HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

The leaves are falling in many parts of the country.  Leaf peepers have been showing up in Vermont, and each week, it seems the color festival creeps just a bit more south.  If you are thinking about starting a project that needed to be completed for the fall, you are a little late.  Right now, as the pumpkins are being rolled out of the garden, there is not a better time to think of the warmer months.  I am not talking about tossing off your parka and slipping into something that is itsy bitsy teeny weenie and polka dotted.  Rather, it is time to consider planning the big projects that need to be complete for the spring.  There are some things like deciding what excavating needs to be done to plant winter bulbs.  Other projects don’t involve as much forethought as they involve “save up.”

If you are thinking about a grilling area, despite the money crunch of the holidays, it is a good idea to begin budgeting.  What appeals to me about grills is being able to entertain at home.   Dad was eyeing one of those Fire Magic Grills that he can build in. Even though the initial expense is higher than a night out for dinner or a little hibachi, it gives a lot of added pleasure in the long run.

A few years ago, friends and I ate out a lot.  That is how we got together and socialized.  I recall there being many guests they would bring that I hardly got to know because it was hard to hear in the restaurant, or seating wasn’t conducive to getting to know someone besides the person across and next to you.  This past year, I have gone to more barbecues and have stayed in.  I find that I have created much stronger bonds with people because we were just hanging out.

The Fire Magic Grill Dad was looking at has several options. There are freestanding grills, and then several components meant to be built in.  You can create almost a kitchen environment in a pool enclosure or on a patio. Of course, you would want to cover it when you were not using it.  The price point for Fire Magic Grills is a bit higher than what he might spontaneously buy. However, if entertaining and cooking is a passion, just like buying higher end sport equipment for the athlete, the cost is a bit more justifiable.

If you start thinking of such things now, you can decide if you have a spot for it or need to build up your patio. You will have enough time to check if you need a permit for improvements, or if you can build it out without an inspection. It would be a much better idea to ask now, than be tied up at the last minute.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.