This past August we got together with a number of our friends for my annual “big bourbon bash”. I believe this was my 20th year of hosting the bash. The theme of course is bourbon therefor all the food I cook for the weekend is either marinated or includes jack daniels in one form or another.
In the early day everyone brought their kids along for the weekend and it was utter chaos in some respects, but a ton of fun. Boating, fishing, swimming, having a few brews and of course a little bourbon. I think we peaked at probably close to 30 of us one year. As the kids have grown and are busy the bash has gotten smaller ( and quieter ) but the spirit is still strong. Mostly though the weekend is about catching up, great food and a ton of laughs. Like any good get together there’s a litany of stories we revisit every year. Some recollections stay the same, some are shall we say fine tuned as the years go by!
Here are just a few of mine.
1) when the kids were small I bought a new legend fishing boat. I loved that boat. It was a great boat, safe, reliable comfortable ect. One year a bunch of the kids decided to feed the local duck population from our dock. While not really paying much attention I noticed later that half the lakes duck population was in my boat. Ducks, bread and everything else that accompanies them in the boat. Rrrr what a mess.
2) one year the boys decided to have a whiskey tasting prior to walking over to our place for supper. Part of the walk includes a very large and very steep hill. After being late and seeing the condition they were in one of the wives asked “ how did you guys get up that hill?”. The response? “ what hill?” Lol Should have known. It just went downhill from there.
3) as a young lad a future radio station executive type decided it was his year to tackle Jack Daniels. Recognizing a chance to teach a life lesson his mother actively encouraged him. “ have another shot” “ that’s it? All you can drink” “ you wussy” lol. Fun and games became barfing on hands and knees later on that evening. Score another one for “Jack”
4) one beautiful warm sunny day the kids were all in swimming. A couple of the kids were out on a paddle boat ( not ours). This particular paddle boat did have a couple holes in it and leaked accordingly. After sometime of the boat taking on water it started to list to one side where the leak was. Instead of taking it back to shore ( or abandoning ship) they decided to stay on it as it sank lower and lower. Just before the boat was set to go down to the lakes bottom I once again happened to notice what was happening on the lake. One big yell to “ get off the god damn boat” and one classic line was born. “ I can only take so much stupidity in one day”!
5) Stomping Tom is always being played at one point or another during the weekend. Usually it’s your standards. Sudbury Saturday night, big Joe muffleraw, bud the spud ect. This particular year on a very hot and muggy Saturday night someone decided we would be better served listening to Tom while seated in Merv’s brand new Ram truck. 5 of us pile into Merv’s truck with poor Riley stuck in the back seat in the middle. Windows up, Tom blasting “Rita McNeil” as we sipped Jack in sweltering heat. Thought Riley was going to have heat stroke. Lol or maybe it was just Tom’s singing wearing him down. After enduring that with a smile we decided “ he’s alright” lol
Thanks for the 20 years of memories everyone. Here’s looking forward to many more. A few pics over the years from “ budges big bourbon bash”.
A thing of beauty. Smoked bologna on the bottom rack. Bourbon marinated beef dogs stuffed with cheese then wrapped in bacon.
Till next time. Fins up!