Rainy Days And Mondays...

...don't always get me down.

We just had a week-long stretch of beautiful weather, but it had to end eventually. This afternoon we had a good downpour, but all is not lost - the nice weather is supposed to return tomorrow.

It's amazing (or maybe it's not) how sunny mild weather reduces my desire to sit inside and blog. Plus, I'm guessing that reading about us sitting around in the rooftop garden enjoying the late summer weather doesn't make for the most interesting reading, so no real loss.

I will say, however, that we did have a GREAT (if I do say so myself) impromptu get-together this past Friday evening. First, let me just say that Mrs. TBF is totally opposed to my T.G.I.I.F. (Thank God It's Impromptu Friday) rule: guests (excluding first-time guests) bring their own things to grill, we provide the grill, drinks, and sides. My reasoning is that "impromptu" means that it can be thrown together quickly and without a lot of advanced notice. The last thing I want to do is spend all day on Friday in the kitchen cooking up a bunch of stuff. I just keep the grill lit, and guests can eat whatever, and whenever, they want.

Mrs. TBF?

She likes to spend all day in the kitchen preparing for guests.

However...

This time, Mrs. TBF was in the U.S. on business starting on Monday, and she didn't return to Basel until Thursday evening. In the meantime, I invited eight people over for the T.G.I.I.F., and SHE HAD NO WAY TO CONTROL THE SITUATION!!!

Mwah...Ha...HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Sure, she tried. She tried REAAAAAAAAAAL hard. As she sat in the BA Lounge at JFK on Thursday, she tried suggesting things for me to make.

Mrs. TBF: How about...?

TBF: Nope!

Mrs. TBF: But what about...?

TBF: Nope! I have already purchased PRE-MARINATED, VACU-SEALED MEAT. I will cut open the packets at the side of the grill, and I will plop the meat on the grill, and ...VOILA!!! Dinner is served.

Mrs. TBF: You know, I am vehemently opposed to people bringing their own things to grill.

TBF: Too bad!

Mrs. TBF: How about that salad that I made...

TBF: Nope! I have already decided on SIMPLE side dishes that will be served FAMILY STYLE! The T.G.I.I.F. "master" hath spoken!

I finally relented a little bit and agreed to the addition of a Caprese salad which, I might add, I allowed Mrs. TBF to make herself when she came home from work on Friday evening.

See? I'm not totally evil!

The outcome? Mrs. TBF ended up eating some good, old-fashioned crow on Saturday morning when she 'fessed up that the T.G.I.I.F. had been a success. Not to be one to...um...gloat or anything, but I ended up proclaiming that it was only fair that she call me "Master of the T.G.I.I.F."! I thought about it again, and then I said that it would be OK if she just shortened it to "MASTER", and that she would only have to call me that for the next 48 hours.

I should have quit while I was ahead!