One Big Happy by Rick Detorie for September 18, 2011

The smoke is always smokier on the other side of the fence.

Why don’t you guys switch places and find out.

Please – No outdoor cooking if you"re in Texas – you might end up being the main course yourself – well done.

Because imagination is always better than reality.

The neighbor’s smoke smells better because that’s a platter full of barbequed cow patties, not beef patties.

Maybe it’s the barbeque sauce you use that’s not as good as the neighbors.

Here in our neighborhood we do have bbq’s at own home. The bbq smells so good at odd times of day.

I never saw neighbor’s grass as better than mine (and prefer natural stuff to lawns). I still have an old propane BBQ behind the pool equip on my side yard- but I always hated lighting the things and now have a lovely cast iron Viante grill (with alternate griddle)- large surface, electronic controls and indoors where I can watch the rest of my food and enjoy the AC.

Of the neighbors to either side – one does BBQ outdoors just about every weekend, and the other smokes out in his patio- neither one smells good to me.

“Isn’t the triceratops done yet, Mommy???”

So, at some point the wind direction changed a full 180°