Space Cowboy

We came across this Space Cowboy cop car on the way to brunch.

Say Irish Beer Cheddar Cheese! Link Up

St. Paddy's is soon upon us and the Dempsey clan is getting ready for our yearly parade around the square. By getting ready I mean digging out one of the many scarves and t-shirts we've worn "as a group" over the years to see what fits. I'm lucky if one of the scarves fits me this year.

One of my many (many) cousins in orange brows, tat sleeve, suspenders and tux

This group is impossible to organize or get to agree on anything (a bit like Mother Ireland herself). We will never be looking in the same direction for a family photo and any attempt to get us to march in order with a "theme" is as hilariously futile as chasing a leprechaun.

*And don't forget, I'm also just a leprechaun, standing next to a girl, asking her for directions to the pub

It's supposed to be 38˚F and partly sunny this year which means I may not be looking for that family with the Jameson right away. I hope to have plenty o' photos come next Tuesday but for now, start bringing out the green (whatever that may mean or wherever it may be legal) and Say Cheese! because it's time for the:

Say Irish Beer Cheddar Cheese! Link Up.

*Not the quote from Notting Hill.

Unless It's Dollar Bills I Don't Really Care

"A little bit of everything falls out of the sky this weekend," says the jolly weatherman.

I sip my hot chocolate in anticipation

Say Cheese! Daddio Link Up

It was my dad's birthday yesterday, he would have been 94. I think my youngest nephew Andy and I inherited my dad's sense of humor or were at least encouraged by it.
His laugh filled whatever space he occupied and you could always find him by looking for the largest group of people drinking the most booze and having the most fun. A connection? Perhaps.

My Irish Aunts and uncles, the largest group of people drinking the most booze and having the most fun

The ol' man was a stereotypical Irish Catholic cop from the east side of Madison with a sibling for every day of the week. He belonged to more clubs and organizations than I knew existed (Eagles, Elks, American Legion, VFW, Gun Club, Grieg Club, Army Reserve, Bowling League, Irish Dancing, County Board). When I was a kid I assumed he belonged to everything.

Here holding the cherished wedge of honor

He was loving and lovable, neighborly, accommodating, ethical, hard-working, affable, fun, energetic and forever taking photos.

A late Happy Birthday and an early Fat Tuesday dad, I remember when you won that wedge of cheese in our Fantasy Football League. Always a winner, this week's Say Cheese! remembers my dad, Clarence Francis Olson, a total cheeseball.

Star Light

A piercing light beckoned to us through the blinds as we munched bar food and sipped caffeine. "Take that wing out your mouth and get back on the road," it seemed to say.

The Sunset Harbor Bar & Grill in Lodi. Stay away from the sampler platter

Say Cheese! Bucky Link Up

I was a rebellious, spazy nerd as a kid. When I ran away from home I ran away to the library.  So when I saw *"Well Red" Bucky's new scarf this month I was all verklempt because it was made by UW librarians. Here's a photo of Bucky I took last summer.

I'm not that studious, my butt is frozen to these books

I don't know how cheesy Well Red Bucky is but the company that made him has been on my cheesedar for some time. Let's raise a piece of cheese to keeping ceramic statues warm, to the creative talents of the FAST corporation and to librarians everywhere, this Tuesday's Say Cheese! salutes you.

The Rules: The only rule is that there is no Fight Club but please have at least one photo in your post and recipes with cheese, as always, are welcome. So much so that I'd like to re-link Mother of 3's irresistible Cheesy Chicken Chowder in a Bread Bowl entry from last week. Even if you aren't living inside an evil snow globe this is an anytime, go-to recipe.

And now it's time to Say Chowdah! I mean Cheese
A quick note, something weird happened with Google and Lavender Dreamer's blog, please stop by her new space and say, "Hey."

*A pun on Badger colors which are red and white

On The Way Home I Saw A Snowman

It was 28˚ and sunny today so I was running around in a t-shirt without a coat.

Reaction to the Polar Vortex or has the good sense to wear a hat, scarf and gloves? (*"You can never have enough hats, gloves and shoes.")

Although I haven't seen much more than snow-covered ice lawns and ice-covered snow roads I brought along a camera to take a closer look. 

Most of the roads are well cleared but I found a "short cut" home that makes me glad I've got AWD and good tires.

A reminder that I need a neutral density filter

My only thought on navigating walk at your own risk thawed and refrozen sidewalks in tennis shoes is, "Save the camera first."


*Tell me about this quote and win a postcard

The John Waters Is More Fun Than A Hurricane Say Cheese! Link Up

Once upon a time in the late 70s/early 80s, I was in school at the University of Wisconsin and watched a merry band of pranksters run for student senate. They made it rain watermelon, togas and pink flamingos. The flamingos planted on Basom Hill were said to have blown in from a Florida hurricane although I thought they were a tribute to John Waters.

The sign might as well have said, "Let's see how many people we can fit on the ice in one spot on a warm day."

They also brought the Statue of Liberty to Lake Mendota. I was there when it first went up, for a resurrection in 2010 and again for a surprise addition to the Winter Carnival this February (held on a lake with warning signs not to walk on the lake).

"You maniacs, you blew it up!"

When the Statue of Liberty first rose from the frozen bosom of Lake Mendota I thought it was a tribute to the last scene of Planet of the Apes with less statue and more ice.

 "What does it take to make you look up from your phones, ice head here!"

The jesters behind it were members of the WSA (Wisconsin Student Association), most notably Leon Varjian (RIP) and the Mink Stole to his Divine, Jim Mallon (MST3K, Blood Hook).

Say Cheese! Statue of Liberty arm

Lady Liberty was part of a student campaign promise but Leon Varjian did a lot more than my feeble brain remembers. There's a pretty good obit for him here in the State Journal. The paper also found some great photos to remember him by.

I can't think of anything cheesier than Leon Varjian, Jim Mallon and the Statue of Liberty rising from Lake Mendota.

So Let's Say Cheese! It's time for this week's Link Up

Greets From The Streets

Hope everyone is happy and full of chocolate. I met this little guy on the street and although he doesn't do chocolate he has a very sweet smile.

I'm all sugar, baby

Pucker up

Snow Me Your Cheese Say Cheese! Link Up

While I was stuck inside waiting for AAA to get my car towed (they never did) my cousin broke me out to visit the Winter Carnival on Lake Mendota. It smelled like bratwurst and freedom.

From the Winter Carnival: Now that mom has a hood full of snow, "Say Cheese!" kid.

From a New Glarus Oktoberfest Past: One of the few shots without arms and elbows

This will keep you warm, especially if you spill it

Cheese Fondue from the New Glarus Hotel Restaurant

Luckily this cheesy post from Sweet Leisure has a recipe from the New Glarus Hotel because I do not feel like doing anything more today than putting on a kettle and eating Tootsie Rolls. I'm not sure what type of Swiss cheese they use at Oktoberfest but I love the choices in this recipe. The New Glarus Hotel recipe yields four servings so multiply that times what, 2,000 for a vat? Any guesses?

Ingredients

1 and 1/4 c divided Dry White Wine

4 c shredded Appenzeller, Gruyere or Emmentaler

2 T Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tsp finely chopped Garlic

1 tsp chopped Dill

1/2 tsp White Pepper

Pinch Nutmeg

1 T plus 2 tsp Cornstarch

2 T Kirsch

Crusty French bread cut into bite-sized cubes for fondue or Oktoberfest style over a piece of bread with plastic forks and a beer

Directions

Put 1 cup wine in a heavy fondue pot.

Set pot over high heat and bring wine to gentle boil. Reduce heat to simmer.

Gradually stir in cheese. Stir in wine when cheese melts then stir in lemon juice, garlic, dill, pepper and nutmeg.

Combine cornstarch with remaining wine, add to cheese and stir well.

Let cook a few minutes, stirring constantly until fondue is thick and smooth.
Stir in Kirsch and serve immediately with bread for dipping.

A Cheesy thank you to last week's linkers Kristie for her 3 Ingredient Football Cheese Ball and Easy Cheesy Beefaroni and SJ Country Craft's French Onion Soup. And kudos to Shelbee for her cheesy Super Bowl recipes with a bonus cheesy photo at the bottom of her post.

So grab a wedge or wheel to pass while linking up and checking out this week's Say Cheese! Link Up

The We Aren't Paying You To Eat Our Ice Cream Say Cheese! Link Up

But somebody should.

They added a clause at the bottom saying  0˚ is free but you can't make money if it's negative 12. If?

Quick Recap
Polar Vortex, -61˚F windchill although I can only testify to -48 and absorbing fun facts while getting Overlook Hotel scale cabin fever. Did you know the average temperature on Mars is -80 and base camp on Mt. Everest was a balmy -30˚F?

My cousin Nanci with Saturday's menu

And my car died in underground parking. One week later I still can't get AAA out here. I will only say one thing about AAA because I really want to talk about ice cream. AAA can &*%! my •¶§∞ing £™¢∞ with a cherry on top.

This town has a lot better ice cream than pizza

Meanwhile, we've had three warm days, the first of which unless you count 17˚ above as warm and some do was Saturday. On Saturday we saw some guy get out of his truck on Monroe Street in a tank top. It was 38˚, we were eating ice cream.

We were eating because it was Ice Cream For Breakfast Day. The Chocolate Shoppe didn't have any of that Siciliano fare mentioned here, but they did have a Breakfast Monster Shake which I got, an Ice Cream Donut Sandwich with donuts from the Greenbush Bakery, stuff made with Lucky Charms, Waffle Sundaes and juice. Yes, juice. They also stitched together The Breakfast Monster Shake, pictured below.

Hi, my name is Michayla and I can not be held responsible for anything that happens after you make this purchase

There was only one (very sweet) kid working and a line formed right after I ordered this crime against nature. My cousin tried to keep a Wisconsin theme by ordering a waffle sundae with Door County Cherry and Mackinac Island Fudge ice cream (Mackinac Island is in Michigan). It seemed to melt quickly, see the last photo.

I got looks because I chose vanilla ice cream. Welcome to Wisconsin

And then Michayla was off making 1, 2, 3 more of these sugar coma death shakes.

"Down here, down here. Hey, look, our glasses are coated in chocolate with Jimmies."

I pictured the Monster Breakfast Shakes trying to get these two off their phones. 

Nanci put away her phone and drank her brunch like a good girl (sounds like high school)

One more fun fact, I think I got sick from the romaine lettuce and spinach salad I had for dinner but I was fine with the Lucky Charms vanilla ice cream and chocolate banana Breakfast Monster Shake I had for brunch.

Without further ~burp~ ado, it's time for the photo and/or recipe Say Cheese! Link Up