"And around here, there is a distinction between barbecue and grilling. Just sayin’. "
OK, @2014novamom, do tell please!
The Rube Goldberg project works.
Thank God.
I’m so happy to read that other kids are going to “unknown” colleges. That’s the biggest bother to S and he feels he’s the only one.
And so much I didn’t know that I didn’t know about cooking meat. Wow. It’s not really an art here.
@2014novamom , y’all’s technique sounds similar to mine. I use an Akorn Kamado that is like a poor man’s Big Green Egg. I grill on it and smoke/bbq on it, so tend to use the terms interchangeably. For the pork, I am marinating overnight in a Cuban concoction our nanny gives us (mostly oil, soda water, salt/pepper and lots of garlic but honestly she could be putting anything in there). I will put the meat directly on the grill for two hours to sear it, then wrap it in foil and place it on indirect heat for another 6-8 hours. Then I will drain the juices out to set aside for dipping sauce, rewrap it in foil, wrap it in old towels, and put it in an insulated ice chest/cooler for two hours, to tenderize. I have to pull the pork too, so you have to let me in on your husband’s secret for getting you to do it!
RE “unknown” or less prestigious colleges, we are lucky not to face much eyebrow raising from S18’s classmates/their parents/teachers because the school is filled with merit-seeking donut-holers. TONS of kids taking full tuition to the state school or taking OOS deals at Alabama, Ole Miss etc… However, we have lots of friends who send their kids to much more expensive private high schools in the area, who definitely do not get it and I suspect take such choices as validation their HS choice was better.
@vistajay people who know of my son’s school (Vassar) have said it’s expensive, but they have excellent need based aid and took our medical expenses into account, making it one of the least expensive choices. 2 in state schools with great merit were also top contenders, along with some higher privates. Prestige is great, but cheap college is wonderful.
OH. “Validation that their HS choice was better”. Very insightful @vistajay .
We"re not knocking anyone. I know that when parents are considering HS private schools they look at college admissions results and this can be totally skewed. And not just to big state schools with auto merit but private colleges which give merit too. It’s really hard to tell what’s what now-a-days.
Around here, most kids stay pretty local. Cal State San Berdoo, UCR, CSU Fullerton if they want to stretch their wings. Many go to the local CC first. One of S’s fellow drama kids got into Stanford, and another kid in his year got into Johns Hopkins.
One of S’s LOR writers was surprised about UNM, said he was sure S would be headed to someplace like Stanford. But yeah, we’re merit-seeking donut-holers. As I understand it, we’d have gotten full tuition at Stanford, but we couldn’t afford the room & board even if S had gotten in.
S feels a huge sense of accomplishment for his scholarship at UNM. He set out to get himself free college, he did the work, got the score, and got to choose his favorite from several options. He’s very happy with his prize. 
On a related note, I had my first surprise tears today. I get up about an hour before S does, and during that hour, I make him a cup of coffee in a travel mug and I still make him a lunch. (Yes, he’s spoiled!) His normal school day is short, 10 am - 2 pm, because of his DE classes, so he only needs a lunch on days where there are significant after school commitments, such as rehearsals.
The talent show is tonight, and he’ll be at school straight through from 10 until 8 pm or so, so I made an extra big lunch to carry him through dinner.
He doesn’t have any more rehearsals or stay-late days after this, and it hit me as I was snapping the lid on the container.
“This is his last school lunch.” WAHHHHHHHH! And then I was that goofball mom crying in the kitchen while hugging a lunchbox.
The hubs came in and gave me hug. He’d had a similar experience over a burrito. On performance nights, H swings by a Chipotle and delivers a burrito to S for dinner in between school and his shows. He got a little misty over the final burrito.
I’ll bite on the Grilling vs BBQ comment.
I am from the west coast - San Francisco Bay area (born/Raised) then 10 years in So. Calif and 20 in Northern Nevada. I now reside in Central Texas, moved here 6 years ago.
In the west BBQ is an event, its something one does - its a verb
In Texas and other parts of the south - BBQ is a noun, its not something you do, its something you eat.
In the west one might be invited to a BBQ where here in Texas one would be invited to a Cook-Out.
In the West I could be heard to say “Hey honey, throw some chicken on the BBQ”
Here in Texas its “Hey honey, throw some sausages on the grill”
DH and I have been anticipating dinner out tomorrow all week, we are going out for BBQ - smoked brisket is to die for.
Oh and for those who have never seen it - here in Texas when one goes out for BBQ, one orders their meat by the pound and it comes served up on paper. The best places do not use plates and utensils are optional. Sides are just that, sides, without a lot of fanfare, its really about the meat, the BBQ. I like moist brisket (not too lean) and DH likes moist with some burnt ends thrown in for good measure.
Now I am really hungry!
S took his Sociology final last night, 59 out of 60 and an A in the class. He has one more AP next week, and then he’s done. He still has class days, but not much will be going on. They’re wrapping up Hamlet in AP Lit, and his math class will be mostly games.
Re: grilling vs. smoking - this is serious business. Like, religion and politics serious. 
See, just among the BBQ folks, there are huge divides over wet vs. dry, tomato based vs mustard or vinegar-based. I did my undergrad in Memphis, TN, one of the “homes” of BBQ, so wet please, and tomato-based.
Now, being based in CA, we smoke over mesquite, thank you very much, but even then, smoking isn’t really the same as BBQ. Yes, you can use a smoker to make BBQ, but just plain smoking a tri-tip isn’t BBQ.
@DiotimaDM We have a hard time finding tri-tip here in the Austin Metro area - Costco has it once in awhile but I’ve never actually seen at HEB (the grocery monopoly) :-w
Sauce? Nope, I like it dry rubbed - no sauce
@suzy100 To us, grilling is quick cooking over a fire – hamburgers, chicken breast, pork chops. Barbecue is for large cuts of meat cooked low and slow – brisket, pork butt, whole chickens (or bone-in chicken parts).
@vistajay Not sure how it came about that I do the pulling but that’s just the way it is now! Your pork marinated in mojo sounds delicious! We’ll have to try that some time.
DH’s tried and true is southern style pulled pork. He has some dry rub that he hauls up from Memphis and then serves two sauces on the side afterwards. One of the sauces is also from Memphis but the other he special orders from Alabama. The one from Alabama is from a small operation with no website so he has to order by phone. The first time he called he got the owner’s dad on the line who chatted with him for 15 minutes (DH is also a talker so this was fun for him) before telling DH that unfortunately he was blind and could not process his order! DH had to call back later. Every once in a while he gets the dad again and carries on a lovely conversation knowing full well he’ll have to call back LOL. He just likes to talk.
We are taking the easy route for graduation party. Family only (30 people) at our house after graduation. D20 and friend are doing the decorating. Brother in law offered to leave graduation early to pick up brisket, smoked turkey, sides and fixins from a good local BBQ joint that does reasonably priced to-go catering. My 3 sisters are each bringing one of DS favorite desserts. All I have to do is clean house, set up extra tables/chairs, and print some photos of DS through the years. I will be helping at the all-night Project Graduation party which goes from 10pm-5am. We will have a small friend gathering, grill burgers, swim this summer before they all leave for college.
No explaining needed around here for college choice. Our town is filled with Aggies including the superintendent, principal, and several teachers. He gets a lot of “whoop” lately.
We are not having a graduation party. It doesn’t matter how many times I have said it in the past 2 months but DD’s boyfriends mom can’t seem to accept my answer. Once again yesterday she randomly dropped the question “So what can we do to celebrate DD’s graduation? We should have a little party!” and once again through gritted teeth I explained we are not having a party. We live nowhere near any family. One set of grandparents cannot fly because of an illness. My eldest DD cannot fly in because she has training for her summer internship. So it is just my DD, me, my husband, and my Mom (who is traveling all the way from Ohio to Texas). We all have a very small set of friends there is no one to invite. DD opted for a graduation trip instead (the trip to Crete that we are talking you son along on). We did not throw a party for our eldest either. We are not party people. No party!
Her comment “Aren’t you proud of her?” X_X
@vistajay @2014novamom @SnowflakeDogMom @DiotimaDM @suzy100
To you all: NEVER, EVER, accept an invitation to a Bar-B-Que here in Britain - you will be mightily disappointed!
@labegg HAA! I am laying down good odds that your DD boyfriend’s mom throws her own party for your DD!
@labegg well Bless Her Heart
@Whistlingal I’m sure I won’t be disappointed! I just won’t expect American style barbecue and all is good, especially since I’m sure there would be good beer or cider served!
Hey everyone! Things are wrapping up here. S took his finals, and will take the AP Calculus next Wednesday.
He found out today he received a diocesan scholarship. His first scholarship! It’s small but greatly appreciated.
I like the Airplane references!
I’m probably the only one in Georgia who doesn’t like barbecue.
This is really neither here nor there, but I’m curious about AP Calc. At my D’s school the teacher has had mandatory extra study sessions every day for 2 hours the past 2 weeks, 4 hours last weekend, and 4 hours tomorrow and another 4 hours on Sunday. Is this normal or necessary? If this is really necessary, kudos to the teacher for giving up all that time. It just seems like a lot, and was curious about others experiences. I wonder whether they should make this a double period class.