fivebyevif

I am making garam masala beef jerky. Initial tastings indicate this is a good thing.

I have also done the prep for lacquered ribs. The marinade is done, the ribs are weighed, trimmed, and cut. All I need to do is pop them in the bag 12 hours before cooking time, which should be tomorrow night.

If the jerky did not alert you to it, it is camping time here at Mooville. We’ve grown from two cabins to eight — we’ve booked up the whole place. It used to be a small affair, something we started up in late 2002, when the group was composed of me, Matt, Melissa, Mike P., Dave Dean, and Joe, my boyfriend at the time. The only reason I remember all this is that a) my experience with Joe over the weekend brought it home that he and I weren’t a good match, b) Suz passed away shortly after we got back, and c) Cari was born shortly after that.

Also, I wrote a blog about it.

So, eight cabins, and at least three of the campers are from out of town. There’s some worry about splitting it into two communal fires. There’s even more worry about the impact we will have on the local bacon supply. I expect I’ll be meandering from fire to fire, because I like my friends, and I like people, and let’s face it — I like fire.

(I thought about also making bacon this year. I don’t think this is my year for bacon making, though next year….)

In the last five years, we’ve not gone back to Taum Sauk. I suspect because Taum Sauk was a lot of work, and Lake of the Ozarks eliminates the pesky work of setting up a tent, hauling trash, and finding a place to pee.

And the alligators. Falling from trees.

…you had to be there.