Memorial Day Chili

Ginny cooked this memorial day chili for about 10 hours.  Yes Siree. Today I am thankful for those who paid the price for my freedom.  Thanks to all who have served.  My personal Hall of Fame:

Earl Brannon

Guy Dietels

Eddie Hubbell

Jay Kimbrough

Marcus Luttrell

Bob Morris

Jimmie O'Quinn

Ray Perry

Rick Perry

John Spears

Scott Spears

Earl Swaim

Jerry Swaim

Moral Fiber

A lot of people come to me and the say, "Matt, how do you stay regular?"  

I say it all starts with breakfast.  And aside from a bowl of Colon Blow, the best thing I've found to get you movin' in the morning is steel cut oatmeal.  I get mine at Trader Joe's and I mix in some whole roasted flax seed and organic wild blueberries.  Your Welcome.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Ginny and I woke up this morning and said, "Let's take pictures of our feet today."  So here's what we came up with...

Tastes Like Texas

Ginny made a brisket.  It was a big one.  We've had it with roasted corn, on potatoes, and on toasted buns.  And we slathered on some Salt Lick barbeque sauce.  I grew up going to the Salt Lick just outside of Austin so this sauce brings back some memories.  Delicious.

Cody

We Dog-sat for Cody this week. He's one of my all time favorite dogs. He is a bit of a mouth-breather though.

Urth Cafe

                                                

Last night I got to combine two of my favorite things:

1. Family
2. Urth Cafe

Specifically, we got to hang out with Ginny's family.  I married into an incredibly talented, generous, and thoroughly entertaining group of people.  I love every one of them.

In addition, we went to Urth cafe- which has become kind of a less frequent Central Perk for us since our first week in LA.  Great healthy and organic food, usually a celebrity or two trying to lay low, great atmosphere, and the Spanish Latte is awesome.  I'm not really a coffee guy but I love that stuff.  Good desserts too...

Blood Covenant

I just finished reading "Blood Covenant" by Michael Franzese, former Capo in the Colombo crime family. I heard Michael speak a few weeks ago and then saw an article about him in ESPN magazine (about sports gambling), so I decided to read his book.  This guy was a for real Captain in La Cosa Nostra- one of the most feared and powerful men in America.

His book begins by telling his father's story.  His father, Sonny Franzese, was a ruthless enforcer.  Straight out of the movies.  Michael then tells of his rise in the family, success, destruction, and eventual redemption.  The remarkable thing is- he outright betrayed the blood oath he took for the mob and lived to tell the story.  Really amazing stuff.  He is now using his "gifts" and experience for good.  Michael lives by a quote from Proverbs- "When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord... even his enemies live at peace with him."

Champ

So we are dog sitting this weekend for a little guy name Champ.  He is awesome.  He peels out, just like Mister did, he loves being outside, and most of the time he has one ear sticking up.  His parents are pretty cool too...

BFF's...

                                       

Gidget's new haircut

Gidget just got the best haircut she ever had.  We took her in and said "we want a little bit Dolph Lundgren flat top...

A little bit Falcor from Never Ending Story...

and a lot Nick Nolte..."

                                       

                                        

I think they did a great job.  Ginny, not so much...

Dodgertown

I love baseball.  The smell of the grass, the crack of the bat, the indigestion from ballpark food.  It's pure Americana.  Growing up my team was the Rangers because of Nolan Ryan.  I got to see him play many times- including the game where Bo Jackson split his lip and he continued to play (his bloody jersey is etched into my memory).  He was a gritty man- he just took a couple of Advil and shook it off.  While I will always root for the Rangers, you should know that I love going to see the Dodgers play.  We went this weekend to see them take on the lowly Pirates for my birthday.  Dodgers won 5-1.  I felt like a kid again.