Hobo Stew

On Friday our family, and my Grandma Judy, went to a friends' house. Every year (so far) Mr. G throws a party for his friends. Most of the friends are friends from work, and he works with my Dad, so we have been invited the past few years. There are some kids there, but I didn't know any, so I hung out with my brother Nathanael. The main event is the huge fire, "Fred's Fire". What we eat is called "Hobo Stew", In a huge cauldron 40 pounds of beef is cooked, along with chicken broth. Then when everybody comes they bring 2 cans of vegetables or something to add to it. You get a very interesting variety of things, but it is always very good. Next to the cauldron there is a pot about 1/3 third the size, and it is VERY Hot. The most heat tolerant people my Dad knows say it is way to hot. The "Chef" said that he put half of a gallon bag full of crushed peppers from his garden in it! One lady there did not know how hot it was, but knew it was too spicy to have by itself. She had 1/6 hot stuff, and the rest normal, but it still numbed her lips. I know this is a very boring post, so here is some funny stuff. During the hay ride...I guess I should tell you about the hay ride first. In the big one they packed 23 kids. You could not sit down without hurting someone's feet. I felt really bad because I was the oldest one there(except for some older girls who only rode half the time) and I was always sitting on some little squirts feet. :( There were so many kids that the tractor could not get up the hill, so I hopped off when the driver wasn't looking and pushed. It actually worked! Then I had so run to catch up and hop on. One time as I was hopping on my pocket caught on something and ripped a hole in the back of my pants.:O Thankfully I was wearing a very long sweater, and we left relatively soon. It wouldn't quite have been a night though without stranding my little brother on the pulley operated lifting thingy, so we pulled him up, then when he was ready to come down we tied the rope to a tree and threw a coke and piece of bread up to him. Alas! It didn't last, we had to go 5 minutes later. You may think this was mean, but he actually enjoyed it immensely. The view of the fire was spectacular from up there. Here are some pictures. Now back to school for me. :(

The pond, from the house, at twilight.

The flames were about 42 feet tall.

Did I say Cauldron?

The chef.

Sticks, the house, the pond.

another picture of the pond.

Before the fire.

Grandma, Jamie, and Daddy

Than

Me. No hands!

On the swing.

See what I mean by BIG swing?

Me again.

Than on the swing.

Emmy on the big swing. Don't be fooled, unlike me she is very photogenic, she was yelling for me to take her off. As soon as you say "Smile Emmy! we're taking a picture!" she smiles ever so sweetly, then after the flash...I'm gonna fall! take me off!

In the process of pulling him up.

Emily

Okay, this one I can see on my computer, but I don't know if you will be able to see it on the blog. It is an airplane in the lower left middle, and the International Space Station in the upper right of the middle. I couldn't quite catch it in the photo, but It was very bright.

No, there wasn't any singing. :(

The fire's first collapse.

Come on Than, you're only 20 feet up!

The rope.

Our lousy knot. (we forgot how to do the taught-line hitch)

Still stranded, but with refreshments!

On the way out.