Vacation 2008

I know that it has been a while since I have written on my blog (I should have that as a template for all my entries).

I am just not totally committed to my blog. I am a social blogger. I only write when the pressure gets so intense that I feel that I have to write to be able to look meema (did I spell that correctly?) in the eyes next time I see her.

So we went on vacation this past week to Higgins lake. Higgins lake is a great lake in Norther Michigan. The first part of the week was to have a burial ceremony for Steph's grandma. She has a lot of family up in that area.

The week was a lot of laying around, boat rides, and eating. I gained more than I should have, in large part due to the food just being on the counter and my re-kindling of my relationship with Vodka Tonics.

The house was right on the lake so that the kids could just play in the water and we could hang out and catch up with family.

The weather was great and we came home very relaxed ready for a slow month of August. School will be here soon.

Never Use Pancake Mix Again!

So this post is sort of self serving. A few years ago I took some clients to a fishing lodge north of Baldwin. One of the people that went with us was Bob Beaumont. I learned a lot form Bob both professionally and in the kitchen. It is his BBQ class syllabus that is now my BBQ bible. Bob took some time off to go to culinary school, which lead to may non-work conversations. Bob has since retired and moved to Sugar Island in the UP. If somehow you find my blog Bob - Thank You for the great culinary direction.

So on this fishing trip he told me that he had a recipe for Buttermilk Pancakes that would make me never want a box mix again. I was skeptical. So now to the self serving part. I copied the recipe onto a small sheet of paper and then on to the box flaps of both of my electric griddles. I thought that it would be easier to be able to go to the computer and look it up. So here is the pancake recipe. As the story goes, Aunt Mamie used to make these pancakes for lumberjacks in the UP back in the day. They are the greatest pancakes and Bob was right, I have not purchaed a box of pancake mix since. Here is the recipe, Enjoy.

1 Egg
4 Tablespoons Sugar
Pinch of Salt
2 Cups of Buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 2/3 Cups of Flour

Combine the first three ingredients (egg, sugar, salt) in a bowl and whisk well. To that add the last three ingredients (buttermilk, baking soda, flour) and combine. Do not over-mix, it should still be a just mixed.

I use an electric griddle on high heat. Pour the pancakes on the griddle. When you flip the pancakes, poke the top with the spatula to let the steam out.

Enjoy.

festival 2008

This weekend was the annual festival of the arts in downtown Grand Rapids. This is an event that is close to our family as we have been involved in the event for 10 years as volunteers. I also Co-Chaired the even in 2004.

This year was the first year that Elliot was able to get involved in a real way. He was the "man about festival". He worked selling merchandise in the festival store, he emceed on stage, he even signed up the volunteer's massage list. He made me very proud. In addition to volunteering this year, he was also an award winner. He won second place in the Philatelic awards. That is a contest to design a stamp cancellation that is actually used by the USPS at the event.

This is such a fun event. We need to get more of our friends to come and volunteer with us to make it even more fun. In order to close some friends on the idea - there is festival red pop - that is for you Megz.

I look forward to the volunteer party that is coming up as there is going to be a big announcement about another Bergsma and festival.

Stay tuned for that one. (it is a festival tradition to keep this secret until that party)

Next Exit - New Career

Well it is time to change roads on this journey. I have accepted a position with HP. This means that my travel will be statewide rather than countrywide. The position is one that seems to be made for me. It is selling products that I spent 8 years selling. The company is one that I have wanted to work for for a long time.

So as I approach the next stretch of road in the journey of life, I reflect on all the great people that I have met along the way so far, and look forward to all that I am going to meet in the future.

To all of the people that have helped me get where I am today, I thank you. Without the support of all of you through the years, this move would not have been possible.

In some respects, I am living a dream with this move. I look forward to making this dream come true.

Finally I can go into the wind

We went to our friends house last night to enjoy Marco's Pizza, haircuts, and a great game of kickball.

But most important to me was that I finally got my hair product. American Crew Fiber. It holds up to the wind.

All of you loyal, devoted readers of this spellbinding blog will know that I have been using my backup product (a quick buy at CVS) for the past couple of weeks and it is just not the same.

Bring on the wind.

No Pressure At All

Well after recovering from the breakdown that I had over not putting anything here, I am now putting going to post out of the blue.

I love my neighborhood. We have the greatest neighbors in the world. I do extend my neighborhood out a few streets to include a couple of families (Richards - You Are IN!). We can all hang out and have a great time around the newly portable fireplace (see picture) and enjoy good times. The fireplace is totally legal according to the EGR Police Officer that rolled up on the party about 11:30 on Saturday evening. Luckily he was not looking for us, and even if he was we were not in front of my house, so for that night I would have played the part of one J. Doublestein.

I am looking forward to a summer full of just hanging out in each others yards doing a whole bunch of nothing.

Craking Under Pressure

OK I admit it has been a while I since I put an entry into the world that is my blog. I can not take th pressure any longer. Even Mrs. R is on me about not adding any new material.

So while I am waiting for the Home Made Macaroni and Cheese that my wife is making, I am putting keyboard to internet and adding to my silly little blog.

What should I write about? How excited I am for another restaurant to open in Gaslight, how I am not happy that the weather is going to get cold here or the fact that I am out of my normal hair product and that the one I am using just does not hold up in the wind? So much to write about, but I am not sure that I want to get it all out now, then I won't have anything else to blog about.

So there you go all you critics who say you really wish that you could get to know more about me. Now I am going to go comb my hair, get my home made macaroni and wait for the new restaurant to open; all while celebrating the weather that is about to get cold again.

Until next time.. enjoy the ride.

Fred's for Mexican Food????

So when I originally started this blogging thing it was to remember and share the great food that I try to find while I am traveling for business. It then turned into me blogging most times after Sarah would say to me"you have not added to your blog in a long time, I might have to remove my link to you".

Well I thought that I would share a great place to eat if you are in Souther California. While on a recent business trip we asked our client where they would recommend for lunch. They settled on Fred's. They told us that it was good Mexican food, we were skeptical (and who wouldn't be when they send you to Fred's for Mexican). I am here to tell you that when I think of Mexican - I now think of the name Fred.

Here is a link to Fred's where they always celebrate "Cinco de Fred" on the fifth of each month.

I know that you wished you lived on Orchard Ave.

Who knows how to party? Orchard Ave knows how to party.

We had a great Progressive dinner the other night. The conversation made us blush, and the food made us full and the wine just helped everything.

I am posting out of what I call "Full On Blogging Guilt" that was inflicted by the queen of "cooter talk". I will not use names here as I do not want people to feel as though I have loose lips.

Anyway - here is my blog entry for the first quarter. To see the pictures, click the picture below.

Until my next guilt induced post...

Orchard Ave Progressive Dinner