50 Wings & Heavy Western Beef

I will admit I rode out the blizzard last weekend in Central Florida. My arrangements were made long before and on Thursday when I left the forecast was calling for 3-6 inches of snow. Well things do change, the biggest blizzard here since 1978. 30 years!

Two or three times a year my friend Don and I head down to Lakeland, and Apollo Beach Florida. I lived and worked there for 10 great years and still have life long friends there. We meet up Ray and Tim, play golf on private courses, go boating, sit by the pool, watch NASCAR, and a multitude of other sports we can find on HD TV. This visit was especially great, as it was about the only place on earth warm this weekend.

First I DID feel guilty about not being home to help out with the bad conditions. But my bride Stacy assured me she was doing alright, and she was. She did yeoman's work keeping our drive open and house running smoothly. I was very proud of her. Great job baby!

So with everything under control, we decided to have take advantage of the fact we were there, and not here. We started off by eating 50 chicken wings upon arrival in about 3 seconds all while sitting on the patio at the Winghouse. Nice start. Golf the next day, followed by a visit to The Tribe's spring training game in Winter Haven and saw them win! After the game we bought steaks for the grill from a place called Mac's Heavy Western Beef across the street from Chain 'O Lakes Stadium in Winter Haven. How great is that name? I'm shopping there to be sure! We laughed about that name all weekend, and gave the owner assurances we'd only by our beef from them from this day forward. That place by name alone is hallowed ground.

The next three days pretty much the same. More golf, more games, a change or two, Beef O'Brady's for wings, some stuffed grouper at a restaurant on the water, and some fresh cookies for desert. All while hanging with the best group of friends anyone could ask for.

Occasionally you've got to take a few days and recharge and get your mind right, and this was it. It's good for the soul to do the things you like best down south at a time when you can't do them up north. I think that's why they invented Florida and the rest of the Southeast. I am blessed to have the great friends, and the time to enjoy them. I am also blessed my bride kept the home fires burning, and assured me she was okay and told me to have fun.

Friends, golf, boating, the Tribe, and sun. Now that's the way to ride out a generational blizzard. I have vowed that's how I'm doing it from now on. Blizzard here? Golf there! And in 2038 when the next blizzard hits I'm doing just that. Oh, and let's not forget the Heavy Western Beef!..Hope they're still in business then.