me more was his actual area of expertise, theoretical astrophysics, as well as a number of other diverse specialties and fields. Not to mention not only was he a great scientist who had he been raised in the more civilized portion of this galaxy, would have knowledge and aptitude that would put him alongside some of Aafas greatest minds, but he was also an engineer without peer, at least in this galaxy. His interactions with general Samantha Carter hinted at her possibly being his match if not more. For a species that was supposed to glorify violence the decision to have a scientist be arguably the most senior member of what was by their admission a military vessel spoke to their commitment to knowledge and understanding, a very noble prey-like goal.
I looked warily at the lines of code at my screen, the asguard translation program had earlier scanned our ship and was able to parse written languages, but complex files, like images and 3d design schematics were harder to encode and decode from our perspective systems. As is stands we have 3 completely separate computer architectures, the asguard can talk to human computers and the venlil computers can talk to the asguard computers, It sounds like we would have everything we need to get a human C.A.D schematic into a venlil holotablet right? Wrong! And you're stupid for entertaining such a idiotic notion! Parsing text from raw binary is relatively straight forward, you're just looking for patterns, repeating bit combinations that might infer letters and then iterating them over millions of times looking for patterns, letters, words, and then with a bit of help from some undecoded analog audio transmission, spoken language. This is a far cry from actual procedural communication protocols,the ones that allow for file transfers, exactly what we needed if we were to get Rodney's redesigned part schematics into a format and medium that can be plugged into a suitable fabricator. Assuming one still exists, which I can reasonably assume it does.
Speaking of which, I have just made something of a breakthrough. For upon my screen appears a simple geometric hydrogen cube, we’re talking vertices, planes, material data, everything we need for a usable design file.
I let out an excited pent up yip, the culmination of hours of frustrating software integration work. Unfortunately I startled Rodney, who lets out a panicked gasp and clutches his chest pelts with one of his paws.
“Oh god…..” He gasps, pointing at me “Please.. don’t do that”
“Sorry!” I say a bit meekly. I slowly approach him so as to not make him unnecessarily uncomfortable and show him my work.
“I got the file exchange set up, all we need from you is to finish any modifications to your part, upload them to my holopad, and then we can print away at any class 3 or above fabricator we can scrounge up on Brayga colony.”
“Ok.. um.. got it, I'm almost done i’m just you know” He points a lone grasping appendage at his screen,”Running some simulations, making sure everything is up to spec.” keeping his response kurt. “Sorry for freaking out there.”
I nod my head in the human display of affirmation and return to my workstation to further bug check my work, to test potentially problematic edge cases for when he finishes. Tho Rodney's continued odd behavior intruded on my thoughts.
I should have felt empowered, being able to intimidate this ‘massive beast’, but I didn't. I didn't like being feared, his people have been nice to me, Rodney himself courteous to a fault and desperate for positive attention.
I thought I could expect predators to be fearless but that clearly wasn't the case, rodney was fearful, nervous, had I not known better I would say defective, and while it annoyed his crew, they didn't berate him for it, or attempt to assert dominance, they encouraged it even with placating words and tried to help him through it, they encouraged and supported him like a proper herd, even if sometimes it took the form of what the human would call a playful ribbing. I supposed I could help him as well.
I approached him again, careful to make my approach known to him, making sure to approach from within his limited field of vision. He looks up at me with a wide eyed glare, had I not known him I might have assumed it was hunger, but I did and knew it to be concern.
“Uh high Donu.. um whats up?”
“Why are you afraid of us rodney?”
“Wa-What, me afraid?” he gives out a panicked laugh ”uh no no, I'm not afraid, you know just a bit weirded out I'm just getting used to you all, it's not a fear thing it's a a…. Just getting used to new aliens thing, ask Hermirod we went through this whole song and dance right buddy”
Hermirod furrowed his brow and gave an irritated sigh from across the room.
I reached out to take Rodney by the paw.
His whole body flinched at my mere touch, I quickly withdrew my paw.
“Oh.. um.. I didn't…”
“Rodney! It's okay, your crew doesn’t seem to care when you show fear, and neither do I. Why are you afraid of us? You are almost twice our size and surely double our strength, most venlil would scream and run in terror at the mere sight of you. What's wrong?”
Rodney let out a sigh. “Oh its, we don't have to talk about this, I can deal with this, I deal with scary situations all the time, it's fine, I'll be fine.”
“Rodney, my people are a very emotional, empathic people, we are open with our feelings and with our fear, and the fear of the one can affect the herd, please let me help you. I don’t know what to expect from your society but I promise I wont judge you for your fear or emotions, I mean look at many of my crew mates, we are no one to judge”
Rodney shot back “You didn't seem to be so bothered”
“I’m too old to care, I was about to retire, hell I was about to die as far as I knew, Brayga colony was supposed to be a quiet place to lay back, work on some hobbies, plant a garden and pester the young men of my colony until I either dropped dead of boredom or got lucky” I joked.
That seemed to raise Rodney's mood somewhat. He sighed and seemingly relented.
“It’s… a dumb story, I don't even know why it affected me so much, I come from a place on earth called Canada, people don't usually believe me when I say I am from there, us Canadians are notoriously friendly and I guess I haven’t exactly filled that mold for a lot of my life, but hey I'm working on it, people like me, I have lots of friends back at Atlantis” He says the last sentence in a way as if it isn't me he's trying to convince.
“I'm sure you do, Rodney, You seem like quite the charming individual when you're not cowering!”
“Ha ha thanks, maybe you could come and visit sometime. Tell that to doctor Becket, really nice guy, smart man, he would love to meet you, he loves investigating new species. But back on topic, oh boy, so me and my sister Jeannie were on a family trip to rural Vancouver to visit my grandpa's farm, he kept a lot of goats, not for eating or anything, they were essentially pets that he would use for milk”
“Wait hold on? You drink milk from other animals! Do your females not produce enough milk for their young?”
“Oh um no, we just sort of drink it or ferment it into cheese!”
“Ferment? You mean spoil?
“Yeh”
I reeled from this plasma blast of a statement, I like any right minded venlil had a number of nightmares about being an arxur’s cattle before, especially when I first learned about those things in primary school, but never once had it crossed my mind that we could be used for something so weird. What the speh was I supposed to do with that information?
“Maybe you should get back on topic”
“Yeh sorry about that uh.. Anyways the momma goat had just had a litter of babies, and their real cute when their little, so late in the day when my grandpa was asleep we snuck out to the pens so we can play with the little baby goats, our grandpa told us not to but you now how kids are.”
At this I think back to a young Nyan, as I teach him the inner working of the hyperdrive, I tell him he’s not cleared yet to operate in this engine compartment alone, but I could tell from the occasional caught black hairs and dropped writing implements, there had been a number of curious unauthorized expeditions into its inner workings, he didn't really listen either.
“My sister as always was trying to be the voice of reason, wanting to take it slow. If I was paying attention I might have noticed the angry moma goat who didn’t appreciate the strange human messing with her children.”
The color seemed to drain from his face.
“I uh…” He began to stutter again ”I screamed, a lot, it was rather undignified, she ran right at me, thank god it wasn't a male goat, one with horns, I tired to run but I was hit in the back and knocked over and kicked real good in the head, like wake up in the vet clinic a quarter mile down the road kind of bad”
“This goat was a prey animal?”
“That would be what your kind focuses on”
“Oh sorry”
“Anyways It seems dumb but I have just never been good with animals since then, especially ones that look like you; no offense; I'm getting better but when I first saw you guys in the hangar bay, I was just that dumb kid again, getting in way over my head, scared for my life. I guess there is something to be said about childhood trauma. I really should be over this, I'm getting better with it I swear it’s just”
I take his paw again, he doesn't flinch this time.
“I'm a venlil, a prey animal, I know fear, I know what it is to live in fear, It rattles your brain, it turns your paws to wet grains. It takes great strength to overcome it, to push it aside just long enough to protect the herd. Your herd relies on you Rodney and you are doing a great job in spite of your fear, in spite of having to work with those you fear. You have achieved intellectual feats that rival the greatest minds of the federation and all that while struggling with a traumatic experience. Fear isn’t dumb and there is nothing wrong with you for feeling it.”
“Thank you” Rodney says “That means a lot, I won't be like forever I promise, I just need some time.”
“We will laugh about this someday,” I assured. “Nothing as big and intelligent as you should be afraid of anything”
“Are you calling me fat?” Rodney exclaimed with fake offense.
We both chuckled.
My kind words had resulted in a more upright posture, and a more cheerful demeanor from the human, almost like when I congratulated Nyan on his work, and it got me a look at that happy snarl of his, that I was starting to grow quite fond of.
After Action Report - Venlil Colonial Defense Force
Subject : Apprentice Engineer Nyan
Oh wow! I get to write a report for this mission! I never get to write reports, Donu says they're too boring, but there’s so many interesting things going on all the time. Sometimes I sneakily write my own! Just for fun of course, nobody sees them, which is probably for the best as I sometimes get excited and embellish them slightly. One of the reports I wrote was about the time Donu used nothing but a wad of electrical tape, a bottle of high grain venlil alcohol and a pocket knife to repair a venlil medical ship just in time to get out of the way of a big scary space predator, with glowing red eyes and a million tentacles!
Anyways Im not sure If im suppose to write these In present tense first person or past tense. I asked the captain and she said it's whatever so long as I make sure any pertinent dialogues are properly quoted(“”).
“Nobody usually reads these things anyways.” She said, but this one is surely going to be so exciting, who could look away!
I mean who's gonna scoff at a chance to read about friendly predators from another dimension! A dimension of friendly predators who give warm head scratches and hand out yummy strayu not strayu treats called donuts, that are somehow fluffier than strayu, and have a nice moisture to them. I asked for the recipe but Samantha said we wouldn't have the ingredients back on Venili prime to make them, and Teal'c said the recipe is an old family secret. Its weird predators would be so protective of their plant snacks.
There are so many weird things about these predators, they have nurturing instincts that make them find us cute. They stay perfectly balanced even if they don’t have tails, swinging their arms and body all over the place to keep upright like a lopsided gyroscope, it's pretty funny looking!
They also wear artificial pelts all the time, which I thought was weird, I thought maybe the ships temperature was set by the angry gray alien since he’s the only crew member beside the venlil who walks around naked all the time, maybe he had a fit when it was to warm, and the humans obliged him cause they were worried they would make him even angrier, and wore clothes to make up for the cold. I thought this made sense, a lot of their technology does seem to come from the Asguard, maybe he has more say in the goings on of the ship because of that. But apparently humans just like wearing pelts all the time. They feel uncomfortable without them and don’t like it if you try to remove them or look up their upper artificial pelts they call shirts.
The humans are so weird, I don’t even have to embellish my reports to make it more interesting. Like that time with the big tentacled space predator. That may sound real compared to this stuff but it Isn't, Ha! I bet you fell for it at first, hook line and sinker! Like the humans would say. I think I used that saying right, I'm not sure what it means, but Shepard brought it up when he was telling a story about the wraith.
The humans are so nice, instead of exterminating their predators they try to cure them! Their doctors are working to modify the wraith so they don't have to eat humans anymore, so they can be friendly predators too.
Anyways I should probably get to the actual report part of this report. Farva says I should start after I went off with Samantha to work on some special astrophysics equations she said I would be good at. I kind of wanted to go with Donu to help Rodney get the new parts they needed, or Farva to help rescue our people, but the humans and even the angry gray alien got really weird when Farva mentioned taking me on the mission. Samantha seemed to want me to help her really badly so I didn’t mind. Samantha says I have the most important part to our mission. She's teaching me about how humans communicate through subspace, and about stellar drift equations. We are working on what she calls the exit strategy.
Hi. I have a Traeger Pro 575 Pellet Grill and I want to make a recipe through the Traeger app but I need a little help!
It says to “start the Traeger on smoke and smoke the meat for 1 hour”. It doesn’t say a specific temperature.
Do I have a smoke setting? If not, what temperature do I set the grill at to achieve this step?
Does anyone have the recipe for how to prepare the prime rib dinner (from the hot food bar)?
I’ve successfully transitioned all my grocery habits to Farm Boys but this dinner has me in a chokehold.
Please put me out of my misery so I can buy the ingredients elsewhere and make it myself
Thank you
Just trust me, this is a very good story. It was my last order of the day. I Uber drive in downtown Houston. It was a huge order, over 20 bucks to me and a very short drive, from Saltgrass Steakhouse. I had to deliver to a hospital downtown, where parking is an issue. I had 20 minutes in the parking garage before gigantic charges. Shouldn’t be an issue. Until, I get out of the car and I slip and fall, very badly. It hurts. My large paper bag is destroyed. The food is shaken but no boxes of food are damaged, except a small salad. I have one plastic bag in the car to carry a fraction of the shipment. I wrap the paper bag around the rest. And I limp my way to the elevator. I get on the elevator and the bag completely falls apart. I have no idea how this is going to move forward. It is impossible. I have no idea how I’m going to get out of here before I have to pay significantly for parking. The elevator makes it to my floor. And a sound I have never heard before comes from my phone. … “Your order has been cancelled” … I look at my phone saying “the order has been cancelled, don’t worry you’ll still be paid”. This $200+ order is my responsibility to “dispose” of. The order had 3 prime rib steaks and lots more. And I can get out of here before any charges and finally go home. Life has been hard since I’ve been out of work. My wife is over 8 months pregnant with our second child. I have a lot of hard days ahead of me. But today is a good day. I made over $200 bucks, and we will be eating good.
TLDR: I dropped a big order just before the customer dropped the order and I took it home.
Looking on graduating from my Traeger ranger to something larger than I can potentially do a turkey on or a large prime rib roast, or even a brisket. Not trying to break the bank with the ironwood or timberline series, but what would y’all recommend in terms of what’s out there?
So, last Sunday was Mother‘s day (we have 4 kids and 2 dogs), but because of the way the days fell this year, it was also my wife’s 40th birthday and our 25th anniversary. Her name is Susan, but that’s not her real name. (Susie, if you’re reading this, it’s not about you, it’s a different Susan.)
I knew this day with all the milestones was coming for a while so I wanted to make the it special for her.
Susan (not her real name) had been dropping hints about the milestone birthday and anniversary for a while. She definitely wanted to do something special with the kids for Mother’s Day. She also wanted some special jewelry for our anniversary, and for her birthday, she wanted to go see a concert. Her favorite singer is Taylor Swift and she’s a major Swifty (in fact, my wife often says, even though she’s happily married, Taylor is on her exception list if it ever could possibly happen).
As luck would have it, I (Todd, M50), work in IT and the month before made the top insurance seller for our well-known multi-national company and had just received a huge bonus the week before the big day, so I was able to easily pay for all the things I had planned for and maybe a little more.
Fast forward to Mother’s Day morning. I got up early with the kids and we made a dozen homemade cards and I made pancakes for breakfast in bed. We all went up to my wife in her bed and the cards were a big hit. She spent a couple of hours with the kids snuggling and eating pancakes.
Then I went down to the kitchen and made a gourmet lunch of oysters Rockefeller and 24 hour slow cooked prime rib with asparagus in sauce remoulade and Champagne. All of these dishes are her favorites. She came down from the bedroom and we had an intimate anniversary lunch. I hid the 3 carat diamond anniversary band in one of her oysters and the matching diamond tennis bracelet and necklace under her prime rib. She seemed very happy with the presents, but she was sort of quiet. I brushed it off as just a result of the excitement of the moment.
Finally, I told her she should get dressed and pack a small overnight bag because we were going to a concert for her birthday, but it was a surprise until we got there. While she was getting ready I called her parents or some friends (or maybe it was the neighbors) to take the kids for the night and dropped the dogs off at the kennel. Then we drove to the airport and caught a charter plane to Las Vegas that I had reserved.
Yes, it was the Taylor Swift concert and I had 2 front row seats AND back stage passes. It was a fantastic show. Taylor was on that night and the energy in the theater was electric. After the show, we went backstage and met Taylor (and Beyoncé was there too as they had performed a surprise duet together). Taylor was all sweaty and tired after her sizzling performance, but she went right up to my wife and said “I hear you’re my biggest fan, I always like to kiss my biggest fans right on the lips!” My wife just nodded in awe that Taylor was even talking to her. And then Taylor kissed her for like 20 or 30 seconds. And then Beyoncé did the same thing! Then my wife came over to me and I could see the sparkly red stage lipstick all over her mouth and she said, “I need to go lie down.”
So we left and caught the return charter flight back to our hometown. While we were flying, Susan was quiet again and I finally asked her what was wrong. She said it wasn’t really anything, but with the milestone anniversary and birthday she was just expecting something a little more original, more personal, from me. The stuff I had done was ok, but…it just didn’t seem to come from the heart.
Then I calmly explained that I had gone through a lot of trouble to make this day special for her and she was being a jerk for not appreciating it. Then she said a nice quiet day at home would have been best with some flowers from the Pick’n’Save near our house. After she said that I lost it and there were words said on both sides.
It’s been a week and Susan is still being cool to me. And her coworkers and SIL have been messaging me constantly to apologize.
AITAH for trying to make her Mother’s Day special?
ETA: No I will not give you Taylor’s personal cell number. Stop DMing me. (Or Beyoncé’s either).
ETA2: I can’t believe this has blown up like it has! Thanks for all the good advice. The kids DNA tests are scheduled for Monday. I have contacted a lawyer.
ETA3: After all this, Susan just told me she pregnant with triplets. I don’t know what to do.
——
Source: ALL the Mother’s Day posts. There’s too many to link to.
Anderson, South Carolina, a city known for its rich history and vibrant culinary scene, boasts some of the finest
steakhouses in the region. For those seeking a sublime dining experience, we present a comprehensive guide to the 18 top-rated steakhouses in Anderson for 2024. From classic American cuts to innovative culinary creations, these establishments offer something for every steak aficionado.
1. Sullivan's Metropolitan Grill
Sullivan's Metropolitan Grill is an institution in Anderson, renowned for its
prime cuts of beef and impeccable service. The restaurant, housed in a beautifully restored building, provides an elegant yet comfortable dining atmosphere. Signature dishes include the
Filet Mignon and the
New York Strip, both cooked to perfection and served with a selection of delectable sides.
2. SummaJoe’s Searing Pans
SummaJoe’s Searing Pans is celebrated for its commitment to
locally sourced ingredients and its innovative take on traditional steak dishes. The
Ribeye Steak, grilled to your preference, stands out as a customer favorite. Pair your meal with a glass of wine from their extensive list for an unforgettable dining experience.
3. J. Peter’s Grill & Bar
J. Peter’s Grill & Bar offers a casual yet sophisticated setting, perfect for enjoying a sumptuous steak dinner. Their
Cowboy Ribeye is a must-try, offering a rich, buttery flavor that melts in your mouth. The restaurant also features a range of sauces and toppings to enhance your steak experience.
4. Tucker’s Restaurant
Tucker’s Restaurant combines a rustic charm with modern culinary techniques to deliver some of the best steaks in Anderson. Their
Bone-In Ribeye is particularly noteworthy, known for its juicy, tender texture and robust flavor. The cozy ambiance makes it an ideal spot for a romantic dinner or a special celebration.
5. Carson’s Steak Warehouse
Carson’s Steak Warehouse is a popular destination for steak lovers, offering a wide selection of
premium beef cuts. The
Porterhouse Steak is a highlight, providing the perfect balance of tenderness and flavor. The relaxed, welcoming atmosphere ensures a pleasant dining experience for all patrons.
6. Creekside Bar-Be-Que
While primarily known for its BBQ, Creekside Bar-Be-Que serves up some of the finest steaks in Anderson. The
Sirloin Steak is grilled to perfection, offering a smoky, savory taste that is sure to delight your palate. The family-friendly environment and friendly service add to the appeal of this local favorite.
7. The Galley Restaurant
Located by the lake, The Galley Restaurant offers stunning views and an impressive steak menu. Their
T-Bone Steak is a standout, combining the best of both the strip and tenderloin cuts. Enjoy your meal on the outdoor patio for a truly memorable dining experience.
8. Mr. Rivers Breakfast Joint
Though primarily a breakfast spot, Mr. Rivers Breakfast Joint surprises diners with its exceptional steak offerings. The
Steak and Eggs is a hearty dish, featuring a perfectly cooked steak alongside fluffy eggs and crispy hash browns. It's an excellent choice for a robust start to your day.
9. Earle Street Kitchen and Bar
Earle Street Kitchen and Bar prides itself on offering a
farm-to-table dining experience. The
Grilled Hanger Steak is a popular choice, known for its rich, beefy flavor and tender texture. The casual yet chic atmosphere makes it a great place for a relaxed meal with friends.
10. The Pompous Pig
The Pompous Pig is another BBQ joint that excels in steak offerings. The
Smoked Ribeye is a customer favorite, featuring a deep, smoky flavor that is both unique and delicious. The laid-back vibe and friendly staff make it a beloved spot among locals.
11. Doolittle’s
Doolittle’s offers a diverse menu with a focus on high-quality steaks. The
Bacon-Wrapped Filet is particularly noteworthy, combining the savory flavor of bacon with the tender juiciness of the filet. The restaurant's cozy interior and attentive service add to its charm.
12. Arnold’s Famous Hamburgers
Arnold’s Famous Hamburgers might be known for its burgers, but its steak offerings are equally impressive. The
Steak Sandwich is a hidden gem, featuring tender slices of steak served on a toasted bun with all the fixings. It's a must-try for steak and sandwich lovers alike.
13. The Hook and Anchor
The Hook and Anchor is a seafood and steakhouse that offers a delightful surf and turf experience. The
Grilled Ribeye pairs wonderfully with their fresh seafood offerings. Enjoying a steak here means indulging in high-quality meat with a perfect sear and excellent flavor.
14. Magnolia 23
Magnolia 23 combines Southern hospitality with top-notch steaks. The
Prime Rib is a highlight, slow-roasted to ensure maximum tenderness and flavor. The elegant setting and warm service make it a perfect spot for special occasions.
15. Red Tomato and Wine
Red Tomato and Wine offers a sophisticated dining experience with a focus on quality steaks. The
Tomahawk Steak is a standout, known for its impressive presentation and exquisite taste. The restaurant's extensive wine list complements the meal perfectly.
16. The Boathouse Grill
The Boathouse Grill provides a relaxed atmosphere with a focus on grilled specialties. The
Peppercorn Steak is a must-try, featuring a robust flavor profile that pairs well with their signature sides. The waterfront views add to the overall dining experience.
17. Cattleman’s Roadhouse
Cattleman’s Roadhouse is a go-to destination for steak enthusiasts. The
Kansas City Strip is a popular choice, offering a perfect blend of marbling and tenderness. The rustic decor and hearty portions make it a favorite among locals and visitors alike.
18. Harbor Inn Seafood
Harbor Inn Seafood, while primarily a seafood restaurant, delivers exceptional steak options. The
Steak Neptune, topped with crab meat and hollandaise sauce, is a unique and delectable choice. The restaurant’s nautical theme and fresh ingredients ensure a delightful meal.
Conclusion
Anderson, South Carolina, offers a diverse array of steakhouses that cater to all tastes and preferences. Whether you are seeking a classic steakhouse experience or something with a modern twist, these 18 top-rated establishments promise to deliver unforgettable meals in 2024. Each venue, with its unique ambiance and menu, contributes to Anderson’s reputation as a prime destination for steak lovers.
A little tiny back story. My (34f) husband (37m) have been together for 10 years and married almost 3. We have a favorite restaurant that we usually only go to on our anniversary because...well it's expensive and we're not rolling in much extra dough..especially not for a $80-90 dinner night. His favorite dish is prime rib which is really what makes it so pricy for us. It's the only thing he ever orders when we go there...which has been around 7 times in our 10 years together. And my favorite thing is the French onion soup and BBQ chicken Flatbread. SO knowing this is our favorite restaurant his mother bought him a gift card to the restaurant. The gift card was for $50. His birthday is in March and our anniversary is in June.... so I pretty much figured we would just use it to offset the cost of our anniversary dinner next month. I know you really shouldn't claim someone else's things as your own but it just made sense. I know MIL didn't buy the gift certificate thinking husband would go have dinner all alone...she got it for US to have dinner together.
But that's not where my issue lies. Tonight (not our anniversary) husband asked if I had a plan for dinner. I said no not really and told him it might be a fend for yourself kind of night since our son is gone most fridays...and I also told him that we can't afford to eat out tonight either.
This is when he suggested we use his gift certificate for favorite restaurant. My immediate response was "yeah that sounds good! My flatbread and soup does sound SO good....But you won't be able to order prime rib if we go there"
Then he said to me "it's MY birthday gift card I'm going to get what I actually want with it" Then I said "of course you can't refrain from picking the most expensive option and try something cheaper" ...bc that is typical of him. If champagne taste on a tap water budget was a person that would be my husband. He likes the $12 six pack of beer not the cheap case of beer. He likes the fancy tea drink at the coffee shop instead of just regular coffee. He likes the newest expensive sandwich meal at fast food instead of ever ordering off the value menu. And im mostly the opposite. I like deals and frugality...it helps us stay afloat.
So at this point in the conversation I'm already feeling annoyed with and disrespected by him. He's clearly not thinking of me in this situation he just wants what HE wants. Because it's HIS gift certificate. How dare I suggest that he orders something cheaper with HIS precious birthday gift card was the energy he gave me.
So I just told him to do whatever he wants and I'll find something to eat myself since he can't pull himself away from being selfish. I left the room and stewed a bit and went back to him and asked "do you ever feel bad when you are selfish and disrespect me or does it actually just go completely over your head?" He said nothing...also typical. Then I said "you do realize what you just said to me right? You basically said 'hey want to use my gift card for dinner tonight but I'm going to order whatever I want and you can have whatever scraps are left of the gift card bc it's MINE from MY BIRTHDAY' which happens to make me feel wildly disrespected".
And to show that I wasn't trying to be selfish myself ill explain with numbers. Besides the fact that it was his suggestion to use his gift card in the first place...here's the prices on our favorite things to order:
Him: Prime rib dinner- $42 Me: French onion soup- $8 Bbq chicken flatbread- $12
If you do the math on the $50 gift card that HE suggested we use and also said he wouldn't budge on what he wants to eat... that means I can't eat. Bc after taxes and tip we would still have to pay out at least $10 for JUST his meal.
But sure husband...let's use YOUR gift card for dinner tonight since we can't afford to eat out.
Firstly, love my Boomer Father in Law. Hates Trump, very pro-LGBT+ despite attending Catholic mass every week (even going meatless every Friday). My favorite sort-of boomerish thing he does is that he's an early adopter of technology. He had a wide-screen TV before they were standard, but he wouldn't go to the HD channels on his cable, he'd go to the regular broadcast channels but set the aspect ratio to spread the 4:3 to 16:9, so everyone looked short and fat. I showed him where the HD channels were and how much better it looked and he was amazed. But he'd still never go to those channels. He had an iPhone before anyone I knew, but has never downloaded a single app to it. He can't text. Love him.
The other thing is that when we got married, he insisted on an open bar. He was paying, so fine by us. The person setting us up at the venue said usually people get two kegs: one light beer and one dark beer to keep everyone happy. He said his side of the family drinks Miller Lite but his wife's side of the family drinks Coors Light. So then he asked what kind of beer my family drinks, and told him "Free. They will happily drink the free kind of beer." So there was a keg of Miller Lite and keg of Coors Light. He also said he wanted bottled beer as well. That bar tab was nuts.
We opted for two buffet stations for food at the wedding, one pasta station and a prime rib carving station. What we didn't know is that he then had them add ham to the carving station for an extra $500. Because his two brothers and their families coming in from the East Coast would expect ham. Yes, they would expect ham. Again, no real issue to us, but the idea that these families would be upset if there wasn't ham still makes me laugh. Years later, one of the aunts made some passive-agressive comments about the food we had catered for FIL's and MIL's 40th anniversary and it hit me why he got ham.
If you have to get you a boomer in-law, get you some of these.
Also, side note; most of the East Coast cousins ended up not eating because they didn't know how the station thing worked, despite announcing it and everyone else doing it. They expected dinner to be brought to them (not in an entitled way, just they were used to that style of wedding dinner). And East Coast weddings are weird. Every one of theirs we've gone to has been at noon, but the reception is at 6:00. Weird timing.
I have half a prime rib section in an umai bag. We lost power last night and I immediately put it in my deep freeze to keep it cold. My question is can I pull it out of the freezer and put it back in the fridge to continue aging once I get power back? Or should I just go ahead and cut it up. I’m at 26 days.
I’m putting together a slideshow for a meeting, and always include a bunch of trivia questions for prizes to keep them engaged. One of the questions is about old menu items, and I thought it would be fun to include pictures because some of the options just seem like they would never be on our menu 😂
I have only been able to find 2 photos to include, and a list of what the owner and I could come up with from what he remembers (I know some are LTOs, but most are just old items). I’m wondering if anyone has been around long enough to have pictures of any of these items or anything else you can think of!