Feed the LIZARD!!!!

For all of you blog readers that have met my papa bear aka Terry, you know that the White house is where the party is at. Growing up, there was never a short supply of cook outs, hang outs, parties, and cocktails.

My dad likes to throw parties. In my opinion, this is because he can drink a lot more when all he has to do is go upstairs and go to bed (even that can become a challenge after a good old fashion party at the White house).

For a quick clarification, my last name is White therefore all references to “White” are due to that fact. I made this mistake once in middle school assuming that everyone knew my last name was White and created the “White party” for my Government class. Let’s just say going to a ghetto school…..I got some looks (oh to be innocent and naïve again)! OK, that’s out of the way…moving on…

On a typical weekend growing up, there would be cars lined up all the way down Huntington Run Lane and our neighbors would just walk on over saying, “Well, the Whites are at it again, might as well join them.” My dad makes enough food that even the Royal Wedding wouldn’t be able to finish it. From pulled pork, smoked salmon, beer can chicken, steak, brats…you name it….papa bear is cooking it. But it doesn’t stop at the grilling, nooooo, there is macaroni salad, salsa, dips, desserts, anything and everything you would ever want at a party, we have it.

Recently, Andrew and I went back home for my parents 30th wedding anniversary. They decided to renew their vows and, of course, have a party to celebrate. Being in the construction business, my dad just doesn’t know when to stop adding to our back yard “deck.” It has become a massive piece of art. The picture below doesn’t even show half of the magnitude of this bad boy!!

This has to be some sort of World record...this thing is huge!

For this one such event, my Uncle Phil was in town and when the White brothers get together….there is no telling what the outcome will be.

Upon waking up the morning of the party, Uncle Phil and my dad had something they just HAD to show us. We walked out to the $10,000 “tiki hut” that my dad built around a $500 dollar pool (yes, those numbers are right….cripes) and with much excitement and jubilation, they showed us the “beer chute.”

Here is the "Tiki Hut" in the background....Papa Bear will sit out and smoke his cigar admiring all his work!

Beer Chute is the white pipe on top of the bar on the right.....there is a beer can hanging from it and a Lizard on top.....

Every time someone would finish a beer you would hear yelling from all areas of the party “feed the lizard!!” Feed the lizard they would say, apparently Lizards eat aluminum cans. When a party patron would put a can into the chute it would move its way down the pipe and into the recycle bin.

This is my family, good, bad and ugly….what can I say? Something is never lacking at the White house and that is fun and laughter. Sometimes I wonder why I am just a little bit crazy, but one trip back home brings it all into perspective. How fun can life be if there isn’t a little crazy in there somewhere?

The Whole family after the renewing of the vows!