Time To Recap!!!

How was everyone's TICC trip? I hope you all made it home safe and sound with little trouble. While my husband and chili child brought home trophies, I brought home bronchitis and a sinus infection! The Terlingua Dust kicked my ass this year and I went to the doctor this morning. Fortunately, I got a shot and some good drugs. Hopefully, I'll be feeling better by this weekend....the Denton Elks Foxy Ladies CCO is coming up and I NEVER miss that one! I guess I'm going to rundown the past week in order...with my craptastic memory, that may be the best way to do it!

Tuesday:

We left around 6 am and pulled into the Ranch around 5:30 pm. We got set up, Tom got his tent set up, and we caught up with everyone. Stephanie Brockman won 1st at the SOTOL Pod CCO that day, so we were all gathered around the Bronze Goat Trophy! Went to bed, slept in the most uncomfortable RV bed EVER made and vowed to fix that shizz when I got home :)

Wednesday:

Woke up....made breakfast, had coffee and Gary worked most of the day. We had the Tequila Rose party that night for the ladies, Tarantula in Terlingua tequila party for the men and the Redneck Disco party. By this time, I was feeling like pure d shit from all of the dust, so I ducked out of the TR party early and went to bed. Gary sent me some really great pictures of the costumes. Looks like everyone had a great time. We also went to the Terlingua Ghost Town for the first time and did some shopping. I bought a really cool hoodie, a Dias de Muertas cap and a shirt and magic rocks for Paige. I don't remember what we did for food that evening....LOL!

Thursday:

Veggie Cutting!!!! We had SUCH an awesome group help out Thursday morning. Thank you so much to John and Sue Caffey, Neal and Billy Doss, Bonnie Loxterman, Mike Rogers, Ron Baker, Clint and Brenda Porter, Lucy and Brad Nelson, Ernie Nelson, Mavis Nelson, Jim Trietsch, Tom Dozier, and my hubby. We had breakfast and Vicki Sanders wonderful bloody marys. We also got done in 2 1/2 hours and I couldn't be more grateful to everyone who pitched in and helped. Thank you again! Not too much to report for Thursday besides the veggie cutting. God my memory sucks.

Friday:

National Scholarship Day!! Out of 183 beans, Stephanie Brockman got 1st Place! She was so excited and when they called her number, she turned around to me, handed me her beer, and said, "Hold my beer and watch this shit!" So funny and so happy for her. John Daniels won Salsa, Tom Dozier placed 4th (it was really, really good) and Keith Longabough placed 4th in wings. We all went to Long Draw Pizza that night and had a great time. I ordered a Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza that was delicious. We took leftovers back to camp and nibbled on them for a late night snack! Something else happened on Friday, but I'm going to save that for the end :)

Saturday:

Duh...TICC!!!! Even I couldn't forget that. Congratulations again to Gary for placing 8th and Tom for placing 1st. I really don't think I could be any more excited for the two of them than I am right now. I made it to pre-finals, which is the best I've ever done out there. Soooo close to final table, but not close enough. I knew Gary's number and when it was called, I looked at him and said, "that's you!!" He didn't know his number and the lucky charm holding it for him handed it to him! (Thanks Tamara!) I knew he was going to place...I just had a funny feeling. His chili had the same flavor it did at Texas Open when he got 2nd, and I just knew. Gary is still so excited and I'm excited for him. I have wanted him to get on that stage as long as he has been cooking and I'm so glad he finally made it up there. I love him and I'm so proud for him! As much as I wanted to hear my number called out, I was out of control excited when it was Tom's number. I had him text it to me and as soon as I heard it, I jumped up and started looking for him. 1st Place couldn't have gone to a better person. He loves chili, loves to cook it, loves to talk about it and he's always got a smile on his face. I'm so proud of him and it means a lot that someone (besides my husband) that has trusted me to help him did so unbelievably well at TICC. He beat 326 other chilis and I couldn't be more happier, more excited and more proud that someone like Tom kicked my ass :)

Gary celebrated quite a bit Saturday night, so we got a late start yesterday morning. Tom went down there with us, so I rode in the back with his big pepper trophy and Gary had his in the front seat. Jeez.....LOL!!! We stopped at Hard 8 BBQ in Stephenville and it was pretty good. I'm also happy to report that I didn't gain any weight while I was gone. Hell Yeah! We got home around 10 last night and I was sooooo happy to sleep in my own bed. Thank you baby Jesus lying in your ghost manger for my comfy, comfy bed. The puppies were glad to be home, too. They did NOT like all of that dust. They're getting baths tonight!

Okay, I do have to blog about some CASI stuff, but never fear, I won't be too harsh :) I actually received a very good education this weekend regarding the Old 320 saga. Janice took the time to answer some of my questions and help me understand the issue a little better. Unfortunately for the CASI board, explaining the issue to someone like me is the least of their problems! I'm a new Old 320 member. I don't have the vested interest in it that so many of the older cooks do and it's not that big of a deal to me, principal wise, as it probably is to a lot of other people. First of all, and really most importantly of all, there are no by-laws to govern the Old 320. I didn't know that and no wonder this has so many people up in arms - there are no guidelines, no parameters. The second thing that I think needs to happen is that if CASI is going to form a committee to handle the by-law issue of the Old 320 as well as the other hot topics among the members, then the committee MUST be made up of people with OPPOSING viewpoints in order for it to be taken seriously and meet the needs of all involved. No, you can't please everyone - that's not what I'm saying. But if you are going to do this so that you can represent the wishes of the Old 320 members as fair as possible, then you have to have an equal mix of people opposed to the motions out there as you do people for it. If the Board assembles a committee full of members that will carry out their wishes only, then it's just a sham, in my opinion.

I've got some other observations, but I figured I'd spread those out over the week so as not to overload anyone's senses. I'm nice like that :)

I know I've been a harsh critic of the CASI BOD, and I can't say I won't stray into criticism from time to time in the future, but when it comes to running TICC, you have to give them lots of kudos. I'm sure that there are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that we don't know about (and probably don't need to know about), but for the Board to organize and run that cook off the way they do is no small feat and they all deserve a pat on the back. There is a lot of planning that goes into TICC and most of the board members do it while holding down full time jobs. Thank you to each of you for making our week of fun, well, fun :)

Now, for the best part of my week!

For those of you who weren't able to make it to Mild Bill's Customer Appreciation Party, you missed the big announcement! Gary and I are the new owners of Mild Bill's Spices!!!! We don't take over actual operations until next September, and Tamara will continue to operate the company until then. Even when I take over, everything will stay the same - both products and awesome service! Gary and I are so excited to share this news (finally!!) and we look forward to serving all of the wonderful Mild Bill's customers just as Tamara has for the last 8 years. Gary will continue to operate T & B Demolition and I will begin operating Mild Bill's full time next October. This is a dream come true - and it was all a matter of things happening for a reason and at the right time. I don't think I can describe how grateful we are to Bill and Tamara Dees for trusting us with Mild Bills. We promise to take as wonderful care of it as you have!

Now, to address the big pink elephant in the room - am I going to continue my blog? ABSOLUTELY!!! CASI is not the only thing I have going on in my life and not the only thing I talk about. Am I going to ease up on CASI? Probably not, but I've got enough sense to keep some of my more scathing opinions to myself. The thing is...this blog has never said anything untruthful and if that is what upsets so many people, then me telling the truth is not my problem, it's theirs. If my tone and sometimes need to eviscerate those I'm being truthful about is the issue, then I respect that and can understand why I probably don't need to be such a bitch sometimes. With that said, I hope that people continue to read my blog for a variety of reasons...my recipes, my cracked out kid and my occasional reality check of CASI. I also hope to use my blog to promote Mild Bills and vice versa. I love to talk about so many things and this has become a creative outlet for me. So, I guess what I'm saying is don't hate the playa, hate the game....LMAO!!!!

That's all for today! I've got to start planning for Thanksgiving. Oh yeah - that will be tomorrow - my rant against retailers who put up Christmas decorations and play Christmas music before Thanksgiving. Can't we just enjoy each holiday as it comes along? Think about it...if the Pilgrims hadn't come over to escape religious persecution (and thus persecute the Indians and other cultures they determined to be heathens, but that's for even another day), we might not be in a culture where we COULD celebrate our holidays the way we do. Let's be thankful for Thanksgiving...and give the Turkey Day it's due respect....then we can move on to Christmas and be respectful of that religious holiday. But I digress and I wanted to let you know I've got some killer recipes to share. We are not frying a turkey this year and instead opting for Honey Baked Ham and a Smoked Turkey from The Honey Baked Ham store. What we are going to do is make a few different stuffings/dressings and I've come up with a Mexican inspired dressing that I can't wait to make. I love Thanksgiving...ooohhh...the food!!!

Happy to be back in Ellis County.....craptastic pothole roads and all!!

Kelly