TGIF! presents...Tom Waits' "What's He Building In There?"

A Halloween staple on this blog. Enjoy...and have a scary Halloween weekend. BOO!

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Inaugural "Rendezvous" big success!

I had an idea to gather some hunting buddies and have an old-fashioned, back to basics tent camp/hunting weekend. A "rendezvous" (as it's being referred to - for future years). What a grand time this past weekend was. Dad, brother Jason, Uncle Fran, Cousin Gerry, Kenny "Kahuna" Koepsel, Bill Dudi and my close friend from college, Jim Sickels. It was a rainy weekend up at Buckhorn State Park in Necedah, WI (near Mauston), our long-time deer bow hunt spot, but the rain was merciful and only doused us in our sleep.

Special "thank you's" go out to Jas who did most of the organizing and Jim, who did most of the cooking with Jas. We ate like kings.

Click on READ MORE! for a slew of photos.

Duck hunter Jason

Uncle Fran (hidden to the left) and Jim in their duck blinds. The day before, Jim bagged 2 of 3 birds.

Uncle Fran (left), Cousin Gerry (middle) and Jas talkin'.

I did not set up this picture. That flask is full of port wine...belonged to my great grandfather, Frank Ircink.

Molly (right) and Zol, my brother's American water spaniels. Always on the alert.

Jas posing during the duck hunt.

Ger and Uncle Fran in deep thought.

Jim made the most delicious duck appetizer. Can't tell you what he did exactly but it tasted as good as the best steak you've ever had.

The consummate beggers.

Drying out our clothes.

Jas making sure his gun is loaded.

Jas acting stupid.

Jeff acting stupid. (That's me in case you didn't know.)

Jas with his new headgear courtesy of the Kahuna.

Jim and I under the mess hall tent.

Ducks taken on Saturday morning. 2 for Jim and not sure who got the third.

Kenny ("Kahuna") telling a bowhunting story. I've hunted with Kenny since I was a senior in high school. My dad...since he was a young man. Wanna know anything about bowhunting? Talk to Kenny.

Uncle Fran's in need of some additional bowhunting equipment. Want bowhunting equipment? Talk to the Kahuna.

The back of Kenny's van. You should see his house. It rivals Cabela's.

Jim and Jas relaxing.

Cleaning ducks.

Breakfast time! Jas brought way too much food (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). Eggs, bacon, pancakes, homemade maple syrup, hash browns, toast, coffee, orange juice. For dinner - hamburgers, venison steaks, duck, cranberries (courtesy of Mom), potatoes, chicken (beer can chicken to be more precise), corn....it was a sin.

Jim, Jas and me.

Uncle Fran and Kenny continuing their conversation from out behind Kenny's van....

I think Bill Dudi is in the back. Can't see him. He's gonna be pissed - he wanted copies of pictures and he's not in any of them.

Jim's tent. Looks like an ad for Coleman's.

Uncle Fran, Kenny and I stayed here.

Jason's tent.

Dad and Kenny chat about old times.

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TGIF! presents...ThistleandBramble's "Blackbird".

Happened upon this Christian home-schooled, self-taught musician/singer...great Beatles tune and he plays the guitar very well.

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Vikes stick it to the 'Boys agin, 24-21. Vikes, 2-3.

(Above) Just what Vikes' fans were waiting for...the Rookie of the Year Percy Harvin (2009) to rip it up. In a "must-win" game for both teams, the Minnesota Vikings held on to edge the Dallas Cowboys at home, 24-21. This was a nail biter - like all the seemingly lackluster Vikings' games this year. Come on, Vikes! It's the Packers in Green Bay this Sunday night! Heads in the game! 4 quarters!! Let's roll to 3-3 and get this season shakin'! SKOL FAVRE! SKOL VIKINGS!!!

Fist pump Favre for a first down!

TD, AP!

Welcome back, EJ Henderson (56). EJ was out much of last season due to a broken leg. Here he is with one of 2 INT's in the game.

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Gloria Allred & the "Rosa Parks" illegal alien.

The penultimate ambulance chaser, one of Gloria Schmalred's current cases involves representing an illegal alien to whom she referred as "Rosa Parks" (a legal, black female who stood up for blacks' rights in the 1960's).

Ms. Schmalred, I did not know Rosa Parks but I do know your client is nothing like Rosa Parks.

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Congrats, Percy Harvin! NFC Special Teams Player of the Week!

Rookie of the Year (2009) Vikings WR/KR Percy Harvin was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the Viking win against Dallas, 24-21, Harvin’s second such honor.

Harvin returned the opening kickoff of the second half 95 yards for a touchdown and tied the game at 14-14. Harvin holds the franchise record with three kickoffs returned for touchdowns and did so in only 20 career games. SKOL PERCY! SKOL VIKINGS!!

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4 reasons why I like Fox News. And one reason I like the French.

Left to right. Top to bottom: Margaret Hoover. Megyn Kelly. Lis Wiehl. Heather Nauert. Click on their names for more information on these intelligent, budding political pundits.

And the French journalist? Melissa Theurian. She's not a fox. I mean...she doesn't work for Fox. But she's a fox. Melissa is. Yeah.

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Narcissism at The Gingerbread House.

Found a great coffeehouse in New Berlin - The Gingerbread House. Beautiful inside. And they have chickens running around outside. I highly recommend it. I don't recommend taking your picture in the men's room. The light is horrible.

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Hello, Megan. I love this "Mad Men" secretary.

If you're a fan of AMC's "Mad Men", then you've undoubtedly noticed Don Draper's latest secretary, Megan (top picture). Check out this 2009 interview from Now Toronto. You might also have noticed Canadian actress Jessica Pare in the comedy, "Hot Tub Time Machine". I'll let you search the Internet for Jessica's clips...I mean that movie clip.

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"Untitled Abstract", Pamela Anderson, 2010

I just purchased this from my friend, artist Pamela Anderson. She has a studio in Wauwatosa, Underwood Gallery. If you stand at a distance, it looks like a farmhouse or barn set back in a field. Back away from your computer and take a look...am I right? This could look great in my newly painted kitchen.

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Aggregating box elder bugs.

This disturbs me. WATCH THE VIDEO!

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tgif! presents..."edelweiss" by christopher plummer

I love this song - and Mr. Plummer's rendition of it.

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Greendale kitchen. Before & After.

The blue walls are BEFORE. By the way - I hate painting. Click on READ MORE! to see the other shots. It's a small kitchen but humor me. It took forever.

Did I mention I hate painting? And this was just one small room.

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